In a Minute Ago

This tutorial on Mackville Raod shows you how to create a small traveling sewing kit bag for toting around sewing supplies. It is a cute wallet made up of three handy pockets to hold things like threads, scissors, needles, etc. For those who carry a visual journal in your hand bag it is also an ideal pattern that easily be adapted to a wallet to carry a modest amount of drawing supplies. So as a fabric stash buster check it out.

I am bouncing around this morning as my new online class has been announced. Yes the news is I have a new course to offer via workshops at Joggles.co

Drum roll please …. It is called …. Studio Journals: A Designer’s Workhorse

The aim to help people keep and use a studio journal and hopefully students will not only put stuff into it but develop designs from that ’stuff’ and take what they design into a fiber form of some sort. Here is a a description taken from the blurb …

Keeping a Studio journal is a process for catching ideas, developing those ideas into designs with the aim of realising those designs in fiber. Unlike an Art journal which aims to be an aesthetic object in its own right a Studio journal is a designers workhorse.

This course covers the process of using a Studio journal to create designs suitable for textiles such as contemporary embroidery, or quilting. To use a Studio journal as part of your creative practice you do not have to know how to draw but there are some tricks to establishing a process that leads to a design that can be applied to textiles. This workshop covers the process of how to keep a studio journal, how to develop and idea further, and how to turn it into a design suitable for a project in fiber

Painters keep a sketchbook to take visual notes of what they see but their finished paintings and their sketches are very different. Writers keep notebooks but their published book is not the same as what is first put down. Notebooks are starting points for more developed ideas. Both writers and painters go through a process using their sketches and notes as a starting point. Fiber artists do the same thing when they develop a design. Studio journals can be used as the starting point for textile practitioners. This is what this course is about.

Each week a series of design exercises are introduced. Students work though these in order to develop designs that can be applied to fiber. They aim to develop design skills and the habit of using a studio journal.

Please note that this course is about keeping a studio journal as a work horse not about creating an art journal that is a finished object in its own right. The emphasis is very much on using a studio journal as part of a design process to produce something in fiber. The course contains design exercises and techniques and discusses how these might be applied to textiles. It is a course where students spend their time designing for textiles and working in their Studio Journal rather than working a step by step project. That said I am definitely not going to discourage anyone from jumping in and making something!

This class will begin on June 27 and click here to order it from Joggles.com

Also my Online class Encrusted Crazy Quilting will run again

Also taken from the class blurb …

One of the delights of crazy quilting is that there are no rules. This is liberating on one hand but for those who are beginners they often get stumped as to where to start and how to control what they do to start! Encrusted Crazy Quilting offers students the opportunity to learn how to piece, develop and heavily hand embellish a crazy quilt block with hand embroidery, beading and exploring different embellishing techniques while solving design, composition and colour issues. This class is suitable for beginners to intermediate crazy quilters.

Encrusted Crazy Quilting will start on June 19th Click here to order or find out more

How the classes work
There are two major components of online classes, the lessons themselves, and the forum. The lessons are the guts of the class. The lessons are an Adobe PDF document are disseminated to the students by joggles.com. Each student is given a User ID and password as well as the URL to the class webpage where they are expected to go and download each lesson. There is a one lesson per week. I have designed the lessons so that people can work at them as much or as little as they choose. Some people have more time to put into them others do not. I understand this, for this reason I have designed the lessons to be self paced.

The expectation is that the students download each lesson weekly and progress through the class. They can choose to just do a few hours stitching or more. It’s up to the student.

Each student is invited to register at the forums, which is where all class communication takes place. While not real time chat, you can post messages. I check the forum daily to answer questions and join in on the chat. Students can post images of their work online so I can give them feedback. Participation in the forums is totally voluntary but I think this is the fun part of the process as it is where students get feed back from me, bounce ideas off each other and share pleasure in learning a new skill.

Over on TipNut.com there is a great list of Yarn stash busters but I have been using my yarn by crocheting a lap rug.

First I have one of these ball winders which I found at a garage sale a couple of years ago. It was the best $3 I spent. It is very useful when ever you want to recycle wool from a jumper you may have unpulled.

I often recycle hand knitted garments. If I spot a good wool hand knit at a thrift shop I buy it and unpick it for the wool. These ball winders are great to wind the wool for you.

I got all my scrap wool together and made up new balls mixing yarns together so that they are the same weight. This means that they will crochet or knit up evenly as your gauge is not constantly changing because the yarn is of different thickness. It’s also fun as you can turn a boring yarn into something that is interesting very quickly.

Then I started this lap rug as a destash project. Progress has been good as the combination of a long week end and the fact that the weather is turning cold here now and it is nice to sit under while I make it. As you can see it’s half done!

As usual click on the photos for larger images.

Today is a national public holiday because it is ANZAC day.  There are commemorations all over country and considered  by many as one of the most important days in the Nations calendar. It is the day Australians and New Zealanders remember those who died in war and the reason for fighting.

It has often been said that as a nation we celebrate our greatest loss in war but I think this is missing the point. Gallipoli was our greatest loss but ANZAC day has come to mean more in the nations psyche as for many it was a nation defining moment. What is interesting is that every year there is an increase of young people attending the dawn services.

