Eiloren

How to paint a Seascape on fabric - Tutorial

2011-11-22T20:55:00.002+11:00

Here's a quick tute for how to paint a shimmering seascape that you can use for further embellishment or simply frame as is (and if DIY isn't your thing feel free to commission a piece off me from $25 for a fat quarter size 50x 50cm). I love painting and fabric, so it only seems just that I combine the two frequently!

An example of the technique described below.

1. First wash and iron white cotton an inch or two bigger than your intended finished piece. It should be 100% cotton, washed to remove any sizing (coating) and then ironed to be wrinkle free.

2. Lay your fabric on a paint proof surface - I use a piece of metal or acrylic but you could use the glass from an old picture frame (put tape around the edges so they aren't sharp) or in a pinch work on a chopping board you've covered with a wide sheet of aluminium foil. Spray it with water until thoroughly damp and smooth down.

3. Decide where your horizon line will be. I like to use the Jacquard Lumiere acrylic paints as they have two tones in the one pot - where you paint thickly appears quite metallic and gold and where the paint travels and soaks into the wet fabric is quite matte and the alternate colour. For a sky over the sea I start with halo violet-gold straight from the tub and paint a line along the horizon allowing the colour to bleed out into the wet paint.

4. Add colours to the sky. I've added halo pink-gold, burnt orange and sunset gold. However using pink-gold by itself can create similar effects if you use it both watered down and straight. Allow the wet fabric to merge the colours and keep your paint lines mostly horizontal - the more angular you do them the windier it will look. Spray more water as needed.

5. For the sea bunch up that part of the fabric and paint over the top folds. I've used halo blue-gold.

6. The colour will soak down a little way into the fabric. After painting the visible folds with both straight and watered down paint (to get different effects) re bunch the fabric to make the white ares stand up. Using a different colour paint the now exposed white areas (i've used pearl turquoise). Lastly re-bunch the fabric again to show any remaining white areas and paint those (i've used the very metallic 'super sparkle' for these. Keep bunching and adding paint / spray with water as needed until you have covered the fabric and are pleased with the result.

7. Lay your fabric out flat and admire your work. Ta Da!

My Sewing Studio - ideas for making the most of a small space

2011-11-21T14:32:00.000+11:00

I've just finished a 3 day clean up of my textile studio and between refolding all the fabrics to prevent fading, sorting colours and boxing threads I decided it was good timing to do a studio blog. We live in a 2 bedroom apartment of about 11 squares (about 102 sq metres) so innovative space consumption is paramount. Cost was a major factor too, so most of the storage ideas are budget friendly.

Click pics to enlarge.

The sewing studio in in a smallish second bedroom with one wall at an odd angle which made organisation a bit tougher. Here's the view from the door:

We live on a main road - so great lighting and an ever changing view. The downside is it's always of traffic and the heat coming in these east facing windows is quite amazing during the warmer months!

The desk is a Horn Magic box - both wings fold into the centre and the entire front and middle fold into the box the TV is on. This doesn't happen often though! The sewing machine shelf is height adjustable with an acrylic insert for flatbed sewing (my machine is currently having a holiday with a technician).

I've found most horn cabinets to position you to either side of the machine needle, I love this one as you can sit right in front and the cutout is large enough for the new, longer throat machines.

The Sew-Easy table and ironing board fit well inside the T shape of the Horn desk.

A second Sew-Easy table in front of the window provides an alternate work area and also a good spot to photograph smaller artworks from.

I had a friend make a full acrylic insert for one of the Sew-Easy tables, so when I'm quilting larger pieces there's no gap for them to get caught up in.

An open backed ornament wall display unit purchased from a home-wares store for $20 makes good fat quarter storage and all my fabric glues are kept on top.

Under the right wing a chipboard cube fits a woven basket for plastics while a present from my Mum - the Madeira Treasure chest fits beautifully on top. (All luck here, I made the chipboard cube as a stand for a record player when I was about 16!) The Madeira treasure chest comes filled with the most gorgeous collection of Rayon threads.

I had 3 untreated pin bookcases made and delivered for around $150 each, adding them as I needed the extra storage. The first holds my cotton fabrics, the second threads, synthetic fabrics and yarns and the third all the other bits and pieces. A built in wardrobe with mirrored doors helps to create more light.

All the cotton fabrics are stacked in colour-ways. Handpainted and multicoloured fabrics have their own stack as do very long pieces. The white woven crates hold dressmaking fabrics.

Setting them out this way means I can find a value or colour very quickly and it's easy to see any missing colours - right now I'm low on oranges, bright sky blue and lime greens.

To stop fading i've made a curtain from 100% UV block out fabric and drawn a design on it. I've also made curtains to fit the room with a layer of this block out under a layout of thick upholstery weight fabric. It helps to keep the heat down as well.

The top of the second bookcase has tubs of threads sorted into type (I have separate tubs for cotton, wool, poly, metallic, decorative extra-thick, spools, bobbin weight, viscose, silk and rayon). Rayon felts are on the top shelf with synthetics and organzas underneath.

I use very sheer organza for layering and doing heat work. These are too slippery to stack so they are folded according to shade and pushed tightly into plastic boxes. This makes them easier to take out to the kitchen which is handy as I use the flat glass hot plates to do my heat gunning and soldering iron work.

More threads boxed according to type.

Thicker synthetics I keep on a separate shelf and are often used mixed with cottons for art quilts or in my burnt works. These shelves could do with a re-fold too! Being slippery it's hard to get them perfect.

Boxes house yarns for the embellishing machine and couching. More woven crates hold upholstery and fabric samples plus clothing items from opshops etc that can be repurposed in burnt works.

The third book shelf has plenty of boxes from a $2 store that I have labelled. These hold notions, UFO's, roving and the like.

My Babylock overlocker and Pfaff embellisher sit in the bookshelf when not in use.

Scraps have been organised in snap lock bags according to colour range and then put in these tubs for doing small fused pieces and confetti quilts.

A coat rack found in the bin room on our floor makes a good hanger in a space that would be otherwise too narrow to use for anything else.

An old stretch canvas painting forms a makeshift pin board for displaying some of my smaller works.

I've tacked a large piece of white flannelette to the wall to use as a design board. I love how most fabrics just cling to it without pins and it helps me to keep an eye on the bigger picture while making components for a work. When not in the middle of a large project I can use it as hanging space.

The floor lamp is a $30 uplight that was capable of taking a 100w globe from Bunnings and is essential when sewing at night. I've also put a fluro tube above the middle bookcase.

Even behind the door is utilised with hooks for handbags (there's just no-where else to keep them!) and large watercolour paper. The polystyrene is used to bounce light for photography when there's not enough even light naturally.

On the left hand side of the wardrobe a repurposed bedside tables has stacked racks on top holding all the silks i've collected while travelling. Sadly these have to share with my hubby's pants as the wardrobe in the bedroom is stuffed tighter than an emo band lead singer's pants.

The top of the wardrobe shares towels with Coco the wonder dog and rather inexplicably a basketball- all my wool fabrics and synthetics that don't seem to fit in anywhere else are stuffed into a crate here.

The bottom RHS of the wardrobe fairs a little better - battings and anything else on bolts or in rolls fills up the corner including Lutrador, Tyvek and bamboo sheets for felting. Novelty fabrics are folded into a box on their left which sits on the very large pieces or white on white and black and black backing fabrics I have.

The top of the wardrobe has flannelettes and a box of mending.... almost out of sight out of mind :)

Colorbond Steel fabric painting area with brushes in stainless cutlery containers and paints in CD shelving (both Ikea).

For painting fabrics I've set up a panel of Colourbond Steel in the lounge room. The coating Colorbond has means it won't rust and gives the metal a nice smooth service to work on. It's non porous so paint and water sits on top and nothing sinks in - so while it can stain it's easy to clean. To make it sturdier I used silicon glue to adhere two pieces of L shaped aluminium tubing from the widest part at the bottom to the centre of the top. This cuts down on wobbles and ensures it stays in place. Wet fabric can be smoothed onto the steel and stays in place even when dry - but to help ensure it doesn't start to peel off I use some magnetic vinyl strips or other fridge magnets. A sheet of thick clear plastic sits underneath with the length rolled up in front. When the board is in use it's simple rolled out to protect the carpet.

Besta CD/DVD storage from Ikea makes great fabric paint and marker storage. We have gone digital files only with CD's so it was nice to find a second use for these shelves.

'Brunelleschi's Broken Bicycle' 12x12" Art quilt

2011-09-08T13:55:00.001+10:00

I made this quilt for the Aus_NZ Art Quilters yahoo group challenge. We all agree on a theme at the start of the year and then aspire to make one quilt per month to this theme. The best 5 of each person who wants to exhibit will be seen at next years Australian Quilting Convention in Jeff's Shed.

click pics to enlarge

For my first quilt for the year (hey I'm a late starter and arranging a wedding got in the way a little!) I chose Italy and Florence in particular. One of the things that surprised me while honeymooning over there was the sheer number of broken bicycles that littered the streets - generally still chained to bike racks. Some corners had four or five formerly very expensive bicycles with wheels kicked in or bent frames.

To make this I:

• Cut bikes from a pre-printed fabric and fused them with fusible web to a backing fabric, I pleated and creased them before ironing down to abstract and 'break' the bikes.

• I made a bike wheel with Expander Paint (by Setacolor), I put some into a folded trough of aluminium foil, added a little black Jacquard Dye-na-flow paint and mixed. I stamped the bike outlines using a bamboo cooking skewer that I bent into arcs for the wheel.

• I ironed the Expander Paint to raise it (it's like 80's puff paint on steroids!) and then painted the middle of the tyre with gel medium with a tiny amount of gold paint mixed in followed by a gloss varnish.

• Rather than conventional binding I sewed around the edges and then bordered them with leather tonging that has been couched down. I figured leather was something else quintessentially Italian.

I wanted the worn look of stamping for the tyre as so much of Italy is, while beautiful, very old and worn without a lot of the upkeep that we saw much of in places like Paris. This was very noticeable in the main museums over there when compared with places like the Lourve.

