Fabric Collage artist

I am having a wonderful time on Stitching Fingers checking out the sites and blogs of members. Yesterday was a public holiday so I indulged a little and instead of doing a quick whip around I am slowly savouring some real gems. So much so I just have to feature the site of Sharon Mann as she illustrates childrens books in fabric collage! Take a look at this image as its construction incorportates quilting, embroidery, crocheting, knitting, beading, hand sewing techniques. Sharon Mann Designs is her main website. While there don’t miss the fabric illustration gallery. Sharon Manns blog is Sharon Mann’s Creative Crochet and finally her page on Stitchin Fingers is here! We are lucky to have such creative members.

 

Fibre and Stitch is Out

The Latest issue of Fibre and Stitch is out. As usual its great treat and it was with pleasure I made a cuppa, printed out the 84 page PDF file and settled back for a good read and visual feast.

This is the fourth issue so still relatively young but Sue Bleiweiss and her team have put together yet again a richly interesting ezine for anyone who is interested in contemporary textiles. If you have ever wondered how to apply foil, use alcohol inks or add metallic effects to your fabrics this issues explores some ideas for you to try.

Also if you have ever wondered what Abaca paper is and how to use it or how mud cloth is made this issue tells you

Guest author Mary Sleigh writes about Africa as her inspirational source of textile works

Jackie Cardy shows us how to create a folded panel opens to reveal a hidden surprise in her piece 18 Hidden Treasures and Margaret Roberts has produced an article that really appealed to me on how to make Pyramid Journals

This is just a few of the topics and articles that are covered in Fibre and Stitch’s fourth issue. If you have not subscribed yet this ezine and you are interested in contemporary fiber techniques in textiles it is well worth it.

 

Collage Mania is about to start!

Virginia Spiegel dropped me a line to remind me that Collage Mania is Monday and Tuesday, in other words May 5 and 6.

I think it is going to be 2 days of total crazyness for Virginia as all you have to do is choose an artwork, e-mail Virginia and make a donation and that is that. So over the weekend I took time out and toddled off to check out the site. It was fatal as I spent hours browsing the gallery. Literally half a day was spent looking at one piece or the other so for eye candy don’t miss this site! The images here are just a bit of a taster. (Please see the image credits at the bottom of the post)

There are hundreds of collaged pieces to browse and delight the eye. So if you enjoy collage of either paper or fabric you will have hours of satisfaction browsing these images.

Do pop over and take a look and remember that all proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause.

While I was on Virginia’s site I checked out her blog. Apart from details about Collage Mania a few posts back I stumbled upon a very thoughtful post on “What Makes A Series Work” which is worth thinking about. The other project I delighted in is Virginia Spiegel’s personal challenge the Garbage Day Project. Do check it out as it had me wanting to reach for a camera and join in

Image Credits

Image 1 Collage by Karen Bettencourt
Title: e onziéme étourneau (the eleventh starling)
10″h x 8″w Old papers, acrylic paint, image transfer on canvas.

Image 2 Collage by Jennifer Black
Many Gatherings
7.25″h x 5″w Vintage sheet music, photo, envelope, and other papers; tissue papers; spine of an old book; paint, thread and old buttons.

Image 3 Collage by Susan Lenz
Remains of a Quilt
10″h x 8″w Leftover snippets from a silk painted quilt, paper, thread, acrylic gel.

 

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!

 

Browsing … and discovering

The 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!

Meggiecat is back blogging and has posted this vintage felt bunny pattern and highlighted hoop love a flickr group that shares vintage embroidery patterns

Marg of Maggies Textiles dropped me an email to point me to the resources found on Embroidery and Embroider There is quite a bit on this site and its worth checking out.

Elizabeth of Quieter Moments is exploring Sorbello stitch

Susan Lenz of Art In Stitches is curating an interesting textiles exhibit next year and she has invited me to participate in the Cyber Fyber Exhibition Susan is using a blog to track the development and process of curating the exhibit.

This is a gem …

 

Dealing with self doubt and procrastination.

I love podcasts. I can listen and stitch at the same time and yesterday while poking around the postcast sites I discovered a blog Sew Chick. It looks as though it was started and then discontinued. This interview with a psychologist on creative personalities and dealing with procrastination, self doubt and envy is a very interesting 10 minutes or so.

 

Famous paintings as fabric postcards

Cynthia of Colorado Art Studio describes herself as a Ceramic artist who occasionally dabbles in fiber art and painting. On her blog I found she also has an interest in contemporary dolls and printing and recently Cynthia has been exploring linocuts.

Also her website houses fiber art and don’t miss her delightful fabric postcards based on famous paintings.

 

Subversive crochet

Micro-Fiber Militia is run by a group who describe themselves as Crochet Graffiti Artists that take crochet into public spaces. They cover urban objects such as parking meters with cosy crochet pieces. Subversive textile practices such as this always makes you look at textiles in new light. Check out the blog.

Thanks goes to JD of jumpstarts for the link

 

Rosemary Claus-Gray

The mixed media and art quilts of Rosemary Claus-Gray are inspired by the lines and shapes Rosemary observes in nature.

Rosemary’s site houses a gallery of contemporary textile work. Of particular pleasure are the design studies and a small section titled “Drawing with a thread”. I have often observed that embroidery is rarely seen as a graphic medium in its own right but Rosemary uses thread to draw on fabric.

 

The art works of Mary Yaeger

I have recently discovered the work of Mary Yaeger via my post written a couple of weeks ago about scutelliphily.

Mary Yaeger mixes a dash of humour with a feminist twist as she creates one of a kind female merit badges which illustrate “rites of passage”. These small hand embroidered pieces use the iconic format of a merit badge to talk about the experience of being female. It is interesting work – do go and check it out.

You can also see more of Mary’s work in her blog called Stabbed: Not counted or crossed discusses the work of artists who stitch