QuiltingAndPatchwork.com
 Quilters find many sources of inspiration, and pictures of unusual buildings often play a role.  In this year’s round robin for my daughter’s quilt group, each quilter submits a photo and the others design small quilt hangings inspired by it.
A photo of an outhouse has yielded interesting results.
Check out Beth’s Meandering Threads blog, particularly the post, Quilt Group Pictures, and see two fiber artists’ variations on the outhouse theme.  The group meets again this week, so perhaps they’ll have more outhouse designs to display…along with those inspired by other photos. 
What unusual pictures or objects have you used as quilting or fabric …read more

                    Buttons add color and interest as embellishments to your quilts.  They’re also interesting to collect and research.  I’ve seen quilt hangings almost completely covered with buttons and others with buttons as occasional accents.  Then there are others in all stages between.
I discovered some interesting quilts with buttons  at Button Mad.com (called to my attention by Chloe at Tangled Thread)  They make delightful ceramic buttons at Button Mad which coordinate well with quilt, collage and other fabric art projects.
Do you use buttons in your quilting art?  If so, I’d enjoy hearing about it. 
                     

Threads for quilting may vary depending on the effect you want to achieve, the materials you’re using, and where you’re using it…for decorative effect or stitching pieces together.  Also, consideration should be given to the planned use of the piece.  Will it be a bed quilt or a decorative hanging?
Since you’re putting a great deal of work into your work, select thread of good quality that will endure.  Therefore bargain threads usually aren’t recommended.
Your usual threads are:
*100% cotton
*100% polyester
*cotton-wrapped polyester
*quilting thread treated with a coating to minimize tangling
*metallic and specialty threads
Quilters eventually will find the type and manufacturer’s brand of …read more

“I try to keep my camera with me most of the time,” my daughter remarked the other day, after she snapped a picture of a young deer on camera while she and her family were geocaching.
(Geocaching (www.geocaching.com ) involves a sort of treasure hunt, checking out a listing of these sites online and using coordinates on a hand-held GPS to locate them.  This is a fun family activity, we’ve discovered.)
In addition to taking photos of the family finding the cache, Beth looks for quilting inspiration by taking pictures of scenery, patterns in stone walls, light and dark in the trees, sunsets, …read more

Why not take photos of your quilts and hangings and make post cards and note paper?, Sometimes photo the whole piece; for others you’ll chose only a portion of the item.  By using a digital camera, you can select your best photos and put them right into your computer.
If you do use photos taken with a traditional camera, you can scan them into your computer and have them ready for printing.
Simply get some postcard stock (white or another color that will coordinate well) and print the quilt design onto the card.  You can type a quote or saying over this; or you can place it on the …read more

My daughter made quilts for both of her grandmothers to comfort them in nursing homes. And they were very different quilts to meet the needs of each grandmother.
 My mother had Alzheimer’s so didn’t really notice the pattern.  My mother-in-law wanted a small quilt to hang on a particular wall in her suite.
So we decided Mother would enjoy a lap quilt most, made of soft fabrics.  We actually used patchwork printed fabric, filled it with thin batting and backed it.  Then we tied it.  This was well used and worn when Mother passed away.
The quilt hanging for Mum’s wall consisted of four star …read more

Quilters who haven’t participated in a Round Robin quilt exchange, and even those who have, like to see the before and after photos of these projects.  My daughter and other members of her small art quilting group recently completed their quilt hangings.
It was interesting to see what had happened to my daughter’s after the five other ladies in the group added their touches to it.  Last night Beth posted the before and after photos on her blog, with an explanation of what else she might do to it.
If you’d like to learn more about Round Robins, check out her photos …read more

Even though Father’s Day is over, making quilts, pillows, and hangings of  Father’s neckties might be an enjoyable way to create memories and mementoes.  I saved ties that were my father’s, father-in-law’s, and uncle’s, and wondered what I’d do with them, but not wanting to throw them out.
They brought back memories of the occasions when these men wore the ties.  In addition, they were colorful and made of attractive fabrics.
Then I discovered there were books with ideas and patterns for using neckties in quilts and fabric art projects.  I haven’t had an opportunity yet, to try these out, but am getting many …read more

As I browsed through a book of my daughter’s, Mixed Media Explorations by Beryl Taylor,  I realized once again how with world of paper and fabric blend together to create patchwork and quilted works of art.  Here Ms. Taylor uses paper, fabrics, and a variety of embellishments to create her unique designs.
Some projects may be no more than using a crumpled up brown paper bag (such as you’d get at the supermarket) as your base.  You might use a variety of paints.  (My daughter applied gilded paint to one of her paper bag/fabric projects.)  Then overlay with fabric or foil using the …read more

With all the new innovations in quiltmaking, you’ll discover that adorning quilts, hangings, and fabric art with beads has become very popular. There are classes on this and books written about the various techniques.
Some quilt artists use only a few beads and adornments, while others complete their work with numerous beads of different colors, shapes, and materials. Quilters also create their own beads. My daughter often makes beads from fabric to match or mix with the quilts, hangings and other items she creates.
Some quilt shops carry beads of various types and sizes; others you’ll find at craft …read more