Craftside

Knitting a Scarf With Fleece Fabric

Quick and Clever Fleece
20 Easy-Sew Projects
By
Lynne Farris

Quick and Clever Fleece is a new approach to this colorful, cozy, stylish, wildly popular fabric. These original projects feature unique techniques, new fleece products (like two-sided, textured, and even furry), and clever embellishments.

Included are scarves, home spa accessories, an arty tote, baby toys, a preschooler nap mat, gifts for men, tween fashion accessories, and contemporary home décor accents. The projects, quick and easy, have step-by-step instructions, photographs, and patterns. A basics section covers special techniques and tips for working with fleece. Quick and Clever Fleece makes it simple and fun to turn the favorite specialty fabric into original, personalized fashions.

Lynne Farris is a fabric artist who has been a craft industry Designer of the Year. Her designs have been featured in magazines including Family Circle, Sew News, and McCalls. She is the author of Sewing Fun Stuff: Soft Sculpture Shortcuts and Baby Crafts. She owns a gallery in Atlanta.

I am a big fan of fleece, sewing and knitting. And I loved all the projects in this book, so it was really hard to choose one to share with you. But this one won out because it embodied both the love of textiles, with knitting, which is a bit unusual.

Click on image to enlarge directions.

I haven't cut up fleece yet, but I have cut a t-shirt(on the left) and a two layer skirt. The ball in the middle is the over layer that was a shear print and the ball on the right is a solid cotton. I haven't figured out yet what I'm going to make with these balls of "yarn" but they are ready to go!

If you're a fan like me of the using one thing in another way check out this post at my new favorite Design Blog, Regarding Design. It is a wonderful blog on  "observations on good design"

Kathy Cano Murillo-The Crafty Chica sighting at the Michaels-Sparkle Tour

What a Sparkle-tastic good time we had gobbling up all the new goodies in The Crafty Chica line of glitter,charms and all sorts of fabulousness! We are so on board here with the glitter we have a contest going to give away

The Crafty Chica Collection
Beautiful Ideas for Crafts, Home Decorations and Shrines from the Queen of Latina Style and

Bobble head (not available in stores, it is a promo item so it's uber-special) and this one is signed be the Queen of glitter herself! Be sure to enter by the Monday August 25th.

Please note that when we got to the store the display was full of all the great new stuff.

Here I am on the left holding the charms that I made the necklace I am wearing which you can see close up here.

This picture was snapped on our way out about an hour later. Please note the bare shelves and hooks-they better restock quick!!!

Here is another fun idea from

The Crafty Chica Collection
Beautiful Ideas for Crafts, Home Decorations and Shrines from the Queen of Latina Style

that I think would be great with these charms.

The Modern Quilt Workshop From The FunQuilts Studio

The Modern Quilt Workshop
Patterns, Techniques, and Designs from the FunQuilts Studio

By

Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle

Prepare to be inspired. This book shows novice and expert quilters alike new ways of planning, designing, and constructing contemporary quilts. The Modern Quilt Workshop takes you through every step of making a quilt, encouraging you and challenging you along the way. You’ll learn basic principles of quilt design, as well as new technical skills that will make your quilts more beautiful, more durable, and more fun to make.

Never before published, these breathtaking patterns were created to help you learn specific design and technical skills. Want to learn how to piece circles flawlessly? Need to fine-tune your color choices? Confused about how to choose quilting patterns? Follow the step-by-step diagrams and you’ll be mastering new design concepts and innovative techniques with each new project.

Each of the 15 quilt projects shows the level of difficulty, lists the skills you’ll learn, and shows how each quilt might look in different color combinations.

Design tips in each chapter teach you what to look for in fabrics, or options for how to quilt the quilt.
Measurements and yardage requirements are provided for 4 sizes, from baby quilts to bed quilts.
Cutting templates, and tips for using them, are included.

A thorough section on quilt construction and assembly helps even the first-time quilter learn the basics of cutting, piecing, aligning seams, thread color selection, choosing batting, quilting, and binding. Beginning quilters will love the simple, yet sophisticated, patterns that can turn a pile of cotton fabric into a work of art. Advanced quilters will hone technical and design skills, as well as master new techniques, such as improvisational piecing and working with sophisticated color palettes.

Whether you wish to create a treasured family heirloom or a beautiful gift for a friend, these unique patterns will inspire you to try something new.

Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr are professional quilt makers and founders of FunQuilts, a contemporary quilt design studio in Oak Park, Illinois. Their work has been featured in O: The Oprah Magazine, Metropolitan Home, TIME, The New York Times, Interior Design, and Better Homes and Gardens’ Decorating Magazine. They also have their own line of fabrics distributed internationally through Free Spirit. Their first book, Color Harmony for Quilts, is available in three languages. They live in Oak Park, IL.

