International Quilt Show Cincinnati, OH

Fountain Square, Cincinnati

 Last year, when we found that the International Quilt Festival (IQF) was moving from the Chicago area to Cincinnati, a number of the members of my local quilt guild jumped on the reduced rate offers at the Hyatt and signed up.

I wanted to go to IQF Chicago for years.  Now that it was only going to be an hour and a half from home, I was really happy.  Since I didn't know exactly how I was going to feel or how I was going to juggle chemo (which was supposed to happen Friday) and the show, I didn't sign up for many classes, but I did sign up for a class with Noriko Endo 

I had the great fortune to work for Iris Karp at the Mistyfuse booth, which I did a lot.  She's one special lady and while I was sold on Mistyfuse before, I really learned a whole bunch more from Iris.  I hope to put up some tutorials or a video on Mistyfuse in the next week because the pencil transfer really confused me when I read about it. Now I understand it!  For more info, you can go to the Mistyfuse facebook page. :)

IQF vendor's floor, right side

The show was large, but not as large as I thought it was going to be.  Cincinnati, as long as you stay downtown right around Fountain square, is very clean and safe.  Here's a shot of the floor from the second story walk over.

I didn't take any photos of the quilts, because on the oneline information it said "NO PICTURES" and there were additional signs to that effect at the special exhibits.  However, people were taking photos of the general entries.

I thought the show was a good mix of traditional and art quilts.  While there were probably more quilts falling into the "art quilt" category, the Baltimore Album exhibition should have satisfied the most die-hard of traditionalists.  It was pleasing to meet Susan Shie and give her a hug at her solo exhibition.  Carolyn Mazloomi also had quilts on display from the Underground Railroad museum, but I missed seeing her. 

IQF Vendor's floor left side

Pokey Bolton was in my class with Noriko Endo and danced with a bunch of my Batty Binder Buddies at the "Welcome to Cincinnati" party.

I also met Roxanne Lesse, another SAQA member who does really neat work AND is a dancer.  I suppose this sounds a lot like name dropping....but I really think these larger shows are wonderful.  You get to see the quilts of people you already know and admire, you get to meet some of those people you only know through the internet and you are exposed to a ton of work you've never even thought of.  Since it is an international show, there was an exhibition called  "Oh, Canada" which showcased Canadian artist's impressions of their home country as well as quilts from quilters from overseas.  I talked with quite a few people from the Netherlands, Germany, France, England and Australia.

Notable events for me:  I managed to get out of the show without buying a single piece of fabric...YAY! Threads, batting and paint....not so good at keeping those items out of my arms.  The other thing? Well, the "confetti " technique Noriko Endo teaches involves a LOT of cutting up scraps into slivers with a rotary cutter.  She warned us NOT to cut our fingers as it was easy to do later in the day when you're tired. About an hour into slicing up fabric, I squealed....and the room fell silent.  A small voice from the back said..."Did you cut yourself?"  Oh! No! My rotary cutter just exploded! I was using one of those ones with the handle you press to open up the blade and the screw had come undone...the spring, washers, protection disks etc. went flying...and my squeal was merely of surprise.

Cincinnati is a really nice city, the people are nice.  I'm a little worried that it won't return after the three year contract is up.  I'm told there weren't as many people who attended.  I'm not sure how much of that is because Ohio is a "fly over state"---one which people don't think about visiting.  Vendors and the IQF staff were happy about the ease of parking and lower cost.  While some vendors were having tough times, some, like the Hobb's booth and a lady from England selling printing blocks, were selling out.  One attendee was complaining about the food.  The food court upstairs was sort of cool as it was showcasing Cincinnati's local foods--Graeter's Ice cream, Skyline Chili, Montgomery Inn Barbecue, another barbecue place (Scott's) which had grilled turkey, another pizza place, another with salads..I ate at the food court on Saturday and was fed quickly, with reasonably priced, good tasting food.

Very close to Duke Convention Center (like one block north in Carew Towers accessible  going through the skywalks if you preferred), you could eat at Hathaway's, a diner,  which had good food and fast service, there were food carts, as well as many other eating establishments with very good food (Bagpiper's, Nicholson's, an Indian place, and several others of various price-points and speed. So, I'm not sure that that was a valid complaint.

I know I had a good time and hope to attend next year for an even better one when my hip doesn't hurt!

