Amazing!....From White to Glorious Colour

My student's work from the Saskatchewan Stitches Conference Every time I teach a class, my students absolutely amaze me! I offer materials to work with, suggestions for design, thoughts about my own work and that of other artists. These few thoughts and ideas along with a field trip to collect materials and 'get out into the world' stimulate imaginations far beyond my wildest expectations. Everyone has something different that gets pulled out of their brain. So many tell me that they are 'not artistic' or 'not creative' but look at what they produce. All of this glorious colour from a sheet of white fabric, a few fabric paints and brushes. Over a number of years I have taught many classes in fabric painting, decorating and surface design and each group of my students never cease to amaze me with their creative juices running wild. This was the painting day. Next each person in the group created a small art quilt with piecing and machine embroidery. Look for those pieces in my next post. I would be really pleased to hear your comments about these works. You can now follow my blog by subscribing by email. Have a look at the box at the top right of this page the fill in your email. You can always unsubscribe. I DO NOT GIVE OUT EMAIL ADDRESSES ANYONE.

Saskatchewan Stitches Conference Challenge Winners

Ten days, 250 participants, 13 instructors, 39 classes, a fabric challenge and 50 entries. Another fun conference was held at St. Peter's Abbey in Muenster, Saskatchewan and sponsored by Haus of Stitches and Wendy Toye from Humboldt, Sask. All of those sewers - mostly women and a few good men had another great time over the week participating in quilting, painting, bra, swimsuit and panty parties, painting fabric, stitching threads and yarn into scarfs and making wild dolls and even knitting. The work times were intense and the social times were great. Beverly Johnson gave her 'Uplifting' presentation at the gala evening and had the room of 100 people rolling with laughter. I had a day off prior to my teaching days so had a chance to sew on my project that I will present next year. My students were fabulous and creative. Every time I teach, my students amaze me with their creative ideas. I give them white fabric and paint and they come up with amazing work. Over this week I will post photos of my student's work. But today I will post photos of quilts of the winners of the fabric challenge - Beverly Johnson and Annette Schultz. Both of these creative women received prizes for their artworks. Congratulations to both of you!

Knitting and Printing

I have finally finished some of my KNITTING projects. Mark's socks are a Christmas gift - for 2011!! And Liam - well he just arrived in January so I have been madly knitting his wee socks as well. I finished the lace project from the Virginia's Knitters Retreat. The yarn is thick so I only needed two repeats of the pattern (wool, silk, bamboo and sequins). I found this yarn in Palm Springs. I don't get it - it's too warm for knitted much there - maybe January is colder; but two knitting shops. Here is my work.

Fabulous Felted Fusion

At the Edmonton Weavers Guild (clubweb.interbaun.com/~ewg/) on March 17th. Eight students worked madly all day producing felted scarfs. It was a very diverse group of students - some knew a bit about felting and for others it was a first try. In the morning they made a scarf of just wool roving with decorations of bits of roving from their neighboring students and silk throwsters waste (ask me about this product). Following the layout of the roving and wetting it down everyone spent the morning rolling and rolling their soon to be felted fabric. And voila...the magic of soapy water on wool came alive with resulting Fabulous Felted Scarfs. The afternoon was a second method of laying the roving onto silk and again rolling and rolling. Even the teacher (that would be me) was tired at the end of the day. Eight students produced sixteen Fabulous scarfs. They were all really pleased and so was I. I have been invited to teach another felting class in May. If you want to join me, contact me for registration. Glenn kindly took photos that are posted here.

Saskatchewan Stitches Conference

May 24 to June 3. Put these dates on your calendar for the Saskatchewan Stitches Conference. This is the 10th anniversary for this conference. It includes all sorts of cloth and string classes from a Painted Fabric Corset to Sunprinting Fabric by myself to Bra-making, knitting, rug hooking and many quilting classes. I have been fortunate enough to be invited to teach again this year...my fifth year...of teaching and even taking a class occasionally. I have made many friends from Saskatchewan and elsewhere. I have had the opportunity to learn lots about knitting and now I am addicted. I have even made myself snazzy bras embellished with fabulous laces - custom fit and all. Check out this conference at www.hausofstitches.ca and register soon so that you get into the classes that you want. My classes this year are all to do with painting fabric. The Corset class will get you going using many of those embroidery stitches on your machine that you have never tried. Beverly Johnson designed the corset pattern that will be included in the student kit. The Sunprint class will include painting with light sensitive fabric paint as well as Paintstiks and foil. Students will design their own art quilt for this piece.
Here are photos of these projects. Now I can't wait to get to Humboldt!

Fabulous Felted Fusion

Well finally I am back here again.  It is Valentine's Day so I will wish everyone sweet wishes today.

The scarfs in the photos are pieces that I made for the November 2011 Edmonton Weavers Guild Sale.  The pink one didn't sell and I am happy because it matches my winter jacket.  I feel very dressed up when I wear this one.  This was one of the projects that I worked on during the summer of mad felting with friends.  The warm deck was just the place to do this work - me rolling felt underfoot while reading 'girly' novels.  I must have read quite a bit because I did produce quite a few scarfs like these.

There was quite a bit of interest from guild members about the technique that I used to produce these scarfs.  As a result of that, I have been invited to teach this technique.  I call the class 'Fabulous Felted Fusion'.  The class will take place on March 17th at our guild home.  At the time of writing, the class is full.  There is still interest from several potential students so hopefully the class will be held again later in the year.

As I write this my sweetheart is having his afternoon siesta.  He has had a tough year end with a slip on the ice resulting in broken ribs and punctured lung.  He is taking care of himself now and hopefully recovered from that escapade.  He needs a vacation.

I am madly knitting tiny socks for my new wee 'great' nephew born on January 27th.  Photos of those will be in an upcoming posting.

I have been working on a mapping project in my journal this year.  I have been inspired by Jill Berry in an online workshop as well as her book, Personal Geographies.  Now I am seeing 'everything' looking like maps.  I wonder what kind of a map I can make from the baby socks?  Have a look at Jill's blog and website.  Try some 'mapping' and let me know what you come up with.  I will post some of my maps in upcoming days.  It seems that I have much to show but in the meantime I had better get at my work.  Send me photos of your projects.

Is this Me?

Finally signing in after weeks of being 'underground'.  Have a look at this blog http://suebleiweiss.com/freeprojects/minijournal.pdf for a recycled mini book and try it yourself.  Let me know what you used.  I have used telephone books, tracing paper and 'maps' inspired by Jill Berry.  Made in a workshop by Nadia Munarolo-Kurjata
What have you done? Let me see your work and I will get a photo of my wee mini-journal on line ASAP.
Merry Christmas!