Posted 2/24/13

The International Surface Design Association presents: Interface 2013

Post Conference 3-Day Workshop with Naomi S. Adams

San Antonio, Texas - June 10-12, 2013

Textile Bookmaking

Dive into the world of creating your own unique textile artists’ books and sketchbooks. The class will cover the foundations of bookmaking, with opportunities for advanced exploration of new techniques for more experienced students. Special emphasis will be placed on special methods and ideas for using textiles to create unique handmade books. Learn the technical skills through the creation of blank sample books. Investigate the use of sewn bindings, including the Coptic Stitch, Medieval Long Stitch, and a tape binding.

Level: All Levels—Workshop Tuition: $390—Supply Fee: $37

Register for the Workshop only or the Surface Design Conference / Workshop online at:  http://www.surfacedesign.org/

There are still spots left in the workshop, so sign up and tell your friends today!

textile-bookmaking-workshop.pdf

Posted 1/12/13

I worked on a few books this weekend and thought I’d post some images. The book above has a quilted cover that uses a scrap of some great mixed media fabric I made several years ago in a workshop with Judy Coates Perez. She’s amazing. I layered some batiks on top and included some watercolor paper for the interior pages.

To make these 4 miniature books (4 1/2″ x 3 1/2″), I use some of my dyed batting and black and white cotton scraps for the covers. I used interfacing in the middle to increase the stability. For the book construction, I just used a stitch length of 5 and sewed right down the signature with my machine!

This last book is for my upcoming niece’s birthday. She’s still a kindergartener, so I hope I can post without her finding the images. She is such a great kid. I always go home finding little piece of art or secrets tucked in my bag somewhere. I thought I’d make her a sketchbook/journal with lots of hiding places.

I had to include a little bit of skull fabric so she’d know it was made by me! My sister found this fun skull fabric for me. The signatures are stitched in with a medieval long stitch binding using some hand dyed perle cotton thread from Laura Wasilowski.

This last image shows a detail of some of the pages. I sewed in some envelopes and library book pockets so that she will have more places to hide her treasures.

I will be teaching a textile bookmaking class for the 2013 Surface Design Association in San Antonio, Texas. Registration opens this week. See you there!

Posted 11/24/12

Here are a couple of books I created this fall. I found some library catalog cards, due date slips and card holders that had interesting lives. Some of these cards were used for inventory, so they have all sorts of interesting check marks and notations of different colored inks.

This book was created using a tied binding, library catalog cards, cotton yarn and handmade paper.

This book is an accordion book which uses a great barkcloth paper, book cloth, book envelopes and library catalog cards. I’ll be teaching bookmaking at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the Surface Design Association Conference: Confluence in 2013.

Posted 05/07/12

I’ll  be teaching some fun new classes for Quilts, Inc. this year. I thought a sneak peek would be in order. These will be fun, action packed classes. I hope to see you there! Here are images and descriptions of the 3 classes that I am teaching for the International Quilt Festivals at Long Beach and Houston 2012. If you have any questions about the supply lists in the catalogs at quilts.com , please feel free to email me.

1) Quilted Sketchbook - This class is a hybrid: you get both book arts and quilting. Design a book full of creative possibilities enclosed in your own unique quilted cover. Learn how to use book arts techniques and a medieval binding stitch to wrap it up. These books make great journals or sketchbooks, and are excellent gifts for special people in your life. This is a full day class, we will design and quilt the cover in the morning and then comeback to use the book binding techniques to stitch in the pages in the afternoon.

2) Stamps, Stencils and Image Inspiration - This is an exciting mixed media class for art quilters. Alter your textile surfaces with simple techniques, handmade tools, textile paints and found objects. Explore creative exercises to generate your own unique imagery for mixed media compositions. This is a half day class full of great techniques.

3) Fused Fabric Postcards -  Discover techniques for unique mailable gifts and art quilts. Explore journal quilting to chronicle experiences and investigate larger quilt ideas. Delve into inspiration tools to create imaginative compositions. This is a half day class full of fusing fun.

I look forward to seeing you at the quilt festivals this year for some quilting fun!

 Posted 2/25/12

Tape/ribbon bound quilted sketchbook, button closure and sketch paper signatures.

I just thought some images of some handmade books I’ve made recently were in order. The bookmaking class that I am teaching at both the Long Beach and Houston quilt festivals this year (titled “Quilted Journal”) will feature techniques to make medieval long stitch bound books. Sign up for classes through www.quilts.com  - Enjoy!

Medieval long stitch quilted book, overdyed fabric, dyed batting, ribbon tie, watercolor paper signatures, button gifted to me by artist Margaret Ball.

Medieval long stitch bound journals, pleather and felt covers, ribbon closures with button and bottle cap,  sketchbook paper signatures.

