New Workshop on Stitched!

New on Stitched!
Alma Stoller, the queen of all things beautiful has a added a new workshop to the Stitched On-Line Workshops. Her workshop is called Soul Craft Art Quilt.




It looks like such a lovely project. If you don't know about Stitched, it is a on-line video workshop series available till Jan 2013. It features 22 workshops by some very amazing fiber artists. The cost of all 22 workshops is only $40. You have unlimited access to each workshop until January. I've watched nearly all of them and they are so well done and easy to follow. I've added some great new techniques to my sewing repertoire.
Click Here to see more and to learn about the artists.

Here are a few more projects from the series...



and more....



My project is a tiara called the Queen of Creativity.


I had a lot of fun creating the tiara. I teach 6 different embellishment techniques including needle felting, embroidery, how to draft a pattern, a way to create a flower embellishment using fibers and water soluble stabilizer and much more. I hope you enjoy the workshop and make a tiara or one of the other 21 amazing sewing projects featured on Stitched.

Here are a few more projects you might like to learn.

Funky Puffs by Karen Ruane-


Kelli Perkins Rolling Pin Samplers-


Tammy Gilley Heartstrings-


And one of my very favorites, Dale Anne Potter, Journal your Landscape


So click here to find out more about Stitched.
If you register for my tiara workshop when you first sign up, I'll send you a Strawberry Emery Pincushion from my Etsy Shop.

Color and Design

Choosing colors for any project, be it an embroidered pincushion or a patchwork quilt is always a challenge. While design is essential, the colors your choose can make or break a project.

Color pushes one object closer (using warm or bold colors) while allowing others to drift to the background, (cool or muted colors). Mix them up and its like playing "Where's Waldo" with your focal point. Get it right, and the one thing you want to highlight, is front and center, even if it is not front and center.



When you forget or ignore the color rules, nothing takes front and center. Which is not always a bad thing... sometimes it's fun to create a color jumble.


While color is important, you should also consider, contrast,(light and dark) and value, (how light or dark a color is compared to similar colors around it).

Contrast- Using dark and light red prints can create areas of interest and allow design elements to shine.

Value- If the colors are all light, or all dark, the values are similar. While the design may create a focal point, it doesn't scream, "look at me!!!".

Tweet the values a bit and things will softly whisper, "I'm here.", but in a soft, kind of shy way.

I'm a person who loves to use color. I want to be knee deep in rich, saturated felted wools, and piles fun, colorful prints. Playing with these extremes requires a bit of restraint, or at least some understanding of how to tame these lovely beasts.
These amazing woven wools are hand painted by Pat at Misty Pond Primatives on Etsy.
The hand painted wool roving is from Woolie Bullie. Please visit there shops. You'll find it hard to pick just one color.

This post was totally inspired by a very talented blogger, fiber artist and quilter extradinaire. Her name is Jeni, she's lives in Madison, (go Wisconsin!) and her website and Etsy shop are called, In Color Order.

She has a number of lessons on color theory and quilting, how to choose, "The Art of Choosing", where you can learn about different types of fabric, building and organizing a great stash, and lots of info on color theory and color wheels.
Here are a few images from her blog...
Triangular Pincushion Tutorial;

Warm and Cool Colors


Vintage Sheets, Sparkling Cider Quilt




Visit her shop and take a look at Vintage Sheet Fabric Selections. I'm can't wait to get my Stash of Vintage Sheet Fat Quarters
or a Scrap Sheet Skinny Hem Grab Bag



Well I hope you dive into color. Its such a lovely lesson. Color is absolutely about the journey. The destination is everywhere!



Wool Leaf Pincushion

Complete Pincushion Kits now Available

The Sunflower Pincushion Kit

Every time I look at something created from fabric my second thought, (right after, "oooh, ahhh"), is "I bet I could make that.".

Then I don't.

The fact of the matter is, creating something is not easy. You need materials, equipment and time. Then of course, planning and executing the pattern is one of the most challenging parts of the process.

One of my wonderful Etsy clients asked me to create a kit for one of my most popular pincushions. At first I was a bit wary. Gosh, kits take a lot of time to put together. However, since I'm a "I bet I can make that" kind of person, I just had to give it a go. So I put together a few kits, complete with the pattern, fabric, floss, threads and instructions. Everything you need is there.

Do I feel bad about losing my "original" idea? Heck no. They say flattery is the best compliment. More than that, I am certain her pincushion will look like mine, but it will become hers in the end.

Even if we use the same colors on the same linen, I know her's will have her unique style. The stitches will be bigger or smaller, tighter or looser. The pattern will change according to her comfort level or her willingness to stray from the actual embroidery pattern. She hopefully will add a few bits from her floss stash and make some new marks. Maybe she will add more leaves, make longer petals or even change the pattern completely. You see, our hands, following the directions of our minds will always win over conformity. I love that about handwork.

....

Look for these kits which are already in my shop, or coming soon...
The Big Strawberry Pincushion Kit.

The Coneflower Pincushion Kit

Coming soon- the Lavender Pincushion Kit, complete.

I can also send the pattern and instructions only for these kits upon request. They will be available in my Etsy Shop, Fiberluscious for $8.00 each by the end of July.