Monthly Archives: December 2007

Online Textile and Art Quilting Classes

It’s taken much longer than expected, but finally the Creative Textile & Quilting Arts Online eLearning Center is open for business.

We are offering a complementary demonstration workshop: Machine Wrapped Cording. The first few sessions have filled quickly, but this will be an ongoing workshop, so no-one will miss out.

Our online workshops are structured a little differently from the normal quilting class. We believe that the process of learning and the results of that experience are just as important.

As creative people, we are constantly challenged, not just by the technical issues of our hobby or work, but by our response to it also, so our workshops are designed to help you explore all these aspects.

Creative Textile & Quilting Arts workshops are a combination of:

standard learning modules
where the student will learn a technique, or combination of techniques
self-motivated exploration
where the student will be encouraged to explore and experiment further with the subject of the learning module
creativity coaching
where the student will be provided with creativity tools and exercises to help them deal with the issues and challenges that become evident, usually during the self-exploration cycle.

As time goes on we hope to grow these workshops and shape them to the needs of the art quilter, so if you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary in the way of elearning, then we hope to see you in one of our workshops.

Time Management for Creative People

Finding time to be creative is sometimes a balancing act. Family, jobs and a busy lifestyle can suck up our time without us even realizing it. Or maybe you feel that taking time for yourself is selfish; that this time could be better spent tending to our families.

We all need personal time - time to reflect and to recharge our batteries, and for art quilters this usually means finding time to create our art!

When we are separated from our source of creativity for long periods, even though we might not consciously be aware of it, our bodies react in subtle, and not so subtle, ways. We can feel anxious, a little off-color, sometimes it’s just a feeling of being out of balance. Stop and listen to what your body is telling you - become aware of the little signals that your body is trying to send you.

Finding time for yourself, even if it’s only an hour or half an hour a day, benefits not just yourself, but your whole family. When you feel balanced and empowered, you have more positive energy to give back to them.

“Time Management for Creative People” is a thoughtful little 32-page free ebook by writer and creativity coach Mark McGuinness. In it he lists a number of things that creative people can do to manage their time better.

If you have been neglecting yourself, take the first step - spend half an hour with this short book, implement some of the strategies and make some time for yourself. Your whole family will thank you.

The Freedom of Hand-Stitching

Stitches, French Knots

I love to do handwork when I can find the time. French knots in particular hold a fascination - they can blend and twist and turn at will. Rayon threads and metallic threads look amazing done in french knots.

Free-form embroidery, for me, is relaxing, creative and meditative. Just to let your hand go where it wants, stitch what it wants and how it wants, is a very freeing creativity exercise.

Stitch Magazine is a UK based magazine for lovers of hand-stitching and embroidery. Their website has a number of small, innovative embroidery projects, a gallery of embroidered textiles, and a stitch directory.

Even if you don’t subscribe to the magazine, the projects alone are worth a look.

http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/index.html

Playing with Tension

Tension

Having tension trouble doesn’t always have to be a bad thing - sometimes you end up with very interesting results.

This piece was stitched using free motion, with heavyweight cotton in the bobbin and monofilament on top with a very tight tension. This results in the bobbin thread being pulled to the top of the fabric and causing “eyelashes” to appear.

This will make a great background for something.

The Scariest Colors Imaginable

Color

For textile and quilt artists, that’s a scary thought!

The ColorLovers blog has an interesting article about this very thing and even lists the phobias associated with each color.

“For most people, color is basic element of our daily lives that we use for comfort, inspiration, practicality, etc. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, phobias and irrational fears affect approximately 10% of adults. Some of those phobias relate to colors being the most terrifying thing imaginable… for those poor people, this color loving website would probably be hell-incarnate. Here are several color phobias and some of color associations with common and strange phobias.”

Read the full article: ColorLoversBlog

Ezine: “From The Sewing Room” December 2007

Ezine

The December edition of “From The Sewing Room” ezine is now available. Great articles and information.

Download now

Creative Textile & Quilting Arts