Only 3 sleeps until my 'Hot Stuff #1' textile art workshop in Melbourne on Saturday. Book now!

2011-08-31T13:48:00.005+10:00

The 'Hot Stuff #1' textile art workshop run by ATASDA VIc is coming up quickly! We still have around 5 places so if you are interested in learning how to distress synthetic fabrics with a heat gun, how to colour and distort Tyvek and how to incorporate products like Angelina Fibre and Textiva Film (fantasy film) into your work book now!

To book for Saturday call Barbara on 0419 396 695. For more information about the workshop please see the flyer in my last blog post and feel free to ask me questions in the comments section on this blog. All the textile art materials are available for a materials fee of $5 per person so don't fret if you don't have any Angelina or the like at home.

A sample of the type of heat distressed mini-quilt class participants will be making. This piece incorporates synthetic organza and satin plus Angelina fibre, metal leaf and Textiva foil. It's machine stitched with a metallic rayon thread. We will cover how to freemachine these sorts of works in the class though they can be just as effective when sewn with a straight stitch grid.

A close up of the above quilt. Click to enlarge each of the pics.

This unremarkable looking work is the same piece before being selectively heat gunned.

We will be painting and heat distressing some Tyvek too. (click to enlarge the photo!)

From top clockwise:

1. Tyvek painted with silver acrylic then put through and inkjet printer, stitched and ironed. 2. Tyvek painted with Lumiere paint and then stitched, solder cut and heat gunned. 3. Tyvek painted and embellished with fused organza snippets and ironed 4. Painted and stitched Tyvek, ironed.

You'll go home with lots of ideas for how to use your heat tools and heat alterable products. The workshop runs from 11am through to 3pm and costs from $40 per person, however for full details please see the flyer below. Materials lists are emailed on booking.

Hope to see you there!!

- Neroli

'Hot Stuff' Heat Tools Workshop Flyer

2011-08-17T15:30:00.005+10:00

Here's the flyer for my upcoming 'Hot Stuff #1' textile art / multimedia workshop on Sept 3. It's only just over 2 weeks away so book now if you want to go. You'll learn how to colour and distort Tyvek plastic, how to use, layer and heat alter Angelina fibre, Textiva (fantasy film), synthetic sheer fabrics and more.

For more information see my last blog post.

To book call Barbara on: 0419 396 695. Click the flyer to enlarge.

'Hot Stuff #1' ATASDA Workshop Sep 3, 2011. Learn how to use heat guns, synthetic fabrics, Tyvek, Angelina fibre and Textiva (fantasy film).

2011-08-16T18:18:00.002+10:00

I am pleased as punch to announce I'll be running my first Heat Tools textile / multimedia workshop for ATASDAVic in a couple of weeks on September 3rd. We will be painting and distorting Tyvek and then layering synthetic fabrics with Textiva (fantasy) film and Angelina fibres, stitching a resist and using heat guns for impressive (and easy!!) results.

You will leave with your own heat distressed mini quilt and a knowledge of how to incorporate each of those materials and techniques into your own work.

Hot Stuff #1

Date: September 3rd

Time: 11am to 3pm

Where:

Hartwell Church Of Christ Hall, cnr of Milverton & Highfield Rds Hartwell. (off Toorak Rd)

Cost: $40 for ATASDA members, $45 for non-members. $5 materials fee if needed.

Materials lists will be emailed to all who enrol.

To book call Barbara: 0419 396 695

You will be making something that could look like this:

And turning it into something that looks like this:

some close ups:

When you're done you may want to turn it into a purse, use it as a background, a book cover or a stand alone art quilt. Here's my demo piece pinned into a purse:

I really hope to see you there! It's late notice and ATASDA Vic's first own workshop, so they've kept the costs down. Take advantage and book in!

Neroli

Making 'no carve' Stamps with Perspex and Silicone glue (or trying to)

2011-07-27T13:42:00.001+10:00

I recently found a blog with what seemed like a totally brilliant idea for how to make your own 'no carve' stamps. It entailed using 3mm perspex as a base and silicone glue (or filler) to draw with.

It seemed simple enough and since I'm demoing (among other things) Lumiere Paints on fabric at the upcoming Melbourne Craft and Quilt fair on from tomorrow, a rather timely find.

Here's what I learned from my attempt:

1. if you have long hair put it up. Don't ask me how I know.

2. Silicone glue is not your friend. Unless you want a line as thick as your thumb, or, after trying to use a thin hole in the end of a nozzle a sore hand and a burst glue container. (Again, hair up could make the clean up of the last a little easier)

3. If you need to cut 3mm perspex don't expect to score and snap it like they do in the blog. Instead, after giving that up for a joke bribe your husband to do it, with a jigsaw and then allow 3 days for filing the resultant miss formed shards. Of course if we had a fine blade or a semblance of how to cut perspex this may have ended differently.

4. Cotton buds are your friends.

5. So are tissues.

6. Thank the powers that be that you can draw well and don't need to use stamps often.

Now admittedly I couldn't find the type of silicon filler they used in the blog post in Australia and my equipment (and muscle strength) may have not been up to par. I'd love to hear if anyone has more success with this - the idea really does sound like a great one!

The tutorial on the blog I found is:

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2011/07/how-to_make_no-carve_stamps.html

All That Glitters - all about adding bling to your work with Angelina Fibres, Textiva, Crystals, Foils and more!

2011-04-16T15:08:00.002+10:00

Am more than a little excited having just had my first major magazine article published in the current edition of Down Under Textiles magazine!!!

My comprehensive 6 page article features a host of very easy ways to use all the wonderful bling-worthy products that are now available and gives tips on how to get the most out of each one.

You can buy both hard copy and digital editions from here!

The article covers Angelina Fiber:

Polyester Film:

Metallic Paints:

Textiva Film:

Metal Foils:

Shiva Sticks:

Crystals and Decals:

And lots more!!!

Hope you enjoy the article! Please leave any comments, feedbacks or further ideas below in the comments section!

Hand Dyed Fabric (or how to make hippy spew with low immersion dying and a helpful dog))

2010-06-16T01:00:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone!

Have finally (finally!) got around to dying the fabric that's been soaking in soda ash in a plastic tub on top of the dishwasher for (ahem) about 3 months. :)

I had some old dyestock already made up in squeeze bottles left over from even before then and wanted to see if it would work. I've heard that it lasts forever, that it lasts for a couple of weeks, that you should keep it in the fridge, that temperature doesn't matter and a dozen other things. I hadn't heard about the cold storage before storing the squeeze bottles behind the dishwasher with all my other dye equipment.

When this place was built the cabinet maker in the kitchen must have been having a hard day - as the bottom of the bench hole left for the dishwasher is fine... but the top is about 2mm too narrow. The upshot of this is that I have extra space to store my dye things but it's in an area where it's going to get warm from the heat of the dishwasher in front of it.

I made two pieces, I'm very happy with the first. The old premixed dye did work but the colour is subtler then it was 3 months ago. I figure this piece will make a nice sky:

Coco, as always was very helpful during shooting the pics. She thinks that if you are kneeling on the ground then obviously you're there to pat her. (Usually of course she is right!)

The second piece on the other hand was rather different then what I had in mind.... I seem to have created hippy spew print:

The green in this piece is new dye I mixed with bright green and bright yellow, so that dye is a lot stronger than the blue. I dyed both of these by wringing out the extra soda ash and squishing the fabric into the bottom of a plastic lidded container. I then squirted the pre-mixed dye directly onto parts of the fabric, put the lid on the containers and left it for 3 days for no other reason than i've been busy :)

-Neroli Henderson

Machine Needle Felting / Embellishing / Dry Felting on Silk Velvet Samples Part 2

2010-06-13T19:00:00.001+10:00

Today I set up a bit of white card to bounce the sunlight I had on hand so I could get a photo of the finished test samples up. These are the samples I posted a blog about the construction techniques yesterday (so see blog post below).

Materials are: Silk Velvet, Silk Hankies, Silk Satin snippets and one piece has Angelina Fibre on one end. These finished samples have had the water soluble stabiliser rinsed out and have been lightly hand felted with a little hand soap and hot water and then left to dry flat.

I like the very first trial best where the needle felting is done entirely from the front, that's the first square on the top piece (which has 4 different types of needle felting along the one strip).

Click to enlarge pic

I will be working on a new artist interview soon too so keep your eyes peeled!

-Neroli

Machine Needle Felting / Embellishing / Dry Felting on Silk Velvet

2010-06-12T19:03:00.000+10:00

Hey All!
I've had a brilliant week! A friend sent me though a link to a great deal on a current, top of the range, refurbished iMac yesterday and I am now eagerly awaiting it's delivery next week. Very exciting! In between looking at pics of it and stroking them lovingly I have had time for a bit of a play on my needle felting machine.

Hand dyed silk velvet and matching colours of Angelina Fibres (LHS) and silk hankies (RHS) along with some silk fiber sample packs at the top of the pic.

I am wanting to use this gorgeous piece of silk velvet I got from Unique Stitching at this years AQC in Melbourne. It's screaming 'background' and the velvet has great sheen and depth in the dye tones that would make a stunning night sky. Lorraine Roy's brilliant art works in my interview with her have inspired me to do some more work with snippets and scraps - great timing as i've just finished cutting all the corners off the dozens of colours of silk my Mum brought me back from India so they don't fray in the wash.

The way i've spread out things in the picture above is my way of working when I've got a very vague idea of what I want to do based on a product or technique. I pull out the fabrics and products I want to use in colours that I think will work so I can view them all together.

Often I'll jump right in at this point but when I'm trying materials or a technique I haven't used before I'll often do a test piece - especially when one of the items is unique or expensive as with the hand dyed velvet.

I read somewhere that using silk hankies over silk velvet gave a great surface texture, so thought i'd try this out. Problem is since I'll be working on a largish piece (fat Q size) how to stop it distorting on the needle felting machine and how to felt to enhance rather than hide the beautiful texture of the velvet.

Enter the test piece:

Water soluble Vilene, a snippet of the silk velvet and a silk hankie being layered ready for felting.

