Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2024 i Quilting Arts Magazine

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. The leaves have fallen, the temperature has dropped, and the forest outside my back window is turning gray. I know many people dread December and January, but not all. Some of us find the ‘resting’ season to be the most productive, and here’s why: after the holiday rush is over and the pace slows down, we can return to our studios and let the creativity build. Just like the perennials in my garden need a dormant month or two to be productive in spring, I also benefit from slowing down and deliberately changing pace. Winter, to me, is a time to build my skills and work through a year’s worth of pent-up creativity. The perennials in my garden may be taking a break, but I’m…

Elizabeth Ferry Pekins is a fiber artist and New Orleans native. Her work has been juried into Sacred Threads, Quilt National, and International Quilt Festival, both Houston and Long Beach. She resides in the Texas Hill Country with her family, rescue pets, and a host of wildlife. She is a second grade classroom teacher. She is a member of SAQA. bybethstudio.com Ana Buzzalino is a fiber and mixed-media artist, surface designer, teacher, and lecturer. Her love of layers and texture combine in her original work. She achieves results using a combination of monoprinting, hand painting, free-motion stitching, and hand stitching among other techniques. Her work has won numerous awards at national and international shows. Ana is currently teaching online from her studio in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. anabuzzalino.com Margarita Korioth is…

wind is the movement of air. You cannot see it of hold it in your hand, but it provides a powerful source of energy essential to our planet. From a light breeze to natural hazards like hurricanes or tornadoes, wind transforms life daily. SAQA’s prompt captures one of the most compelling characteristics of wind; it is invisible but not intangible. We feel it our our skin, we notice in interacting with the world around us—vegetation, raindrops, dust, snow, buildings. The array of work in the resulting exhibitions, “Primal Forces: Wind,” represents the possibilities of art quilts to engage with the natural world around us in all its complexity. On the Radar BARBARA OLIVER HARTMAN •FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS 42½ " × 41½ " Radar images are interesting but sometimes scary in…

Abstract art needs good composition—full stop. Consider some of these design elements when composing the landscape. Bear in mind: Although knowing the rules is a good thing, breaking them is always an option. FOCAL POINT This is the ‘feature element’ which draws the eye. In these landscapes, it is the horizon line. A successful focal point can use contrast in values (meaning lights next to darks), complementary colors, different textures, any things that are very different from each other. TEXTURE This gives interest and contrast such as shiny silk, roughly woven cloth, or ragged edges. RULE OF THIRDS Placing key elements ⅓ of the way across horizontally or ⅓ of the way down vertically is more interesting than smack dab in the middle. Place the horizon line approximately ⅓ from…

I mount many of my works on cradled wood panels or artist canvas, which present so well as completed art. Here are some additional ideas and examples of works that are almost complete. Multi-media The cool textured image transfer can be applied to any mount or project of your choosing. In this work, I applied the finished transfer with gel medium onto watercolor paper and added fabric. (figure 6) Collage Create a simple collage with fabric. Stitch elements together with overlapping seams to allow fraying edges for even more texture. The transfer is applied within this collage, but you could also make the transfer the same size as the collage for complete coverage. (figure 7) Minimize waste After removing Paper Solvy from the edges of a paper transfer, use the…

In this issue of QUILTING ARTS, we celebrate how nature inspires us and sometimes enters our work. For this challenge, we asked readers to focus particularly on wild animals, birds, insects, and such and how they present themselves to the world. We challenged them to create a quilt that celebrates nature’s textures, patterns, and colors—such as in their fur, feathers, and more—in an 8" × 10" portrait orientation. Many readers chose an abstract focus—such as a close up of a wing—and some were more representational, showing us the entire animal in its full glory. Some even showed a more whimsical or fanciful side to nature’s creatures. We are happy to present this delightful gallery of our readers’ work and hope you enjoy the following pages of original art. Mr. Lion…

Once you have some experience with the freedom of sloppy woppy free-motion quilting, consider creating a practice piece similar to the one pictured here. In this piece, I first quilted the border circles in the center and the lines radiating out to the corners to create five areas in which to practice a variety of quilting motifs. I then ‘warmed up’ with some stippling and loopy loops in two quadrants before moving on to more advanced quilting like the clamshells and the checkerboard. The bubbles in the center are also a good exercise for working in a defined space. Here, the border circles made me think ahead and use bubbles of different sizes so very little of the space went unquilted.…