Fast Friday Fabric Challenge: Leaves Dancing on Water

This dinky little quilt (8 1/2" x 6 1/4") is one I was able to do and get done for the Fast Friday Fabric Challenge this last week...even though I've been having a lot of problems with my fingers.

The challenge was to show movement and/or dance.  Several years ago, I did a drawing which would have been perfect to enter into this challenge, but I couldn't find it.  So, I decided to take some irridescent leaf shaped sequins and some shimmery irridescent sheer and make this little thing.  I quilted it with holographic thread which emphasizes the eddies. 


I'll try to take a close up and put it in at a later date.

It is a pretty little thing...but I don't consider it one of my better works.  Why? Well, it is pretty traditionally Japanese and has been done before.  I didn't look at any images, I just did it from my imagination and played with the leaves to get a pleasing balance yet to show movement.  At least it is done....save for sewing down the binding which I can't do until my hands start behaving.  My fingernails have pretty much de-laminated from the nail bed although it is connected at the bottom. They are sore and numb at the same time.  In addition, I have a slight case of lymphedema from the infection I got in the fingernails when they started to separate....and, to add insult to injury, my eyesight is very blurry from the chemo.  While I hope that it really works and they keep me on it long enough to wipe it out...I'm going to be every so happy to be off it when they finally figure out when that will be.  I had hopes that my next treatment would be my last, but I know that I'm being overly optimistic.   As of next Monday, I will have had 18 treatments.  I'm keeping my fingers, sore as they may be, crossed.

Art Quilts and quilts: How do you make them? Tutorials/tips Part 6

My sister-in-law Barb did this little sketch of a horse..not surprising, she comes from Montana.

So, we are back into it! Since we sort of left off with some more digital ends of things, I think I'll pick up that that as well.  Holly Knott has tutorials on how to take close-up photographs as well as the more pedantic "how to make a double fold binding" on her blog.http://www.fingerlakesart.blogspot.com/  But!  If you've ever needed to know how to take photographs for submittal to exhibitions (or whatever)  at the top of her website/blog in the navbar, “Shoot That Quilt” is a multi-page tutorial on how to photograph your quilts.

Carole Grant has information on making "hair" on quilts and instructions for making a chatelaine (the stole like variety, not the little etui kind of ones (with chains and such).  Look on her website at the top navigation bar and you'll see "Tutorials."

Janice Paine-Dawes has a tutorial on using glue resist (kind of like batik) here.  Her ATC blog has several tutorials on  wet felting, bleeding tissue paper fabric, Tyvek beads and stitching on watercolor paper.  Her regular blog is "The Distoriated Quilter." It is an odd sort of a name for a blog, but she explains that that was what was written on her judging sheet at a show once.  It took me quite some time to figure out that the person who wrote it was saying her quilt or quilting was distorted!  You probably got it right away.

Please God, just let us save this one until next winter...but, Karen Fridy has a tutorial on snow-dying.  Love to snow-dye...just not now, please.  

Katherine Sands also has information on dyeing and other fun stuff.  Scroll down the right side of her blog and you'll see a bar which says "Good Reading Material."  There, you'll find information on soda soaking cloth, making paper cloth, using unusual materials and one on breakdown printing. 

Ann Ruthsdottir shared some fun ideas on her blog. Here they are:

 

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2010/12/strip-pieced-purse.html

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2011/01/small-quilt-made-smaller.html

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2010/06/tsunami-copy-cat-tutorial.html

These two are for purses she made...

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2009/08/airline-qualifying-crazy-quilt-purse.html

http://designerann.blogspot.com/2009/11/art-deco-women-in-crazy-quilt-purse.html

Margaret Cooter has another type of bag on her website! It's for shipping or storing a quilt:

http://www.margaretcooter.co.uk/bag-that-quilt.html 

Now, Joanne Kourtz supplied me with a HUGE list of links....so I'm cutting and pasting them. :)

Vicki Welsh had a listing of her favorite tutorials which I have included below.  You HAVE to go to her website as it is a wonder!

 Some of My Favorite Tutorials

 This week I thought I'd share some of my favorite tutorials from the first 100 issues of Field Tripping the Web.

