Hello, hoppers! … and a giveaway

Welcome to the last day of the first Quilting Arts TV Blog Hop! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading more from the amazing guests of Series 1400, which is starting to air now on more than 400 public television stations across the country. If you want to preview the guests and the taping session this spring, please see my earlier post.

With Pokey Bolton in 2008

I was so honored to be asked to host Quilting Arts TV after Pokey Bolton decided to step down as host this winter. It is not an understatement to say that I would not be where I am today without Pokey. I told her once that I had decided long ago to never say no to her, because each time she asked me to do something – whether it was writing a series of articles on thread sketching for Quilting Arts magazine in 2010, or appearing on QATV, or doing a Quilting Arts Workshop – it turned out to be such a fabulous opportunity and experience.

Someone recently asked me if it was hard to step into Pokey’s shoes as host for QATV, and I answered, “I couldn’t possibly step into her shoes. I’m just stepping onto the path that she made.”

The quilting industry, and art quilting in particular, would not be where it is today without Pokey. She is without a doubt a visionary, one of the rare people in this world who sees possibilities and imagines the “what ifs” and then finds a way to make them happen. She broke new ground by creating a magazine dedicated to art quilting, surface design and embellishment – Quilting Arts – and then went on to grow other publications and Quilting Arts Workshop videos and art quilting books. She’s touched the lives of thousands of artists, helping them to find recognition, showcase their art, and shine. 

“The Bluest Eye” (2007)by Susan Brubaker Knapp

I first met Pokey at a Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) conference in 2007. I was sitting in a lecture about getting your work into magazines, and it was announced that she was coming in, and would be available after the lecture if anyone wanted to ask her a question. I had recently submitted one of my early art quilts, “The Bluest Eye,” to the Quilting Arts Calendar competition. It didn’t make the calendar, but was picked as a “Judge's Choice,” and went in the magazine. I was simply over the moon. 

After the lecture, I went up to her and told her how excited I was to have my work appearing in Quilting Arts, and she looked at my nametag and said, “Oh, you’re Susan Brubaker Knapp; you did that piece with the eye. I love that piece!” I can’t tell you how much it meant to me. 

After that, I started entering more of the magazine’s competitions, and then Pokey asked me to write a series of articles on thread sketching for Quilting Arts that ran in every issue of 2010. A Quilting Arts Workshop video followed, then another and another and another! The visibility and validation of these things made it possible for me to start earning money by teaching nationally, and eventually internationally.

After leaving Quilting Arts to work for several years as International Quilt Association’s “Chief Creative Officer,” Pokey has now moved on to what looks to be another grand adventure. She’s purchased some land in Napa Valley, California, and is hinting that something art quilty is in the works. I’m sure that whatever it is, it will be amazing. 

With Helen Gregory (left) and Vivika Hansen DeNegre (right)

I also want to say a big thank you to Helen Gregory (Vice President of Content, Interweave + Quilt/Sew Golden, CO at FW Media, Inc.) and Vivika Hansen DeNegre (editor of Quilting Arts magazine); I couldn’t do this without you! Not to mention all the people at KS Productions studio. 

Part of what excites me so much about being the new host of QATV is that I will be able to help some of the amazing fiber artists out there get the recognition and visibility they deserve. I hope to introduce you to some newcomers on the art quilt scene, and bring back some of your favorite veterans. 

I hope you’ll tune in and watch, and let me know what you think (constructive criticism, please!). And if you know someone (or are someone) who would be great as a guest on the show, please let me know. I can’t make any promises – and I already have a list of about 100 people I’d like to have on the show! — but I will listen and consider everyone.

If you missed any stops on the Blog Hop, here they are again. 


Stops on the Blog Hop:
July 18: Vivika DeNegre – quiltingdaily.com
July 19: Luana Rubin – luanarubin.typepad.com
and Linda Friedman – lindasartquilts.blogspot.com
July 20: Sarah Ann Smith – sarahannsmith.com/weblog
and Karen Gloeggler – seminarandsew.com
July 21: Carrie Bloomston – suchitysuch.blogspot.com
and Catherine Redford – catherineredford.com
July 22: Sue Reno – suereno.blogspot.com
and Rebekah Meier – rebekahmeier.com
July 23: Lyric Kinard – lyrickinard.com/blog
and Margie Ullery – ribboncandyquilts.blogspot.com
July 24: Cheryl Sleboda – muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/blog/
and Jane Sassaman – janesassaman.com/weblog
and Julie Creus - todera.blogspot.com
July 25: Susan Brubaker Knapp – bluemoonriver.blogspot.com

GIVEAWAY!How would you like to win a copy of the entire Series 1400 on DVD?
Leave a comment after this post and tell me about a person who changed your life. This giveaway is open to U.S. and non-U.S. readers! I’ll draw one winner at 6 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, August 4. Make sure you leave me your e-mail address, or some way to reach you. And check back on August 4 to see if you’ve won. Make sure you visit the other bloggers listed above for more chances to win stuff. 

Note: If your comment does not show up right away, please don’t freak out. Please post only one comment. I now have to moderate/approve all comments, because I was getting a ton of Japanese porn spammers leaving comments on my blog! 

We have a winner! DonaleeK was chosen at random as the winner. Thanks, everyone!

Third article on thread sketching in Quilting Arts

The third article in my 2014 series on thread sketching is in the August/September 2014 issue of Quilting Arts magazine. It’s called “Thread Sketching for Beginners: Your Top 10 Questions Answered.” You can see what’s inside this issue and purchase the magazine at the Interweave store. This issue is on newsstands now. My piece “Joyful” (below) is featured in this issue.