This pattern is called Outside the Box

Click on Image to enlarge and read how versatile this block is.

(Click on images to enlarge to read about choosing good values.

I can personally testify to having a hard time picking the right fabrics.

Here are 3 blocks I did in a similar pattern.

The one on the left worked pretty well, the one in the center worked best, and the one on the right was a major flop! The prints were too varied and big. I learned a lot about fabric prints and values making just these three blocks.

I can't wait to try The Outside the Box block and the others from The Modern Quilt Workshop
Patterns, Techniques, and Designs from the FunQuilts Studio

Grab yourself a copy and get quilting!

To check out Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle latest fabrics

and more of their quilts

Including two free down loadable patterns at the bottom of this page

be sure to pop on over to FunQuilts.

On Fire With New Book Monday-Making Handmade Lampwork Beads & Glass Jewelry

When I say hot off the press I'm not kidding today! We are on fire with a wonderful new book on making lampwork beads and then jewelry with those amazing little beauties!

Making Handmade Lampwork Beads & Glass Jewelry

By

Danny Ronat, Hava Ronat

Delicate yet durable, cold to the touch, but full of charm: glass beads are amongst the world’s most ancient forms of art. Today, they are enjoying a popular revival, as people discover their miniature magnificence, and are using them to create vibrant pieces of unique jewelry. Glass beads are not only beautiful to behold; they are also a pleasure to create. With some fundamental tools and careful instructions, amateurs and artists alike can form colorful glass beads, and use them to make bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and more.

The first section provides clear guidelines on how to make glass beads, from start to finish. Readers receive a full explanation of the tools and materials they’ll be working with. Following this are step-by-step instructions, accompanied by full-color photographs, for making a variety of beads. Some of the beads are perfect for beginnings; others will spark the imaginations of experienced beadmakers.

The second section provides instructions for making necklaces, bracelets, and other pieces of jewelry using handmade glass beads. The projects show readers how to combine handmade beads with other beads to maximize their splendor and really show off their distinct beauty.

Hava and Danny Ronat, a husband and wife team who combine distinct skills and experience to create a beautiful array of glass beads. Hava is a beadmaker, painter, and sculptor. Danny is a mechanical engineer who became enchanted by glass after working in stained glass as a hobby. Together, they operate a successful handmade jewelry shop in Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Making Handmade Lampwork Beads & Glass Jewelry is like getting 2 books in one!

The step-out photography for the 28 different beads in this book are amazing. Such eye candy and so easy to follow.

I have made one lampwork bead. You know me I have to try everything at least once.

I found the experience invigorating and exciting. I know, it's a bead only a mother could love. But hey it's my first try! It's a dotted sort-of round bead.

The second part of the book is fill with fabulous jewelry designs made with the lovely beads. This project is so simple and easy. It's a perfect project to feature these detailed beads.

Click on image to enlarge

As you can see I cranked out a bunch of these earrings with lampwork beads from my stash.

I think these would make a great party craft. I always like to have a craft at my parties, generally not one that takes a lot of skill because not all of my friends are crafters (most, but not all!)

Also these would be great to have on hand for last minute gifts.

And since it's Monday-you know what that means-a little taste of Crafty Blogger Links!

About Family Crafts
Now is the time to start sharing your Halloween ideas and, more importantly, photos of your home-made costumes, jack-o-lanterns, and haunted decorations.

About.com Cross Stitch
A Pattern-A-Day in August '08 continues. Don't miss the new free patterns!

Aileen's Musings
Meet Fleurita the Flower Nymph, she's quite the fashionista! Learn how to create your very own flower nymph and enter her in OTM's Art Muse Contest.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Links are still hot! And so it metal clay. Tammy offers some ideas for making metal clay links and then incorporating them into an easy earring design.

Layers Upon Layers
Come meet Angela Mabray, the Crafty Goat, as she shares her recyled art inspirations!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Practicality wins at Sweater Surgery and the craft supplies get a new home with a freecycled wood shelf how-to.

The Impatient Blogger
The Impatient Crafter Margot Potter has a special guest in her new craftertaining video sampling! Jenny Harada comes to the little school house to share how to make your very own fuzzy monster!

And I have a special one:

CraftSanity-Episode 83: Art Journaling with Dawn DeVries Sokol

Listen and See great Creativity!

Grab a box of markers and a clean sheet of paper, and doodle away while you listen to journal artist Dawn DeVries Sokol share the story of how she got hooked on the art form.

