Join me on Wednesday, July 17th at 11am Central time for a live webinar hosted by the folks at the Madeline Island School of Art. I’ll be talking about my approach to stitching, showing off some of my student’s works and answering any questions you might have. Learn about the fabulous Madeline Island School of Art. Join me by clicking on this link:
Alegre
I spent a week at the Alegre Retreat teaching a very talented bunch of stitchers this month. And, what a place! The Gateway Canyons resort is nestled into deep canyons in Colorado near the Utah border. Watching sunrises and sunsets was like witnessing a movie as the sun crawled up and down the canyon walls. I woke to the moon setting one morning, it sank below the rock wall as if hiding itself. I felt like I was part of a postcard.
This is the way I walked to the classroom each morning. Each day was different. Gateway Canyons, Colorado
We had a light snow one day. Frosting on the cake.
We stitched for 5 days. And, after a little hesitation the artists went full steam ahead. Sixteen fearless stitchers. Here are some of the results. I can’t wait to see what they create with these new ideas.
Teaching brings me great pleasure. I love it when a student expresses excitement about a new technique. I love it when they make it their own. I love to be with people who have the same passion as mine. Traveling fills my mind with new inspirations, new vistas, new ideas.
And, now, I will settle down to stitch some of what I felt and saw, and smelled, and touched and tasted.
each one teach one
I love teaching. Especially teaching people who are ready to experiment. I learn something from each person in the class. I love to see the variations that people come up with. We have so much fun comparing notes, trying new things and letting ourselves travel unknown pathways. My Miami class had some really skilled and creative folks in it. They were a joy to watch.
The At Play in the Garden of Stitch workshop presented by Partners for Art + Design in Miami
The Miami workshop organized by Abbey Chase of Partners for Art + Design was in an exquisite historic church. The light was fantastic, the stitchers enthusiastic.
Here are some of the things I learned from my students.
When filling a square with stitch, play with different patterns that repeat. Let your imagination go wild.
Let your stress be released. Nancy called this her divorce.
If your tension isn’t working right, go with it. We all loved this bearded back.
Consider fringe. Use fabric that already has texture.
If your pig needs wings, find some and add them to your composition.
Celebrate color and pattern. Let your edges be active.
Your work does not need to fit into a rectangle. It doesn’t even have to be a rectangle.
You can tell a story in four squares.
A beach can become a vase. (Turn this one 90 degrees clockwise and you can see what I mean.)
I am thankful for all the time I spend with my students. Each session brings delight and discovery.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May your turkey be moist and your potatoes buttery.
Stitching inspiration
I love teaching. Meeting new people who are interested in stitching as much as I am is a gift. Last week I spent time with 19 stitchers at Quilting by the Lake sponsored by the Schweinfurth Art Museum in Auburn, NY. They specialize in bringing teachers and students together to stitch, print, piece and contemplate quilted art together. I was lucky enough to get only the best stitchers—those with courage to take some chances, curiosity to see what might happen and stamina to do it all day long for five days. Many were beginners, some seasoned stitchers but everyone approached the work with beginner minds. The best kind.
So I decided to post some of their work here. These samples were some of the first exercises—just the beginning of a gallery of experimentation, representation and above all else, stitching. I can’t wait to see how they bring some of these techniques to their work.
Spending time together In a room devoted to an art form is like a shot of adrenaline for me. There is inspiration, frustration, and concentration for all. I recommend Quilting by the Lake, its track record in bringing inspiring teachers and devoted students together is proven by their loyal and eager student base. I was honored to be invited and energized by the experience.
I wrote a book
At Play in the Garden of Stitch—thoughts that come while eyeing the needle.
Published! Available Now.
I put it on paper. It’s now in book form. This is not a quilt.
I spent part of my Covid year writing, analyzing and illustrating my techniques and artwork. After fifteen years of creating and teaching, it was time to tell my story and share my process in a more formal way.
This is a book of ideas and exercises for those who use stitch in their artwork. What seems like magic are merely (some simple) step-by-step exercises that will lead you to your own creations.
This is the story of how I work and think as I make new quilts. It contains both successes and failures as both results can lead to finished quilts. One of my favorite exercises is to chop up a finished quilt to re-arrange and re-imagine a new piece working with elements I like and scrapping those I loathe.
As the great Miles Davis says: do not fear mistakes; there are none.
As I like to say: Art is found in the process. And stitching can take you there.
The book contains lavish illustrations of quilts from my students and myself. For many of these, I demonstrate approaches to using stitch as an element of design and art. To understand my process, I include essays from this journal that reveal how I follow the thread or pursue an idea.
Order “At Play” from any number of bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Target, Indiebound, Discover books and more—such as Amazon. And, if you do find that this book has inspired you to try some new ways to create in stitch, please let me know by leaving a review or sending me an email. I would really appreciate it.
If you are interested in stitch and how to express yourself through free-motion quilting, this book will lead you gently down your own creative path. The secret is starting simple and staying at it.
I want to send out a bucket of thanks to my friend, Kathleen Loomis, for her help in making this book a reality. Her patient review of the content clarified my thoughts and made it a better book. Thanks so much Kathleen.