Innholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2021 i Quilting Arts Magazine

Nature provides so many opportunities for artists to experience beauty firsthand. Whether your art quilts are landscapes, abstract interpretations of wildlife, or inspired by the grandeur of the national parks, the following pages reflect how fiber artists interpret the complexity and nuance of the world around them. Over the past year, I’ve taken refuge in being outdoors and have been practicing the art of noticing. Walking has been a balm to my soul and an inspiration for my work. As John Muir said, “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” I’ve often noticed the birds in my backyard have extraordinary patterns on their feathers; each leaf on a beech tree is unique; mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes; and the music of a stream…

DIRECTIONS 1. Clean and sand the branch, especially the raw ends, until it is smooth and free of loose debris. 2. Mark the branch about 1" in on each end. Using an electric drill and a 7/32" bit, bore straight down through the center of the branch so the hole is centered on both top and bottom, and both drilled tunnels are parallel to each other. (figure 1) Sand the edges of the holes and clean away any sawdust. 3. Cover the cording with fabric. Here’s an easy turning method I learned from my grandmother: • Start with a length of cording that is at least twice the finished length you need. Fold in half to determine the midpoint. Cut a bias strip of fabric 2" x the finished length…

We live on a planet with extraordinary beauty, yet fearsome power to destroy; amazingly resilient, but fragile. The artists in “Primal Forces: Earth” have captured the elegance of and threats to our planet with sensitivity and expertise. Each composition has its own visual rhythm that invites the viewer to explore the whole and delight in the details. The use of light was especially impressive. Whether bright and colorful or subtle and restrained, most have a pleasing glow that draws one closer. That closer look does not disappoint. Earth’s beauty is celebrated, while nature’s surprises are revealed. Allure and tragedy are combined. The artists included represent mastery in the vast number of techniques employed in modern art quilts. Viewers can see high tech photographic manipulation as well as hand-dyed and marbled…

What I call ‘book cloth’ is exactly that—the cloth covering on discarded, vintage books. Using a craft knife, I cut and peel off sections of cloth from old books. I then soak the cloth sections in order to soften the glue and paper left on the back, which I then rub off with my fingers. Oftentimes this also removes a lot of the paint and print and I am left with a piece of cloth with a sort of ghost image of what had been there; other times, the color and print stay pretty intact. I then let these pieces dry and keep them in a box to add to my mixed-media textile works. The cloth will have a stiff feel, probably due to the paint and glue sizing that…

birds are not a new obsession. I’ve always enjoyed watching birds, identifying those that I recognize, and studying their behavior. Some of my early childhood memories are of my father, the engineer, building ever more complex baffles to try to prevent the squirrels from eating the seeds meant to attract birds. I wanted to share my passion with you, so I asked five quilt artists who specialize in birds to share their art with you and to answer my questions about why birds are so compelling for each of them. SARA SHARP Austin, Texas I have been a birdwatcher all my life. As a child I often dreamed about how marvelous it would be to be able to fly. My favorite bird is one that lives in my area. The…

QUARANTINE QUILTS: CREATIVITY IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS SANDRA SIDER In early 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic began taking hold of the world, Sandra Sider put out a call for entries for a book and exhibit of quarantine quilts. While the exhibition was cancelled due to health concerns, the book prevailed and stands as a testament to our collective experience—and individual ones as well. Chapters range from politics and protest to pandemic landscapes, the soothing comfort of home, and more. The featured quilts are interspersed with moving and personal statements from the artists. Including over 100 quilts and quilters, this book is significant for the moment and for a future when we will turn back to remember and reflect on this time in global history. $22.99 • Schiffer Publishing CHALK…

I am no expert on keeping house and you certainly wouldn’t want to call me for a ‘spit and polish,’ but I am perfectly capable of cleaning. I learned from my mom who showed us how to lift every object, clean it, dust the surface, replace the knick knack, wipe the legs, remove all webs (we lived in an old farmhouse), clean the windowsills, clean all the grates in the heat vents (we heated with coal), wash windows, sweep floors and stairs, clean sinks, etc. I was raised to be a satisfactory housekeeper. I managed to maintain the guise of ‘un-extraordinaire keeper of the home’ for the first several years of marriage. I cooked, went to school, taught. We lived in rented houses and judged friends with children who ‘just…

After retiring as an art educator, Margaret Abramshe dove into being a full-time studio artist. She exhibits her works nationally and internally in museums, galleries, and major quilt shows. Using her teaching expertise, she enjoys creating online courses. Her interests outside of art are yoga and golf. She can often be found with her nose buried in a book. metaphysicalquilter.com As a late-in-life visual artist, Susan B. Schenk’s paper and textile art are an invitation to see beyond the apparent. She uses recycled materials—exploring a variety of subjects—to make art that provokes joy while also creating images in intriguing ways to compel a viewer to look more closely. susanschenk.com Sue King developed a deep passion for the outdoors in early childhood. Having served as Artist in Residence at numerous national…

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i live in a small town, which sits next to a slightly larger small town that happens to have an abundance of junk shops, flea markets, and antique shops. Over the years, I have spent many an hour in these shops. Slowly searching through the discarded pieces of other people’s lives, inevitably I will come across a box of old photos filled with faces—some serious, some proud, some silly—that pull at my heartstrings. “Who were these people?” I wonder, “And how did they wind up here?” Carefully looking at each photograph, I am lost in time. Intrigued, my imagination fills in missing details. I stare at their faces and create my own stories about who they were, the lives they lived, the people they loved. Sometimes a name or place…

