Happy Valentine's Day

 A day late as I forgot to publish it! Darn!!!!

My granddaughter loves 'stuffies' as she calls all stuffed animals. She's never been one for dolls but has lots of stuffed creatures. Here's her Valentine stuffie bear. (we had a sleepover so she got this when she woke up)!

Tonight I also uploaded Lesson Two of Four, Garden Sewing Box, to the Virtual Threads group (Embroiderers' Association of Canada). They will have a busy two weeks.

 

• Valentine Gnome from Quilt Doodle (idea for next year) Lots of interesting projects on this site
  
• Mary Corbet's review on Making (Embroidered) Boxes - Books & Resources
• Embroidered Boxes on Pinterest   
• How to Make a Fabric Covered Box from Scratch
• Fabric Box and Basket Patterns (free)

Enjoy and stay safe!

Virtual Threads On-line Course

Tomorrow, February 1st, is the start of my Garden Sewing Box Workshop. at Virtual Threads, a subgroup of the Embroiderers' Association of Canada. This is my first time giving an on-line course. At the moment, a video presentation, was not possible. However, I have lots of photos on completing the project. 

Closeup of part of a panel.

• Free Motion Embroidery on Water Soluble Fabric    
• Tutorial: How to Embroider your own Freehand Landscape   
• Landscape Embroidery Ideas       
• Best of 2020: The Most Imaginative Embroidery Art of the Year 
• Embroidery Landscape Ideas    
• Hand Stitched Landscapes in a Hoop (I could not find artist name. If anyone knows it, please let me know, so that I can include it here) thanks
  

 Enjoy!

Garden Sewing Box # 3

My first Garden Sewing Box was designed and created in 2005. 

The 2nd one  was finished late last year. 

I just finished the 3rd. one. Why a third one? Well, since the first one was made years ago, I had to check out my original notes and construct another version of it. After it was completed, my husband asked if I had documented, with photos, all the steps taken along the way. Sheepishly, I shook my head. I had taken a few photos but not to the extent for presenting an online course. You see, he's a curriculum developer and has graciously taken on the job of writing up the instructions with an abundance of photos and sketches.  In other words, this is a pictorial, step by step instruction package, for creating my Garden Sewing Box. 

These art pieces don't have to be sewing boxes but can be a treasure or jewellery box, trinket holder . . .  You see what I mean!

Anyway, feast your eyes! It's very dimensional. Bits of foliage and flowers stick out here and there!

It's too late now, but I should have used a lighter green thread for my name and date on the bottom.

 Enjoy and stay safe!

 

 

Garden Sewing Box # 2

For the last several months, I have been working on another Garden Sewing Box. This one will be an on-line class for EAC - Embroiderers' Association of Canada. Since the original was completed in 2005, I felt it necessary to create another one. So here it is!

I enjoy teaching about the techniques used in my art work and this project has lots! 

Each photo was taken with the box lying on its side which is why the front feet aren't touching the counter top. Also, the top is not closed.

 As this is a functional sewing box, the inner box comes out.

To read about the first Sewing Box, please check HERE. 

See the four sides of the original box HERE. 

Meet and Greet Stitchers From Around the World

Greetings, stitchers! Thank you to Madame Samm from Sew we Stitch, for hosting this hop.

For those of you visiting for the first time, welcome to my part of the world. My name is Judy Cooper. I am a retired primary school teacher who now creates one-of-a-kind textile / fibre art. My complete bio can be found HERE and my artist statement HERE.

Besides having a place to show my original art and some of the techniques I use, I often write about other artist's work and link to their web sites. One of the other things I like to do is find tutorials and patterns for all kinds of textile / fibre art (usually freebies). Since 2009, I have blogged about a lot of interesting 'stuff". Please come back, grab a cup of something and explore my blog. I guarantee, you won't be disappointed! Check out my Garden Sewing Box, Structures and fish.

I am also hosting a giveaway and I will post anywhere in the world! You don't have to be a follower to participate. Just leave a comment on this post. Make sure I can contact you if you win.

Enjoy the blog hop. A list of participants can be found HERE.

Back Yard, combination of applique, hand embroidery and machine stitching

Theodora, hand stitched on silk with single strands of silk threads

Hand embroidery on linen

Combination of applique, hand embroidery and free motion machine stitching

Needlepoint Sampler

Garden Sewing Box

As promised, here are some photos of The Garden Sewing Box. It was designed and created initially for A Needle Pulling Thread Magazine and was featured in the  Spring 2006 issue. Here are the 4 side views and the inside.

Inside the box. The inner box can be removed.

Needle case, small pin cushion,

Bottom view

Day 3 - Art Challenge

It's day 3 of the Art Challenge. Here's some 3 - D pieces I've made over the years. The Garden Sewing Box was the winner of Original Design, EAC - Embroiderers' Association of Canada, Inc., also winner of Award for Excellence in Craft for Technical Mastery (2005), Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, and was published in the 2nd. edition of Needle Pulling Thread.
Next is my Under The Sea Sewing Portfolio. This is the 2nd one I've made. The 1st was in an exhibit and is in a private collection.
Treasures of the Sea, won the Award for Excellence in Craft for Innovation and Design (2003).
Pisci Fantasticus are stuffed fish made from batiks. They are at Devon House Craft Shop, Craft Council, St. John's.
Today, I challenge artist friend, Caroline Clarke to display her wonderful art pieces.

Each side is different.

Bolgathon, Canada - Maritimes

Welcome to the second day of Blogathon Canada! Thanks to Sew Sisters Quilt Shop for sponsoring this event and to Linda at Scrapmaster, and Linda at Stitch Lines, for co-hosting the Maritimes and Newfoundland Labrador.

A little about myself:  I live in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. I've been retired from teaching 17 years (I can't believe it) and having a great time creating with all kinds of fabric, threads, and yarns. To find out how I started creating textile art, please go to a previous post from 2010, Voyage of Discovery.

Since 1999, I have created many textile pieces portraying Newfoundland landscapes and seascapes. I have won several awards for my work, have been published, and had a gallery opening in Chicago, IL. Several pieces of my art have been purchased by the Government of Newfoundland Labrador and by the City of St. John's as part of the art procurement program.

I wasn't satisfied with the commercial fabrics printed with rocks (we have a very rocky terrain) so I researched how to print on fabric from my computer. The discovery of Bubble Jet Set 2000, saved the day, and I have been using it until pretreated fabric became available. I was printing on fabric long before it became popular with many textile artists. The rock fabrics I use are printed from my own photos. I usually cut up a printed sheet and applique the rocks to the background.

In All It's Glory is an example using 'rocks' printed from my computer. This piece was on exhibit at the Grand National Quilt Show, Ontario in 2002. The sky and ocean are hand dyed. The rocks and beach are printed on silk, cut out and each piece appliqued to the surface. The foliage and flowers are stitched onto organza using free motion stitching, cut out and stitched in place.

 

The other photos are samples of the textile art I have created. I thoroughly enjoy what I do. 

Check out my other photos and please visit my Website and things I have saved to Pinterest.

 

At the moment, I am getting ready to participate in the annual Christmas Craft Fair sponsored by the Craft Council of NL. This is the first time in four years that I will have a booth at the fair so needless to say, it's been a busy fall. Since my previous display was dismantled, my husband has been working overtime to get another one ready for set up Wednesday afternoon. The fair opens at noon, Thursday, Nov 20th and runs until Sunday, Nov 23. Maybe I'll see some of my local visitors to my blog there. Please drop by and say hello!

 

Thanks for visiting!

Click on the Blogathon Canada logo to the right of my post for the lists of hosts for the week. Lots to see and lots of quilters to meet.

There will also be some great giveaways!

 

Enjoy 

In All It's Glory

Treasures of the Sea, Award for Innovation and Design

Calm (private collection, California, USA) 

View From The Rooms

The Deep

Quilt for granddaughter

Western Brook Gorge (commissioned piece)
The mountain is dyed cheese cloth.

Gower Street, St. John's (commissioned piece)



Fishermen's Museum, English Harbour West
 (Part of the City of St. John's art collection)

Fishing Stage, Quidi Vidi, St. John's (commissioned piece)

Tea Cosy (private collection)

Pisces Fantastica

Garden Sewing Box (published in magazine, A Needle Pulling Thread;

also won award for Technical Mastery, NL; and Original Design, EAC)

Back Garden (commissioned piece)