Black Gold Tapestry

The Black Gold Tapestry is a stunning hand-embroidered illustrative tapestry that tells the story of how oil has impacted human civilizations around the world, from the beginning of time to present day (Calgary Petroleum Club). Calgary artist Sandra Sawatzky has been working on this 220 feet of stitched linen for almost a decade. It will be unveiled at Calgary's Glenbow Museum on October 7, 2017.
To get a glimpse of this tapestry, view a short video HERE.  
The Black Gold Tapestry Blog, started in 2009, documents the making and the ideas and the behind the scenes of the project.
Enjoy!

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter to family and friends near and far. I hope your day includes CHOCOLATE!!!!

• Check out the history of giving eggs at Easter HERE.  
• If you are interested in making your own chocolate eggs go HERE.  
• A video for making fancy hollow Easter Eggs 

Enjoy!!!

Stitch Sampler

I bought several courses from Craftsy last year (I waited for their 50% off sale). One of them was Carol Ann Waugh's Stupendous Stitching. It is quite interesting to see her method for using the decorative machine stitches and incorporating basic hand embroidery stitches with these. The finished pieces are quite colourful. 




Carol Ann  recommends couching satin cord for some of her work. Check out her quick video demonstrating couching cord (scroll down).

I found some satin cord at Wal Mart (of all places). They had different colours but I liked the lime green and hot pink (below) best as they will 'pop out' in a piece. In fact, I use a lot of lime green for accent in my fantasy fabric and in some needle felting.

The satin cord will be a good one to couch in place on a future piece.The lime green in my sample below is yarn and works quite well.

After viewing the Stupendous Stitching Course, I experimented and did a small sample piece.  I added some French Knots and seed stitches. I quickly realized that I need to spend more time exploring the decorative stitches on my machine as some work better than others. Colour is also a factor to consider so having a colour wheel handy is a must! I also have a couple of books showing lots of colour combinations. Some people have an intuitive colour sense and can put together a fabulous colour scheme in no time while others struggle with it. Practice, practice, practice! I think that needs to be made into a quilted piece for the wall as a reminder.

Enjoy!

Thread Catchers

One of the mini projects at quilt guild a few months ago, was to make a collapsible thread catcher. This thread catcher is perfect for putting in a sewing case. I finally finished mine. We were given all the pieces, ready to assemble. However, I should have checked the measurements because the bottom cutouts were a tad too big so that with the fabric attached, it didn't fit as well as it should have. I also think that a thinner fabric might have worked better too.  Anyway, at least I finished one of the projects!

The blue thread catcher is a plastic portable doggie water bowl. 

Here's a video and a tutorial so that you can make your own thread catcher.


I also found a few other thread catchers for you to see.

• All People Quilt and HERE
• Teddy Bear Academy
• JeBrode
• Ort Box Tutorial and Ort Gift Bag
• Thread Catcher Tutorial
• Thread Holder
• Triangular Thread Catcher

Enjoy!

Woodcuts

It is time to highlight another Newfoundland Labrador artist. 

Graham Blair is a printmaker from St. John's, Newfoundland, who specializes in woodcut prints made using methods based on the oldest forms of printmaking. His printing blocks are all hand carved and his prints are hand printed. I watched him hand print a couple of goats last Sunday at the Quidi Vidi Plantation. You can watch a short video clip of the print making process HERE.

carved wood block

inking the wood block

rubbing the paper with a bamboo spoon

lifting the paper

finished print

samples

more samples

Gelli Plates

One of my new Christmas books was Gelli Plate Printing by Joan Bess. I already have a rectangle shaped plate and a round one (neither of which have been used yet). I intend to experiment by printing on fabric and paper. You can do a lot of interesting images and patterns using this method of printing. .

Check this tutorial about How to use a gelli plate . The two gals present a lot quick ideas.

Here's a link to Gelli Art with Joan Bess.

There's a lot of videos out there. I  did a search for Gelli Plate Printing and got lots of interesting stuff.
Enjoy!

Inktense Water Soluble Ink Pencils and Blocks

Are you familiar with the Inktense Water Soluble Ink Pencils and Blocks by Derwent? They are similar to watercolour pencils but with a significant difference. When you add water, Inktense pencils and blocks produces ink and not watercolour paint. Once it has dried, the ink is waterproof instead of remaining water-soluble like the watercolour ones.