1. Introduce small amounts of other colors in each panel. Strictly adhering to one color is bland, and bits of other colors add sparkle. 2. If a block is not working, don’t be afraid to cut it with a rotary cutter. Chop off what you don’t like and add a new fabric. 3. When considering your stash, the more the merrier: solids, prints, stripes, polka dots … nothing is off limits. 4. Try to be fairly even with your use of bold prints, solids, and neutrals, balancing and sprinkling them across the entire quilt. This will make the prints stand out. Vary color values, too. 5. Continue the colors into the binding—you can use up more scraps that way and your color design will go all the way out to…

making small porch flags is a fun way to practice new techniques on a small scale. The circular and repetitive stitching is calming and this project is perfect for on-the-go stitching. When completed, these porch flags brighten up a space with color. They move in the breeze and catch the light. If the weather is not suitable for outdoor display, they can cheer up an inside space just as easily and remind us of cooler (or warmer) times to come. MATERIALS Makes one flag approximately 15" x 15" • Cheesecloth—2 (15" square) pieces or 1 (30" x 15") piece folded in half • Deconstructed T-shirt • Liquid fabric stabilizer (I use Terial Magic.) • Lightweight fusible web (I use Mistyfuse®.) • Polyester roving • Stiff interfacing, 6" square • Parchment…

entering the Golden, Colorado, video studio to tape a new season of “Quilting Arts TV” is always a thrill. Every time I see the set come to life with art quilts and excited guests waiting for the taping to begin, there’s a tingle of electricity that runs through me. Each taping is the culmination of months of planning and anticipation—on the editorial and production sides as well as for the guest artists—and now it is showtime! But before we step further inside the studio, let’s back up so you can learn what happens behind the scenes of this program, now in its 16th year of production. QATV 101 Our host, Susan Brubaker Knapp, begins planning the next season of “Quilting Arts TV” a year in advance—almost immediately after the latest…

Our Readers Respond! In the last issue, we asked our readers, “How is Nature Inspiring to You?” We are fascinated by what inspires quilt artists and how they create what they create. We hope you are, too! We were delighted with the responses we received and are happy to feature a few of them here. Please enjoy! Dear QUILTING ARTS, I belong to an international quilt group, 12 by the Dozen, and one of our recent challenges was to make a quilt inspired by a book title. I read the book The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben several years ago, and I was fascinated to learn about the symbiosis between trees and mycorrhizal fungi. Most of the sketchbook work, printing, and sampling I have done in the past…

Free motion quilting should be joyful! Here are some ideas to help you successfully free-motion quilt your projects: 1. Use quality fabric, batting, and thread. Local quilt shops usually have excellent products as well as the knowledge to help you make the best decisions. 2. The right needle/thread combination is crucial. Most thread manufacturers have a recommended needle size and type for each thread noted on the spool end or their website. 3. Bring your bobbin thread to the top and hold the ends before starting any stitching line. 4. Create the best set up for your quilt to move smoothly through your machine. I like a slider sheet that I put on the bed of my machine. This creates a slippery surface for the quilt to glide smoothly. 5.…

Ravel BY e bond This new collection by e bond for FreeSpirit Fabrics literally pulses with energy and excitement. A cutting-edge designer and artist, e bond infuses this collection with a joyful range of colors and an urban, graffiti-like feel. Letterforms abound here—hand-drawn, printed, stenciled—fractured then reassembled. Their juxtaposition in the designs is fresh and inspiring. No longer an up-and-coming designer, e bond’s star is bright! We look forward to even more from this multi-disciplined, talented maker. freespiritfabrics.com Painter’s Travel Color Diary We found this nifty wire bound painter’s diary courtesy of our colleagues at our sister site, artistsnetwork.com. Knowing that many of our multi-talented readers use paint in their art quilts, this 6" x 8" pad was a secret worth sharing. The heavyweight paper pages pop in and out…

1. Wash and dry the shirt. 2. Using sharp scissors and leaving a generous 2" border, cut around the crew neck and remove it intact. The piece should be able to lie flat and is perfect for embellishing by hand or machine. 3. Cut off the bottom hem of the shirt and reserve it for another use. The knit material at the cut edge of the shirt can be cut into strips of different widths and used as ties for the flags. The rest of the fabric can be repurposed in other projects.…

This time of year is all about transition and transformation. Leaves turn color, shrivel, and die in the fall so that their host plant or tree can withstand winter and prepare for spring. How do changes in seasons affect your artwork, your choices of materials, your inspiration? What important lessons have you learned—by independent study or with an instructor (please give credit where due)—when working with these influences? What can you share with fellow quilters and readers that might help them take their artwork to the next level? Don’t forget to share a photo of your work as well! Please share information about materials, techniques, etc. plus include the title of your work and its dimensions. Send this all in an email to QAfeedback@goldenpeakmedia.com with “ITY—Time” in the subject line…

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/quilting-arts-magazine-submission-guidelines for our submissions guidelines. Questions? Email QAsubmissions@goldenpeakmedia.com.…

The total quantity of fabric needed is minimal but follow these tips for a top-notch composition. • The background will be most successful with fabrics that read as solids. • Cut or rip the fabric strips in varied lengths approximately. "–1" wide. (The first and last strips should be as long as the width of the backing.) • Sort fabrics in color families. Because this is a landscape, you could use multiple greens for the land and blues for the sky or water. Include light, medium, and dark values in each color. (figure 1) • Strips can be torn or cut, but try not to be too precise. Your results improve with more texture and diversity. • Suggested fabrics: mostly cottons plus silk, linens, and all different weaves. Hand dyes…