Click pics to enlarge - This is the test piece that I've separated into 4 squares and felted each differently.

From left to right:

1. Felted from the top only.

2. Felted predominantly from the back (this created more pulls in the silk velvet and gave a rougher less shiny texture that I feel compromised the look and feel of the velvet).

3. Felted from both sides.

4 Felted with a layer of Angelina fibre and an additional silk hankie.

For this piece I added some silk snippets on top of the silk velvet, the RHS I felted without securing them in anyway and that gave a more random 'scraggy look. The LHS i covered with lightweight bridal tulle to felt and then removed the tulle mesh after. This worked well to hold everything in place though you do have to be gentle removing the tulle - most of it doesn't sink into the created fabric even after needle punching but every now and then it clings. You could also secure with a second layer of water soluble Vilene.

I've rinsed out and lightly hand felted the finished test pieces but await a sunny day where I remember to photograph them - will hopefully post pics soon. My consensus is that the snippets secured with the embellisher are a little 'scraggy' for the idea I have in my head but may make a good background layer to secure others with freemotion stitching. The silk hanky over the velvet worked well but I think I will use this more for shadow areas as it did still dull the sheen of the velvet a little too much for an all over use

Before starting this test piece I emailed my friend Fiona Hammond from Chiatanya Designs who does wonderful needle felted pieces and she gave me these great tips:

1. If you are making a reasonably-sized piece ( greater than 20 cm sq), you are likely to notice some stretching out of shape. I had this happen in my background needle-felted fabric for my Maharajah's Fantasy Bloom piece (which is about 40 x 60 cm, from memory). I made this with wool roving - quite a lot of it layered up - onto Solvy. As well as stretching beyond the size I thought I was making, it did look a little bowl-like in parts. I got it fairly flat by ironing it intensely after washing out the Solvy (I can add a special soleplate to my iron that allows me to iron pretty much any fabric using steam settings).

2. When it comes to needle-felting your snippets of silk and threads to the velvet etc. background, you will find that your little snippets will change shape and move around as you needle-felt them into the background. If you are happy to just do it and see how the pattern/ texture turns out, you might find it great fun.

If you want your cut snippets to maintain their shapes you may well end up frustrated, because this rarely happens with small pieces, in my experience, particularly if they have little points. This is because the act of needle-felting the bits will push the snippets out of shape somewhat while pushing them into the background. The snippets will often also seem to get smaller when you needle-felt them into the background. And you have to be careful how you hold them in place as you do the needle-felting. Don't be tempted to use fingers.... I use the pointy end of my seam ripper, but you still need to be careful to keep it away from the felting needles so they don't break on the seam ripper.

Interview series: Lorraine Roy - Textile and Fiber Artist

2010-05-29T02:11:00.006+10:00

Lorraine Roy is an award winning contemporary mixed-media textile artist from Dundas, Ontario,Canada who incorporates sewing, collage, embroidery, photo transfer, quilting and thousands of fibre and thread snippets into her work. Lorraine is a full-time textile artist with many international exhibitions to her name. She works from her home studio with her husband fine art photographer Janusz Wrobel.

As many of you know i've become a bit of a Facebook junkie in recent months and part of the reason for that is the frequency i've been stumbling upon some of the most amazing artists and their works. I found Lorraine Roy this way and after taking a look through her website and reading the quite unique techniques she uses I just knew I had to ask her to do an artist interview.

Lorraine's horticultural background and subsequent research regularly inspire her wonderful imagery. Landscapes that combine realism and abstraction combine with symbols from dreams, mythology and memories to create organic conceptual pieces that make the most of the rich medium combinations.

'The Seven Days of Creation' 69x80" (175 x 203cm)

2008 Wall hanging, Commission, SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle. Cotton batting. This is Lorraine's favourite work. Five separate quilts were created and then hung together.

How long have you been quilting and what first drew you to it?
I have never NOT worked withfabric, beginning with sewing (from the age of 6), but ironically I neverlearned to make a proper quilt. I have been a professional textile artist forjust over 20 years, but my formal education is in Horticulture.

'Between Now and Then' 36x48" (91 x 121cm) 2009 SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

How would you describeyour style now?
Painting with fabric…it’s a mixture of machine collage, appliqué, embroidery and quilting. I call my main technique "collage with nets". I love how it allows me to explore the freedom of line and shape that exists in the world of painting without compromising the intensity of colour and texture that you can achieve with fabric.

I begin with a plainfabric ground. On this surface I drop hundreds, sometimes thousands of tinybits of cut fabrics and threads (of any kind – natural, synthetic, metallic)until I reach a depth and texture that pleases me. I then pin transparentnetting on top, usually nylon tulle, which holds everything in place. The layersare then machine stitched together. This new fabric is now ready for furthersurface work: machine applique, embroidery, collage, and, more recently,photographic transfers from my photographer husband’s huge collection ofnatural images (www.jwrobelphoto.com).The finished surface is then quilted over batting and backing to fix the shapeand enhance textures and lines.

The above shows snippets of threads, scraps of fabric and yarn scattered over a backing fabric. Below is the same piece after being covered in netting and partly stitched.

How has your styleevolved?
After many wearable fashion disasters, I learned that I had an aptitude and passion for hand embroidery.During my teens and onward I absorbed nearly every embroidery technique and waseven teaching them at one point. But as you may suspect, it’s a slow medium. The transition to my new techniques took a number of years and lots of experimentation.

Apart from quilting whatelse to you do within the industry?
I occasionally teachworkshops on a freelance basis (teaching my techniques or design). Lately Ihave been organizing my own, by renting facilities in a lovely historic churchjust around the corner. I even provide excellent lunches and it’s lots of fun. Also, I do some publicspeaking and presentations, and trunk shows, about my work and/or about nativetrees and art.

Red Maple 2008 28x32" (71 x 81cm) Wall hanging SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle. Cotton batting.

What's the best adviceyou could give someone who wants to try quilting or textile art for the firsttime?
Don’t let anyone burdenyou with rules.. if you feel excited and it’s breaking a rule, then go for it.

Do you exhibit your work?
Over the years I haveexhibited extensively… in commercial and public galleries and plenty ofunlikely places too. I love showing my work and it’s the way I connect withviewers and clients.

Buried Treasure 30x10" (76 x 25cm) 2009 $725 USD

Click pic to enlarge

Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

How do you go aboutfinding and selecting galleries?
Sometimes galleriesapproach me directly or via my website, but more often I approach them. First Imake sure they are a good fit for my work, then I speak to other artists tofind out what their experience is with the gallery. After that I follow theprotocol that most galleries post on their site. I haven’t needed to do that ina few years… I now have just the right number and quality of commercialgalleries.

I also do a few verycarefully selected Commercial fine art shows (where each artist has a booth) –this is an excellent way to meet the public and increase my mailing list. Ionly do shows that are well juried and have high standards. They are not cheap,but well worth the investment.

Sacred Tree #1 12x12" (30x30cm) 2010 $425 USD

Click pic to enlarge
Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

Do you belong to anyquilt associations?
No, I don’t belong to anyquilt associations. Although I do miss that kind of camaraderie, it’s moreuseful and interesting to belong to Naturalist clubs, Fine art clubs, or anygroups outside the textile community. This keeps my ideas and work fresh.

What would you recommendpeople do who want to seriously get into textile art?
Hang out with artists inall media. Learn and study all kinds of things, not only textile art andtechniques. Bring in every experience you have. Don’t let anyone tell you whatto do and how to do it. Be very selective of your critics. Try to build a broadincome base by diversifying, using all your strengths and passions.

Sumac Ridge 24x41" (61 x 104cm) 2010 Wall Hanging SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle. Cotton batting.

What inspires you?
Over the years, my workhas become a blend of all my interests: nature, science, spirituality,literature, arboriculture, botany, environmental issues, my childhood on a farm… It’s a long list! I am best known, however,for my portrayals of native trees. Since my BSc in Horticulture, I’ve done alot of research on culture, symbolism, mythology, native uses, stories, poems…and the more I learned, the more fascinating trees became. So that’s an ongoinginspiration.

Spring Aspen 30x15" (76 x 38cm) 2010 Framed textile SOLD

Click pic to enlarge

Framed textile incorporating cotton, silk, synthetic and metallic fabrics and threads, nylon tulle.

What sewing machine /threads etc do you use?
I have 2 Berninas: an oldregular one (made in Europe), and an even older industrial one. Both have freemotion options. I don’t need anything fancy, just a strong motor andreliability. I use all kinds ofthreads, but prefer rayon for its shine and strength.

Lorraine's home studio

Her smaller scraps are bagged by colour and stored by shade. Bigger pieces are sorted into wire draws.

Below is a close up of her bagged scraps and a photo of her Hillcrest studio in the summer time.

Do you have any formalart training? Do you think it's necessary?
I don’t have formal arttraining. I don’t think it’s necessary but I’m sure it can’t hurt.

What's the most rewardingthing about your career?
Art is my way of sharinghow I see and feel about the world. When people see it, they know somethingabout me, much better than when I open my mouth. This makes it easier for a shyperson like me to make connections and bring those fine souls my way. Everythingevolves from there.

How did you learn thetechniques you use?
Mainly through experimentationand looking at other artists’ work.

What are your favorite /least favorite parts of the quilting process?
Endless pinning. I don’tenjoy pinning. :( Or putting on the sleeveat the end... (huge sigh). But frankly, there isvery little I don’t love about every stage of my process.

Associated Links:

Lorraine's website

Collage with nets technique in detail

Lorraine's book 'Saving Paradise'

Follow Lorraine workshops and artworks on her Facebook page

Email Lorraine to sign up for her workshop mailing list or to purchase art

I hope you enjoyed this interview and love to read your comments, please leave them by clicking on the 'comments' link below. –Neroli Henderson

Share on Facebook

Burning a Quilt - Textile art with a Heat Gun and Synthetic Fabrics, Video Tutorial

2010-05-28T00:56:00.007+10:00

This is my newest textile based artwork entitled "Pushing Up Daisies". I've created a video above so you can see the heat gun in action melting and distorting the fabric.