Enter to Win The Book! Do you art journal? Why or why not? What role does it play in your life? Post a comment about this podcast and get in the random drawing to win a copy of “1000 Artist Journal Pages.” The deadline is Saturday, Aug. 30. Good luck everyone!

Oh and one last thing if you're into winning books and bobble heads enter here for Crafty Chica goodies!

 

Modern Mark Making and Partying with Lisa Engelbrecht and her "peeps"

Modern Mark Making
From Classical Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering
By
Lisa Engelbrecht

A complete volume offering lettering arts techniques as well as project ideas.

Calligraphy, the art of elegant, beautiful lettering, has increased in popularity over the last several years. From brides who want to address their wedding invitations to do-it-yourselfers who want to prepare certificates or make a family tree, and even for art journalers and scrapbookers who like creative text in their works, calligraphy books and classes are hot.

This book will spark the interest of the calligraphy novice by introducing a new approach to lettering, one that combines a lively combination of traditional lettering styles, fun and scripty modern styles, and artsy street-style lettering, along with project ideas that incorporate creative lettering.

Modern Mark Making demonstrates the uses of traditional and cutting edge lettering tools, from classic calligraphy pens to bling-producing metallic foils and glue pens. It introduces a wide array of lettering styles with complete alphabets sample artworks that show an application. Fully stepped-out illustrations breakdown each letterform, taking the reader through each stroke. A large collection of gallery images that provide further inspiration for how to use creative lettering in artwork.

Lisa Engelbrecht is a lettering artist and was an instructor of calligraphy at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California, where she instituted a Certificate in Calligraphy. She teaches workshops and classes around the country specializing in lettering on fabric and alternative surfaces, experimental lettering and the creative process.

This is the cooooolest!!!

These are called "No-Lift Letters"

Here, each letter was made without lifting the pen. Use a monolinear tool, such as a ballpoint or Micron pen.

To build on this technique here the spaces in between the lines are colored in.

(Click on images to enlarge)

I can't tell you how much I liked this technique! Really. I am not going to show you the first page I tried, but let's just say it took me a few tries to "loosen up" but after I did, I couldn't stop! I cut my vellum to ATC size and just went to town. I can't wait to build on these.

"Y", just because.

After I got into coloring in the spaces it occurred to me why I liked this so much, the spaces and shapes reminded me of one of my favorite artists-Alexander Calder:

While surfing for images to share with you I found this image here.

Female fans would hold “Tupperware parties,” offering Calder pieces for a good price to their friends.

“My grandfather would pack up a box of jewelry –we have one of these boxes in the show — and send them off to a woman patron who would have a little Calder party and then send the money back to him in the same box,” said Rower. “He needed to make a living during the war and thought jewelry making could provide a secondary income.”

Isn't it beautiful!

And if you're in the SoCal area there is some "Mark Making" and partying to be done with Lisa:

"Please come to my Book Launch Party! Here is the info-and all are welcome-I have some very special guests coming! The amazing Jill Bell and many of my contributors. Wonderful piano music and we're working on some cool live music too-Tacos, Beer-all free!!"


B O O K   L A U N C H   P A R T Y!

Please come celebrate the Release Of

Modern Mark Making
From Classical Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering

by
Lisa Engelbrecht
Rockport/Quarry Publishers
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24th-5:00 pm ‘till whenever!
6329 Mariquita Street, Long Beach, 90803

featuring Very Special Guests...
My contributors!
Plus Surprise guests
LIVE CALLIGRAPHIC PAINTING by Lisa and the contributors

LIVE GRAFFITI PAINTING by the UTI crew
( only the finest on the west coast!)
These panels will be auctioned off to benefit
the Homeland Cultural Center Murals Program

TACOS AND DINNER by Salvador
Wine and Beer
Live Music
Absolutely no obligation to buy the book or DVD-
(the contributors and I would love to sign your book-
so bring it if you have it!)
I just want to celebrate with you!
This will also be a Bon Voyage party for Kristin and Sarah
as they embark on their next great adventures

ALSO
Lisa will be book signing and demo-ing at the First Saturday Art Walk in Santa Ana Artists Colony for the Art Bar-This will be Saturday September 6th, 7 to 9 pm. Books will be available for purchase -This is such a great event-live music-open studios.

Be sure to swing over to Lisa's Blog to see her complete teaching schedule and lots more "Mark Making" Lisa-style!

And if you want to see how to make a DIY calligraphy pen click here for another excerpt from
Modern Mark Making:
From Classical Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering