A newish blog …

Patricia of Birds Nest on the Ground dropped me an email to draw attention to her blog. I am very pleased she did as Patricia is interested in quilting and embroidery. She describes herself as “obsessive about fabrics, buttons, trims, and old photos. I am a hunter/gatherer who loves flea markets”. Just my sort of person I thought to myself and checked it out

If anyone else has a blog that relates to their activities in an area of textiles leave a comment with the URL and let me and everyone know about it, as if you are new to blogging it is sometimes hard to break into the circle and let people know you are there. So if your blog is on topic put your hand up and wave I would love to know you are out there and I am sure readers would too. Now don’t be a stranger….

 

Time for the letter E

This weekend take some time to make a cuppa settle back and enjoy some blogs from another section of the big blog list. I am publishing a letter from the list every couple of weeks, so that people have chance to browse the blogs they may not have encountered.

I try to choose 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.

Letters A , B, C and D have all been popular I hope you enjoy these. Let me introduce …. the letter E !

Earthtone Studios Sue is a mixed media artist working with collage, assemblage, altered books and various paper arts

El Blog de Gabi Campanario Gabi is an illustrator and he blogs page spreads from his fantastic sketchbook

El Cielo Studio Journal Susie Monday describes her blog as being about “stitching and dyeing and printing of the craft of art cloth and art quilt

Elizabeth Creates Elizabeth’s interests cover mixed media and altered arts, crafts, beading, sewing and creating art dolls

eLoomanator is a blog about weaving on little looms but also touches on other craft and sewing interests

Embroidered Collage or Artist Perpetually in Progress by Beth Robinson documents her experiments in technique, her design process, including her visual journal, samples and her interest in contemporary textile work

Embroidered Prayers of Peeling a Pomegranate

Embroideress is the blog of Linn Skinner who researches historical embroidery and designs samplers. Her blog is really worth looking at as she turns up all sorts of interesteing textile related items

Embroidery and design work is a blog kept during the City and Guilds course in Embroidery

Embroidery Overlaps Barbara works with contemporary texilte techniques and embroidery to produce fabric postcards, journal quilts, and various other projects.

Emma Kirsopp is an Australian artist who holds a bachelors degree in Art and a Masters degree in contemporary art (visual art) Her blog contains images of her drawings and works in progress

Empty Easel houses articles on art, painting tips and advice for artists on how to market their work online

Enchanted Art Elizabeth is a fiber and mixed media artist who says she enjoys “traditional patchwork quilting as well as incorporating other materials such as paint, beads, wire, and more

Enter the Stitcher Lisa is a cross sticher who blogs her work

Ephemeral Alchemy Kelli dyes, stitches, collages, makes books and creates assemblage pieces

Ethel’s Blog covers Ethels interest in paper arts quilting, sewing, knitting and craft

Everyday Revelations Kate is a crazy quilter who posts images of her blocks

Everything is Contextual Juj frequently draws and publishes images of her yummy sketches on her blog.

Exploring Color and Creativity Nita paints and teaches watercolour and blogs about this topic as well as art and creativity.

Expression Studio Gail is a photographer who is also interested in mixed media and fiber

Extraordinary pencil is a blog that features some extraordinary drawing skills from the hand of Marsha Robinett don’t miss checking it out as this blog is a gem!

Extreme Craft covers contemporary and Indi craft

Eye Level is a blog produced by staff of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

 

The letter D in the huge blog list

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

 

Grab a cuppa - and have a browse

Grab a cuppa because this is a mix of news around the blogs, gossip and leads to resources.

Pam Kellog of Kitty and Me Designs has worked out the DMC colours for this months Take it Further challenge colour scheme

Leslie from Pinyon Creek Stitching is aiming to establish a crazy quilt association. Read her post on the topic as many of the points she makes  is what is needed to raise the profile and promote crazy quilting.

Lisa Call of Contemporary Texitle Art has an interesting interview with artist coach Alyson Stanfield of ArtBizBlog about her new book I’d Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist’s No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion. Better still you can listen to the 12-14 minutes long podcast and stitch (I love podcasts!)

If you are interested in Slow cloth and the cultural aspects of textiles Lainie of Red Thread Studio pointed to some podcasts over on the Maiwa site. I have not listened to them all but I did delve into the excerpts from Kismet, Ajrakh and he Fish of Knowledge which was recorded at the Maiwa Symposium in October last year. Its good and food for thought as you stitch

Mimi Kirchner, of Doll has written a great tutorial on a dainty little felt rose

Meggiecat pointed readers to this information on making a Rosette

Also discovered via Meggiecat is a new blog on the block titled Spoonflower which describes itself as serving Internet-savvy crafters, creative folks who sew and quilt. What Stephen and Kim Fraser appear to do is to take digital files and print on fabric.

Yesterday on Mindtracks I pointed to Ponoko is a new online service that I think many readers here will be interested in too. It is not got a direct textiles application but if you are a crafter who designs things this site may be for you.

You design the product and submit the eps files to Ponoko and they laser cut them for you. Rather than print on demand its a ‘make on demand’ service. You can also sell your products form their site via your own shop front. For more information have a look at the Make and sell section of the site and they have blog you can follow too. Check out their product of the week.

My thanks goes to Allie for dropping me an email and giving me the link.

Added later:

I just tossed a pair of Jerry’s undies out the door. I was folding the washing and discovered a scorpion - not nice. My hand just brushed past it when I noticed the sudden movement. I carefully took the garment it was sitting on - a pair of Jerry’s undies and tossed it and the garment out the door. (I don’t like killing things) All I can say I am pleased Jerry did not attempt to wear them this morning. What a place to be bitten!

 

Happy Easter Everyone

Happy easter everyone! I will be away over the easter break ( I will return a day or so after) so I thought it was an ideal time to introduce some more of my regular blog reads.

So here is the letter C in the list. The letter B was published a week or so ago and as I said when I introduced the list with the blogs that start with the letter A these blogs are on topic and written by textile practitioners who do such things as quilt, are interested in art and design, stitching, they dye, sew, embellish fabric, bead, use visual and art journals.

There are quite a few blog in the letter C which is why I saved the list for a long weekend as it gives people time to browse it - So enjoy!

• Cailun info is a the blog of a paper and books arts practitioner.
• Cake and Pie is an Art, Craft and Design blog kept by Kathlene Losche
• Calidore covers crazy quilting, quilting, dyeing and various textile explorations
• California Fiber Artist and Composer Susan is working on her City and Guilds Patchwork and Quilting Level 3
• Camilla Engman is a Swedish illustrator and artist
• Camille’s Place covers silk ribbon embroidery and crazy quilting.
• Candi’s Eyecandy is a blog devoted to crazy quilting. Candies other blog is Quilts ‘n Things which covers her sane quilting
• Card and Art Ilka works mainly with paper using mixed media, to create cards, ATCs, Postcards and the like
• Carol Marine’s Painting a Day Carol creates one small painting a day and posts them on her blog
• Carol Sews Carol is a doll maker who also does crazy quilting and sews
• Carolina Arts Phyllis King is a mixed-media artist who beads dolls, quilts and sews.
• Carpe Diem Marion is a painter who also blogs images of her visual journal page spreads
• Carolina Quilter Jody quilts using traditional piecing and hand applique. She also does thread painting, and crazy quilting
• Caryl’s Realm Caryl creates books cards, and paper items using mixed media and assemblage techniques
• Cast On Brenda writes a knitting blog and podcasts
• Cestandrea Design is a French textile artist who blogs her current work in progress and often included page spreads from her visual journal.
• Changeling Things covers hand embroidery, cross stitch and knitting
• Changelings Knit and Stitch is a blog of show notes to podcasts that cover knitting and stitching topics.
• Cheeky Beaks Kirsten keeps a craft and design blog
• Cheryl’s Chatelaine covers her needlework interests which include hand embroidery, cross stitch and crazy quilting
• Cherold’s Place Cheri is a quilter who is busy stash busting
• Chicana creating Art through Chaos art quilter Sabrina Zarco keeps a blog to share the stories behind her work and the communities she encounters
• Chloes Place by Linda covers crazy quilting and since she documents collections in small rural museums and collections she often encounters interesting textiles and objects related to domestic textile production and care.
• Chocolate a chuva Tania keeps a blog of crafts and sewing projects.
• Cindi’s Sewing covers sewing projects
• Cinzia is a new blog set up for the Take it Further challenge
• Clothmatters Connie McBride Johnson writes about her cloth dolls, sewing, embroidery and crazy quilting
• Cold Feet Quilter by Deb who describes herself as a quilter, Fiber Artist, painter, dyer, doll maker, and needle felter.
• Collage Contessa is interested in textile related crafts, art journals and altered books
• Color My World Judy Rys is interested in contemporary textiles, fabric post cards, ATCs (artist trading cards) fabric printing and dyeing and is participating in the Take it Further challenge.
• Coloribus is the blog of a French Illustrator who regularly published page spreads from her visual journal.
• Comfortable Shoes Studio Leslie Herger is a book binder who blogs about making books. There are tutorials listed in the side bar and anyone interested in the paper arts should enjoy this blog.
• Committed Stitcher Meg covers cross stitch embroidery and patch work and is participating in the Take it Further challenge
• Complete Organizing Solutions is a blog that focuses on organizing the home. If you are interested in getting the clutter in your life under control this blog is full of ideas and tips to do it.
• Concealed, Discovered, Revealed is written by staff at the V&A and an example of a great museum blog
• Confessions of a Bead Counter Amy is a beader who bloggs about beading, inspiration and her thoughts.
• Confessions of a Yarn Addict Anni dyes yarn and knits
• Constant Partial Attention Julia Molina is a mixed media artist.
• Cotton Spice covers Karens quilting, sewing, knitting, and crafts and publishes some great free projects and tutorials.
• Crackle Mountain Florence Forrest is a fellow who is a art critic and theorist as well as a toy designer. She is interested in folk tales and writes in an engaging manner.
• Craft Apple Sewing and craft as well as some useful tutorials in the side bar.
• Craft Boomis aimed at crafters interested in turning their craft into a home business. Content covers how to market and sell products online to how to plan and balance your studio and personal time. Interviews with successful crafters, day to day business advice, tips on getting started and hints on craft blogging are all covered.
• Craft Lab is part of the DIY network. Jennifer Perkins and Cat Greenleaf present craft projects in video format. Crafts covered are altered books, soap making, polymer clay, collage, art dolls, computer crafting etc
• Craft Leftovers writes about patterns that are suitable for using up scraps ie left overs from other projects. There is a pattern archive that is slowly growing on the same site.
• Craft Monkeys Amanda Kavanagh produces the most delightful sketches and paintings. She publishes page spreads and writes about her work.
• Craft Research is blog tracking a research project titled “Past, Present & Future Craft Practice: exploration of the inter-relation between skill, intent and culture”
• Craft Sanity Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood describes her blog as “a blog and podcast for those who love all things handmade”
• Craft: is a project-based blog that describes itself as “dedicated to the renaissance that is occurring within the world of crafts.”
• Craftblog wardi.dk is another craft blog
• Craftlog Maitreya writes about all ssorts of craft projects
• Crafts of Texture covers arts and crafts knitting beading and sewing.
• Craftster.org blog the blog of Craftster featuring news and highlights from the Craftster site.
• Crafty Pod Podcasts bi weekly about creating things.
• Crafty Synergy interviews inspiring artists
• Cramzy Emmy explores contemporary textile and embroidery techniques producing all sorts of interesting things
• Crazy Art Girl’s Musings covers mixed media art
• Crazy Daisy Mandy writes about her knitting, sewing and quilting.
• Crazy Here and Now… Jane tracks her interests in crazy quilting and quilting in her blog
• Crazy Quilting for Fun a blog of work in progress pics of crazy quilting
• Crazy Quilting International a blog kept for for the members of the “Crazy Quilting International” yahoo group to showcase their work
• Crazy Seoul Sister Lil documents her life in Korea and her crazy quilting.
• Crazy Q stitcher is Maureen’s blog who is a crazy quilter who posts images of her work
• Crazy Valsusa Lorenza is an Italian who keeps a bilingual blog, is interested in crazy quilting and contemporary fiber such as fabric postcards, inchies, and ATCs.
• Creatilfun Francoise tracks her textile interests in fabric postcards, dyeing, design, stitch and quiltin
• Creating with no Rules is kept by Sharon who is a crazy quilter and silk ribbon embroiderer
• Creative Chatter Shari is a mixed media artist who creates art journals.
• Creative Chick Susan Sorrel’s blog on what she is making. Susan uses contemporary fiber techniques and uses the blog to announce her workshops
• Creative Dabbling Erica is an Aussie art quilter
• Creative Diversions Kim ia a rubber stamper and blogs about what she makes.
• Creative Force online Nicky Perryman is a textile artist and creativity coach
• Creative Kismet Regina writes about crafts and making hand made items. There are tutorials in the side bar
• Creative Lenna Lenna Andrews works with paper and blogs about techniques.There are tutorials in the side bar
• Creative Life and Times Molly writes about Art Quilts, Altered Art, Altered Books, and published pages spreds from her visual journal.
• Creative Meanderings Doreen writes about crazy quilting, sewing and crafts
• Creative Organizing this blog focus is on organisation skill for creatie people “Organizing and creativity go hand-in-hand. Organizing creates space for creativity and creativity makes organizing more fun!”
• Creatively Self-Employed Kristen Fischer’s blog tag line is ” how artists and writers deal with career ups and downs” this blog focuses on freelancing for a living offering tips and advice
• Creativity Liz Berg is an art quilter and writes about her life and quilts
• Creaworx is a fiber artist’s blog which covers many of the needlearts including beading, dolls, crochet, quilting and stitching.
• Croque-choux fiber art and crafts
• Crossed yarns is the blog of an Aussie cross stitcher
• Curbside treasure Annie is interested in art journals, ephemera, mail art, collage and crafts.
• Curious Bird Leya writes about her sewing projects and crafts.

 

Catching up on what is happening

First up for a great way to start the day in a fit of giggles check out the video bloopers on Melissa’s blog Honey Bees Bliss. I was giggling along with them within seconds

Once you have got the giggles under control make a cuppa and settle down for a bit of browse. Meggiecat is a blog that dipped off the scene for a little while but it’s back. Her regular posting has kept me busy back reading and catching up. Since easter is just around the corner I thought these bunny boxes were very timely.

I found these free patterns of stitching cards  with thanks via Needle’nThread

Also a recent discovery is Artful Ties a blog kept by Barb Lawrence who focuses on “Making art from men’s neckties”. This was found with thanks via Art for Housewives

I am not sure how many readers are following Virginia Spiegel’s Collage mania, and the reverse auction but its worth checking out her blog for eyecandy alone.

Also Marie Alton dropped me an email to let me know about her blog sredeluxe which covers silk ribbon, crazy quilting and beading

 

Time for the letter B

It is a holiday weekend here in Canberra. I will not be bounding around here until Tuesday morning so I decided it was an ideal to time to post a little more of the huge blog list as it gives people time to browse.

As I said when I introduced this list of blogs I regularly read, browse, dip into or visit for one reason or another these blogs are 80% on topic - or there abouts. They are written by textile practitioners who are actively making and contributing to the community online. These people are active bloggers who quilt, interested in art and design, stitch, dye, sew, embellish fabric, bead, use visual and art journals or catch my eye and interest. There is a the odd blog about blogging too as I know people are interested in that topic as well. So enjoy!