Now that you’ve experienced our latest issue, isn’t it time for you to become part of QUILTING ARTS? What do you want to read—how about writing it yourself! Share your inspiring work, unique techniques, and new ideas with us and our readers. If you are teaching, blogging about, or exhibiting your art quilts, we want to hear from you! To submit, send us a short summary of your idea along with three images and we’ll get back to you within 12 weeks. Visit QuiltingDaily.com/submission-guidelines-quilting-daily for our submissions guidelines. Questions? Email QAsubmissions@goldenpeakmedia.com.…

“Every family has its ‘keeper of the flame’—that one person who collects and treasures the family history, whether through genealogy, stories, heirlooms, or photographs. As a child I enjoyed browsing through my grandparents’ photograph albums. They were filled with people in curiously old-fashioned clothing, posing for posterity in solemn formal portraits or lighthearted casual snapshots. All of the photos were interesting to me but the ones of children really caught and held my attention. I studied every detail of these photos, fascinated by the reality of my parents and grandparents having been children in such a faraway time. Years later, I inherited many of those photos and began to realize their potential as inspiration for my art. I started collecting other vintage photographs, searching antique shops for the occasional treasure trove…

i am an art quilter and a mixed-media artist so I am always on the hunt for different materials to add layers and interest to my work. Recently, I started working with polyester sheets and different ways to paint or color them. Since this material is porous, some paints passed through leaving only a faint color on the surface. After much experimentation, I discovered how to color them with vibrant patterned designs by using Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets. These are pre-printed sublimination sheets made for coated ceramics and clothing but I use them on polyester sheets to add a pop of color to my art quilts. After you color the sheets, of course you need to use them! I cut out pieces and bits and adhere them to my quilts…

Whether I am using my cell phone or tablet I can, with a few taps of a finger, completely transform any picture in my gallery. Modifying photographs using editing software is valuable creative play. In a few minutes of focused time, I can create a variety of compositions from a single image saved to my device’s gallery. Using a process of selecting, cropping, correcting, and applying filters, I have multiple options for my next project. My advice is to take lots of photographs but use only a few. Spotting a good image is simple. It should be in focus and have something that immediately captures your attention. If I have multiple photographs of the same subject, I select the image that has the best color and contrast. CROP THE PHOTO…

□ Walking/hiking in nature □ Photographing/sketching the natural world □ Exploring human nature with its many complexities □ Vacationing/traveling to experience new wonders □ Reading about/studying different locations, ideas, natural surroundings □ Other (please explain) Send your answer in an email to qasubmissions@goldenpeakmedia.com with ‘Fall Survey’ in the subject line by October 6, 2021. We will print the results of this survey in the Winter issue!…

4 Common Corners is an invitational group of fiber artists drawn together by their immersion in the unique beauty of the Four Corners region of the southwest United States—Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The group started in late 2019 as a way for artists spread throughout the often rural Southwest to come together in a virtual community. Through the challenges of the past year, the group has served as a great source of motivation—promoting creativity and a shared sense of purpose. Our artistic voices are diverse, and we consistently encourage and learn from one another. We make pieces in response to a new theme each quarter, and are now enjoying exhibiting these collections throughout the region as venues begin to reopen. Here in the Southwest, the beauty of the…

• Cut the 140lb watercolor paper to desired size. • Center the artwork onto the watercolor paper, holding it in place using a few pieces of painters tape loops stuck under the corners. TIP: I remove the tape loops as I sew. • With a sturdy needle, poke holes all along the inside edge of the artwork—spaced approximately ¼ "–½ " apart—going straight through the fabric, batting layer, and paper. TIP: Place a piece of foamcore underneath the base to protect the work surface. • Thread a sewing needle with a long piece of thread that blends with the artwork, making a knot in the thread and leaving a tail several inches long. • From the back side of the mounting paper, bring the needle up through one of the…

During the pandemic, everyone had to adjust their activities. For some, travel plans and excursions were cancelled. Almost universally, day-to-day interactions with people and our world were altered. Perhaps it was the perfect time for some exploration of the details and natural beauty we often miss or take for granted. We had to limit our activities but not our creative selves! We challenged our readers to create a small quilt inspired by looking for beauty in the natural world during a time of chaos and asked what forms in nature they saw differently now with fresh, appreciative eyes? What organic patterns came into view in a refreshed way or what in the natural world inspired them? Why not ‘Take a Hike!’ to find out! We are pleased to share this…

Now that your fabric creation is done, try some of these ideas to complete the composition. • Have fun with embellishments of beads and threads. • Tack on patches of other fabrics or flat hardware. • Add stitch or embroidery. It’s easier to stitch areas with the least amount of paint, and a thimble can help push the needle through. In figure 4, you can see stitches in various thread weights in this work in progress. I like to use an embroidery stitch reference chart for ideas and an embroidery hoop to keep some tension while I stitch. • Simulate thread work with permanent marker, metallic pens, or dimensional fabric paint. For cohesion, build on the design following lines and patterns. Or throw caution to the wind, literally, and create…