NB. when burning or melting any synthetic fabric, or cutting or scoring with a soldering iron work in a well ventilated area and wear a mask suitable for gas or vapours. You can buy disposables from large hardware stores.

I like to play with contrasts and in this case the normally pretty daisy flowers have been melted, and burnt, I like the way that this keeps the fragility inherent with flowers while giving it a harder, grittier edge.

I've played with burning before, most prominently in my leaf quilts, but with all of those I was melting smaller pieces and then using them to make or add to a larger work. In this piece I wanted to do a larger work and then burn the entire thing.

I've layered synthetic fabrics (felt, organza and satins) over cotton and stitched with Madeira metallic gold rayon and variegated rayon threads. I quilted the background quite intensely with little spirals as I having dense quilting here makes the stems, leaves and flower heads stand up more, and that in turns means they will burn quickest.

I used gold and copper Shiva oil paint sticks (I think these are called Markal paint sticks if you're in the UK) over the background quilting, these seemed to retard the heat effects on the background areas and the heat gun set the paint sticks instantly while only changing the colour slightly.

I love quilting on satin. The sheen really adds to the curves created by the quilting lines. The burnt areas of this are now essentially plastic, so it will either be framed or edged and hung for a wall piece.

Heat gunning will shrink a piece and I find it quite fun to watch it flatten and pull together. It helps the lesser quilted areas stand up even more.

This is my first video and I'm going to hopefully do some more in-depth video tutorials (both free and subscription) in the future. As always would love to hear any feedback - please leave a message in the comments section below.

Neroli

Two Tone Silk Pillow Case Tutorial and a Happy Bichon Frisé

2010-05-26T15:27:00.002+10:00

After searching for a couple of years now I finally found a doona cover / pillowcase set that I loved and that would go with the gold sari silk bed-head and bed-skirt I made awhile back. (Amazing what you can do with a nice piece of fabric, a bit of foam and a staple gun!) This set is called 'Love Bug' by Morgan & Finch. I laid it on the bed to test if it matched before washing and when I came back with the camera this is what I found:

Note the small fluffy thing that had made herself extremely comfortable. Very glad they matched the bed head and I didn't want to return them!

I wanted to make a couple of to match. The metallic green vine and embroidered bugs are cute but all the white was a little too stark for me. I have very fine hair and usually sleep on a satin pillowcase (a tip a very smart hairdresser gave me to help grow my hair long - apparently silk and satin cases stop hair breaking so much). So I rummaged through my stash and found a couple of nice silk fabrics and used the pinky one on the back with the envelope closure and the shot mauve colour on the front. Put them on the bed, went to get the camera and found this:

I thought i'd try again this morning so made the bed, came back with the camera and.....

well let's just say I don't like my chance of getting a dog free photo in the next century, and at least in the first two she didn't mush everything about. Sigh....

Here's how I made them (NB. this may not be the best way to make pillowcases, and I'm not known for functional sewing but it was quick, easy and worked!).

Two-tone silk pillowcase tutorial:

1. Iron both colours of silk fabric. I used a shot one for the top piece to get a decorative selvedge.

2. Lay the backing fabric out folded (so you can cut two at once cutting off folds as you go). Butt a pre-existing light coloured pillow case up to the selvedge edge and mark the width of the envelop flap (a light colour means you can see the where the flap ends through the fabric). For marking I used a ceramic fabric marker but you could use a water soluble marker or even go old school and use tailors chalk :)

3. Move the pillow case over the width of the envelope flap and trace around the entire case. I used a quilting ruler to help get the lines square and straight.

4. Add seam allowance (I used 1cm) and cut with a rotary cutter and quilting ruler. The selvedge on the envelope flap end means you don't need any that end... plus you get out of hemming. My sort of sewing! Take these 2 backs to the ironing board and iron the folded flap down firmly to crease.

5. Lay out the folded front fabric and place one of the cut backs on top of this to use it as a cutting template. Align the fold on the edge of the backs with the selvedge of the front fabric to avoid hemming. Additionally as I used a shot piece of silk (one direction of weave is blue, the other fuchsia) the selvedge is a contrasting pinky red colour which makes for a nice decorative edge. Use the roller cutter and ruler again and cutting is done for 2 pillowcases!

6. Match right sides together and made sure the selvedge of the front piece is even to the fold line of the envelope closure on the other. I don't use pins, I always finish up pricking myself and bleeding over whatever I'm making :) If you're not confident the fabric won't slip either pin or use a water soluble glue to hold them even.

7. Overlock (serge if your in the US) using a standard 4 thread stitch. This way there's no need to straight stitch on the sewing machine first. I did this from open edge down and then flipped and did the other side. I trimmed off about 1/4" when I did this to get rid of any fraying. Doing each side from the open end allowed me to ensure the opening edges were perfectly alligned.

8. Overlock the bottom edge.

9. Lastly I used a very fine needle to pull through the overlocker tails under a couple of the existing stitches, that way there's no chance of it unravelling. You could use a dot of fray stop or reoverlock instead.

10. Lastly I put them on the bed and tried to convince dog they weren't for her. That failed, but the pillowcases were done!

I am lucky enough to have a Babylock overlocker which means I never have to do any tension changes and it just sews perfectly on any thickness of fabric. It was this and the air threading - meaning I could rethread my machine with colours that matched the silk in about 2 minutes (including changing needles) that made me want to spend the extra money. So far I'm really glad I did. I think with an ordinary one I'd be tempted to just use the sewing machine instead and have the overlocker languish in the cupboard.

Let me know if you have any questions and leave any other pillowcase ideas in the comments section below.

Neroli

Interview series: Fiona Hammond, Quilt and Jewelry Designer

2010-05-18T01:26:00.000+10:00

I was lucky enough to meet Fiona Hammond – a passionate beader, quilt designer and textile artist – last year in Melbourne.She came to visit me with many of her brilliant time-intensive pieces,it was great to see her works in person and hear about their creation.I was really impressed by the quality of her work (she individuallycouches single beads to ensure lines curve just so!), her enthusiam fortextiles and willingness to share techniques. Her work is intenselycolourful and rich with sensuous fabrics, intricate beading andcontrasting textures.

Fiona is a natural teacher and describes herself as a"creative omnivore" since she has adored creative arts since childhood and lives her life trying to fit in as many creative pursuits and techniques as possible. Her business Chiatanya Designs combines her love of teaching and textiles.

'Cosmic Catherine Wheel' 2005 (detail)

This small wall quilt is Fiona's very first bead embellished piece.

Cotton, freemotion quilting, hand couched layered beading and peyote-beaded bezel.

1. How long have you been quilting and what first drew you to it?

AlthoughI have been sewing sincechildhood, I only started quilting in January 1999 after being utterly captivated by the Braidwood QuiltEvent in late 1998. I remember standing in front of my sisterKate’s quilt which features luscious jewel-toned fabrics, and muttering tomyself: “Oh this is quilting? I could do this. Ireally want to do this!”

2. How would you describe your style now?

I considermyself to be a contemporary quilter, I love to create my own designs andtechniques, and then teach these to others. I started outmaking more traditional quilts, though always with vibrant colours. I stilllove doing machine piecing – there’s something so enjoyable about stitchingpieces of fabric together!

I remember when I made my first trulyoriginal quilt – a design that combines a Celtic knot with raw-edge appliquéleaves and a non-standard quilt shape, called “Meditation Upon HiddenMysteries of Ancient Times”. Iwoke up one morning in 2003 with the design for this quilt in my mind – I sketched it and wrote some notes so I’d remember my “vision” for thequilt. It wasn’t completed until 2004, but I loved the whole process – fromconcept to completion it was all up to me to work it out, rather than rely on aparticular technique or layout. It was a very freeing experience, and I wassuddenly hooked on creating my own truly original quilts.

“Meditation Upon Hidden Mysteries of Ancient Times” 2004

This quilt features a Celtic knot with raw-edge appliqué leaves and anon-standard quilt shape. This quilt marked Fiona’s move into creating quiltsof her own design instead of relying on standard block patterns or layouts.

3. How has your style evolved?

My style has evolved partly in response to newtechniques I’ve learnt along the way, and partly through my desire to createquilts that are somewhat different to others I’ve seen in exhibitions ormagazines. I am very self-motivated, and often describe myself as an “ABM girl”(“all by myself”) – I seem to get the most pleasure from playing with techniquesand ideas so I can do things in my own way. It’s great to learn new techniquesthrough workshops etc. but ultimately I want to use these techniques in my ownway rather than make my version of another person’s design.

In recent years I have become besotted with beadembellishment (bead embroidery). Many of my smaller textile pieces have someelement of beadwork – generally a main feature of the design, such as my smallwall hanging called “Cosmic Catherine Wheel”(2005).

My small wall quilt “Botanical Oddity”(2008) combines several techniques that I am enjoyinglately: needle felting, bead embellishment and textural hand stitching (handquilting). The beadwork takes a long time in these works (approx. 60 hours inthis piece) but - more than any other technique - I find beadwork verymeditative. I love to “get into the zone” and just bead for hours!

“Botanical Oddity” 2008

This small wall quilt features extensive bead embellishment radiatingout from the centre of the flower. The centre and petal edges were createdusing a needle-felting machine. The background features textural hand-stitchingusing variegated silk yarns. Detail photo below.

Jewellery using beading/bead embellishment techniquesis another part of my work, and some of my pieces have won awards, which ismost gratifying. My beaded neckpiece “Turquoise Treasure”has won several awards, including Grand Champion Craft Exhibit at the RoyalCanberra Show in 2009 (judged against the first place winners from each of thedifferent categories in the Craft Expo of the Show).

“Turquoise Treasure” 2008

This beaded neckpiece features a turquoisecabochon plus other turquoise beads and glass leaf beads stitched onto kimonosilk fabric. It was awarded the Grand Champion Craft Exhibit at the 2009 RoyalCanberra Show

Another of my beaded neckpieces, “Nature’sTreasures”, was awarded joint first place in the Goulburn ArtAward in 2009 (the prize for this is an exhibition – with the other twowinners at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery in December 2010. I am currentlyworking on my pieces for this exhibition, with my focus being beadembellishment onto various textiles to create small sculptural artworks).