For Appliquers and Piecers:

• Erin has a detailed multi-part tutorial for peicing a Feathered Star block, this is part one. Read later posts for the remaining parts of the tutorial.
• Karen's circle applique tutorial
• Caron's tutorial for making mitered corners
• Janet's curved piecing tutorial, part 1 and part 2
• LuAnn's scalloped binding tutorial
• Sonya's fusible applique tutorial
• Deb's tutorial for adding shirring to your quilt
• Gloria's tutorial for making a hanging sleeve
• Rian's applique technique, part 1, part 2 and part 3

For Quilters:

• Karen's tutorial for attaching zippers to your longarm leaders
• Kim's video tutorial for pumpkin seed quilting
• Randi's video tutorial for quilting feathers in a DWR
• Judy's longarm feather video tutorial
• Leah's blog is dedicated to developing 365 different free motion quilting designs
• Theresa's tutorial for attaching binding on the longarm
• Sally's embellished feather quilting motif

For Art Quilters:

• Terry has a great tutorial for creating sea foam in an art quilt
• Fannie's fabric beads
• Vivian shares her process for creating art quilts. Part 1 and Part 2
• Margaret's tutorial for painting lutrador
• Judy shows how she sews metal to fabric

Vicki Welsh
Three Creative Studios

Joanne also gave me the information on Lyric Kinard's tutorial...and I couldn't believe that I hadn't included it already!  She also links to the full list of "Artspark."  So...go here!

Sometimes, I just have egg on my face...Joanne also gave me a whole big listing on Gwendolyn Magee's "Textile Arts Resource."  Since 2008, she has been listing tutorials and information which quilters, particularly ART quilters have shared on the web.  So, go check it out...Some of them I have already mentioned here, but other's I haven't.  Go now...grasshopper and subscribe!!!!  She's got 11 installments.  They include basic information useful to all as well as more specifically arty quilting tutorials.

Last, but not least, Carol Miller of Quilt University has Quilt Terms section in the QU  Library which is free to all and includes many mini-tutorials.  This link takes you directly to the index page.

http://www.quiltuniversity.com/quilt_terms.htm

Carol Miller
dean@quiltuniversity.com
http://www.quiltuniversity.com
Take quilt classes online!

I hope you explore all of these blogs and websites as they are just full of eye candy...of course, it WILL eat into your quilting time, but it might inspire you to do some really great work.

Thanks so much to everyone who contacted me and shared their information....AND put it up on line for everyone's benefit.  

Art Quilts: What are they and How do you make them? Tutorials/tips Part 5

Isn't this tree just great? It's another Batty Binder's "Twisted Stitcher's" play with water soluable oil pastels. I think Becky Goodwin did this one.

Are you sick of tutorials yet? There's still a ton and they are multiplying...well....like rabbits!  Lyric Kinard just posted about Artspark's tutorials.  She invites you to  to Artspark's Spring Tutorial Fling! "lots of fun tutorials to get you creative sap flowing
today:
Incised Fun Foam Stamping: Melanie Testa
Recycled Slip cover for a small book : Gwen Diehn
MP3 case: Kelli Nina Perkins

Liz Kettle has a bunch on her Fiber Explorations forum.  You'll have to sign into the forum in order to be able to read it but it is well worth it.  In addition, you can peruse the great activities/classes that they have available at their retreat center.  download them.

Topics are:

Quilt as you go table runner

Printing on ribbon (inkjet printer)

ATCs

Thread painted flower embellishments

Reverse appliqué journal cover

Weaving fabric for a base and project ideas

Making a memory book-printing on fabric

Silvia Dell'Aere is an Italian art quilt maker and she has quite a few tutorials on her blog.  Some of them are general quilt making information:

How to make a hole in a quilt:
http://www.orkaloca.com/post/tutoral-il-quilt-col-buco.aspx

How to hide threads at the end of seams
http://www.orkaloca.com/post/Tutorial-nascondere-i-fili.aspx

 
How to print on fabric:
http://www.orkaloca.com/post/Come-stampare-su-stoffa.aspx

 
How to make a quilt sleeve:
http://www.orkaloca.com/post/Come-fare-il-manicotto-ai-quilt.aspx

 
How I did my naked men (for a prize winning quilt):
http://www.orkaloca.com/post/La-nascita-del-grande-giudice.aspx

 
How to do japanese style socks:
http://www.orkaloca.com/post/Tutorial-calzini-giapponesini.aspx

