My friend and fellow fiber artist Sarah Ann Smith has a fabulous new Quilting Arts Workshop available on DVD or download. It’s called Art Quilt Design from Photo to Threadwork, with Fabric Collage & Machine Quilting.
When I watched Sarah’s Workshop, I was struck by how different Sarah’s techniques and preferred materials are from mine, even though our work is fairly similar. So even if you have viewed and enjoyed my thread sketching Workshop (Master Machine Stitching: Thread Sketching Beyond the Basics), you can learn a lot from Sarah’s. I know there are things I’ll be trying out, based on her suggestions, and I’ve already ordered an iron with a Titanium nonstick soleplate!
In Sarah’s typical practical, detailed fashion, she shares her process for fabric collage and “thread coloring” (using thread to add color, details and texture — what I call “thread sketching”). She starts with a photo that has good contrast and lighting. In the workshop, she demonstrates how she determine values in the photo, creates a pattern on a piece of plastic, enlarges the pattern to the size she needs, selects fabrics and enhances them with paint or Derwent Inktense pencils. Then she shows how she collages fabrics she’s fused with MistyFuse, and shares her thought process on selecting threads. After that, she goes into great detail as she demonstrates how she free-motion quilts.
Along the way, she offers tons of wonderful tips, problem-solving solutions, and her thoughts on “good fusing hygiene” and why she loves those tiny rotary cutters (she calls them “the sexy little Italian sportscars” of the rotary cutter world). Fun!
You can order the DVD from Sarah’s website, or get the digital download from Quilting Arts. I highly recommend Sarah’s book, Thread Work Unraveled (also available in the store on her website). It offers a wealth of information on thread, needles and threadwork; I have a copy in my personal library that gets lots of use.
GIVE-AWAY!
I’m giving away a DVD download of Sarah’s Workshop. Leave a
comment after this post and tell me a little bit about why you’d like to win. Please leave me a way to contact you! I’ll
pull one name at random at noon, Tuesday, Nov. 26. The winner will be announced at the end of this post on that day.
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! Christel (Chriss-Cross) from Noord Brabant, Netherlands, has won the download!
After my post, there are still a few more chances to win Sarah’s Workshop. Check out the last few stops on the Blog Hop here:
Nov. 27: Daphne Greig: http://daphnegreig.blogspot.com/
Nov. 30: Lisa Walton: http://www.fibreinspirations.blogspot.com/
Dec. 3: Sarah Ann Smith: http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/
Posts
I just like to win stuff! Especially when it's related to learning something new.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a chance to win the DVD off to look around some more
ReplyDeleteI have Sarah Ann's book and use it frequently for reference. I love her work. I see why you say you and she have similar work but I do see small differences which is why I am a fan of both of you. I would love the DVD to continue my new-found love in thread work. Thank you for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteAnother quilter will have plenty of tips and I'd love to see some eye candy.
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to win the book because I love to learn new technique. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI want to take my quilting techniques to another level and would love to try Sarah's techniques shown in the DVD. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to win, I love Sarah Ann and would love to win this DVD download.
ReplyDeleteI would love to win Sarah's DVD. I've taken a class with her before and think she's an excellent teacher.
ReplyDeleteIt all sounds fascinating! I keep buying the inks and threads but have to learn how to use them!
ReplyDeleteI'll probably never get to a class with Sarah so her DVD would be the next best thing! I LOVE the quality of the AQS DvDs. Thanks for hosting this awesome giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win what sounds like a very helpful DVD. I have yours and would love to see the differences you mention. I'm trying to learn thread sketching so this would be most helpful.
ReplyDeleteI am ready to expand love of quilting and this would be a wonderful step up.
ReplyDeletesounds like a great dvd!
ReplyDeleteI am just starting to explore art quilting and this would be a great book as a companion to yours
ReplyDeleteI'm a beginner to thread coloring/sketching and would love to learn from Sarah's DVD.
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome. I am trying new things since I retired and this is on my list. I have your book already. Thanks for sponsoring the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI am grateful for the chance to win this DVD by Sarah Ann Smith.
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan!.