“Nature’s Treasures” 2008

This beaded neckpiece has won several awards, includingjoint first place in the 3D category of the 2009 Goulburn Art Award. Detail below.

4. Apart from creating art what else to you do within the industry?

Besides enjoying creating quilts, I teach workshops inquilting (my own designs and techniques – generally with a contemporary style)and many forms of beadwork – both off-loom techniques and bead embellishment. Ilove to combine beads with textiles in whatever way I can, and am always keento play with new ideas and combinations. I consider myself a “teacher for hire”and am willing to travel to wherever I am invited to teach. So far my workshopshave been held in various places around Australia, but I hope to teach overseasin the future too.

I have also created various projects for Australianbeading, quilting and textile art magazines. (editors note – Fiona has a tutorial on needle felting in the current issue of Down Under Textiles, a brilliant new Australian contemporary textile art magazine.)

5. What's the best advice you could give someone who wants to try quilting or textile art for the first time?

Be guidedby your enthusiasm and interests – in other words, if you feel drawn to tryinga particular technique just read up on it (books or magazines) - or betterstill, attend a workshop – and then try it out. It doesn’t matter if your first(or 21st) piece isn’t a masterpiece. Just remember that it should bea pleasurable experience, so if you find you don’t enjoy it after giving it afair trial, then perhaps move on to another technique instead.

Tutors who are enthusiastic about the techniques theyteach, and competent in their teaching delivery, can really give you a good start in any new creativeactivity. Many of my students – particularly in my beadwork classes – find thatone workshop is usually enough to teach them the necessary jargon and basictechniques. It is then possible to teach yourself more – either from your owncreative play with the techniques or from magazines and books.

If you wait for the free time, inspiration, knowledge,etc. to magically arrive at your feet, you won’t get very far. You have to makea conscious decision to try something, and make the time for it. When I firstgot the quilting bug, I actually marked out particular days on the calendar asquilting days. It worked!

“Reflections on Connections” 2006
This quilt was begun in a workshop with Jenny Bowker where participantsdesigned their own art quilt using Jenny’s technique of isolating one elementin a picture from nature.

6. Do you exhibit and sell your work?

I belong toseveral groups, guilds and associations, and each of these has an annual orbiennial exhibition. I try to make a suitable piece for each of these. This is wonderful exposure – and great fun (I have always lovedthe “show-and-tell” aspect of belonging to such groups…).

The major shows, such as guild-based quiltexhibitions, can even offer awards and prizes. I was incredibly happy to winthe Down Under Quilts Best Use of Colour Award for my small quilt “BotanicalOddity” at the Canberra Quilters annual exhibition in 2008.

I have also exhibited a selection of my quilts andbeaded items at Braidwood (a historic rural town in NSW, Australia) in a jointexhibition with my friend Wilma Cawley, a textile artist from Canberra. Thissame venue is now the Material Arts Studio Gallery– a gallery specialisingin textiles and jewellery and run by my sister Kate.), and I sell some of my quilts, beaded pieces andjewellery there.

Travelling exhibitions also interest me. I belong toATASDA (Australian Textile Art and Surface Design Association) whose memberssometimes create special pieces based on a theme, and these travel aroundAustralia to textile groups, schools, and other interested people. I have apiece called “Maharajah’s Fantasy Bloom” in thecurrent travelling suitcase exhibition titled “Maharajah’s Garden”. For thispiece I created a large piece of needle-felted fabric on water-solublestabiliser, to which I added a purple velvet swirly design, with beading allaround it.

“Maharajah’s Fantasy Bloom” 2010

This small wall hanging was made for the ATASDAtravelling suitcase exhibition called Maharajah’s Garden. It is currentlytravelling around Australia. Needle-felted background with velvetappliquéd design and bead embellishment to accentuate the shape. Detail below.

7. Do you belong to any quilt associations? If so how did you choose which ones?

I belong to several associations. Two are quiltguilds: Canberra Quilters Inc. and The Quilters Guild of NSW. Two are textileart associations: ATASDA and ACTTAA (ACT Textile Art Association). I alsobelong to the Bead Society of Victoria (the only beading guild in Australia),and the Surface Design Association (USA). I am a member of the latter primarilyto receive their excellent journal. I am a fairly active member of the otherassociations mentioned – it is such a buzz to interact with like-mindedcreative people!

I am also a member of several online chat groups,including the Australian and New Zealand Art Quilters Group, and Southern CrossQuilters. These two groups are an incredible resource – there’s always someonewho can answer those questions you think up in the middle of the night, andthey have some interesting creative challenges and exhibitions too.

"Velvet Slivers”2005
An example of Fiona Hammond's Curvaceous Squares Quilt Technique. This has been one of her most populartwo-day workshops.

8. What is the best advice you could give someone who wants to seriously pursue being a textile artist?

If one seriously wants to get into textile art, I feelthe most important thing is to focus on it do it as much as you can. There’s agreat little maxim that I love: “What you focus on becomes stronger.” I believe this to be true, and the moreyou think about, muse upon and follow your creative practice, the better youget at it. In my experience this is also the way to find your own creativevoice.

If you have no idea how to start, why not simply readappropriate magazines and books, and if there’s a local textile art group inyour area, join up. Groups tend to run workshops for members, so you will learna lot this way. And just spending time with people of like mind can spur you ongreatly.

When I first read the American magazine Quilting Arts(many years ago now) I got so excited that I couldn’t keep my feet still! Myhusband saw me practically drooling over an issue of this magazine at thekitchen table, and asked what was the matter… I declared excitedly – withouteven thinking about it – “I want to be a textile artist!”. I have worked towards that end eversince. That old expression about being careful what you wish for can be true ina positive way too.

Once you have found your interests within the broadspectrum of textile art, keep at it as often as you can. Try new techniques andideas often. Exhibit if you feel comfortable with this concept. And mostimportantly, do what you love. I think the greatestexamples of textile art I’ve seen have the intensity of the artist’s creativesoul infused in the work. It just shines out and you can’t miss it. Being trueto your own creative muse is a must.

“Material Midden” 2005

One of Fiona's favourite quilts created with her signature colours. It began in a workshop in New Zealand withtutor Cheryl Comfort.

9. What are you most inspired by?

Pattern, colour and texture. I find these things in myeveryday surroundings – even the patterns made by drops of water on my showerscreen have been calling out to me lately…

Colour has had me in its grasp my whole life. Iparticularly favourvibrant colours, and I am often profoundly influenced by the colours Iexperience in nature. I have just returned from a holiday in Central Australia,where the juxtaposition of intense red ochres (soil and rocks) and softtertiary greens (vegetation fuelled by recent rare rains in the area) has mewhirring with excitement and hanging out to create something quilty and beadyin these colours.

“Beaded Journal Cover” 2008

This is one of the samples Fiona shows in her various bead embellishment workshops.

10. What sewing machine / threads etc do you use?

Most of my sewing machines have been Berninas. Ilearnt to sew on my mother’s old Bernina 44 years ago (and she’s still usingthe same machine today!). I havethe Bernina 153 QE. I use various threads for my quilts and textile art pieces,depending primarily on what’s in my stash. I often buy threads at craft shows –generally I am lured into a purchase simply because the thread colour or finishis so delectable to me! It doesn’t bother me to mix different brands, weightsand finishes in one artwork – so long as I like the look of it I’ll use it.

11. Do you have any formal art training? Do you think it's necessary?

Art was my favourite and best subject all through highschool, and at teachers’ college in the 1970s I took Fine Arts as an electivesubject. However, I suspect this underpinning knowledge is notvital for an artist. Sure, it can be helpful to have learnt colour theory,design theory, and how to wield a pencil, brush, or pair of scissors for thatmatter.

But I think there are plenty of very talentedtextile artists out there who are pretty-much self-taught – and all power tothem! Side-stepping the usual training/theory etc. can often lead an artist totheir own unique techniques and artistic practice. Art should always besubjective, in my opinion. If an artist worries more about how others willregard their artworks than how they feel about the pieces themselves, I suspectthey are missing the point.

“Hanging Gardens Pendant” 2009

This necklace features a lovely lepidolitecabochon, with bead embellishment onto silk

12. What's the most rewarding thing about your career?

Gosh, where do I start… The absolute bestthing is that i love my work. I even enjoy writing up and formatting my printednotes for my students (in fact it is a point of honour with me that I provide the bestprinted notes that I can at the time).

However, it could also be the little grin I do when Isay to my husband – as I walk towards my studio – “I’m just going to work now.”And I walk in and sit at my sewing table or beading table and get creative.Surely life doesn’t get much better than this?!

Being able to inspire students to create their ownquilts, beading or whatever, and pass on my knowledge in these areas, issomething I have loved all my life. I knew from the age of 3 that I wanted tobe a teacher. After teaching in primary schools, language schools (in Japan),and my own aromatherapy college, I have found the form of teaching that utterlyfulfils my desire to teach. It is such a wonderful thing to show the creativetechniques I love most to people who really want to learn them.

"Raspberry Lime Splice” 2008

Another example of Fiona Hammond's Curvaceous Squares Quilt Technique, one of her most popular two-day workshops

13. How did you learn the techniques you use?

I was a self-taught quilter for several years. I then discovered how much I could learn from workshops and have done many of these over the years. I have attended beading classes too, but with this I find I sometimes prefer to make up my own way of doing things.

I have a terrible magazine and book habit. Mybookshelves are full-to-bursting, and still I can’t help but buy more. I wish Icould say I have read them all cover to cover…but at least they are there forme when I suddenly need a bit of information in the wee small hours… Living ina rural area, fairly far away from suitable shops, I have found that it isbetter to have something on the shelf for ages - so that it is there when Ineed it, rather than get frantic in the middle of a project because that littlebit of information is not in my head or on my bookshelf…

Now that I have been quilting and beading forsome years, I have enough experience to experiment quite successfully withvarious techniques. This is such fun – even if it turns out that others havediscovered the same techniques or results from their own creative play.Fortunately, “synchronous invention” doesn’t mean that the resulting artworkswill look the same.

