Tag Archives: crafts

This Time of Year…

I was almost a Halloween baby having been born the day before and have always enjoyed the end of October. When our kids were little I loved making their costumes and painting their faces. My daughter is an artist and draws original cards for most special occasions around here and they usually feature a cat. The design on this little art quilt was from a birthday card she gave me a few years ago, which I enlarged, traced onto fabric, painted, layered with batik, batting and felt, then quilted. It was fun to make… I may even quilt it some more!

This tiny pumpkin is my fiber art contribution to the Halloween/Autumn festivities this year. I will be making a short video on just how I made it and later share some other projects it could be added to (Here it is on a greeting card with free-motion stitching).

Snow and Art Quilts

The Mister and I recently took a road trip to visit family in Reno, Nevada. We have driven through heavy falling snow a couple times in the past; this was much more enjoyable. We were traveling after a storm, the hwy had been mostly plowed and was only a little icy. There was very little traffic and sky was gorgeous. These photos were taken using my cell phone, through the window while moving pretty fast, please excuse any blur.

The smooth white land, sprinkled with black cows, horses, and odd old structures was spectacular. I must have said “It’s beautiful” one hundred times! It’s a nice place to visit but I don’t think I could live there. If you do, you are most certainly hardier than I!

At the side of the road the plow left a cut wall that, to me, looked like a slab of marble… miles and miles of marble!

Even though snow isn’t usually a part of my life, snowy scenes have found their way into some of my art quilts (with much artistic liberty ;<))

Quick Stitching

I have two living aunts, one lives near by and recently celebrated her 94th birthday. The other lives in Indiana and celebrated her 101st birthday this month! My mom was their baby sister. I remember years ago when my older aunt and I were talking quilting (she made many things including quilts), she couldn’t believe that out here (South Western USA) we would piece our quilt backs. I told her sometime the backs looked as good or better than the fronts. Apparently, back there, they would only use a seamless piece of fabric for their quilt backs and it wasn’t just because of hand quilting through the seams.

I would assume thanks to quilts being more recognized as art, that the pieced backs are fully accepted even back there now. If you are from another part of the US or world, are you familiar with pieced backs ever being unacceptable. I’m guessing economics played a role as those with less would have likely use whatever they had, and would have indeed piece the back of their quilts.

In celebration of her birthday I stitched up a quick little card and I know it will make her smile. I won’t tell her this one doesn’t even have a back! It has a thin layer of cotton batting on Timtex, with a quick satin stitched edge and then I used artists gel medium to attach it to the card stock. Quilted in about one minute because I was on my way out the door; next time I would go slower but as far as cards go, it was a quickie and fun. I like the results and I would make more.

I think my little fabric beads, each sewn on with a French knot and two colors of floss, are perfect for fabric poinsettia flowers!

Leaf Napkin Ring How to Video

For those of you who prefer a video over a image by image tutorial here is the How to Make a Leaf Napkin Ring video from my Fiber Designs by Ann YouTube channel. If you make these rings I would love to see your creations!

Also, I’m looking forward to publishing more hand painted fabric videos.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ann

Christmas Past

Ages ago I made this door decoration and used it for years. I’m sorry I don’t have a better photo but it was long before digital cameras. I remember it being fun to make and I loved that it was different from the usual round wreath. Just a tree branch, a couple large sleigh bells, ribbon, tiny pine cones, and little decor flower bits!

I like that celebrating Winter Solstice is more inclusive and for the past couple years this has been our wreath. What, if anything, is on your front door and I wonder if you have a decoration on your door all year round? I like that idea!

Respect and the Art Quilt

After viewing pieces included in the Akron Art Prize venues, The Snarky Quilter posed this question on her blog: “Do quilts still get no respect in the art world?”

Here are my thoughts… First, I would say quilts get less respect rather than no respect. I think that it actually is the word “quilt” that makes it hard for quilts, specifically art quilts, to be accepted in the art world. “Quilt” still causes most people to think “bed” rather than “wall” and “utility” rather than “art.”

Maybe it is that I consider all quilts to be art, but only some of the makers call themselves artists. Is it that there is an art quilt world and an art world and they are too far apart? Does respect come when collectors/buyers display art quilts on their home and office walls, “legitimizing” them as art?

Nowadays vintage quilts that were made for the bed are being recognized as art, collectors are displaying quilts on their walls, and there are museums dedicated to quilts; in my home city we have one specifically representing contemporary art quilts (Visions Art Museum). However, this doesn’t mean quilts are entirely respected in the art world.

I have had “Art Quilt” submissions re-categorized as “Mixed Media” or “Fiber Art” and I believe it is because the word quilt, for some people draws a line between craft and art — especially fine art — with “quilt” falling on the craft side. I won’t even get into the craft versus art versus fine art topic!

I asked a few successful art quilters three questions regarding their experiences with their quilts in the art world. They were so generous with their replies that I decided to share their insights in the next blog post, so I hope you will stay tuned. I’ll be sharing some images of their art quilts too!

What is your experience with art quilts and their reception in the art world? Please leave a comment and/or answer the questions I have posed –

1 – Have you ever submitted an art quilt (for the wall) to a venue that was featuring a variety of art work mediums?
2 – If you answered “yes,” did you (or they) categorize your piece as an Art Quilt or something else, such as Fiber Art, Mixed Media, Textile, etc.?
3 – If you answered “no” to question 1, would you consider submitting an art quilt in to a venue featuring art in a variety of mediums?

New Curious.com Lessons

I’m excited to have two new lessons on Curious.com/fiberdesignsbyann. One is How to Create Hand Painted Fabric and the other is How to Make a Fabric Hurricane! The hurricanes are made using my hand painted fabric that was treated with Terial Magic (TM). I’m working on more project lessons using my hand painted fabric and TM.

If you take my lessons and make any of the projects I would love to see your results!

best painted fabric — Quick, easy, and fun hand painted fabric

hurricane day and night — Hurricane for flameless candles. The hand painted fabric makes them look like gem stone.

If you haven’t check out Curious.com I would suggest you do… There is so much to learn!