“Joyful” by Susan Brubaker Knapp
12" x 9"  — Copyright 2014

“Magpie’s Hoard”

 

“Magpie’s Hoard” Copyright 2014 by Susan Brubaker Knapp

I’ve been wanting to create a piece to showcase some of the cool embellishments I’ve made, and some of the interesting materials I have found. This is the result. I put it together very quickly, as it is only about 12" x 16", and I already had many of the embellishments made. The hand stitching probably took the longest!

“Magpie’s Hoard.” Cotton fabric (including commercial fabrics and hand-dyed fabrics), burlap, dye magnet, Angelina fiber and film, cheesecloth, Mylar, Tyvek, wire, glass beads, buttons, melted CD, assorted fibers. Hand stitched and machine free-motion quilted.

Come along on the QATV Blog Hop

Woo-hoo! It is day one of the first-ever “Quilting Arts TV” Blog Hop. The first post is by Vivika Hansen DeNegre, the editor of Quilting Arts magazine, on the Quilting Daily Blog.

Series 1400 of “Quilting Arts TV” is all about finding your inner artist, and ways to get inspired and boost your creativity. Throughout the blog hop, guests will share their stories about shooting their episodes, and there will also be some wonderful prizes.

This is the first series on which I am the host (I took over for Quilting Arts magazine’s founder, Pokey Bolton, earlier this year). Shooting these episodes was such an amazing experience. I had a front-row seat to watch some very talented artists explain what they do, how they do it, and why they love doing it. And when you watch, you to have a front-row seat, too! There’s a bit of everything, so whether you are into art quilting, contemporary quilting, surface design, embellishment, or modern quilting, I think you’ll find lots to love.

Series 1400 will start airing on more than 400 public television stations across the U.S. at the end of July. You can enter your zip code here to find out if your public TV station is one of them.

Can’t wait for the show to air? You can get all the episodes here right now, either on DVD or digital download.

So come along and join us!

Stops on the Blog Hop:
July 18: Vivika DeNegre – quiltingdaily.com
July 19: Luana Rubin – luanarubin.typepad.com
and Linda Friedman – lindasartquilts.blogspot.com
July 20: Sarah Ann Smith – sarahannsmith.com/weblog
and Karen Gloeggler – seminarandsew.com
July 21: Carrie Bloomston – suchitysuch.blogspot.com
and Catherine Redford – catherineredford.com
July 22: Sue Reno – suereno.blogspot.com
and Rebekah Meier – rebekahmeier.com
July 23: Lyric Kinard – lyrickinard.com/blog
and Margie Ullery – ribboncandyquilts.blogspot.com
July 24: Cheryl Sleboda – muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/blog/
and Jane Sassaman – janesassaman.com/weblog
and Julie Creus - todera.blogspot.com
July 25: Susan Brubaker Knapp – bluemoonriver.blogspot.com

Looks like there is going to be some awesome stuff given away! I’ll list them here as I find out about them:Vivika DeNegre is giving away a copy of the Series 1400 DVD
Linda Friedman is giving away 1 yard of her hand dyed fabric 
Lyric Kinard is giving away “something fun”

“Beetles”

“Beetles” by Susan Brubaker Knapp
Copyright 2014 (10.5"x 29")

This piece is based on sketches I made from photos of a friend’s collection of mounted insects. I stitched the beetles first with black thread on white fabric, then painted them. To make the texture in the background, I quilted a tight meander before rubbing paint over the raised areas created by the quilting.

“Harlequin Ink”

“Harlequin Ink”  16"x19.5"  Copyright Susan Brubaker Knapp 2014

This piece, which I’ve named “Harlequin Ink,” has been in progress for at least two years. Maybe three. I just finished it this weekend. I started with a piece of clamp-dyed Shibori fabric I made in a dyeing workshop years ago. Then I embroidered it, using different weights of hand-dyed perle cotton and other threads. Much of the texture can be attributed to the couched-down threads, many torn from fabrics after they came out of the dryer. After I finished the hand embroidery, I free-motion quilted it.

I’m teaching at the 2015 NC Quilt Symposium

I’m very pleased to announce that I’ll be teaching at the 2015 North Carolina Quilt Symposium May 28-31 in Flat Rock, NC, at the Bonclarken Conference Center. (Flat Rock is just outside Hendersonville, NC.) The 2015 event is sponsored by the Western North Carolina Quilter’s Guild. 

Don’t know about this event? Then you are missing out! Click here to learn more. This event is open to all quilters, and many quilters from many states attend each year. There is a great mix of classes, and something for everyone: traditional quilters, art quilters, surface designers, and modern quilters.

Usually, North Carolina Quilt Symposiums are held on college campuses, and students and teachers stay in dorms. So this event will be a bit different. What will stay the same is there will be a great lineup of nationally known teachers. I’ll post the list once it is finalized.

I’ll be teaching a 1-1/2 day class on wholecloth painting where students will work from their original photos; my 1-day Wholecloth Painting: Botanicals class; and I’ll be giving my “Thread Sketch it!” Lecture. You can read more about my classes and lectures on my website here.

Quilt Symposium has a website, and it also now has a blog, where news will be announced as soon as it is known. Another important feature of the blog is its list of North Carolina guilds. The draft of the list has been posted, so if you have information on your local NC guild, you should check it and make sure that everything is up to date. This will be a great resource for NC quilters when it is finalized.

Typically, class registrations start early in the new year. I’ll try to keep you posted when registrations are about to open.

So check it out and mark your calendar; I’d love to have you in one of my classes!