• Back Valley Seasons Penny blogs her textile interests which range from manipulation and surface design to contemporary embroidery.
• Barb’s Spirit Song Barbara lists her interests as being art quilts, needle felting, and embroidery
• Barnyard Chatter Grace is a contemporary quilter and designer
• Baumcat creates and blogs small contemporary crazy quilts that are a little different from the Victorian inspired quilts often seen. Her blog is well worth following if you are interested in contemporary textiles
• Bayou Quilts Jenclair writes about quilting, sewing and crafting projects. Lately her slow cloth has me following her progress.
• Be Creative Be Happy covers altered books, collage, ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) and mixed media paper arts.
• Be*mused Jan writes about her quilting, sewing and knitting
• Bead Journal Blog You can track the Bead Journal Project through this blog. The idea is to create 12 bead journal pages, one per month, for a year using any media and techniques, as long as it includes beading.
• Beadin’ Gram writes about beading, beaded dolls and lately has been taking classes in Kumihimo
• Beading Daily houses free projects, instructional material and loads of ideas to browse.
• Beading For Beginners is as it is described a blog full of beginners tips and tutorials
• Beadline Bertoglio-Giffin writes about beading and is participating in the beaded journal project.
• Beadlust is the blog of bead artist Robin Atkins. Robin has authored books on beading and teaches. Apart from tracking these activities her blog is full of interesting tips and tracks her design process.
• Beadnik’s BJP Blog documents progress in the Beaded journal project.
• Beadweaver covers beading, points to bead artists, instructional material and information on beads and beading.
• Beate’s Fabric Art is written by German textile artist who documents her explorations with a felt embellisher, paper and fabric arts, collage, fabric postcards, ATCs and all manner of interesting things. Beate’s blog is written in both English and German. This blog is a recent discovery for me and I immediately added her to my blog roll as her work delighted me so much.
• Beauty of Life Paula has established a new blog in order to participate in the Take it Further challenge and it has shaped up into being a great blog as she has taken to the genre like a duck to water. Do check it out.
• Bella Dia houses tutorials and information on craft projects
• Bel’s Nook is the blog of mixed media and doll artist Belinda Schneider.
• BeSewSylish is part of the Taunton website. In other words they are the same people that run Threads magazine but BeSewSylish is the blogging end of the company. The teams writes about sewing, dishing out tips and info along the way.
• Betz White is a felted wool and contemporary crafter.
• Bette’s Needlework Musings tracks her interest in cross stitch samplers and related textiles and often writes informative and useful articles of interest to those who stitch
• Beyond the Blank Page Sharon (another Australian) keeps a blog which tracks her interests which include needlework, quilting, crazy patchwork, cross stitch, reading and creative writing. The textile related topics are found on her stitching blog Stitch today, the rest tomorrow…
• Bibliophile Bullpen This is not a textile blog but a blog for those who love books.
• Big Horn Mountain Creations Gail is a crazy quilter who blogs her quilting and sewing.
• Birds Nest on the Ground is kept by Patricia who is interested in quilting and embroidery. She describes herself as “obsessive about fabrics, buttons, trims, and old photos. I am a hunter/gatherer who loves flea markets”
• Bits of Beads and Fiber Denise blogs her beading work in progress
• Bitter Betty Blogs is a sewing and craft blog.
• BJ Parady Fiber Arts Notes covers art quilting, contemporary fiber techniques and textile design
• Black Threads Kyra covers African American Quilting and Quilt History
• Blackwork Blog tracks not only her grandmothers needlework story but her own works in progress and sources of inspiration.
• Blog Herald blog and blogging related news for bloggers
• Blogging Basics 101 A blog that covers all the basics of blogging.
• Bluhm Studios Heather is a mixed media collage artist who tracks her work via her blog
• Bone and Shadow is the blog of assemblage artist R E Wolf
• Boodely covers sewing, craft, jewelry, crochet, quilting, and embroidery projects which often have retro styling

If you wnat to know where the letter A is it is here

And … have a great International Womens day tomorrow!

 

Work in Progress report

Two weeks has slipped by since my last work in progress report. As I promised on my declaration of UFOs and WISPs this year I would try and post images of projects as I work them. I keep meaning to take photos but I forget! Anyway I thought it was time to correct the habit.