I am always on the lookout to expand my quilting repertoire and this looks like a great DVD. Thank you for this opportunity to win.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway. I am working to improve my art quilting, taking classes when I can, reading your blog, and ones like it, and studying the articles in Quilting Arts. Sarah's dvd would be a great adjunct to working on my skills!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity, Susan! I love to thread sketch/thread paint/ do machine embroidery, and love collecting books about these subjects. My most recent purchase was a book by Alison Holt. You can always learn something new and different from each persons techniques. Don't have any DVD's on the technique, so this would be a wonderful addition to my library! (PS - I still have your PFD fabric!)
ReplyDeleteI am insatiable when it comes to techniques for thread painting. I would love this DVD!
ReplyDeleteI recently joined an art quilt group and I could use all the help I can get! This dvd looks like it is jam packed full of inspiration. Thanks for the chance :)
ReplyDeleteI love to learn new things! Thanks, Susan!!
ReplyDeleteSince I lost six days pay sitting by my mom's side in the hospital, I would love to win, rather than pay, for this object of my desire.
ReplyDeleteJust seeing Susan's beautiful pictures everyday makes me feel like a winner!
ReplyDeleteI am taking a class in making a quilt from a photo and I would love to learn thread work to enhance it! Thank you for the generous give-away!
ReplyDeleteI would really love to learn to do this.....I love your work and hope to get started learning thread painting...thanks for the giveaway...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful DVD. Loved your class in Charleston and would like to learn more on this technique.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a wonderful dvd. Would love to learn thread painting.
ReplyDeleteI love yours and Sarah's work and want to dive in! Thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteI do some thread painting and always looking for new ways to do things. We learn so much from each other. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteHmmm reasons I would like to win... one it will be my birthday that day and what a great present!
ReplyDeleteBut that aside I just purchased Sarah Ann's book which arrived in the mail on Friday. This dvd is on my with list and would make a great companion with the book. I learn much better by seeing as it gets assimilated into my brain better that way. I like picking up how different artists do things then incorporating tips and translating how that would work out best for me.
Thank you for sharing this opportunity...
You are both great teachers and resources!
So much information - I would love to win this.
ReplyDeleteYour work is absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win this DVD because I want to make quilts from photos but have been unable to realistically recreate the photos. It would be so great if I could learn how to do this.
Sounds like a dvd I could use.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely giveaway! I love learning your techniques for beautiful thread stitching and would love to learn more for Sarah. I'm having a giveaway on my blog right now too if your interested :-) www.luckypupquilter.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWow!Lots of entrants! Have found my medium in fabric art and feel I am ready in my skill level to learn more on photographing my scenes to do thread painting. Have done both on my own but would love to learn from those with experience. Thanks for this opportunity!
ReplyDeleteI have already coveted this download on QA. I definitely want to improve my thread sketching!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy thread painting & it's always nice to see someone else's ideas on the subject. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteI would love to try this type of quilting. I have a few pictures I think would work.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win this new DVD by Sarah! I have your DVD and would like to see the differences you mention. I'm working on my thread sketching skills and need all the help I can get.
ReplyDeleteThe list of why I wouldn't want to win is much shorter than why I do want to win, so I'll just tell you why I wouldn't want to win. I wouldn't want to win because ....can't even think of one. Guess I really want to win...she is a wonderful artist like yourself and I want to learn all I can learn.
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Kelly
I have Sarah Anne's freemotion book and I watched the video clip sample of this DVD. So, I know this workshop is something good!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at that book on Interweave ! I'm learning to do thread work..I need all the help I can get !
ReplyDeleteI've had this DVD on my list for a while. I use primarily free motion and thread sketching in my fiber art and I'm always looking for tips. And different methods.
ReplyDeleteAfter following your courses in the Netherlands, I very often use the techniques I've learned. Hopefully I win this DVD so that I can improve my work!
ReplyDeleteI have not ventured into thread sketching much, but would like to give it a try, I think it would add a lot to my work
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy your work and look for ways to improve my own. Would love to win.
ReplyDeleteLove how you both make thread painting and fusing look so easy and fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI love your work and Sarah's and have learned a lot from you both. I have your book and would love to have Sarah's video.
ReplyDeleteI'm just now delving into art quilting. This is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have this as a resource. Over the holiday, I might even have time to watch it! Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI would be thrilled to win and would love to try new things. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteOH I would be so THANKKFUL to win this! Your work and her's amaze me so much!
ReplyDeleteLove the Blog and Merry Christmas!!
ReplyDelete