These tutorials are both in Italian and English, if you see Italian text you can change language with the link on the side. Sometimes I just see if I can read it in Italian for fun. :)


Sue Andrus won some Derwent Inktense blocks on Facebook and it didn't take her too long to put up a tutorial on using them. "I just finished a blog post showing what I have done so far with a new set of Derwent Inktense Blocks that I won from a Facebook Promo.... I have had the set of 36 of their Inktense Pencils that I got as a splurge for myself, and the blocks are the same pigment in block form, much like a pastel.  I also found that some blender pens for using with water soluble pastels for scrapbooking have been working very well with the pencils and blocks..".
http://www.andrusgardensquilts.com/blog/playing-with-inktense-blocks-part-1

http://www.andrusgardensquilts.com/blog/playing-with-inktense-blocks-part-2 

She also has some on sunprinting, photo transfer, and preserving leaves for printing on her other blog here.  

Wen Redmond who does a lot with surface design and image transfer...some very lovely things has some tutorials on her blog as well as a You-Tube channel with tutorials.   

Gloria Hansen, who wrote Digital Essentials  shared this:  I  have several tutorials on my website and blog.
Understanding lens aperture;
pre-coats for inkjet printing
how to make a repeating pattern
how to make a quilt sleeve
how to create a panoramic image
info on color management
I've a free chapter from my book regarding image protection on the web
and other stuff.  :)

Gloria Hansen
<http://www.gloriahansen.com>
blog: <http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog>
author: Digital Essentials,
<http://www.gloriahansen.com/DigitalEssBook.php>

Judy Ferguson shared her work on her main blog called, "Gallery Hanging Tutorial." It covers mounting fiber art onto foam board and using a hanging device with wire. Also, Frame It Yourself, using the float mount method on foam board.

                    http://judysfiberart.blogspot.com/p/gallery-hanging-tutorial.html

I probably should be listing these by type, but I found that there were so many and I didn't want to split each person's up. Bear with me!  More is yet to come!

 

Art Quilts: What are they and How do you make them? Tutorials/tips Part 4

Loraine Smith's practice with watersoluable pastels at Batty Binder's Art Quilt exploration.

Ok..so here we are on the 4th installment....again, lots of really good information here for people interested in all sorts of things.....

Dena Crain emailed me with this information not only about what she has on her blog, but another! I'm pasting it just as she emailed me here...(so yell at me for being lazy, but I do not see the utility in re-inventing the wheel or the needle).



Tutorials on my (Dena's) blog include:

How to Make a Mosquito Net

Seamless Quilt Binding

Fusible Patterns for Art Quilts

What Makes an African Quilt “African?”

Quilting Backwards

Quilting by Tacking

There are numerous tips for quilting that you can find by clicking Topics/Quilting/Quilting Tips & Tutorials in the sidebar at right.

Gwen Magee's fabulous blog (wish mine was that good!), Textile Arts Resource Guide has PAGES of tutorials listed.

Dena - in Kenya

http://www.denacrain.com
http://www.quiltuniversity.com
http://www.saqa.com
http://kenyaquiltguild.wordpress.com

I love the mosquito net one....this is so important in a variety of tropical countries to ward of malaria and other insects which carry disease.   

Lately, in order to protect small art quilts or in some cases to highlight the "art end" , as well as for a variety of other reasons,  we are matting and framing our pieces....or sometimes just matting.  Jeanne Marklin has included a matting segment here.

Linda Peterson has lots of information on her blog....from things as basic as a hand piecing primer (something I absolutely adore as I find it very relaxing and zen like...in addition to being a great thing to take to a sporting event or doctor's office), to discharging dyes on fabric,  and making marionettes.  Just remember, when using bleach it is important to make sure you've got lots of ventilation...outside is good, or you can use Thiox instead...  Anyway, check her website out here.

Judy Warner likes to include links to other blogs with tutorials as well as including her own tutorials from time to time.  Her blog follows her artistic inspiration as well as her trips, photos and other fun stuff.  In case you're getting wrist/hand problems..or are wisely trying to avoid them, check out her entry on hand/wrist exercises.  




Diane Doran has these on her blog:

a tutorial for a tote bag on my blog

http://oohprettycolors.blogspot.com/2008/01/esthers-tote-tutorial.html

and some digital manipulation tips and an explanation/example of creating a digital collage

http://oohprettycolors.blogspot.com/2006/02/fabric-printing-tips-part-2-digital.html

I think you need to check it out just because of the title of the blog! :) 

Allison Schwabe shares her favorite binding method, the French binding, on her blog.