As a result you can add layers of different colours to your work, whether it's on paper or fabric. For more information, go HERE. Check HERE for a fabric painting demo using the Inktense pencils.

I have both the pencils and the ink blocks. At the moment, I'm doing a bit of research on them (I've had both for awhile but just did not take the time to do any experimenting). The time has come . . .! The embroidery machine is working away downstairs so something productive is happening.

I just viewed a short video clip on printmaking with Intense Blocks. I can see potential with that method!

Check out these images using the Intense Ink Pencils and Ink Blocks.
Enjoy!

April 1st.

I'm not going to talk about the weather (the whole city is closed down with this spring storm)! Instead, I have this amazing video for you to watch. It will only take a minute but it is well worth it. This video came (as a warning) from Superior Threads and is called Low-quality Thread & Spontaneous Combustion. Don't let this happen to you!!!
Watch this fun video on Exploding Threads HERE.
I have no affiliation with this company.

Enjoy!

Fabric For Life Contest

One of the blogs I read is Jackie's Art Quilts. She just posted about the Fabric for Life Contest sponsored by Keepsake Quilting and Quilting Club of America. Looks like a nifty contest! Who wouldn't like to win 52 yards of fabric of your choice for 20 years! Go ahead and have a look! It almost looks too good to be true!



While you are there, have a look at their free videos.

I am not affiliated with these companies.
Enjoy!

Make It Coats

If you sew, craft, quilt, crochet, bead, and knit (did I miss anything?), then you have come across Coats and Clark somewhere along the way. Click on the link to read about the history of this company. They are the world’s largest supplier of crafting products – from the innovative cotton sewing threads that made their name, to knitting, embroidery, crochet, fabrics and a whole range of accessories. I bet there isn't a fabric / craft shop that doesn't carry their line of threads and other product.

Make It Coats (Coats Crafts) is part of this worldwide Coats Group. This new on-line site is just full of information, articles, free patterns and designs. There's lots to see! Great how-to videos too.

To take full advantage of all they offer, it is necessary to register with them. I did.
I don't think you will be disappointed.

Please note!
I am in no way affiliated with this company. My reason to include it in my blog is to let you know it is out there and that it just might be of interest to you. If you are a frequent visitor to this site, then you know that I promote my own art work as well as the work of other artists / crafters and will often talk about interesting sites to visit. Make It Coats is one of those interesting sites.

Enjoy!

Space Oddity

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with outer space. I started a scrapbook with newspaper clippings of those first flights and continued collecting material up to and including the landing on the moon. Even though the scrapbook was put aside, my interest continued. However, it wasn't until Commander Chris Hadfield landed on the space station, that my interest was once again awakened. I have been following his daily postings since they began. Did I mention, he is Canadian and has family living here in Newfoundland?

His posts on face book have captured the interest of the whole world. I thought I would share a video from Digg.Com of Commander Chris Hadfield. The song is an adaption of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity'

Commander Hadfield returns to earth tonight.
Safe trip home.

First Snow

I guess you are wondering about the title! It's spring - has she gone bonkers! Not so. As I've said before, I often get ideas from reading other artists' blogs and web sites. Well, this post is about the art of Susan Brubaker Knapp of Blue Moon River. I have some of her teaching videos and book, Point Click Quilt. Instead of explaining about her piece, First Snow, please visit her site and read all about it. She wasn't permitted to share it until now. It's just beautiful!

Susan is a regular contributor to Quilting Arts Magazine and Quilting Arts TV.

From My Bookshelf

I just added a couple of new books to my collection. They were purchased on my recent trip to Chicago.

Stitch, Cloth, Paper & Paint by Angie Hughes, is a mixed media book with lots of inspiration for the adventurous quilter and stitcher. She guides the reader through several techniques (preparing the surface; machine stitching; hand stitching; and making your own embellishments) and then supplies three projects to try. The photographs and instructions are well done. Each step is explained so that you can create your own special works of art. Also check out her blog.

The second book is Reflections of Nature: The Art and Embroidery of Jane Hall. This is not a 'how to' book but one that lets you into her artistic world. It explores her passion for embroidery, the materials and various techniques she uses. It is also an ideal source of inspiration for textile artists and embroiderers of all skill levels. You can watch a short video of Jane at work.

Soft Sculpture

As I was exploring the internet this morning, I discovered soft sculpture artist, Ed Bing Lee. As one who works with textiles and fibre, his work fascinated me. Lee uses coloured thread and ribbons as well as thousands of knots to create soft sculpture versions of all kinds of food. Have a look at the many pieces he has created using his knotting technique. For a close-up of the food sculpture check HERE. I also found a short video of Lee working on a knotted vessel. He says that the process is more important than the object itself. How true that is! This video shows more of his work. The links above are well worth a view.  Enjoy!

Quilt

One of my friends sent me this short video, titled Quilt. According to the information given, this short video 'uses computer and experimental techniques to illustrate traditional quilting motifs choreographed to music.' There is also a link after the video to an interview with film maker Gayle Thomas.

From traditional to contemporary, check out this video of the Door Challenge, by members of Journey Thru Art Group. Bonnie McCaffery talks to each quilter and looks at each door quilt. It's interesting to hear about the various surface techniques used. This video is worth a look.

Bonnie also did an interview with Gail Lawther on 'Glimpes of New Zealand'. Another inspiring bunch of art quilts!!

Enjoy!

Needle Felting

This morning was spent packaging some of my card sets for retail. I also have a new set from the last four commissioned pieces I've done. Those still have to be printed. Now I'm 'playing' around with my needle felting machine. I need to get some felted sheets ready to make some art cards and wearable art pins. HERE's a video on machine needle felting. Tips for machine needle felting can be found on Linda Matthews blog HERE.

• I started out with a piece of dark gray felt which I covered with different colours of wool roving and decorative yarns. 
• Next, I let my felting machine / embellisher do the work! This machine takes the place of doing it the hard way - by hand! 
• Using Sulky Sliver thread, I free motion stitched over the entire sheet of embellished felt.
• The sheet was trimmed and cut into 2 1/2" x 2" pieces.
• Each piece was taped to a blank card, initialled and packaged.

It's difficult in a photo to see the glitz in the Sliver thread but the cards pop! 

Knitters - Take Note!

Yarn bombed? This pier in Saltburn-by-the-Sea near Teesside, England, certainly was! Take a look at some awsome photos of these Olympics-themed knitted figures that a mystery knitter did for the London 2012 Olympics. Check it out on this video by the BBC. Could there be a new knitting book out there soon? There is one about the Royals. Take a look at it on this video.

In this article, the creative knitting has been called Yarnstorming. Also check out these 41 Extraordinary Knit Designs. It's amazing what knitters come up with these days!
To find out about the history of knitting, check out Wikipedia's definition and links.

Now for some free patterns:

• mini christmas figures
• miniature dolls
• Easter Peeps
• Jack Frost
• Little Birds
• Gnome Children
• Ribbit
• Kitty
• Elephant
• Monster Chunks
• Tiny Perching Pigeons
• Miniatures - lots of them!

The Quilt Show

This weekend, March 16 - 18, 2012, is International Quilting Weekend on The Quilt Show.  Watch over 100 shows for free! Check out the free projects on the Projects page and visit the Quilt Gallery. I've already picked out a few shows to watch that I've missed. Enjoy!

Houston Quilt Festival

In 2001, I travelled to Houston with some quilting friends to attend the International Quilt Festival. It was one of the best quilt related experiences of my life. I can still picture the hugh conference center filled with quilts and everything related to quilting that a quilter / quilt artist could desire. Each year in November, I think about that trip. I hope to travel there again sometime in the future. Anyway, I always look for postings of the quilts and other art displayed there. It's not as good as been there but it is the next best thing. Check out the following sites:

• Dyed and Gone to Heaven
• Sue Dennis
• Free Spirit Art Studio
• International Quilt Association: A World of Beauty
• Exhibit Highlights with Luana Rubin - part 1 & part 2
• Walks in the Woods with Freda Anderson 
• Judy Coates Perez
• About Quilts
• Kathy York
• Google Search - Images
• Google Search  - Videos

Enjoy!

Tale Town

Tale Town: A Facebook Game for readers just reached their goal and then some. Check out this Face Book game.  Play the video! Who knows, you just might like it!

Congratulations to the team!!