Fiona's Studio

Above: Fiona's sewing table with sewing machine andneedle-felting machine set up. In the background you can see her beading tableand another table with a lighting tent used for photographing varioussteps of projects, and for workshop notes.
Below:The beading work area. Fiona's studio doubles as her home laundry and she often has to excavate her desk areas before she can begin work.

14. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the quilting process?

I love the initial inspiration and design phases ofthe quilting process. I’m not especially talented at drawing, though I willoften make simple sketches of my ideas in my visual diary.

When I am making something using my own made-uptechniques or designs, the challenge of getting it to all work out is reallypleasurable. I sometimes spend many days, weeks, or even months reviewing the design concepts in my mind before actually starting the artwork. Ithoroughly enjoy this!

There’s not really any aspect of my quilting processthat I don’t enjoy. The only thing that irritates me is lack of time to finisha piece by a certain deadline. This can sometimes turn a pleasurable experienceinto one laced with frustration. But overall I find joy in the whole procedure.

Finishing that last stitch and trimming the thread,then standing back to see the completed item can be enormously satisfying –another item done! Yay!

“Bollywood Dreaming” 2006

Fiona created this necklace for 'Beads etc' magazine's art challenge in 2006 and won first prize. The theme was "Stars of Bollywood."

Fiona's upcoming Australian workshops:

• May 29 & 30, 2010

Bead Embellishment Explorations II: “Encrustations” - 3D and textural effects.

Two-day retreat at my property in rural NSW

• July 15 & 16, 2010

Bead Embellishment Explorations II: "Encrustations" -3D and textural effects.

To be held in Ryde, Sydney.

• August 28, 2010

Capturing Cabochons - beading workshop

Studio Amara in Berrima Southern Highlands of NSW

• September 11 & 12, 2010

Curvaceous Squares Quilt workshop

Dalby Quilters group, QLD

• September 18 & 19, 2010

“Celtic Inspirations Quilt”

Two-day workshop at AQA Symposium in Melbourne

• October 9, 2010

“Bead-dazzling Bits and Pieces”

Beading workshop for ATASDA in Sydney

• October 16, 2010

Guest speaker at meeting of the Southern Highlands Textile Group, NSW

• October 23 & 24, 2010

Bead Embellishment Explorations III: Beading the Void.

Two-day retreat at my property in rural NSW

• October 30 & 31 - two one-day workshops at The Quilters' Stash in Murrumburrah in NSW (next to Harden, near Young) - probably one bead embellishment workshop and one quilted bag workshop

• December 8 - 18, 2010 - exhibition at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery

For more information on these workshops please see her event page here.

Fiona's website has jewellry kits, a comprehensive list of her workshops and a gallery of her work.

To contact Fiona directly please email her here.

I hope you enjoyed this interview and love to read your comments, please leave them by clicking on the 'comments' link below. –Neroli Henderson

New 'Eiloren' Baby Play Quilt "Space Race" Pattern Design, easy fused applique

2010-05-13T23:46:00.004+10:00

I've just finished designing this new baby play quilt design, which means I'm up to the fun part – making it up! :)

I will be using various printed fabrics and hand dyes and trying out some new ideas ...like stuffing the sheep with crinkly foil and utilising textural fabrics to aid in tactile stimulation for babies and toddlers.

Like my hot air balloon pattern 'Hide and Seek' there will be quirky characters, animals and machinery etc cut from printed fabric and peeping out from behind bits and pieces – i'm pretty sure the treasure chest and pig fabrics I got at the AQC will make it in there somehow! The quilt will be personalised with the recipients name in the flag (like Hide and Seek is in the aeroplane sky writing) and have various pictures and words 'hidden' in the background quilting. I have some great lollipop fabric that I'm thinking will make great "flowers" for the foreground.

What do you think? Anything else you'd like to see on it?

The best thing about raw edge fusible applique is that putting it together is fast and easy.... so I'm hoping to have a quilt top to show you within a week or two. - Neroli

Ps. If you'd like to pre-order this 1m x 1m pattern, or simply be notified when it's out please let me know by sending me an email (click here)

Facebook Art / Textile Pattern / Photoshop Giveaway!

2010-05-08T22:43:00.001+10:00

Hey all,

am running a giveaway to get more peeps "liking" my Eiloren FB page – when I hit 300 fans I'm giving away one of two artworks (posted anywhere in the world) plus a free textile pattern from my range OR up to an hours free photoshop plus a pattern from my range :)

Photoshop can be used to slim down / young up / see how you look as a brunette or to turn a photo of your car / dog / family into a simulated painting or andy warhol style pic. :)

Only need another 46 fans and the winner will be drawn from a random number generator.... so get thee over to my FB page and click the "like" button!!

Here's the link :) http://www.facebook.com/nerolihenderson

(and for those of you who don't use FB i'll be running a similar deal for blog followers sometime in the nearish future).

Artworks up for grabs can be viewed here.
Would love to have you!!!

Neroli

Interview Series - Lisa Walton, Textile Artist & Tutor

2010-05-01T10:19:00.000+10:00

After a couple of weeks where I've had to put 'time to breathe' in my diary I'm very pleased to add Lisa Walton, award winning textile artist and international teaching virtuoso to my list of very talented interviewees.

Lisa was recently awarded the Jewel Pearce Patterson International Quilt Teacher Scholarship, Houston, USA for 2010.

Lisa creates predominantly pieced and beaded work, however I believe her forte is in conceiving quilt designs that are simple in execution but breathtakingly beautiful when completed. She often turns these concepts into patterns or teaches them as workshops, enabling even novices to get a brilliant result.

Lisa is also well known for her vibrant hand dyed fabrics which she sells under the name 'Dyed and Gone to Heaven'. She currently has a stand at the AQC in Melbourne and after my effort yesterday now has a little more of my money in her pocket. Her fabrics are pretty hard to resist.

Bookings are currently being finalised for Lisa's once in a lifetime workshop 'Textile Treasures -Italy Inspired', it's so special because not because of the week long surface design exploration but because you get to do it in one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, Orvieto. I soooo wish I could go. :( For more information click here

'Aurora' 82x82cm (32x32")

This is Lisa's favorite quilt, and her most popular pattern and workshop.

Hand dyed fabrics, beading, bobbin work and quilting.
Pattern available here

'Bushfire Sunset' 203x203cm (80"x80") $10,000

Third Prize American Quilt Show – Paducah USA 2009

Pieced cottons and hand dyed silk organza depicting the Australian Bushfire.

Designed and pieced by Lisa Walton, quilted by Nic Bridges

1. How long have you been quilting and what first drew you to it?

A neighbour started me off making a small quilt from charm squares. It wasn't very good and ended up as the dog blanket.

2. How would you describe your style now?
My style is probably classified as Art Quilting – it allows me to not follow any rules and create using the materials and techniques that will best suit.

3. How has your style evolved?
I was never a traditional quilter but really liked bright colours and geometric shapes so apart from some early (and not very good) traditional style quilts, I have stuck to the geometric designs. I also now love adding beaded embellishment to quilts. I love the texture it creates and the colours of beads are endless. My bead stash is obscene.

Lisa's bead stash, a 6x4' bookcase, packed two deep and totally full and below some of her threads.

4. Apart from creating art what else to you do within the industry?
I wear many hats. My business Dyed & Gone to Heaven started as an outlet for my hand dyed fabrics. It has become a full time part of life for both myself and my husband Peter. Peter now dyes most of the fabrics and lets me play with the painted ones. It also frees me up to design and sew and just generally have a great time. He also looks after all the paperwork and logistics of doing the shows. Last year we did 9 shows and it's a great opportunity to meet my customers face to face. Many are now regulars and it's wonderful to see them return - sometimes with work they have done with our fabrics.

Both of the above quilts have been made with Lisa's shops newest item – precut shapes. These are accucut for absolute accuracy, complete with the raggy edge for the blue quilt. The circles and leaves come ready backed with fusible web. Kits are available for both of these at Lisa's online store.

5. What's the best advice you could give someone who wants to try quilting or textile art for the first time?

Take it slowly. Don't try and be all things to all people. When I started submitting my work to magazines I was told that my work was too contemporary. I had to decide if I wanted to make quilts that were my style or what I perceived as 'commercial'. I decided that I wasn't really out to make a fortune (just as well) so went with my heart. I am so glad I did as it gives me such joy to design and make quilts that are part of me.

More 'Aurora' Quilts 82x82cm (32x32")

Inverted cotton whole cloth quilt with beading detail, bobbin work and quilting.
Pattern available here

6. Do you exhibit your work?

Yes I have had two solo exhibitions which were great fun but a lot of work. It is very scary putting your work out there alone. My second one was in an art gallery with an official opening. That was fairly stress inducing but it went well and work sold which was an even better thrill.

8. Do you belong to any quilt associations? If so why did you join these ones?
I belong to Southern Cross Quilters (Aus/NZ online group) and they are responsible for me growing and developing to where I am now. I sold my first hand dyes and taught my first classes to members and they have been instrumental in my quilting development. I also belong to NSW and QLD Quilt Guilds and a local group here in Sydney. Online I belong to Quiltart and I am a Professional Member of SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Association). All these groups have a purpose whether it is networking or show opportunities or just moral support.

'Beneath the Surface'

This piece appeared in Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine.
Hand dyed cotton, raw silk, beading, Angelina fibre leaves.
Pattern and kit available here.

9. What inspires you?
I am usually inspired by the colours of my fabrics and shapes. I can't really draw but take heaps of photos everywhere I go to use for inspiration. I am currently doing the City and Guilds Patchwork and Quilting Course run through Linda Kemshall in the UK. I started this a year ago as I was feeling a bit uninspired and blocked. I am really enjoying being pushed a bit out of my comfort zone and have created some interesting work. It has also improved my way of working and given many ideas for future work. Now I just need the time.

