Kudos to my Customers

I think I am pretty much the luckiest Seller on Etsy. I have so many amazingly sweet customers. I have a page on my blog where I share their comments and feedback.
I know how many shops there are on Etsy. When someone chooses mine from all the rest, well, I couldn't be more appreciative. In fact, all returning customers receive a discount each and every time they shop with me.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all my Etsy friends and clients!!!

Here is what my customers say about the things they have ordered and the service they received. Did I happen to say that they are the best?!



Robin...well her compliment is better than any words. She has ordered a total of 69 items from my shop! She has 66 pincushions in her collection. I've heard that it is amazing! Robin and I work as a team on many of her items. We sometimes choose fabrics, discuss new designs, she suggests things I would have never thought of. I often think of her as my muse. She is always patient and gracious and offers me valuable and supportive feedback. I love the collaborative process and Robin makes it fun and challenging. Thanks so very much Robin!


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Darleen said,
"I am beside myself with joy! Not only was your art work fabulous (almost too pretty to use) but the wrapping was a wonderful surprise. It is obvious you put your soul into you art. If everyone had to sign their name to what they do, things would be done with a lot more quality. You have put your very best into you work and have no problem with saying "I, Jill did that". Your attention to even the smallest detail is obvious. Thank you so very much."
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Melanie said,

"What can I say...Jill is an "artist". If you're lucky enough to own one of her treasures you will understand what I mean. Whimsy and attention to detail go hand in hand. And her communications skills make transactions with Jill a Joy. You can't go wrong with Fiberluscious!"
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Veronika said,
"oh wow, this is by far the cutest pin cushion I have ever seen! It's easy to see the high quality materials and amazing amount of love that have gone into this little house! There's a generous amount of emery as well, which helps it stand up nicely and the details are just sooo adorable! I used to think one pin cushion is enough for anyone, but now I want to fill my sewing corner with Jill's gorgeous creations!"
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Pam said,
Another awesome experience and wonderful pincushion from Jill. It arrived very quickly, packaged in it's own hatbox...so cute and well protected.......just right for a strawberry:-) Thanks, Jill, for motivating me to return to my earlier days and dig out my embroidery supplies!!

more from Pam...
"I didn't think Jill could please me more but this pincushion is the best so far. So feminine yet functional, a little bit different and so well crafted. The colors are so pleasant and the feel of the pincushion just right! The icing on the cake is the gift of the little strawberry. What a treat! Thanks again Jill. You know I'll be back:-) "
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Vicki said,
this is absolutely beautiful -- the stitches are amazing and beautiful. This is definitely one of the most original and incredible pieces that I have ever bought from etsy. Your talents are just amazing -- thank you so much for this piece --- I love it more than I can ever say!

More

Shop with me for the first time and take 10% off. Just use the coupon code FiberNew10.
Hope to see you soon!

I'm crazy about Wool!

I recently ordered some lovely hand painted wool from Misty Pond Primitives on Etsy.

I then received some lovely hand painted wool roving from Ingrid Moss.













Its so hard not to feel incredibly inspired when you are working with materials created by another artist. When you realize that so many wool materials available are recycled from a renewable, natural source, well, it is pure joy.

I love wool. It has a lovely hand and is easily sewn, stitched, embroidered, felted....whew! there are so many ways to work with this natural, versatile material. Many of my cashmere pincushions are recycled wool, made from felted sweaters...

I am so excited about my newest creations, I just had to share them with you. I've been so busy with special orders, that I've had to fit these projects in here and there, mostly at 2 in the morning. But, they were worth it.




I had originally planned to create a brooch. However, I was so engrossed in creating this pretty flower, I lost track of how large it was! The flower was a study from a piece I found on Pinterest, (the ultimate place to find inspiration). Here is the link to the website which is in French, so I can't even tell you who the artist is.
Here is a detail of the silk ribbon, beads and stitches I used. I created many straight ribbon embroidery stitches along with big, juicy bouillon stitches with perle cotton. I used gobs of seed stitches using variegated cotton floss. I then added lots of beautiful glass beads.



I also created this fun strawberry in black wool, with many bits and pieces of other colored wools, combined with needle felting and embroidery. I was going for a very dimensional look, like stumpwork. Needle felting makes lifting stitches fast and easy.


Here is a cute little brooch created with wool and embroidery cotton. Very easy, very cute, very "you should try this one".

Just cut, layer and stitch. The hardest part is choosing the colors and the subject matter. I often say I should just sit down one day and create all the little ideas I can think of in wool. I also say I should just sit down and learn patchwork, or just sit down and make more tiaras, or....you get it. I'm sure your life is much like mine. Too many fun things to play with and never enough time.












I have a few more projects to share. here is a fun little pin book. It was so easy to create and very useful for traveling with your stitching. I created it to hold 3 pins from my "stick with me" decorative assortments. I love these little pins and I wish I could send more with each pin cushion I make. (Each of my pin cushions include 2.)


If you like my pins, they also come in an assortment of 10. You an buy one style or mix them up by color, or just allow me to create an assortment for you.

My next post is going to be my little house pincushion project. I promise I'll try hard to get a pattern up and a tutorial. Its one of those things that you think you will hate making because it seems complicated, but once you get stitching, it falls together like magic. Its a great scrap project. It wont use a lot of fabric, but if you are like me, the longest time you spend will be choosing which of your fabrics to include!

My Newest Apple

When you have a good thing, I think,let's take it to the next level and see where it goes.

If you have seen my Etsy shop, Fiberluscious, you know I am a bit of an apple pincushion maker.















I love my apples but they always seemed to lack the crispness and crunchiness of a summer apple. Here is one of my old pattern apples,

Then, I went to the pear pattern and learned a lot about drafting more sculptural shapes.

After much trial and error I came up with this shape, which I love. Its so curvy!

When I created the same apple, one with plain and one with patchwork fabric I discovered that the fabric means everything!

Can you believe I used the exact same pattern for both apples?!
Because the patchwork has so much more body and thickness, it formed a much denser, more upright and formal end result.
I love both of these apples each for their unique personality.

So my advice to you is not to rest on your laurels, (whatever a laurel is). Take what you love and whatever feeds your soul and ride it along a new path. You will never know what you may discover!

Thanks to Robin, one of my absolute favorite clients. She inspires me often. She throws me an idea and I love our process of developing ideas with her. She will be adding these pincushions to her vast collection. I'd love to see that!

New Pear Pincushion

This is my newest piece created for a lovely, Etsy client.
She asked if I could repeat a sold item, which
I am almost always thrilled to do.


This pear pincushion is one of my favorite pieces.


I embroidered and embellish crazy quilt style patchwork.
I've added some vintage trims, beads, lots of embroidery
and a bit of my love for crazy quilting.



I don't know if I'll be making on another soon. It took nearly a month to complete and my old fingers and joints are none too happy right now. But each ache and each callous seems well worth it when I'm finished. I hope she loves it as much as I do!



I just received feedback from Vicki on her pear. These are her very kind words I am proud to share with you...
"This is absolutely beautiful -- the stitches are amazing and beautiful. This is definitely one of the most original and incredible pieces that I have ever bought from Etsy. Your talents are just amazing -- thank you so much for this piece --- I love it more than I can ever say!"

This is why I love to create and share my work. Somehow each piece seems to go to the perfect home. Thanks so much Vicki for inspiring this pincushion.
I recommend that you visit Vicki's blog, 2 Bags Full. And her Etsy Shop, vboster. She creates beautiful, amazing fiber nests. Each one is truly a work of art....
The Woodland Nest-


The Shorebird Nest


She has a autumn inspired nest coming and also a holiday inspired creation. Want one? Better visit her blog and put yourself on her waiting list. She's one busy artist and a terrific lady.

Connections in Sight Art Contest

I recently was show to exhibit my pincushions in an art exhibit.


As a fine artist I spent many years showing my paintings in galleries and art festivals. When my vision became more and more challenged, I thought those days were long gone. Showing in a special exhibit for artists with varying degrees of vision loss was such a thrill. The artwork in this exhibit is simply amazing. Here are a few of the beautiful pieces by a few very talented artists with limited vision.


Photography by Alison Fortney


Painting by Rose Fortney, (Alison's mom)

To see more artwork and to vote in the Connections in Sight Art Contest go to www.connectionsinsight.org and vote for your favorite artist. Here is one of my favorites...


Here are a few of the pieces I am showing.








I really enjoy working with needle felted wool. I've found so many juicy and bright colors. I really the process of painting with fibers. Its so easy and with just the right touch, its not impossible to come up with something you really love.

I'm pretty lucky. My vision is mostly blurry. I still enjoy colors to the fullest and with my handy dandy bifocals, I can create to my hearts content. So, I feel very blessed in the long run. I don't like to talk about my eyesight. I had to stop painting because it became so frustrating and sad when I couldn't see the details I needed to complete the portraits I loved to paint. I spent a few years feeling pretty sorry for myself. Then I met Rose Fortney, who's vision is so challenged she can't go anywhere without Clyde, her lovable and trusty guide dog. Rose showed me that with the right tools, you can do anything you want to. She was so right.

I had a feeling that I was supposed to let go of one thing in order to receive another? It simply was time for me to make a change. Working with fabric and fibers has opened up so many creative challenges to me. I love the materials, the textures, the functionality of my work and I really love collaborating with my clients and customers to create new things every day.

Well, I hope you check out the works in this lovely show. It will be showing in Milwaukee, WI for the next week or so and then onto a traveling show. If you can't make it in person, click here to see more artworks by artists with vision loss. We have something surprising to show you!