Category Archives: silk

An Exhibit Down Under

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Soon it will be autumn in Illinois. (That is if we can survive the summer!) And soon my duet of art quilts, Fine Line Trees Summer and Autumn will be on view at the SAQA and Timeless Textiles Exhibition, Joining Threads.

The exhibition opens on August 13th, 2024, at Timeless Textiles in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Timeless Textiles, the only commercial fiber art gallery in Australia, and SAQA are partnering together to present this unique opportunity for SAQA artists. This exhibition is composed of 2 artworks (each 30cm by 30 cm) by each artist which are a diptych or speak to one another. My pieces are both made with hand dyed silk fabrics and hand embroidered. I’m so pleased my artwork is traveling down under!

Suffering from Silkaphobia?

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Do you suffer from silkaphobia the fear of silk fabric? Does it scare you to use it in your art work? Want help in overcoming your silkaphobia? Then please join me on May 17 at the online Layered and Stitched event on Creative Spark where I’ll show you how to make the silk art quilt, Fine Line Tree above.

My presentation, Creating Silk Art Quilts, is about taking the fear out of working with silk. I’ll talk about what types of silk to use, show you how to paint white silk for a sky, assemble a fused design, and add hand embroidery to the small silk art quilt.

Layered & Stitch: An Art Quilt Experience

The Layered & Stitch: An Art Quilt Experience is a two-day live, virtual event with fourteen expert quilting instructors. You’ll find a lineup of engaging sessions covering quilt improvisation, techniques, tips, materials, and beyond. Learn about landscape quilts, surface design, how to use fabric scraps and silks, finding your creative voice, and so much more!

Come for the mini masterclasses and stay for the giveaways and a virtual swag bag. (I’m giving away a Resources Page with a pattern for the Fine Line Tree above.) Watch live or recorded. By securing your spot, you’ll have lifetime access to all sessions and can revisit your favorite moments whenever you please. 

It is time to overcome your silkaphobia! Sign up here and get $20 off!

Simple Stitches that Surprise: French Knots

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What would we do without the French Knot? Throughout this series of simple but surprising embroidery stitches, the French Knot awaits in the wings for its glamour shot. And here it is.

What a difference that pop of orange color makes when you scatter French Knots between the spikes of the Fern Stitch! I’m using a size 12 Oranges thread that gives high contrast with the green background to liven up the design.

The lower parts of my design are stitched and I’m moving on to the upper part. It was so entertaining making up stitch combinations and playing with color, pattern, and texture using thread. Stay tuned to see what I have in store!