Anybody want this sweet little 3″ x 4″ gadget case? It’s just a little too small for my iPhone but you could be creative in what you might use it for. Since it is closed on top it would make a lovely little case for business cards or something similar.
This drawing is open to international readers as well as US readers!
I thought I’d share this tutorial with you again since it goes along with the last post. this isn’t the same instructions that are in the book but it does involve gadget cases.
Isn’t it funny how quickly tech gadgets are outdated!? I sent in these little cases for Quilting Arts Magazine for the “Glam-To-Go for Gadgets” article. They didn’t use the case I actually spent the most time making – no worries. It’s perfect for showing you one of my favorite techniques to play with – beaded fringes!
Materials:
1 – Make your knot. Thread your needle, bring it in through the case and out on the edge of the satin stitching. Leave the tail of the thread hanging out. Wrap the thread (not the tail end) three times around the tip of the needle, hold the wrap with your thumb and pull the needle through. You should have a secure knot now. I often make at least one more knot in close to the same place just to be extra secure.
2 – Load your beads onto the needle. Add seed beads until your fringe is about as long as you wish it to be then add your bigger bead and one more seed bead. The seed bead on the end is your anchor. Slide all of the beads to the end of the thread.
3 – Anchor your fringe. This is the only tricky part – and it really isn’t hard. Slide that last seed bead away from the line of beads then send your needle right back through your whole line of beads. I find it easiest to do if I bend the line of beads over my finger, holding the thread taut. This lines up the beads in a row and holds the thread tight along the bottom of each hole. That way you have room to get the needle back up through the whole line.
4 – You might not be able to get the needle all the way through your line of beads in one shot. No worries. Just do it a bit at a time, holding that thread taught to it easier to slide the needle through.
5 – Push your needle into the satin stitching, right under your fringe and come out where you want the next fringe to start. Continue adding fringe until you think you’re done. Notice here that my fringe isn’t the same – I like it funky. Sometimes my big bead is in the middle, sometimes there are more seed beads on the end than just one anchor. Mix it up and make it fun. (And yes, I am an artist and my cuticles and nails ALWAYS look that bad!)
6 – Make a knot right next to the last fringe in the same way you did at the beginning. In fact, make two knots. Come to think of it, make a knot and just keep going (not starting with a new thread each time) every three or four fringes just to be safe. I truly dislike the sound of a million tiny beads scattering across the floor as my child yanks on my fringes. At the end, after your last knot, send your needle up through the satin stitching and come out anywhere. Trim the tail off and you’re done.
Hope you enjoyed it! Go add some beady fringe to something! They make wonderful swishing noises as they move and swing around. If DVD’s are easier for you to learn with you can find this and a lot more on my instructional DVD:
Bead It Like You Mean It!
And now for a little surprise.
Anybody want it? Anybody out there still use an ipod classic? My daughter has my old one but isn’t interested in this case.
You could get creative and fill in the holes with beaded cloth of your own. Who knows.
Leave a comment here telling me what you would do with this lovely little beaded thing.
This giveaway IS open to International readers – I’ll draw the winner next Monday. (tell your friends to stop by and leave a comment too!)
Congratulations! go to Manuella – the winner of Ann Fahl’s Applique booklet. She says “I love Ann as an artist and admire her work. I am on a learning journey and haven’t found my favorite technique till now. I am open to every new techique to learn and would be very happy about this book.”
It’s finally here! Next week the auction begins for the Kick Off Your Heels campaign.
I’m excited to tell you about how you can own a pair of art-full high heels, that benefit the women’s heart wing of Cedar’s Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles!
The sale of the shoes will begin at 8:00 a.m. EST Monday May 20, 2013 and will be available for purchase over the course of the week as follows:
Shoes can be purchased for $300 on May 20 and 21, 2013 beginning at 8:00 a.m. EST
Shoes can be purchased for $200 on May 22 and 23, 2013 beginning at 8:00 a.m. EST
Shoes can be purchased for $100 on May 24 and 25, 2013 beginning at 8:00 a.m. EST
Click here to visit the website we set up so you can preview the shoes before the sale begins.
Set your calendar alarms for Monday, May 20, 2013 and check out the website for your favorite pair of artisan made high heels!
You can see a couple more pictures of the process for the shoes I made here.
Now moving on to Today’s GIVEAWAY!
Here is another compilation of articles from Interweave’s authors.
Travel Accessories includes my article on making little carry-away cases for your electronics.
Leave a comment here. Tell me something that you’d like me to write up a tutorial for.
US entries only again. I’ll draw the winner’s name this Friday.
The giveaway for Ann Fahl’s booklet is open until Wednesday.
I’d like to introduce you to another friend and artist: Ann Fahl.
Indiana Memories by Ann Fahl 57″ x 51″
The first big quilt show I saw was the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival and I was enchanted by this quilt of Ann’s. This picture doesn’t really do justice to the vibrance of the color and the beauty of the cloth and thread. I do remember that show opened my eyes turned me on to quilts as ART!