Regular readers will remember that these diamond shaped blocks are part of a crazy quilt which will be set in a tumbling block pattern. To get this quilt done I should be moving it along a bit quicker but life is busy. These have been done in the last two weeks. Click on the images for a larger photo.

On another note check out this Big list of sewing blogs it will keep you browsing for ages

Swing by tomorrow for the Take it Further challenge as I will post it then

 

Great Chooks what a list!

From small things big things grow … I admit it my ideal Sunday morning is to settle back with a cuppa and poke around the the blogs to see what has been happening and what people are making. A few months back I started to compose a list of blogs that I was reading regularly and then some that I was reading not so regularly but I returned to fairly often.

Next I had the bright park idea to organise it into an alphabetical listing. Then I made the absolutely fatal mistake of adding interesting blogs I encountered in my blog travels. Lets say the list has grown! I was going to share the whole list with you but it is far too long so I have broken it up and plan to post the list over the next few weeks. Think of it as weekend reading!

What is in the list? These blogs are written by textile practitioners who are actively making and contributing to the community online. So you will find bloggers who quilt, stitch, dye, sew and embellish fabric. Readers here are often interested in visual/art journals so I have included these blogs too. This subject area often overlaps into areas like ATCs (artists trading cards), Altered books and book arts. Blogs that cover these topics are often included particularly if the techniques discussed can be applied to art journals. Some are also art/design blogs since I see textile practice as an art.

I have listed blogs that are at least 80% on topic. Any blog that at the time of review had more than 2 in ten off topic posts I dropped from the list. Craft often overlaps into this subject area. In the case of craft blogs I looked for content that related to textiles. If this dominated I included them in the list.

I also looked at how active the blogger was. Any blog that had not been updated in the last 6-8 weeks at the time of review was excluded.

Blogs that are obviously written as marketing blogs or blogs that simply constantly review products and services with the express aim of selling goods I have excluded. Blogs written by small businesses that just pointed to new product lines, gadgets, books etc I also excluded. I don’t object to advertising on blog when it is in moderation but some have very little actual content when you examine them. If I encountered a blog that had the odd advert in a side bar I am not worried but any blog where most of the screen space was taken up with advertising dominating the actual content of the blog, I excluded. Their purpose of existing is to make money. Blogs that are so heavily monetised that all content falls below the fold ie you have to scroll past a screen of adverts to find the content were excluded.

Anyway here is the start of the list. I will post a letter every week or fortnight. I think you will find there are some interesting blogs out there and hopefully you will discover some that you were unaware of before. Grab a cuppa, take some time out for yourself and enjoy!

