Innholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2025 i Quilting Arts Magazine

KESTREL’S COLOR THEORY FOR QUILTERS CREATED BY KESTREL MICHAUD Yes, color wheels abound but this one is a CMY version rather than the standard RBY. In her introduction, Kestrel states, “Cyan and magenta are colors we can easily find in fabrics, and I think it makes more sense to use a color model that has those colors present.” The complimentary pairings in a CMY color model are stimulating and appeal to the fiber artist’s eye—green with magenta, for example, rather than red. The cardboard card is packed with valuable information and examples and is well worth the price. $30.00 • etsy.com/shop/KestrelsArtQuiltShop THE QUILTER’S COLOR GUIDE: MASTERING THE ART OF COLOR CONFIDENCE If you’ve ever hesitated when choosing fabrics for a quilt, this book from C&T Publishing is for you! Featuring…

Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) holds an annual Benefit Auction of 12" square art quilts each September online at SAQA.com/auction. The proceeds from this unique reverse auction fund SAQA’s exhibition and outreach programs. Enjoy a sample of this year’s vibrant auction quilts! Through the Noise PAULA C. DEAN • BARHAMSVILLE, VIRGINIA In “Through the Noise,” I explore the delicate process of navigating internal chaos to uncover moments of clarity. This piece is about the mental clutter we carry with us resulting in overlapping thoughts, distractions, and tangled emotions. But there is also a quiet, often imperfect beauty that emerges when we move through this chaos with intention. Layers of texture and gestural marks echo the push and pull of attention, confusion, and clarity. Amid the disorder, glimpses of form and…

Because I am a mixed-media fabric artist, I love to create my own carved rubber stamps to use both as a focal point and as a repeat pattern in my art. Carving a soft-cut block is so easy to do that I have created oodles of stamps over the years and use them again and again. For this coloring technique, you can also use purchased stamps to create your own stamped fabric base for coloring. For this coloring technique, I like to use a stamp that creates a repeat design. When designing a repeat stamp, it’s good to look for design ideas in the world around you. You’ll find repeat patterns in lots of places—tile designs and classic carpets, to name a few. In nature, look closely at a flower…

my quest for a better approach to teaching color concepts began with a green problem. Charged with designing green banners for a local church, I set up the buckets and dyed rayon broadcloth a luscious green—the perfect background for my design. I needed green textile paint in order to stamp the huge castor bean leaves I planned to print on both banners. I poured over catalogues from companies selling fabric paint, scouring the samples for a perfect match. None of them looked close. I decided to order small containers of every green paint on the market, in an effort to find a color that was just right. Two weeks and 15 paints later, I hadn’t found a single green fabric paint that was a straight-on match for my fabric. (figure…

over the years I have been accumulating an array of coloring media: markers, pots of paints, paint sticks, artist crayons, paint blocks, pencils, acrylic markers … the list goes on. Why? For one reason: to add color to my work. Most of these coloring tools work well on a light or white background. But what if I want to use them on a black or dark background? Hmm. I’ve done some experimenting. Let me show you what I have discovered. The most important material to have is white opaque paint. This will be the base coat—once dried, you can use it on top of almost any paint you already have. The end result is striking because of the contrast you can achieve. You can even do some shading. White paint…

like many artists, I enjoy taking photos of scenery that inspires me. Wanting to capture one of these memories as a gift, I decided to create an embroidered picture from one of these photos. After printing the image on a fabric sheet, I planned to add a few quick stitches and then frame it. What unfolded, however, was a color-by-color whirlwind of stitching resulting in the entire landscape being painted with thread. It was captivating! What stood out to me was the simplicity of choosing colors and how quickly the image came to life. By following the lines and colors of the printed picture, stitching the image felt as easy as a paint-by-number kit, without difficult design decisions or color choices. Think of this project as a “stitch-by-color,” with your…