10. What sewing machine / threads etc do you use?
I have two machines: a Janome 6500 which has been a great and never missed a beat, and the new Bernina 820 which is amazing. I have just heavily quilted a double bed size quilt with ease which is something I would not have tackled before. I love the large harp space, bigger bobbin, bright lighting and the pedal free stitiching. I am also a bit of a thread junkie and have far too many threads in all brands although I am starting to get fussier.

'Crystallisation'

Improvisationally pieced hand dyed cottons

11. What's the most rewarding thing about your career?
The fact that I am now able to spend my days doing something I love. No tedious boss or office politics, no dragging myself into work everyday. Most day my husband and I are doing just what we feel like doing. We travel all the time and get to meet fantastic like minded people everywhere. I count my blessings every day.

A close up of Lisa's signature style – hand dyed fabrics and lots of beading.

12. How did you learn the techniques you use?

I'm pretty much self taught except for the dyeing workshops I did with Carol Sonderland in the US whose classes taught me precision and methodology in my dyeing. Learning these skills were really the taking off point for Dyed & Gone to Heaven which in turned allowed me the freedon to follow my passion.

Some of the gorgeous hand dyed fabrics Lisa and her husband Peter produce.

13. What are your favorite / least favorite parts of the quilting process?
None - love it all - each part of the process has its own joy. But I do still struggle with names and labels and put them off as long as possible. Really lucky to now have a purpose built studio where I can happily spend hours every day.

Part of Lisa's studio where she works and holds classes.

Lisa's website has artwork, workshops, patterns and hand dyed fabrics (including precut, fusible web backed shapes) for sale, her blog keeps you up-to-date with her latest inspirations and activities, and you can email her direct.

I love to get your comments, please leave them by clicking on the 'comments' link below. –Neroli

Why I should never be allowed to go to the AQC...

2010-04-30T17:43:00.001+10:00

Well here was my thinking:

I'm not doing classes this year, I'll be good and save money, I've done many of the ones I'm interested in before anyway and I could probably do the other textile art techniques now... And then I can spend a little more at the stalls and still save a heap.

Um no.

I only got a couple of things.... well, sorta, kinda... here's them laid out on my table so I could fondle them all (and take a pic to remind me what I got now it's all squished into my stash)!

Lots and lots of fun new toys including the new Aussie texile magazine 'Textiles Down Under' I'm only up to page 20 but I'm already wrapped!! It's been even better then Quilting Arts (my usual fave) so far. Also got some i-spy FQ's I'll use on a recent baby quilt commission (it's going to look like the 'Hide and Seek' one on this page but with different characters - click the pattern for a bigger pic), and new sewing tools and Mylar from Punch With Judy. I'm curious on how Mylar makes normal threads look like metallic ones (i've read this but not tried it), and how it doesn't all perforate with lots of stitching - it just looks like Textiva film or cellophane in a bigger sheet.

The spending wasn't all my fault though... I mean fair is fair and bringing 13 new colours of Angelina Fibre out to coincide with the AQC is really not fair. After all it's one of my favorite things!!! Then I noticed Cecile from Unique stitching also had very large pieces of Lutrador rolled up for about $3.50 (don't quote me on that, my minds swimming with all the prices cause it's the morning after the night before for a textile-o-phile), so of course I had to get some of them. I know I have Lutrador, but the pieces I have are small and were expensive enough to not want to experiment on them... these are exactly the same but larger and cheap... so I'll feel better about subjecting it to myriad possibly bin-worthy experiments :)

Also got some 50/50 bamboo / rayon felt (that's the coloured stack at the back of the picture below), not the cheapest at $24 a metre but soooooo unbelievably soft. Figured it will be really lovely to use on the embellisher and it's soft enough and high enough quality to use on the front of my art quilts, even ones that are intended to snuggled up next to skin.

My new Angelina, including the 13 new colours, that's the Lutrador rolled up to the left.

I also got some gorgeous woven silk blends (70% silk and 30% poly) from a place i'd never heard of - and they had half metres for $10 and FQ's for $7... that's the same price (or cheaper) as cotton from lots of patchwork shops.... so of course I had to get a few of them, and then some 100% silk organza's as well. It's a little thicker then i've seen before and the intensity of colour is gorgeous.

These are the FQ's of 70/30 Silk Poly from Yazzii international in Box Hill. I'm sure I'll be going out there to visit one day. I've never noticed so many silks at the AQC before - this year there were a few and a couple like the above had such great prices. I also got some great overdyed silk hankies (not the kind you blow your nose on) and graduated dyed silk from Beautiful Silks who's located in Fitzroy... and they do textile art workshops. Yet another thing to follow up. Just what I needed... more places to buy fabric :)

Silk organza's from Yazzii International

One of Lisa Walton's stunning hand painted (with dye) cotton and some more silk from Yazzi that matches so well I'm tempted to use them together. The cotton goes from this colour to fuschia at the bottom and is 1m wide... so i'm thinking a huge sunset art quilt whenever I see it.

Last but not least this stunning hand dyed silk velvet from unique stitching, It's a FQ and I'm thinking a starry night landscape quilt.

Sooooooooo after all that, I need to go back tomorrow and look at the quilts on display and steer well clear of the stores!! But needless to say I had a very good day! :)

Que Sera - Art Quilt in Cotton and Organza Painted with Shiva Sticks

2010-04-26T16:14:00.010+10:00

This is my latest quilt 'Que Sera', it's a whole cloth quilt that's been painted using Shiva Sticks and then had some iridescent organza squares fused on. The quilting over the figure has been done with King Tut egyptian cotton and all the background with Madeira variegated metallics.

Que Sera - 1m x 1m approx. (3' 28" sq) $675

Cotton, organza, fusible web, organza, Shiva paintsticks, cotton batting.

I finished it a couple of months ago but hadn't been able to show anyone. I created it to enter into the Manly 'The New Quilt' exhibition. One of the rules is that work must never have been published in any medium. That was my first entry in a juried competition and sadly, it didn't make the cut. The bright side is that I get to show it off now and get some opinions on it.

I've never been entirely sold on the background, it was too dark when I first drew it so I've softened it off with lots of citrus turps (which i've used to blend the paint throughout). I'm thinking of using a roller with white or pale silver fabric paint and rolling that over the entire background surface, so it hits the highs and leaves the lows showing.

What do you think? Does the background need changing? How would you do it? (please click on 'comment' below to leave your opinion, don't worry about my feelings!! I'm a graphic designer so i'm used to getting artwork changes).

Here's how it was created:

I wet some PFD white cotton fabric down and pressed to the piece of Colorbond steel I use to do all my fabric painting. Having the fabric damp makes it stay in place on the colour bond. I then put some magnets on the edges to keep it there in case it wants to come off later on. This is my fabric painting set up:

For fabric painting I use this piece of Colorbond Steel, i've stopped it wobbling by gluing two aluminum L shaped metal poles to the back in an upturned V shape. A rolled up piece of calico underneath stops the metal cutting through the drop sheet plastic and catches all the drips. I keep my fabric paints in the Ikea CD shelving next to it.

I sketched the original figure in my sketchbook and then redrew it onto the fabric using a yellow water colour pencil - light enough to see and not get in the way too much, and a colour that if any remained it would help with the glow. I then drew over this with the Shiva's using them like oil pastels.

The yellow water colour pencil and the initial outlining of Shiva paintstick.

I then went and added more shading and layered in the different colours, softening and blending as I went with Citrus Turps.

When the figure was completed I added in the background. This is the first whole cloth quilt top i've done and I think for my next one I will try keeping the background plain and just see what effect quilting has by itself. I'm still getting used to how much you can change an image by adding sewing. After I put in the background I used about a half bottle of Citrus Turps to soften it up with a stiff paintbrush. My apartment smelled like alcoholic oranges for a good week!!!

I let the Shiva sticks cure for a few days and then heat set them with a hot iron and rinsed out the fabric to get rid of any remaining turps. I wanted to try adding some iridescence to the background so cut a few small squares of shot organza out and started pinning them down.

I liked how this looked so I fused lightweight fusible web to the back of some bigger pieces and left the baking paper on them that i'd used to protect the iron. I then set up the soldering iron and cut a freehand grid through each of these sheets of fabric and web. This meant I could just peel each square off from the backing fabric like a sticker and then position it over the quilt top and give it a quick tap with the iron to hold it down. I did this while the quilt top was still on the design wall, the flannelette protected the wall itself from the heat. At this point I found out that when you iron vertically irons get heavy!!

The solder cut squares of fusible web backed organza. This is what was left over so I have tons left for another project! Cutting with the soldering iron meant they heat sealed around the edges - so no fraying.

Next I pillowcased the quilt using the escape hatch as I didn't want any binding (for how a how to please see the tutorial pages on this blog here) and added the quilting.

This is the basic idea behind any of my hand painted fabrics for sale – that anyone can just add batting, backing fabric, quilting and any embellishment they like and have a quick easy unique quilt that's fun to produce.

Share

Titanium Top Stitch Needles – Product Review

2010-04-24T17:21:00.003+10:00

Just tried the new Titanium Topstitch needles... and my consensus? Awesome!!!

I love Topstitch needles, they've been around for years and have made my sewing so much more easy and fun. I just recently discovered that if you blog and are the type of person who raves about a product to all and sundry when you love it, that people occasionally send you free stuff to test out :) How cool is that??!

I use Topstitch needles for about 90% of my decorative work. They were recommended to me a few years ago when I'd just started sewing and was having a horrible time with threads breaking and shredding.

One of my works using metallic and specialty threads with a Topstitch needle.

It probably didn't help that I love specialty threads like metallics and holographic foils. I use rayons a lot too because of their sheen, and they're not the strongest of threads. Using the Topstitch needles really helped and I seldom get a breakage anymore.

A couple of weeks ago I was making fabric postcards for the very first time. I used Fast2Fuse for my middle as it made a nice firm base and being fusible both sides I could just iron my fabrics straight on. I fused shapes with Heat & Bond Ultra over the backing fabric as I didn't want to have to sew around everything. This version of fusible web isn't recommended for stitching, but it is strong enough to use for applique that you can throw in the washing machine even without it.

