The Chattanooga Sewing Guild takes to Art Weave

Spectacular Art Weave pieces were blooming at the Chattanooga Sewing Guild this Saturday! 

Art Weave workshop with the Chattanooga Sewing Guild.

Usually, I am called to teach my Art Weave workshop for quilt shops or for quilt guilds. But this time, I had a multi-talented as well as multi-disciplined group of sewists [sewing + artist = sewist] from the Chattanooga Sewing Guild in class.

Art Weave magnolia blooms.

In addition to sewing garments and children's clothes, these women were painters, crafters, machine embroiderers, knitters, crocheters and were experienced in making draperies, home decor items and upholstery. Talk about a room exploding with talent!

Art Weave violets.

Each student put her own creative spin on the large scale fabric prints.

Art Weave red poppy.

We discussed different options for finishing...

Art Weave blue iris.

... and I had several examples in the class for inspiration. I am very curious to see how this group chooses to embellish and finish their pieces.

Project examples of the Art Weave technique.

Thank You to the Chattanooga Sewing Guild for inviting me to teach Art Weave! It was great spending a lovely Spring day with all of you... and reacquainting with two women with whom I've shared previous fiber art experiences (a surprise bonus for me!).

Please send photos of your finished Art Weave projects. I would love to see them!

#artweave  #funwithfabric  #largescalefabricprints

Anticipating Spring with new Art Weave

This is a start of a new Art Weave piece in anticipation of a workshop with the Chattanooga chapter of the American Sewing Guild next weekend. The reds, yellows and oranges of the lilies are a welcome preview of Springtime blooms in the days ahead.

Art Weave—a fabric art project.

A rippin' good Art Weave workshop with the Bulloch Hall Quilters

Christie with her Art Weave piece.

I knew it. I just knew it!

The Bulloch Hall Quilters were a lively, fun, out-of-the-box bunch of quilters that embraced the Art Weave technique. I had so much fun with them in my workshop last week.

As each student introduced herself—mostly for my benefit because they knew each other from the guild—it quickly became evident that this was a group of experienced and multi-disciplined quiltmakers.

Most of the women indicated they make all kinds of quilts—traditional, contemporary and art quilts. Some liked appliqué, there were some garment sewers, and one or two relative beginner quiltmakers in the group, but overall, they were self-proclaimed "eclectic" and "multi-faceted" quilters. One even traveled from South Carolina to take the workshop.

My kind of group!

Ideas for Art Weave

Art Weave is a fun, no-fuss, liberating technique. I was able to borrow two Art Weave pillows from my sweet MIL, so along with my two samples, I had several examples at the workshop of the potential this technique has to offer.

Art Weave examples.

Beginning the process
The ripping and stripping part is my favorite step in the process to watch!

Ms. P took to it like a pro!

Ellen is making strips for the violets.

It was great to have my friend and former business associate, Karen, in the workshop.

Janet (center) is the current guild President and Holly (standing, left)
was my hostess and did a great job preparing and packaging the class kits. 

Katy was a relatively new quilter but was fearless
with the Art Weave technique.

Here is Lisa, the previous guild President.

I'm always interested in why people choose to take a particular workshop, especially one that does not employ a "typical" quiltmaking technique. Common responses are:

• I saw your sample and wanted to make this project.
• I like to learn new things. I am a workshop junkie.
• I like to work with and make things with fabric. 
• I wanted to learn how to use these large, artistic, floral prints.

Adding to this list came the following insights from the Bulloch Hall Quilters. (I love these!)

• The supply list was short!
• I didn't have to bring my sewing machine to the class.
• I didn't have to bring a rotary cutter or those large cutting mats.

Diane (left) and Ardie weaving.

Joan chose wider strips for her Art Weave iris.

Helga created her piece with multi-width strips.
I can't wait to see this one finished.

Ms. P weaving one of the iris prints.

When the workshop concluded, we were all treated to a lovely and tasty "Salad and Dessert" potluck lunch. (Great idea, Holly.) By the way, these women are talented cooks, too!

Art Weave workshop with the Bulloch Hall Quilters.