for 46 years, the artists of Quilt National have pushed the boundaries of quiltmaking, celebrating the diversity and dynamic nature of the art form. Quilt National ’25 continues this legacy, showcasing works that highlight innovation, technical mastery, and artistic voice. Each piece tells a story, not only of the artist’s vision but also of the transformative power of quilts. The quilts shown here are the winners of Quilt National 2025. Whether addressing current social themes, experimenting with innovative materials, or simply reveling in the beauty of color, texture, and form, these quilts are a testament to the vitality and versatility of this art form. BEST OF SHOW Sponsored by Moda Fabrics + Supplies Viriditas (Greenness) SHIN-HEE CHIN • MCPHERSON, KANSAS • 59” × 72” The Latin word Viriditas, derived from…

i am a storyteller. Using fabric and the screen printing process explained here, I tell stories of healing both my own and those of marginalized women who have honored me with their personal narratives. These women include those from prison, trafficking survivors, women in the villages of Uganda, and Kurdish refugees building a life while escaping Syria and making their home in Lebanon’s refugee camps. Starting with a story, I carefully consider colors, shapes, and images. I often dream about the piece that I want to create. Each story calls for a unique emotional expression and, as a result, distinct techniques to convey those feelings. Deconstructed screen printing is the primary technique I use to incorporate these stories into my art. Deconstructed screen printing is a simple process using sodium…

art and language have long shared a creative spark—where one ends, the other often begins. For this reader challenge, we invited you to explore the powerful connection between words and visual expression. Whether drawn from poetry, a favorite quote, or cherished advice passed down through generations, these small quilts speak volumes. Each 6" × 8" piece in this collection was inspired by a meaningful phrase—wisdom that lingers, words that uplift, or lines that live rent-free in your head. Together, they form a vibrant tapestry of thought and feeling, transformed through thread, fabric, and imagination. I Am LAURIE DHANDAPANI • VERNON, CONNECTICUT This piece came together when I found background fabric with the Anais Nin quote. I have always liked that quote and have considered it a signpost on my creative…

“Color which, like music, is a matter of vibrations, reaches what is most general and therefore most indefi nable in nature: its inner power.” i agree with Paul Gauguin; color is indefinable. Like most people I find myself trusting my color intuition—“This looks good together”—until I find myself having second thoughts in the middle of a project. What helps reduce second guessing is an understanding of color theory. Let’s Break It Down Understanding basic color concepts is fundamental to planning and visual problem solving. Color has three components: hue, intensity, and value. • A hue is the attribute of a color that defines its position in the color spectrum. What we think of as a “color” is a measurement of a light’s wavelength. • Intensity is the amount of hue…

when I was a kid, I loved to color! I had elaborate coloring books and spent hours on the intricate designs. Now as an adult and designer of handcarved block prints, I’ve tapped back into my childhood passion for coloring. There are a couple of products I’ve found effective to apply permanent color to my stamped designs: Pastel dye sticks or watercolor pencils with liquid fabric medium (see Materials for brands I use). With either choice, spend time practicing on scraps of fabric before diving into your stamped designs. Here I provide information about working with both products and a bit of a primer on creating your own stamped base on which to work. Welcome back to coloring fun! DIRECTIONS Before beginning, I strongly suggest you play with plain fabric…

mandala is the Sanskrit term for ‘circle.’ It has been an artistic form used for thousands of years. It originated as an aid to meditation. The process of creating mandalas can lead to a peaceful feeling of well-being, and is a mindful reflection of our inner selves. There are examples of circular mandalas found throughout the world. Today, many people enjoy doodling, drawing Zentangles, or coloring in adult coloring books. All of these forms can help us to relax and heal from stress and anxiety as they take our minds away from our everyday worries. My preference is to use the Amaziograph app on my iPad. Amaziograph is a grid-based drawing app that allows you to create mandalas, tessellations, and many repeatable patterns. The traditional hand-drawn method of creating mandalas…

PORT TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON when I began my very first quilt in 1975, I never imagined it would lead to a lifelong career in the textile arts, including many years of traveling the world, teaching and lecturing about color, design, and technique. In the 50 years since that first quilting experiment—which was pretty awful, by the way—I have made more than 600 quilts, many of which have received national and international recognition. For as long as I can remember, I have expressed myself through artwork. My formal training was primarily in design, drawing, and studio painting. My mother taught me to sew and crochet when I was very young. After many years of painting, sewing, and experimenting with other media, I discovered that fabric, used as a fine art medium, best…