Christine Thresh has a couple of general ideas on her blog.  One is on a "quick stick and rotary cut" method to ensure accuracy of cuts.  She also has a foundation piecing primer, and  a guideline to choosing sashing.  I'm giving you the link to the whole website as it is sort of fun to poke around.  

OK....now chew on these for a little bit until I can come back and give you EVEN MORE...unless you're already crying uncle...

Art Quilts: What are they and How do you make them? Tutorials/tips Part 3

Tonight's post has information which are not necessarily just for art quilts...but any quilt!

(Della) Alice Cruz has posted two tutorials on her blog, one of which is that illusive creature I had heard of, but never figured out…the machine applied BINDING…no hand sewing. J

Alice's Fast All-Machine Binding:
http://dellajanehanddyes.blogspot.com/2007/07/alices-fast-all-machine-binding.html

And…another fun one:  A way to use those scraps that are
Too Small To Keep, Too Big To Throw Away:
http://dellajanehanddyes.blogspot.com/2006/12/too-small-to-keep-too-big-to-throw-away.html

Helen Anne Lemke offers two tutorials on her blog which are useful to art quilters as well as traditional quilters…..one on color and value and another, how to baste a quilt on a WALL!  Wow…my knees thank her already.

Look here for her “how to” sections. http://imhalca.blogspot.com/p/how-to.html

Brenda Gael Smith is just chock full of information.  Here’s what she has in her words:

I have numerous tutorials for quilt finishing techniques of my blog
and link to others that I have found useful.  You can view a complete
listing at: http://www.serendipitypatchwork.com.au/alternatives.html

Also I am the 3 Creative Studios guest artist for March and have
prepared a series of mini-tutorials on shibori for their "Technique of
the Month" program.  The first tutorial is on Karamatsu (Japanese
larch) which is a radiating stitch resist design. See:
http://3creativestudios.com/blog/2011/03/17/technique-of-the-month-serendipity-shibori/

The other introductory tutorials cover folding resists; pole wrapping
and clamp resists.

Brenda @ Copacbana: Serendipity & the Art of the Quilt
Website/Blog: http://serendipitypatchwork.com.au
Facebook:  http://facebook.com/SerendipityPatchworkQuilting
Co-author of Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge
http://tinyurl.com/12x12book

Now, just to leave you on a dangling note…Lisa Walton has a tutorial on using dangling fringe or beads on her blog:  http://www.fibreinspirations.blogspot.com/

The tutorial is listed on the side, but you’ll be sidetracked in all the other fun and informative areas.  Have fun!

Art Quilts: What are they and How do you make them? Tutorials/tips Part 2

Ok...for this installment, I've decided to go in no particular order....so bear with me. :)  The brain isn't just working like it used to.

Ellen Lindner has several possibilities for you to explore on her website.  Under "Learn with Ellen"  you can look at some of her articles, watch a video on making a mixed media book, or you can look over her gallery and on-line and regular classes.  In addition, her blog has some good information and examples on it as well.Some of her posts include how to block a quilt, putting on facings, and MORE. 

Bonnie McCaffery has lots of vidcasts on her website which often include mini-demonstrations by her guest artists.  Some of them are just downright fun, even if you have no interest in EVER making an art quilt.  Look here for the vidcasts.

Kathy Loomis has lots of tutorials on her blog.  Just scroll down the side of the blog, then look on "Labels."  There, in alphabetical order you'll find "tutorials."  She has  the following subjects currently up and she adds to this when the muse moves her. :)

sewed cords for jewelry

piecing curved seams

piecing very fine lines

foundation piecing

machine quilting very large quilts

"designer mending"

perfect facings.

Like Kathy, Terry Grant puts up tutorials periodically as well. Check out her fusing method which uses liquid thread rather than a fusible web which allows the hand to stay very soft and it doesn't gunk up your needles.  She also has one on edge finishing a small piece, really cool if you want to stay away from bindings or facings....She has a little trick which makes it really stand out. She, like several of the others, also has a little gallery of her work on the top of the blog.

Ok...just in case you might have your head blow up too quickly...I'm going to let you think about these and continue tomorrow. :)