Free Class Viewing On Bluprint Until October 12th

Did you hear the news? From now until October 12th, Bluprint is airing ALL Crafty classes for FREE!! Yes, you read that right. You can view Crafty Classes for FREE!! 

I've already taken advantage of it by browsing a few classes I was interested in, but wasn't sure if I would like. Being able to watch the classes can really help you to make that decision on whether or not to purchase the class. (Full disclosure: I am currently watching Marilee Rockley's tatting class.)

Sitting on the fence about a class or two? Now is the time to really see how an instructor teaches and know for sure if the class is right for you.

I am already sold on a couple of classes now that I have been able to sample the class and the instructor's style.

Please spread the news and let your friends and family know about this great opportunity that Crafty has provided through Bluprint.

You can follow this link below or clink on the banner at the lower right side of my blog.

Bluprint Get Started Event: Watch All Classes + Shows For Free

Free Scarf Weaving Download From Craftsy

Hey, did you see that Craftsy has a free PDF download for weavers? It's called, Scarf Weaving With Confidence, written by weaver Cally Booker.

Cally shares some really cool tips and tricks for those just starting out weaving or for weavers who want to improve their scarf making skills. I already downloaded and printed out a copy to keep in my now growing reference collection. You can download your own copy HERE.

And So It Begins...

Well, this is something I never thought would happen. A change has happened in my focus as of late. 2015 was the year that I rediscovered quilting. I have enjoyed my stay in the quilting community and just as I started to think the quilting world was my home, I found myself called into another direction.

Changing crafting directions comes naturally for me. I'm use to it now. Read far back enough in my blog and you will see that I have been a knitter, jewelry designer and lace maker among other things. But this new direction has completely caught me off guard.

A few years back I purchased a rigid heddle loom on Craftsy.com. I don't know why. I never had any interest in weaving before. My mom had just died and I just felt like I wanted to make something. But I didn't. I ordered the loom and there it sat, never opened. For three years it just sat.

Rigid Heddle Loom

This past December I finally opened the box. No actual reason for it. It was there and so I opened it. A couple of Youtube videos later I had the loom put together and the warp dressed. It was a slow process weaving. I had no desire for it. I did a few rows here and there, but nothing to write home about. Actually it felt a bit boring, and I seriously questioned the mental state I was in when I ordered the thing.

First woven scarf fresh off the loom

Then, near the end of December something happened. I was moving the loom out the way to get to some other project when I decided to do a couple of rows. This time something in my brain seemed to shift. Before I knew it I had finished a scarf. That same day I tied off the scarf and dressed the loom for another scarf. Over the course of the next two weeks I would make six more scarves. With each scarf I would shake my head in pure amazement. Weaving was the last thing I ever wanted to do and now I couldn't get enough of it.

Full view of woven scarf

Throughout my crafting life, I have always chosen my next crafting adventure. But this time was different. This time the craft choose me. I'm not sure where this weaving adventure will take me. But for now I walk cautiously into this new territory of fiber arts and making sure to document my journey along the way.

Ask Joi: It's Salvaged. Now What?

Rachel F. sent me this email:

I've heard about quilters making things with the salvaged end of their fabrics. Exactly how do you do it and what do you make with them?

Oh, Rachel,  I just love the idea of using every little scrap in quilting. And quilting with salvaged edges is one very creative way of using up everything you've got. 

For those who don't know, a salvaged edge is that piece of the fabric that sports the designer name, fabric company, those little color dots, and whatever else fabric companies like to put on there. It's the part of the fabric that most people would just cut off and toss. But quilters- being the clever bunch that they are- found a way to use these fabrics ends to create their own stylish fabrics for use in a variety of things.

Craftsy and Quilting with Nancy both offer great tips on how to save and sew your salvaged ends

(photo credit: busybean)

There are many quilters out there in love with using the salvaged ends of fabric. And lucky for us, they are not afraid to share their passion. Diana Weirich is one such person with a lovely collection of salvaged edge projects that she has gathered on Pinterest. This is where I discovered this cute little pincushion by AngelaGreenwald on Flickr

The Salvage Edge Boutique is an entire blog dedicated to the fashionable use of salvaged pieces. Just look at this cute tote from their site:

In working with salvaged ends, you are basically creating your own fabric, so you can use it an any way that you would normally use fabric. The creative uses are really only limited to how much you have saved ans how much you are willing to save.

Salvaged Hexagons (photo credit: salvage blog)

Hexified!

If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed that my quilting world is slowly being taken over by hexagons.

Yes, I kissed a hexie and I liked it! *giggle*

Craftsy has a great post on English Paper Piecing (EPP)

As we speak I have three different hexie quilts in the works along with making hexie flowers for the Hexie Friends group I joined on Instagram.

I actually thought this hexie love would only last for just a season, like a summer love. But it seems my relationship with hexies have entered into a more serious level. I'm thinking this may become a permanent relationship. And I'm fine with that!

Check out Julia C. Wood's blog and hexie block of the month

I have this desire to explore the hexagon in quilting and see how far I can push it creatively. I love both the simplicity of just using one shape and the complexity of designs achievable with that shape.

The fact that this work requires almost all hand sewing is just the icing on the cake for me. But so as not to neglect my sewing machine, I will continue to make other types of quilts as well.

Sue Daley is an EPP Specialist with an awesome blog

So, now that I have given you fair warning on what to expect, I hope you will continue to come back to my blog and share in my continuing journey and growth through the world of quilting.

Feel free to share some of your current hexie or EPP work in the comment section. I would love to see what you are up to.

Free Quilting eGuides from Craftsy

In case you haven't been over at Craftsy for awhile, wanted to let you know that they have eGuides! You can download these PDF's for free and even print them out.

Below are a couple of the eGuides that I thought you might be interested in. You can find these and more HERE.

Free Craftsy eGuild: "Save Those Scraps" A Scrap Quilting Book

Free Craftsy eGuide: Genius Hacks Every Quilter Should Know

Freeing My Quilts With Joe the Quilter

In the July/August 2008 issue of Quilters Newsletter, there was an article titled, "The Ballard of Joe the Quilter". This was the first time I had learned about Joe Cunningham, aka, Joe the Quilter. 

On doing some research on improvisational quilters and quilt makers, Joe's name kept popping up. So I did a Google search and found a video of him on Youtube. It was the Craftsy's Stash Buster video. 

Craftsy's Stash Buster with Joe the Quilter

Watching Joe make his quilt block was so different from any quilt making process that I had seen before. I loved the spontaneous, free-form approach. I was really drawn to this way of quilt making.

The more I learned about Joe the Quilter and his design process, the more I realized that this way the type of quilting I wanted to do. Now if only there was a class being taught where I could learn more.

Joe Cunningham, aka, Joe the Quilter

I was pleasantly surprised to see  that Joe had a class on Craftsy. The class is called 'Pattern Free Quilt Making". I signed up right away. I just watched the class introduction and I am excited about this approach to quilting. 

Craftsy Class

Have any of you taken a class with Joe the Quilter or attended one of his talks? Let me know about your experience in the comments below.

Jacquie and Joe

Two of my favorite quilters are Jacquie Gering and Joe Cunningham. I've been following their work for a while now. Though their improvisational styles are different, their work is repeatedly beautiful. Below are two Stash Buster videos from Craftsy that show the creative process of both Jacquie and Joe as they tackle the same pile of scrap fabrics and make a quilt block in under and hour.

Jacquie Gering

Joe Cunningham

One The First Day of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,

A a knitting class on Craftsy:

Knitting Classes and so much more at Craftsy.com