For readers from across the waters the Aussie press is covering the events. Both the ABC and the Age have lots to read if you are interested.

How does this relate to textiles? Have you ever thought about power and textiles? A flag is a cloth of power as people all over the world have died under them defending ideals.

I was rolling around the floor laughing this morning not because I was quoted by BBC News but what in a long conversation was chosen to quote. The BBC has run a piece on water usage in Australia and I was quoted.

The statement was made during an interview with Caroline Holmes for BBC radio 4 about how we re-established the garden after the fires which I wrote about here.

The interview with Caroline Holmes is not online yet as it will not be aired until May 20th but the programe details are here. (I will remind people when a podcast is available)

On another note but on topic I have another diamond block complete. In my last work in progress report I showed some dark blocks as you can see this one is a mid tone. To put this in context you can tack back on this project at my declaration of UFOs and WISPs at the start of this year. As usual if you click on the image you can go to a larger version.

Dora Ohrenstein runs the Crochet Insider which she describes as a labour of love.

The site houses interviews with designers, a gallery which also houses links to crochet practitioners sites and an archive. There is also book and yarn reviews. I am sure anyone interested in contemporary crochet will find the site interesting.

Artsy Crafty Babe has written a tutorial on how to make a potholder from a dishtowel. Why would want to do that? No fuss with padding or binding making it supper quick and easy. I think its so easy it would also be suitable for young sewers such as children learning to use a sewing machine. They could make them as gifts. So check out the Dish Towel Potholder Tutorial

Textile artist Jennifer Marsh has recently completed an unusual and big installation. Jennifer called it the World Reclamation Art Project (W.R.A.P.) and covered an abandoned petrol station in textile panels.

“Participants have crocheted, knitted, stitched, patched, or collaged 3 foot square fiber panels that expresses each participants concern about this topic. Simply by designing and creating these panels and participating in this project they are, in the larger picture, expressing their concern about this important subject to the rest of the world. All the panels have been sewn together to completely cover an abandoned gas station in central New York State.”

As you can imagine running a project like this to full realisation costs quite a bit and there is a request for a donation at the bottom of this page.

Thanks to Virginia A Spiegel for the heads up on this.

This reminded me of local Canberra artist Bronwen Sandland who ran a ‘house cosy’ project in 2002 which wrapped an entire house in a knitted covering. At the time Artlink ran an article on it.

On another note: As you can see I am back blogging after catching up on some work I will see you again tomorrow same time same place …

Make a cuppa settle back as I have another section of the blog list prepared for your enjoyment. Late but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I am releasing a letter every couple of weeks so that people have chance to browse the blogs they may not have encountered. These blogs are mostly on topic and written by textile practitioners and designers who do such things as quilt, stitch, dye, sew, embellish fabric, bead, use visual journals, and are interested in art and design.

If you want to know where the other letters are here are the link to letter A , then B, and C was published over Easter so now w have the letter D

Added later: I am taking a little blogging break for a week or so as I am in catch mode at work (and am in need of little break)

Enjoy!

Dacia Ray covers crafts and cooking

Daily Thread Katie writes about knitting and sewing

Dakini Dreams Sapphire is a contemporary fiber and paper artist

Dalbhat Tik-tiki writes about crafts and sewing particularly when it is applied to community and economic development with extremely under privileged groups in India.

Dancing Crow creates fabric postcards (lots of them), uses her visual journal and and takes classes to develop circus skills!

Dangling by a Thread Smarcoux is a contemporary fiber artist interested in quilting, sewing, fabric dyeing and printing

Danita Art mixed media paper arts and collage

Danny Gregory Everyday Matters constantly draws and sketches offering advice and tips along the way. He hosts a weekly drawing challenge and runs a Yahoo group for people participating in it. Danny Gregory has also authored a number of successful books on drawing.

Dansnark Art is a blog started by Danielle who is interested is fabric postcards, ATCs, inchies, paper arts and crafts. Danielle has in interest in mixed media and collage

Dave’s Blog Dave documents his progress while learning to draw and paint

Dawn’s Icy Sun is a craft and sewing blog, Lately Dawn is mainly quilting.

Dear Ada Paper arts and collage

De Ponto em no Belém Belém writes a bilingual blog in which she covers her interests such as quilting, embroidery and sewing.

Debbi Baker tracks her latests projects creating fabric postcards, ATCs, and paper crafts

Debbie Overton Designs Debbie is a mixed media and collage artist

Deborah’s Journal Deborah Boschert creates art quilts, fabric postcards, and fabric collages.

Debra’s Design Studio Debra blogs her work in progress and has a wide interest in textiles.