I appreciate the invitation to teach this workshop for the Bulloch Hall Quilters. I did a trunk show program for them in May, but their schedule could not accommodate a workshop at that time. Generally, this guild does not hold guild meetings or events during the summer, but they were flexible in working with my travel schedule and I am so happy they did.

A summer get-together making fabric art with friends was refreshing and energizing! I can't wait to see all their finished Art Weave pieces. Bulloch Hall Quilters: Please post pics of your projects on Facebook and Instagram with hashtags #artweave and #frondfabrics.  Follow me on IG at veronica.fiberantics.

Thanks again to Holly for coordinating the workshop and to her and her husband, Ken, for their gracious hospitality!

Art Weave with the Bulloch Hall Quilters

The wonderful quilters from the Bulloch Hall quilt guild have invited me to teach an Art Weave class for them next week. I did a trunk show for this guild in May and this time we'll be doing "hands on" rippin' and weavin' with fabric.

Art Weave class: making fabric art with large scale prints.

This is a fun and creative class and I know I'll have a blast with these quilters. I also get to hang out with my friend, Holly Anderson, a certified quilt appraiser, pattern writer and instructor. We always have great conversations about quilting and the textile industry when we're together.

Art Weave: Stitch or finish as desired

Mother's Day, a birthday, a special event, submission to an exhibit... I find that a "deadline" of some sort is often the best impetus for finishing a project. I recently received a text message from Michelle, one of the students in my recent Art Weave class at Chattanooga Sewing Machines and More, with this photo attached...

Michelle's hand quilted Art Weave piece.

Michelle hand quilted her Iris Art Weave! Isn't it lovely? It was a gift to her mom for Mother's Day.

Stitch or Finish as Desired
One of the cool (and fun) things about this class is that interpretation of the Art Weave technique is in the eyes and hands of each maker. Numerous variations and options for making and finishing this fabric art project is wiiiiide open... and each time I give the class, my students add to the list of possibilities. A few "finish as desired" options that I've done with Art Weave are:

free-motion quilting...

Free-motion quilting and Art Weave.

thread painting, bobbin work...

Thread painting, bobbin work and Art Weave.

We discuss several options in class for finishing an Art Weave project. But I love it when students put their own spin on their projects—like Michelle did! I hope that other students will send me pics of their finished Art Weave pieces.

Art Weave class at Chattanooga Sewing Machines and More.

Denise and I were in a guild together several years ago. I can't wait to see what she comes up with for her finished Art Weave piece.

Denise working on her Violets Art Weave.

Here is Pam's violets.

Pam's violets Art Weave.

Kyra chose the red poppy for her Art Weave.

Red poppy Art Weave by Kyra.

Art Weave was Danielle's first class (ever!) using fabric! She pushed the limits and experimented with varying strip sizes for her Art Weave iris and it looks fabulous!

Danielle's Art Weave iris.

Let Art Weave, fabric, thread and stitch inspire you to go in new directions.

Creativity blossoms in Art Weave class at Sew 'n So quilt shop

When you ask students to introduce themselves in class and they share things like, "I like to make all styles of quilts...," "... I like to take classes to learn different techniques," and "... I like to step outside the box," you know you have a classroom full of adventurous quiltmakers and it's going to be a fabulously creative class! My Art Weave class yesterday was exactly this!

"Art Weave" class at Sew 'n So Quilt Shop, Rocky Face, Georgia.

Preparing the strips for weaving
and an assortment of fabric panels with other designs.

Yesterday, I taught the Art Weave technique at Sew 'n So Quilt Shop to an eager group of quiltmakers. It was a joy to be back in the classroom again. All the students created beautiful pieces of fabric art with large scale floral designs from Frond Design Studios.

It was a special, serendipitous treat for me when I realized that each student had chosen a different flower design for their art weave piece. This also offered class attendees a bouquet of possibilities for what they could do for the next project. The classroom was abloom with colorful fabric art possibilities!

One of the missions that artist-owner, Stephanie Brandenburg, has for her fabric company, Frond Design Studios, is "Art into the every day." Frond's large scale fabric prints and the art weave technique is an ideal approach for introducing this concept to people of all skill levels.