• A Bookish Life The dominant activities covered here are reading and crafting. In the craft area there is an emphasis on sewing and making gift.
• A Crafty vegan Vania writes about knitting, cooking and vegan products
• A Creative Journey Karen Winters is a painter who paints and blogs daily
• A Ervilha Cor de Rosa Rosa Pomar who documents her craft activities
• A Fanciful Twist by Vanessa Valencia is kept to document her quirky art pieces
• A Garner of Stitched Thoughts is a blog kept during the City and Guilds course in Embroidery.
• A Girl and Her Journal by Samantha Kris Harding is a blog about visual journalling.
• A Little Hut Patricia works with paper. I started to read her blog when I encountered this work.
• A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk covers crafting activities, sewing, page spreads from a visual journal and recycling clothing and thrift shop finds.
• A Little Something Sharon McCreary writes and Anna Hebbert is the photographer of this worthwhile and interesting blog which aims to help refugee women achieve self-sufficiency through handmade crafts. The project is based in America so if anyone is contemplating a decluttering they might like to send some of thier stash to them as they are in need of materials.
• A Look at Art & Design by Lisa Mikulski discusses art, design, inspiration and marketing
• A Movable Feast Neki blogs her explorations in contemporary textile surface design and manipulation techniques, and needle felting.
• A Quilted Life Eve blogs her progress as she quilts and knits
• A Realization in Texture, Color and Movement Stephanie is a mixed media textile artist who makes beaded art dolls quilts and jewelry designs.
• A Sketch in Time is kept by Cathy Gatland who blogs the page spreads of her visual journal. She lives in South Africa.
• A Stitch in Dye Malka dyes fabric, quilts and knits.
• A Stitch in Time is kept by Scottish Fiber artist Carol Clasper. Contemporary textiles and fabric postcards appear regularly in her blog.
• A Village Quilter by Sarah Jayne covers quilting, sewing and her progress while taking drawing classes.
• A Walk in the Woods Frieda Anderson quilter and dyer tracks her activities in her blog.
• A Wrinkle in the Calico is a blog kept during the City and Guilds course in Embroidery
• Ace Jet 170 covers encounters with typography, book design and graphic design
• Acuarela covers watercolour, and illustration.
• Adventures of a Mixed Media Textile Artist Joanie San Chirico is a textile artist interested in contemporary mixed media techniques.
• Adventures of Angel Cat is a fiber arts blog touching on a number of areas such as fabric postcards, embroidery, dyeing, and knitting. Angela is also participating in the Take it further challenge
• Aileen’s Musings covers altered art and mixed media projects many of them 3D
• Albedo Design is the blog of Canadian textile artist Arlee who works with contemporary textile techniques.
• Alchemy Studios Robin creates collages and ATCs (Artist Trading Cards)
• Alis Clair tracks her explorations in contemporary textiles
• All About Hand Dyeing this blog consists of answers to questions sent to Paula Burch about dyeing. It is well worth adding to your RSS feed as it consists of all sorts of tips and solid advice
• All the Strange Hours David Rourke covers drawing, painting, art history, techniques, and topics related to visual art. This post on drawing made me add it to my RSS feed and I have not been disappointed
• Allie’s in Stitches is the blog of the fantastic crazy quilter Alison Aller. (You can tell I am a fan)
• Allsorts Jennifer Beck Harris’s craft blog
• Alma Stoller Fabric and mixed media work of Alme Stoller who has been published in Cloth Paper and Scissors
• Altered Antiquity Kathy Wasilewski uses mixed media techniques in art journals and altered books.
• Altered book, artist’s journal Valerie covers altered books, art journals, and related mixed media in her blog.
• Altered fabrications Cathy works on art quilts, inchies, fabric postcards using contemporary textile techniques
• Altered Visions Linda spins and dyes yarn.
• Altering Thoughts Pat often blogs her explorations into contemporary textile techniques. She is also going to participate in the Take it Further challenge
• An Artist’s Journal full time professional artist Martha Marshall writes about her current work and what catches her eye.
• An illustration a day illustration, painting, drawing, sketching, collage, photographs and inspiration from Suana over 365 days the some
• And Sew On Sarah is an art quilter
• Andrea Joseph’s Sketchblog this is exactly as described and filled with lovely detailed drawings
• Angelcat covers craft and sewing projects in her blog
• Angie’s ART & FULL Life covers knitting beading and crafting
• Angry Chicken is a sewing cooking craft blog kept by Amy Carol
• Ann Wood blogs the progress of her work. It was her contemporary Dioramas that led me to read her blog
• Anna Maria Horner is a quilter who keep s a blog of her work in progress
• Anna Nowicki - My Textile Art Anna is a contemporary textile artist who blogs about the techniques, materials and processes in her work.
