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Student Work

We are excited to share some student work with you. Please keep it coming!

The first three images show Cedar Forest by Trudy Cowan. She has the following to say about her project:

We have developed our own line of hand dyed fabric, ideal for art quilts. At left are some images of the stunning fat 1/4's we have produced using procion MX dyes and PFD Hoffman fabric. This high thread count fabric comes prepared for dying and results in gorgous dyed fabrics. We have a large selection of one of a kind fat 1/4's in the shop including tie dyed designs, double dyed fabrics and hue to hue gradations.

Knitting for winter

At left are some of our knit samples for yarns found in the shop. Our cozy Rasta cowl was knit with one skein of Rasta by Malibrigo. Rachel cast on 64 stitches on a 10 mm circulat needle. Knit random rows of knit stitch, purl stitch, and seed stitch until most of the skein is used, making sure to leave enough of a tail to cast off.

Our Spectra scarf is a great design by Steven West. Our sample was knit in Berroco Ultra Alpace fine and Noro Taiyo sock yarn provided the interesting varigated color.

Salt Spring Island Retreats

Thank you to everyone who participated in our successful retreats this year. Wtih class size limited to 14, each student receives plenty of instruction and has ample space to spread out their sewing machines and supplies.

We offer a choice of registering for the course only if accomodation is not required. For those who wish assistance with accomodation, complete packages offer a choice of hotel room arangements. Please follow our newsletter to recieve updates on new courses for the coming year.

deColourant

deColourant applied with paint brush in swirling motions

deColourant is a great new product used to remove color from natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, wool or linen. Since it is activated by heat, it can be washed out if you are not satisfied with your design before heat has been applied. Apply deColourant to fabric with a brush, stencil or stamp and allow to air dry. Using a household iron, heat gun or sun, apply heat to activate the deColourant and remove the color from the fabric.

Rumor has it

Original Photo-beaded necklaces from Mexico

Month 1-applique, scrim, buttons, foil, couched threads, hand stitching

Month 2-knit wire, organza flowers, beads, buttons, wire lace, couched cording

Month 3-organza shapes, lutradur, beads, stitched disolvable stabilize, thread w

Month 4-beads, stitched disolvable stabilizer, lutradur, lace, painted fibres

Month 5-text on printer sheets, metallic thread, paint,organza

Month 6-silk fusion, applique, satin stitch, beads

Month 7-cut back applique, couched threads, painted fibres,threadwork

Month 8-painted fibres, lutradur, couched threads, beads, metallic thread

Month 9-painted fibres, free motion stitching, pieced quilting, applique

Month 10-painted fibres, strip pieced quilting

Month 11-painted fibres, strip pieced quilting

Month 12-painted fibres, metal shim, lutradur, free motion stitching, applique

Month 13-painted fibres, hand stitching, french knot button, machine stitching

Our fibre art group started a challege last summer which we hope you will enjoy. The challenge was to create a small 2 dimensional wall hanging no larger than 8 1/2 X 11" The rules were simple:

Wire Lace

distorted lace, knitted wire, organza flowers

Wire Lace is a great wire mesh ribbon used in jewelry, crafts, textiles and embellishments. This tubular mesh is available in two sizes, 6 mm and 12 mm and a variety of lovely colors

Made from very fine wires of brass and copper or aluminum, the wire is then bonded with an enamel coating to create the stunning colors.

What can you do with WireLace?

Knitting with mohair

Angel mohair, pattery from diamond luxury collection

Baby Alpaca Sport by Diamond yarn and black mohair

Clapotis scarf, Silk Garden Sock yarn, Baby kid mohair extra

I cord scarf, knit with mohair and Taiyo sock yarn

Our lovely wrap was knit with Angel Mohair by Debbie Bliss. We used 3 balls of the Celadon color..The pattern, # 1402, by Diamond Luxury collection is intended to be used with their Mulberry Merino yarn for a great cool weather wrap.

We used 5 skeins of brown baby alpaca mohair sport by Diamond Luxury collection for our sample of the Shadow Box wrap pattern by Alison Brookbanks. We paired a black mohair along with the alpaca, giving a suble change of color to the project.

Making of an Art Quilt - part 1

Angelina fibres fused into a sheet, then fused to misty fuse

Applique shapes cut out of angelina/misty fuse sheet

Piece of netting fused to angelina/misty fuse sheet

The images shown over this and the following blog entry will detail the steps taken in creating our mixed media art quilt shown at left.

A background fabric was selected ( a bali in this case) and a medium weight fusible stabilizer ironed to the back (we used fuse a shade)

The pieced circular shapes were sewn using a paper pieced New York Beauty pattern. An assortment of cotton, polyester and nylon fabrics were used to create the concentric pieced circles. Place in corner of background fabric, baste in place and trim edges.

Making of an Art Quilt - part 2

Additional spiral applique shapes fused to background

use of a glue stick to hold collage pieces in place

Circlular motif repeated on the stitched evolon, glass beads

Angelina applique shapes, foil glue and foil

Since the base fabric was not exactly what she wanted, Susan cut additonal pieces of the spiral image from the left over base fabric. These were fused onto the base fabric to mask some of the floral images on the original print.

A piece of copper knit was pinned and then stitched into the desired position on the art quilt.

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