When You Can't Sew

..........buy books. A modern slant to liven things up.......

I first came across Natalia Bonner's name when I bought this book a couple of years ago as I delved into everything I could get my hands on to develop my free motion quilting skills. It's a well set out skill builder and worth having in your library.

She popped up again last year on Nancy Zieman's show 'Sewing with Nancy'.  There are two programs on her website - 'Cabin Fever Quilts' part one and part two.......A modern take on using log cabin quilt blocks with stunning results. Much of the content is based on her book (see below) and was the reason I bought it.

To find the programs go to 'Sewing with Nancy . Click on videos then select the year 2015 and you will have access to both parts of Cabin Fever Quilts.

Modern Neutrals by Amy Ellis has some great designs using neutral colours and limited palettes - again a very modern design approach though the construction techniques will be familiar to Quilters.

Interestingly, as it turns out, the Quilts in this book are all quilted by Natalia Bonner's. ( I didn't realise that when I bought it.)

You can find Natalia's website and blog at Piece N Quilt at www.pieceandquilt.com along with links to social media.

You can find Amy at www.amyscreativeside.com again with other links. Amy has a new book coming out in June called Modern Heritage Quilts. You can look at a preview on Amazon books.

I have also been enjoying a couple of new Craftsy classes........

As there's not much happening on the 'Sewing front' the next posts will probably be travel posts - most likely with a textile slant.

Sue xxxx

While the Sailor Was Away

It's a miracle! While the (temporary) sailor was risking his life on the high seas, parcels kept turning up at the door - After all, I had to do something to keep myself amused.  

First, two books by Sarah Fielke......'Old Quilts, New Life' has just recently been released. In this book Sarah takes a museum quilt as her inspiration and remakes it using modern fabrics. She then goes a step further and uses this as a springboard to interpret both quilts as a modern quilt with some stunning results.

While I was browsing I also came across this little book which Sarah co-wrote with Amy Lobsiger. It has some very cute projects using a variety of techniques. For anyone with grandchildren and wanting to practise new or favourite techniques I think a number of the little quilts would be ideal to wrap a teddy or doll in......

For a change of pace and intention comes 'Slow Stitch'.

Think Kantha, Boro and meditative stitch  - beautifully produced and exudes calm......

A page from the book.......

If this type of process appeals to you then you may also be interested in the work of Jude Hill. Below is her blog address. She also posts on Instagram (search for spiritcloth) and probably on Facebook as well...........

http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/

Another new approach is this book. Fabrics are layered, stitched then painted and more stitch (usually hand stitch) added - once again with stunning results.

A page from the book......

A glimpse at her technique - loads of possibilities......

This sent me running to pull out all my lace scraps etc - but they'll have to join the project queue for the time being.........

This book excites the senses a great deal. In this book Janet Edmonds takes the work of several artists and investigates transforming their ideas and style into stitch.

Then we have this one........colour based studies and exercises

And then we have this one........

And a few other bits to add to the tool kit........  (once my hands allow me to get back to sewing in earnest.)

While I am waiting to spring back into action I have been bingeing on online classes - I may not be able to 'do' butthere's no reason not to learn. I have particularly been focussing on free motion quilting. I would recommend any of the following, especially for beginning quilters, though they all have something to offer.....

I also have this issue of Textile with an article on Annabel Rainbow. If you haven't encountered her work before I suggest you research her work online.....

http://www.annabelrainbow.co.uk/

While the sailor was absent the sewing empire expanded - mainly to give the old machine a test run - and create a panel to expand the backing for my big quilt (Summer Quilt) in progress......

I figured that as long as I didn't mix the threads with the baking everything should be OK.

On another note.........

Did you do this?

I might have..........so tasty......

The moral of that story is don't leave a bucket of fresh fish on the floor!!!

Or leave the vacuum plug lying around when you go out shopping for a few hours......

And I have no idea where she found this.........



Roxie has now been with us for a year - and I think to say she has settled in is a bit of an understatement.......

We have all come a long way in the past 12 months.

I had hoped to get this post off the ground much sooner and to provide a lot more links but Google the artists and you will find much to while away a lazy summer afternoon and stimulate the creative juices. They all probably post on Facebook and Instagram as well blog and it is an easy process to follow them....

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate and I hope to be back here again soon,

Sue xxxx