• Annies Crazy World is a fellow Aussie crazy quilter who I live not far from so she is good friend too!
• Apples and Oranges is a blog kept by Kate a contemporary crafter. Sewing, embroidery and knitting are some of the topics covered and she is going to participate in the Take it Further challenge
• Applique and Embroidery in Beijing I met Mara as a student in one of my classes.Mara does lovely stitching as a result her blog is worth checking out
• Art ADD Works for Me Gisela is a a painter/muralist who has become a quilter
• Art at Work Kit Vincent is interested in surface design and records work in progress
• Art Bead Scene is written by Elaine Ray. It covers mainly beaded jewelry and occasionally touches on embellishing fabric with beads.
• Art Cloth Text started in August 2007 by Mackenzie Frere who is a Canadian textile artist, writer and teacher.
• Art Dolls and Fiber Arts by Judi Wellnitz
• Art Escapes ATCs, mixed media and stamping projects and techniques are documented by Gisele.
• Art for Housewives is a quirky delightful link heavy blog that covers textiles and crafts online
• Art Frenzy Art journals, ATCs, Silk dyeing, quilting, beaded jewelry, bookbinding, altered arts, collage and mixed media all interest ladibug
• Art History Today is an art blog
• Art in Stitches Susan Lenz documents her progress as a contemporary textile practitioner. Her interest in contemporary textiles makes her blog stimulating reading.
• Art Junk Girl is a well known blog on mixed media and altered art projects
• Art Knowledge News covers news in the world of fine arts.
• Art News Blog is an art blog
• Art Notes is kept by Bob Abrahams who as a painter writes about his work and techniques.
• Art of Ann Christine Dennison who expresses herself through collage, drawing, fiber, and photography.
• Art of Stitch Susan D documents her progress as she undertakes a City and Guilds course in Embroidery
• Art of Textiles Susan quilts, embroiders explores surface design and many fiber related crafts. Susan also keeps the Art of Stitch
• Art Quilts Kathy York creates at quilts embellished with seed beads and buttons.
• Art Play Possibility Jeannine Peregrine covers art dolls, art journals, and crafts
• Art, Quilts and Other Adventures is an art quilter who blogs but also heads off into other activities such as scrap booking
• Art-Quilt-Works Juanita Yeager writes about her art quilts.
• ArtBiz Blog Alyson Stanfirld writes about the business of art aimed at studio based artists. The blog is full of good tips and ideas on earning a living in any of the creative industries.
• Arts Texile et Dentelle Carinemarie interests range from free form crochet to needlelace, contemporary lace and felt embellishing and she is participating in the Take it Further challenge
• Artwhispers Terry is taking part in the Take it Further challenge
• Artful Adventures Sue Pieper art journals, creates ATCs and uses mixed media techniques.
• Artful Muse KV is beader who keeps a beading blog pointing to news and resources as well as documenting her work.
• Artgirlz is written by Allison and Tracy who quilt and make contemporary cloth dolls
• Artist Reborne is interested in paper arts such as scrapbooking, card-making, collage, ATCs, altered books, handmade books and textiles such as contemporary quilting
• Artistic License the blog of needlework designer Teresa Wentzler who is well known for counted cross-stitch desings
• ArtMixter Marion documents her experiments in mixed media textile techniques, Artists’ Trading Cards (ATCs), and quilting.
• Artrageous Afternoon covers paper arts such as scrapbooking, visual journals, collage, ATCs, and crafts.
• Arts and Quilts Rete covers mainly quilting and knitting projects and often writes tutorials
• Artsy Crafty Babe Beki sews and blogs her crafts.
• Artsy Crafty Fun, Fun, Fun Laura lists her intersts as knitting, sewing, quilting and she is participating in the Take it Further challenge.
• Artsy Visions Kelly Buton works with mixed media techniques on altered art and collage pieces.
• Artsyfran Fran Saperstein art journals, writes, sews and used mixed media techniques in her projects
• ArtsyMama covers art journalling and related crafts.
• Arty Lady Liz is interested in ATCs, altered art and related crafts
• Artyfax documents creating ATCs as well sketching, painting and related crafts.
• Ascender Rises Above is the blog of a water colourist, and a collage mixed media artist
• Ati on the crazy road… Ati uses her blog to document her crazy quilting projects.
• Au Fil du Jardin Vero is interested in the fiber arts, and posts her projects.
• Available Space Erika Tysse blogs her interest in mixed media and collage
• Average Jane Crafter Rachel explores and moves across many crafts blogging her explorations along the way.

 

Three links

With Autumn just around the corner in Australia I am once again looking at my knitting needles and crochet hooks. These Toe up Socks look as tough they would make great house socks and it would be a really useful pattern for using up wool scraps

Also Burdastyle has open source free printable patterns. You will find the catalog here

Quilting with Janet covers quilting techniques in a series of step by step tutorials