Decor 8 Holly is a interior design consultant who blogs her favorite finds

Definatealie Natalie writes wll about design and craft which include altered books, drawing, illustration and soft toys

Deirdre’s Sloppy Studio covers the work that goes into of Deidre’s art quilts as they are in progress

Denise Aumick - Wild Thread Studio Art Quilts Life Among The Textiles is an art quilter who writes about her progress and process

Design is Mine Craft and design blog

Design Observer considered writing on design and culture

Design Sponge Grace Bonney writes about home and product design

Designers Who Blog which includes illustrators, photographers, writers, advertisers, and marketeers who blog

Devon House Recollections The blog of Mary Christian-Bailey who lives on Norfolk island and is a crazy quilter

Diary of a Mad Fabri-Holic a well written and amusing blog about knitting, crochet and quilting blog

Digital Gran has an interest in using computer graphics to design one off contemporary textile pieces. Her blog is dotted with her fiber projects and experiments using different technique

Dioramarama quilting, knitting, sewing and crafting.

Disdressed Liesl writes about sewing and has tutorials in the side bar of her blog.

Dispatch From LA Carol keeps a visual journal and is interested in mail art. There are links to her galleries in her side bar.

Displacement Activity Charlotte Narunsky keeps a craft blog that covers crochet, quilting, sewing, knitting and needle felting

DJ Pettitt combines photography, drawings, scanned found objects and textiles to produce imagery using Photoshop. She also does fabric painting, sewing and quilting. Spreads from her visual journal are also often posted to her blog.

Doll Mimi Kirchner is a fantastic doll maker. Mimi blogs the making of her dolls.

Doll Makers Muse Rivkah Rosenfeld is another doll artist who blogs her work, techniques and other craft interests.

Dolls are my Canvas Fran is a mixed media doll artist and doll designer who blogs her interests

Dolls stories Nita creates mainly cloth dolls but blogs about her dolls,sewing and crafts

Don’t Call Me Crafty Lauri is a crazy quilter who regularly blogs her projects

Down by the River Rosalind is a contemporary quilter who writes about her work and textile techniques. She does some wonderful machine embroidery.

Downunder Discourse is blog which mainly covers cross stitch projects - but interesting ones!

Downunderdale Dale is contemporary Aussie textile artist who regularly uses an embellishment machine and other fiber techniques blogs her discoveries.

Drawn from the Heart Carol Rosinski an artist, author and drawing teacher blogs tips tricks and advice on using the humble pencil to draw

Drawn! is a collaborative weblog for illustrators, cartoonists and artists

Dreaming Spirals is kept by quilt artist Liz Plummer who laely is heavily into print and paper making journals and the like

Dubi Quilts Debi’s blog covers her quilting, fabric surface designing, and scrapbooking activities.

Dyeing 2 Sew Valerie is a contemporary textile artist whose main interest is dyeing. Valerie also does applique and quilting.

Dyeing to Design Shirley Goodwin of New Zealand quilts and dyes fabrics

Dyers Hand Sandra Wyman is a dyer and quilter

I realised yesterday that I am falling back into my old habits and forgetting to post about what I have been stitching as it’s been 3 weeks since my last work in progress report and over a month since I last wrote about the progress of my crazy quilt diamond blocks. Since I promised on my declaration of UFOs and WISPs at the start of this year I would try and post images of projects as I work them here we are 3 more blocks done!

Regular readers will remember that these diamond shaped blocks are part of a crazy quilt which will be set in a tumbling block pattern. As usual click on the images for a larger photo.

What else have I been doing?

Mainly I am writing a course to be run through Joggles.com about keeping a studio journal. Hopefully it will help people in both keeping a visual journal and getting the ideas from journal to textile. I don’t really write too much about course development mainly because I think readers find it a bit boring and I don’t like to put too much on the blog that is then used in a commercial enterprise. WordPress has some very strict rules about advertising so I keep the self promotion stuff to a minimum. If anything makes me move this blog it will be the combination of fear of losing my archives because this is free service (there is a lot of time and emotional invested made here if WordPress closed up shop I hate to think about it) and that I can’t self promote what I do! That said I am working quite hard on this new block o f lessons and it will be in the next round of offerings.

The other thing I am working on is a book on CD for Crazy quilters the emphasis is on seam embellishments and loads of variations. That and teaching at the art school is keeping me busy!

On the April Take it Further challenge page Jane asked if I was doing the challenge as well. No I am not I was talked into running this challenge. If you want to trace back the story behind the challenge I put the idea to the vote here after fishing for ideas here and discussing here.

To summarise quickly I wanted to get on with some of my own projects rather than spend too much time running a challenge as TAST last year really bit into my time. I must admit not a lot of arm twisting was done at the time but as I explained at the time I would not be taking part. My part was to think it up and co-ordinate.

So Jane the short answer is no I am not taking part even though the guilts get to me at times but I am not wonder woman sitting at the other side of key board. I work and have a home to run like us all and want to get some of my own stitching done. I am sure people understand. It takes time and energy to run long term challenges and things have to be prioritized. I must admit to feeling guilty however! Hence the need to explain LOL !

Anyway how are people going with their annual craft/sewing goals? Blog it and leave a comment or just leave a comment I would love to know and I am sure others would too.  One of mine is to work on this diamond quilts so I am feeling quite good about what I am doing considering work is taking up quite a bit of my time. Perhaps we need a “review” of what is achieved in the year so far. What do people think?