Three Water Lilies by Ann Fahl 30″ x 25″
Lyric: Did you always want to be an artist?
Ann: It was never in my life plan to be an artist. But as a daughter of two classical musicians, I was born an artist. Coloring was one of my first pleasurable activities as a preschooler. My parents would find me coloring in our little office at the front of the house very early in the morning. It was both the act of coloring and enjoying the colors as they appeared on paper that I loved. I also added some crayon drawings to the new wallpaper in my bedroom. I thought I had done a wonderful job of embellishing the little animals and flowers on the paper, but my mother didn’t think so.
Water Lilies on Yellow by Ann Fahl 28″ x 28″
Lyric: Describe your journey to becoming an artist.
Ann: My plan was to be a business woman, be CEO of a business or something. After 10 years in retailing I realized that no matter how high I got in the organization I was never going to love the job. I loved to sew, so I quit my job and started “Creative Sewing” I did anything that was needed, clothing, alterations, and home accessories. By accident I took a quilting class, and the rest is history. I also became CEO of my own business.
Images from the book, “A Black and White Tale” by Ann Fahl and Jaquie Scuitto
(click the image to read more and buy this delightful book of verses and art)
Lyric: Why textiles as a medium?
Ann: Children are very tactile. Wanting to touch fabrics, animals, flowers is part of human nature. So I am very tactile, but fabrics also add the excitement of color. The machine processes we use now to create quilts, are very repetitive and calming. All these things, when added to my inner artistic base sent me on my way to become a professional artist. Teaching and writing about what I love is a bonus. At this point in my life, thoughts, activities, everything I do is all wrapped together, to create me. It’s hard to separate one part from the rest of me. It’s one big package.
I love hearing about how and why people come to be where they are as artists. We all have such different and fascinating journeys. And now to the really fun part. Ann has a lovely new booklet out called Appliqué Ann’s Way: A new look at machine appliqué. I have a copy for one of YOU!
From her website: “Not everyone likes to appliqué. Ann wants to change that, because there are so many different methods available to us today. In Appliqué Ann’s Way she shares her six favorite methods; all combine the sewing machine with fabric and fusing. You are sure to find one technique that appeals to you! She includes tips and problem solving ideas as well. Whether you are a beginner, experienced or in between, you will find something to help improve and refine your techniques, it just takes a little practice. Whatever your level of ability, there is a technique for you.”
The booklet has 36 pages of instruction and black and white how-to photographs. 5.5″ x 8.5″ with stapled binding. I find her instructions to be clear and understandable and I think you will enjoy it.
Leave a comment here and tell me about your favorite construction technique for creating your textile art.
(happy day – this giveaway is open to my dear international readers!)
And congratulations to Arlene – the winner of the Notebook Covers book. She doesn’t carry a sketchbook with her yet – but maybe she will now!
I think Jeannie’s answer gives us one of the best reasons to do so, “Last winter my Dad suffered a paralysing stroke. It meant packing up quickly and heading out for a 5 hour drive. While staying for a couple of weeks, I found the importance of having a notebook with me. The hospital was old and beautiful. I went to the gift shop and purchased a little memo pad for taking notes from nurses and doctors since we are all at “that” age where nothing stays in memory for long. The lesson was that to keep my sanity, I went to the lobby and drew. I went out in the rain and drew. I have never thought of myself as a drawer or artist, but the ability to focus on something other than my situation was a gift. There is now a notepad and a mini moleskin in my purse – never leave home without it!”
Sketchbook Slipcover Video Tutorial
Following this week’s giveaway, I thought I’d repost this video tutorial on how to make a slipcover for your sketchbook. The written directions are in the book that’s up for grabs (leave a comment on the previous post for your chance to win!)
Congratulations! to Mary who will win Victoria’s book 15 Minutes of Play
Her creative warm-up: ”One of my fav creative warmups is to line up all the fabrics I think I want in the piece, then return to the stash & pick something that DOES NOT BELONG! All kinds of things can happen from there.”
Now moving on to Today’s GIVEAWAY!
The publisher of my book was recently bought out by F+W Media. Interweave press is keeping its name but is now a division of the larger publishing house. So far, they have been lovely to work with and they kept many of my favorite people on board.
Notebook Covers and More is a compilation of a number of Quilting Arts Magazine articles by various artists over the years. Most are a variation on how to make a book cover of some sort.
For a chance to win this booklet, leave a comment telling me if you carry a sketch or notebook around with you. What do you put in it?
Am I the only one who can’t remember anything unless I write it down? It’s not an age thing with me – I’ve always been like this. I call my sketchbook my paper brain. It’s definitely not a work of art – It’s full of all kinds of things like grocery list, meeting notes, my children’s drawings. Oh – and yes, sketches too.
I do like it when that book is all dressed up pretty though. I’ll draw the winner’s name on Friday. US entries only please for this one – I plan to post an international drawing on Friday!
I’d like to introduce you to a new friend and fellow artist that I think you will love: Victoria Findlay Wolfe was my fellow guest artist when I filmed for The Quilt Show down in Charleston, SC. I posted a whole series of articles here about the city and the experience. We had a fabulous and exhausting few days while we were there together.