I have experimented with Paper Solvy on numerous surfaces and substrates using printed images, photos, and more. The possibilities are virtually endless! Here are a few other ideas to try once you’ve mastered the basics and want to experiment further. Express yourself You can make an image with straight edges, but the charm of this technique comes from the ability to create unusual, undulating edges. Use multiple images Start with 4 (4" × 6") postcard size samples and arrange them on the bed of a scanner/printer or merge them onto a letter-size sheet in photo editing software. Load a sheet of Paper Solvy into a printer as you would paper and hit ‘print.’ Experiment with color and grayscale Colored photographs will completely cover the substrate and can blend with any…

Now that you understand the process of printing with collagraph plates, here are some suggestions for combining these prints into other projects. • Gather a number of the same print in assorted colors and arrange them on a design wall—a la Andy Warhol—in a Four Patch or Nine Patch arrangement. Sew together, quilt, and bind. You could also add sashing strips in between the prints. • Add a stenciled element to a print in a contrasting color. (figure 15) • Add hand-stitching to a print and create a small wall hanging. • Use a print as a pocket for a tote bag or as the front of an apron. • Make a pillow from a print by adding machine- and/or hand-stitching plus borders, if needed. • Use the print as…

Although we are all beginners at some point, if this is your very, very first attempt at free-motion quilting, there are a few basics to keep in mind. Know your sewing machine. If it has a needle-down positioning feature, activate that. This helps when stopping and starting. Know how to lower the feed dogs. Use a free-motion or darning presser foot. Quilting gloves help. These specially designed gloves have gripper dots or plastic fingertips to help you grip the quilt sandwich without pulling/pushing it too much or straining your hands. Practice repositioning. As you move the quilt sandwich under the needle, you will need to stop (with needle down, ideally) and move your hands to a fresh spot on the quilt sandwich before beginning again. Stay relaxed. Keep your shoulders…

Over the last 20-plus years as a quilter, I have amassed a pretty impressive collection of scraps. Haven’t we all? I only throw out the very smallest bits. I have long wanted to come up with a fun but useful way to use some of these gems. When I saw examples on Instagram, I knew I wanted to put my spin on the Scrap Vortex phenomenon. I ran—not walked—to my collection of scraps and dove in. I have a 14-foot longarm machine in my studio with an empty wall behind it that was in dire need of something new to hang there. To make the most of my longarm capabilities, I decided to make a very long scrap vortex quilt to span the entire wall, using free-motion quilting to enhance…

Opaque paint is a paint without transparency. It covers and hides what is underneath. This characteristic is wonderful but when applied to fabric full strength, it changes the hand and is often difficult to stitch through when dried. Diluting the paint is the key to reducing this problem. The trick is to add just enough water to make the paint thinner but not too thin. Slowly add small amounts of water a little at a time, mix well, and even test paint a small swatch of the fabric you will use for your project. Allow the swatch to dry completely to best evaluate the painted surface. Keep in mind that diluting the paint will make it less opaque but it will likely cover enough of the background to make it…

LAMPASAS, TEXAS with Vivika Hansen DeNegre Some art quilters capture the viewer’s attention with bright colors and bold imagery. Others use precision piecing or exquisite longarm quilting motifs as the centerpiece of the work. Quilter Elizabeth Ferry Pekins approaches quilting as an opportunity for storytelling, using fibers from her surroundings and imagery that flow from personal experience. I asked Elizabeth to share her process with our readers and reveal a bit of the woman behind the moving quilts. VIVIKA: Most art quilters begin their journey making traditional quilts and then move on to original work. Tell me about how you started quilting and how your work has changed over time? ELIZABETH: I took art classes throughout childhood, high school, and college. Looking back on those projects, most of them included…

Starting to stitch on your quilts is a daunting process. If you feel this way, let me say: you are not alone. I have been free-motion quilting for nearly twenty years and still feel trepidation when the collage is done and the quilt is ready to stitch. But without wanting to discourage you, once I start the process and the quilting is getting done, I am hooked and keep going until it is finished. My first piece of advice is to look at your design as different areas—break it up. Then think about the various textures or patterns you want to portray (i.e., long fur on an animal, texture of a nose, bark of a tree, the smooth texture of wood, or the feeling of water). Each area will be…

“Why cut perfectly good fabric up into little pieces and then sew it back together to make a larger piece?” “Is it possible to drive through a new town without stopping at a quilt shop?” For years I would occasionally ask my wife, Bev, questions like this in order to get some type of visceral response out of her. I seldom ever got more than ‘the look’—that I always interpreted as “You just don’t get it, do you?” Bev has done some type of needlework for all of our 50 some years together. She learned crochet from her grandmother and dressmaking from her mother, but only dabbled in pieced quilting for the first 30 years or so of our marriage. In fact, the first real bed quilt I remember was…