My needle gummed up (lots), my bobbin thread (Bottom Line which I love!) broke every couple of inches, my top thread shredded and snapped. All I was trying to do was a plain straight stitch!! On top of this there was a nasty scratchy sound every time the needle went through the card. Admittedly what I was sewing through was asking a bit much of even the best sewing machine.

I mentioned my troubles on a web based sewing group and next thing I new had a little package on my doorstep of Titanium coated Topstitch needles to try thanks to Judy Hall from Punch with Judy.

I just tried them out on the same swear-inducing postcards of the other week and everything sewed perfectly!!!

It wasn't even a fair test as I used freemotion sewing (so even more pull on the thread, especially with how I change direction a lot).

I picked the most troublesome card first (below) - it has layers of curtain block out lining, Fast2Fuse (super thick stabiliser used for bowl construction etc), cotton fabrics fused with the very thick Heat & Bond Ultra, metal leaf flakes and then the whole thing is laminated behind another layer of Heat & Bond Ultra.

The new Titanium Topstitch needles sewed the circle part of this with gold thread without a single break!! So impressed as this card is thick and coated with dense fusible web. The straight stitching had kept breaking and breaking with traditional Topstitch needles.

I used King Tut in the bobbin and Madeira metallic in the top and it sewed perfectly! My needle did still gum up a little - but about a quarter of what it did using the normal needles. I was stoked so thought I'd up the ante.

I put in the Bottom Line bobbin i'd had so much trouble with the other day and tried again. Remember I said it was breaking with a straight stitch every couple of inches? Well with the Titanium Topstitch needle is was perfect. I was still using gold in the top and sewed a small heart going over my lines of stitching 5 times in a row to really test it out.

The tech specs:

All Topstich needles have:

• A much larger eye. This cuts down on friction on the thread as it's got more room to move, and that means less breaking or shredding.

• A longer / deeper groove that runs down the length of the needle to guide the thread, again less wear and tear on the thread.

• A sharp point.

Titanium Topstitch needles:

• Last longer - 5 to 8 times longer according to what i've read on the web. That's 40 to 60 hours compared to 8 for a normal needle.

• I haven't read anything to back this up, but my own experience shows they gum up less when using fusible web.

• Are better for very thick or multi layered stitching like my pieces above.

• Cost about $4 more a pack, but given the extra hours they last you should still save 80% on the cost of needles. (I stole that stat from the Titanium topstich needle page on Judy's website).

So after my experiment it seems I picked a good time to run out of the normal Topstitch needles and will stock up at Judy's stand at the AQC in Melbourne next week. Hmmmm maybe that was the plan all along....

Interview series: Mixed Media Artist, Jane Davila

2010-04-11T12:27:00.003+10:00

This weeks interview is with US based mixed media artist, writer, tutor and general all round star – Jane Davila!

Jane writes a regular business and marketing column for Quilting Arts Magazine (my favorite textile mag), has produced 3 really informative books (her 3rd 'Jane Davila's Surface Design Essentials' is just out) and teaches workshops internationally. On top of all of this she somehow manages to fit in making and selling her own art, designing websites, taking her patchwork store on tour to expos around the states and has guest starred on Quilting Arts TV. Not to mention taking the time to fill in interviews for little known Australian blogs :)

'Woodcut Fish' fibre art postcard 4"x6"

Click to enlarge pic
Cotton fabrics, block print, acrylic ink and pearlescent ink, metallic acrylic paint

1. How long have you been quilting and what first drew you to it?

I started out as a printmaker and came to quilting when my mom and I opened a quilt shop, The Country Quilter, in 1990 where I got a really good grounding in all of the basic quiltmaking techniques. I love the tactile quality of quilts, it's the same thing that drew me to printmaking – the texture and colors and hands-on processes.

'Strings' 6"x6"
Small fiber piece mounted on stretched canvas, cotton & silk fabrics, stamp, acrylic ink, linen floss

2. How would you describe your style now?

I'm definitely an art quilter although I still make pieced quilts occasionally for fun.

3. How has your style evolved?

I began with traditional quilts and quickly progressed to more contemporary quilts. Then in 2002 I began making art quilts when I realized that I could bring my art training and quilt training together. My studio space has been set up with my style of work in mind, so that all my favorite materials are close to hand.

Jane's gorgeous studio features lots of natural light, bookcases packed with stunning natural fabrics, paper displayed over rods and a dozen other things I could really get used to having around! Jane made most of her studio furniture herself including the floating workspace in the centre of the room. See her blog for a how she did it here.

4. Apart from creating art what else to you do within the industry?

I write books about art quilting for C&T Publishing (book #3, Surface Design Essentials, just came out!), I teach internationally, I write a column for Quilting Arts magazine called Minding Your Business about the business side of being an artist, I teach online courses as well as workshops in my studio, I have a blog, I tweet and I've got several products in development for the art quilting market. I have a sorely-neglected etsy store and I design websites for artists and others. What I don't have enough of is hours in the day for all the ideas in my head!

Last year in March my Mom and I closed our retail store after nearly 19 years. She has retired with my dad (and is finally getting the hang of it!) and I have taken our shop online and out on the road, vending at quilts shows around the country. Flourish, the name of my art quilting supply company, can be found at www.countryquilter.com

'El Diablito' 5.5" square
Cotton fabrics, hand-dyed wool, Loteria playing card, distress inks, hand and machine stitched

5. What's the best advice you could give someone who wants to try quilting or textile art for the first time?
Start with a manageable-sized project. Don't start with a king-sized quilt! I think that if you have a positive first experience and you finish what you start in a reasonable amount of time, you'll be more likely to continue than if you bite off too much and get discouraged.

6. Do you exhibit your work?

I do. I no longer apply to quilt shows and have much more luck with all media or mixed-media shows. As my work diversifies and moves farther away from traditional quilts, I find that gallery venues are better choices for me. I also work small and my work gets lost at regular quilt shows hanging next to bed quilts whereas galleries and art centers are better equipped to deal with making small work look great.

'La Sirena' 5.5" square
Cotton fabrics, hand-dyed wool, Loteria playing card, stamped text, hand and machine stitched

7. How do you go about finding and selecting exhibitions?
I subscribe to a couple of art magazines that list calls for entry and I haunt the internet – it's a tremendous resource for finding shows.

8. Do you belong to any quilt associations? If so why did you join these ones?
I belong to Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) and Surface Design Association (SDA) as well as the Nature Printing Society. I had let my membership to some local fine art guilds lapse due to lack of time and funds but plan to re-join this year. I try to find groups of like-minded people, although I don't tend to be a big joiner. I do also belong to some interesting online groups for assemblage and collage artists.

9. What would you recommend people do who want to seriously get into textile art?

Study a wide variety of techniques to start to narrow down where your specific interest lies. Take classes from a number of teachers in different venues if you can. Remember that once you've learned and mastered various aspects of your craft it is necessary to produce a lot of work on a consistent basis to develop your "voice", your unique viewpoint. Take in lots of information from lots of sources, internalize and process it and let it out as your original expression. Keep the parts of what you learn that work for you and discard what doesn't.

10. What inspires you?
So much! Color combinations in magazines and art, music, lyrics, poetry, nature, words. I carry a little Moleskine sketchbook with me and constantly doodle in it.

11. What sewing machine / threads etc do you use?
I have an old Bernina that I adore. It does just enough and doesn't do anything unnecessary for me. I love cotton threads for machine sewing, especially hand-dyed and adore linen thread for hand stitching.

12. Do you have any formal art training? Do you think it's necessary?

I am almost entirely self-taught and I continue that education every day. I am endlessly curious about art and life and science and spend a lot of time studying and researching. I do think that having a solid grounding in the basics of art are absolutely necessary to create successful artwork.

'Anodyne III' 9"x12"
Mixed media fiber collage, cotton fabrics, paper and paper mesh, image printed on linen fabric and hand-colored, stamped text, distress inks, mah-jong tile, over-printed with found objects, hand and machine stitching, chunky zipper edging

14. What's the most rewarding thing about your career?

I love teaching and getting a chance to encourage people to try new things and challenge themselves. I love creating art and pushing myself to explore.

15. How did you learn the techniques you use?

I learned my basic quilting skills from my mom and from books. Art quilting techniques I learned by experimentation, from books and the internet.

16. What are your favorite / least favorite parts of the quilting process?

I like the composing part the best, where I audition fabrics, cut and lay out pieces and start thinking about the quilting lines. I like edge-finishing the least so I don't often use traditional bindings on my quilts.

17. What is your favorite technique?

I love to paint on fabric. I don't have the patience for dyeing fabric and I try to avoid toxic chemicals and processes in my work, so painting with acrylic paints and inks suits me. I can get a lot of the same effects that dyers get with my paints and inks and there's little to no prep, no setting and no hazardous materials or dust masks involved. To get a beautiful background wash on fabric I add a small amount of acrylic paint or acrylic ink to a container of water and simply brush it onto prewashed white fabric. I can use more than one color, I can throw sea salt on the wet paint for star burst effects and I can scrunch, fold or lay the wet fabric over a surface for even more textural interest in the finished fabric. The paint or ink changes the hand of the fabric only minimally and is as permanent as dyed fabric. And I can whip up as small or as large a piece as I need in exactly the color(s) I need.

'Gyotaku' 7.5"x9.5"
Mixed media collage on bristol board, printed mulberry paper, gyotaku print on cotton fabric, stamped text, transfered text, embossed and printed papers, cotton fabrics

For more on Jane:

Books (all available through C&T Publishing):

• Art Quilt Workbook (co-authored with Elin Waterston)

• Art Quilts at Play (co-authored with Elin Waterston)

• Jane Davila's Surface Design Essentials

DVD's:

• One-Page Book (Quilting Arts workshop dvd)

• Jane & Elin Teach You Art Quilting Basics (C&T Publishing)

You can purchase autographed copies of all Jane's books, or sign up (if you're quick, it's just started!) for her online 'Jump Start Your Art Career' course by emailing Jane.

View more of Jane's work on her website or check out her etsy store.

I love feedback! Please comment below if you have any thoughts on this article or what you'd like to see more or less of in future interviews. –Neroli Henderson