Victoria has a background in the fine arts and is currently working with textiles, churning out quilts like a madwoman. She has more energy and is more productive than most people I know. You can see lots of her quilts here. She makes mostly bed quilts in a very fresh and contemporary style. What follows are Victoria’s own words about her journey.
Everything But The Kitchen Sink by Victoria Findlay Wolfe
“Life hands us funny things sometimes. Often times, it’s things we would have never thought we’d have to deal with. Be kind. Be grateful. Find the JOY in each day.
Cheap Hotels by Victoria Findlay Wolfe
I set out for NY in 1994 to be an artist. I came to NYC with a suitcase, two boxes of paintings, and $200 in my pocket. (I do not recommend that to anyone) the $200 was gone in two days in NYC.
Scrapping it up by Victoria Findlay Wolfe
I set about following my dream, being the creative person I am. And, although I’ve done that, my direction has certainly changed. The important part has been being open to following the creative path that presented itself to me. Had I not found BLOGS, and beautiful quilts, I may not have found the deep appreciation for where I’ve come from. Quilting, was always something we did, because, that’s what we do in our family as MAKERS; We grow our food, we can our food, we make our quilts and clothes… it never dawned on me, that this would become my passion.
“Double Edged LOVE” collaborated & quilted by Lisa Sipes, just WON BEST IN SHOW at QUILTCON!
Now, I have a deep respect for where I’ve come from, and from where quilters have come from. Always look back, and forward for that matter, with respect!”
Do you love her work as much as I do? There is a freedom and playfulness that speaks to me, combined with just enough order to keep things from getting out of hand. Love it. We exchanged and autographed our books as I dropped her off at the airport, eager to share each other’s work with our own readers.
is a book I really enjoyed reading through. In fact, it inspired the first bed quilt I’ve made in years! (I’ll show it to you eventually… it’s still waiting for me to quilt it.) In it she advocates setting aside 15 minutes at the beginning of your creative time to simply play and sew random scraps together. Does this creative warm-up time sound familiar to you? Victoria shows you techniques for using this “made fabric” in your quilts and gives some solid design advice.
I have a signed copy of her book ready to send to one of you.
Tell me what your favorite creative warm-up is.
In three days I’ll pick the winner.
If you just can’t wait and want to buy a signed copy of 15 Minutes to Play you can do that here. (US entries only on this one please. It kills me but they’ve raised shipping charges quite dramatically on this end. I hope to have at least one or two original postcards to give away to my lovely international readers. And – please be patient with shipping. I’ve had surgery and am still not quite back on my feet – I should be able to get out to the post office within two weeks. Cheers and best wishes!)
May is my birthday month and as I look around there is absolutely nothing I lack. I also need to spend the month recuperating from the surgery that put all my insides back together (my body did not like the 5th pregnancy!) The kids are still in school too. That means I am doing a lot more staying at home, have more time to play with my blog, and have a goal to clear out my studio and give something back to all my wonderful readers!
soooo…..It’s a whole month of
GIVEAWAYS!
This is just the first stack that happens to be sitting on my desk. I think I can get my act together enough to DO this thing!
(The only regret is that I don’t have the budget to ship a lot of things like books overseas because of shipping charges. I’ll make sure to have several goodies just for my overseas friends! Oh – and I won’t be shipping things out each day, probably just in two batches – so be patient!)
The following is an excerpt from April’s Lyric’s Lyricisms Newsletter. If you like what you see you can subscribe via the link on the top right of this blog. The newsletter also includes a list of entry dates for shows that accept art quilts.
The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.
~William Arthur Ward~
It’s spring here – sort of. The daffodils are almost done blooming but the temperatures haven’t warmed up enough for the farmers in the area to put seeds in the ground. They are a full two weeks behind schedule. I seem to run that way most of the time – a full two weeks behind schedule when it comes to the artwork I want to make for myself. If there is a deadline involved however, I manage to get things done, even if I do run it up to the very last minute. I need to learn some discipline. I want to be able to get things done for myself with no deadline at all.
This month I am going to try out a time honored method known by mothers everywhere – the star chart. I’l give myself a star for each 15 minutes of productive studio time and figure out a reward at the end of each week. Because I know how crazy my calendar is, 15 minutes is a realistic and achievable daily goal.
What achievable daily goal will help you gain the discipline your art most needs?
Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.
~Abraham Maslow~
Even with discipline involved, I’ll start each studio session with play time. A doodled sketch, some random piecework, little compositional studies. Even when all you have is 15 minutes it is vitally important to play. Taking a few minutes to set parameters and explore an idea can open up some very wonderful creative pathways in your brain. Athletes know that a warm-up gets your body ready for a peak performance, waking and warming up muscles that have been at rest, getting them ready for the work ahead. A warm up for your creative muscles will help you reach a peak performance with your artwork.
What is your favorite creative warm up?
~Lyric
$26.95
$24.95