Courtney works with the Love Blossoms Lily.

Stephanie also thinks of the company's fabric collections as the initial leg of a creative relay race. From the original paintings on canvas and the printing of the fabrics, to the merchandising, displays and class projects offered at quilt shops and independent sewing centers, to the creative hands of quilters and sewers, the baton is passed from maker to maker at each leg of a creative journey.

Sherry (left) works with the Una's Garden blue iris and
Jo-Anne (right) chose the Love Blossoms red poppy.

On their leg of the journey, class attendees put their individual stamp on their piece said they enjoyed the art weave technique. Here is a glimpse of their work.

Art Weave Lily by Courtney.

We discussed a variety of options for quilting and finishing and everyone chimed in with ideas for other projects using these large scale prints and fabric panels. Thank you to all my students for coming to class with a sense of adventure and to Anna at Sew 'n So for hosting the class.

Art Weave Poppy by Jo-Anne.

This is the violets panel from Una's Garden in one of my class samples.

My class sample, Violet Bouquet, using the Art Weave technique.

Inspired? Follow my blog and watch my class calendar to see where I will be teaching this class in the future. Quilt shops and quilt guilds can contact me if interested in scheduling a class.

Looking for these fabrics? As of this blog post, Sew 'n So Quilt Shop has the full collection of the Flower Power fabric panels from Frond Design Studios. Several additional panels went home with the class attendees, so don't delay if you want some for your own quilting or sewing projects.
      If you are a shop owner and would like to stock these fabrics in your store, email me at fabricrepveronica (at) gmail (dot) com.

New Art Weave class—how to use large scale fabric prints

Are you inspired by those beautiful quilting cottons with large scale motifs? You spread open the fabric to see the painterly design and the hand of the artist... then you think to yourself, "but what can I do with it?"

Art Weave class—Fabric art with large scale prints.

Join me for my Art Weave class and I'll show you a fun (and so easy) technique for using those unique, large scale fabric designs.

Art Weave, Saturday, October 21

Sew 'n So Quilt Shop, Rocky Face, GA

Call Anna at (706) 217-8111 to register.

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I'd been working on the Violet Bouquet piece (shown above) when my favorite Machingers machine quilting gloves "sprang a leak." ugh!

I went to my LQS [local quilt shop] and bought myself TWO new pair.

Well, you wouldn't believe the energy and renewed excitement I got when I slipped on that new pair of quilting gloves! Kinda like when you get new underwear—ya feel like a "new woman."

(yeah, yeah, you laugh... because you know what I mean...)

So, armed with my new free-motion stitching super power, I began free-motion thread sketching the violets.

Free-motion quilting on large scale artisan prints from Frond Design Studios.

The background was more heavily free-motion quilted with various 50 wt. threads to let the flowers advance.

Dimension in the flowers is achieved with heavily quilted background.

WonderFil Thread Eleganza, 8 wt. perle cotton thread was used for the flower centers.

Eleganza size 8 perle cotton for the flower centers.

Here is a view of the back. A yarn-dyed woven from Diamond Textiles is used for the backing and the facing that finished the edges. There's something about a yarn-dyed woven fabric that makes stitching—machine or hand—a dream!

"Violet Bouquet." Back view.

Between the DecoBob 80 wt. poly thread (by WonderFil Threads) and the yarn-dyed woven (from Diamond Textiles) which allows the stitches to sink into the fabric, the stitches to secure the facing are nearly invisible.

DecoBob 80 wt. thread for an invisible binding.

My first Art Weave sample—which you can see in person at Sew 'n So Quilt Shop—uses this red flower design from Frond Design Studios.

My Art Weave class works with large scale artisan fabric designs.

The October 21 Art Weave class is already partially filled. Don't wait to register! All you need are a few simple supplies (you'll get the supply list with the class payment). A fabric kit is provided with the class. Call Sew 'n So Quilt Shop at (706) 217-8111 if you want to join me for an artistic experience with large scale artisan fabrics.