Medieval long stitch bound quilted journal, commercial fabrics, buttonhole closure with handmade button gifted to me by artist Margaret Ball, watercolor paper signatures.

Posted 9/3/11

I realized I haven’t posted about the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative in a while, so here’s a quick reminder about a fantastic organization! Right now, quilts are up for auction right here. You can bid right from the comfort of your own home and all of the proceeds go to Alzheimer’s research.

This month, the awesome quilt shown above by the talented Kathy Kennedy-Dennis is being auctioned, and as a bonus, it has my signature on it. :)  The names of 59 quilting luminaries are featured in the center block. Last year at the festival, Kathy carefully collected our autographs. She is wonderful, a talented quilter, and a tireless volunteer to boot!

Every month, I get to assist with some AAQI auction preparations, and it’s hard not to fall in love with a quilt while I am uploading and editing things. This month, I love this quilt featuring a whimsical dragonfly by Didi Salvatierra. I think it’s the eyes. Too cool.

If you’re a quilter, the AAQI is still hoarding quilts to sell at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX in November. So, use your Labor Day holiday and make a few Priority: Alzheimer’s quilts to send their way. Check out the guidelines here. I just send a batch before school started, and here is a preview of one of my favorites, Love Skulls. Look for it to be sold or auctioned soon! It is Quilt #7924 if you want to search the AAQI site for it’s status.

Posted 8/28/11

Check out the newest issue of Quilting Arts Gifts! I am delighted to have a project included in this year’s issue. This special edition of the magazine is chock full of dozens of patterns and tutorials for fantastic quilted gifts, ornaments, and holiday projects.

This is a sneak peek of my project, a quilted journal, sketchbook or planner cover. It has fantastic pockets for pens and notes.  I use this quilted cover for my planner and simply can’t live without it. Now you can make one for yourself and a friend in no time at all!

New this year is the inclusion of special recipes from the contributors, a delicious bonus. So, go ahead, head to the Interweave store and buy one today so you can start quilting those projects right away!

Posted 6/23/11

I had a lovely time at the Surface Design Association Conference this month! I traveled to the lovely city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  I saw so many lovely images and met lots of interesting artists.  As the SDA Creative Promise Award for Student Excellence Graduate Recipient for 2010, I also have a lovely spread in the current issue of the Surface Design Journal.

My work is still on display through August in the fair city of St. Paul in the Currents show at the Larson Gallery on the University of Minnesota Campus. I was pleased to be able to see the Surface Design Association Student Show in person.  Envy was awarded Second Place in this show!

I thought I’d share a few links of the lovely things you will want to purchase or investigate that I garnered during the conference. Enjoy!

Books and Resources:

India Flint, Natural Plant Dyes and Techniques
http://www.indiaflint.com/index.htm
Book: Eco Colour: Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles
http://www.amazon.com/Eco-Colour-Botanical-Beautiful-Textiles/dp/1596683309/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308693416&sr=8-1

Chunghie Lee, Korean Wrapping Bundles
New Book: Bojagi and Beyond
Order through bojagiandbeyond@gmail.com

Carolyn Kallenborn, Woven Lives DVD about Oaxacan Weaving Traditions.
http://www.vidasentretejidas.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Woven-Lives-Entretejidas-Carolyn-Kallenborn/dp/B0051UHDCC

Natalie Alabama Chanin, USA Cottage Hand Sewn Sustainable Clothing
http://alabamachanin.com/
Books: Alabama Stitch Book
http://www.amazon.com/Alabama-Stitch-Book-Celebrating-Contemporary/dp/B004KAB3FC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308693608&sr=8-2

Alabama Studio Style
http://www.amazon.com/Alabama-Studio-Style-Celebrating-Sustainable/dp/B00509CRDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308693608&sr=8-1

Cave Paper: Handmade Papers by Amanda Degener and Bridget O’Malley
www.cavepaper.com

Spoonflower, Custom Printed Fabrics
www.spoonflower.com

Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Book Arts Residencies/Fellowships
http://www.mnbookarts.org/index.html

LFN Textiles: Artist’s Ribbons by Laura Foster Nicholson
http://www.lfntextiles.com/servlet/StoreFront

Jiyoung Chung: Joomchi, traditional Korean Papermaking process
Book: Joomchi and Beyond
http://www.jiyoungchung.com/

Posted 6/17/11

I just finished casing in my edition of 6 artist books, Pairings. Since the illustrations are hand drawn, it is an edition variee. While they are extremely similar, the illustrations make it impossible for each book to be exactly the same. I think it adds charm.

The letterpress type in this book was created on a Vandercook Print Press at Texas Woman’s University.  I used some fabulous big metal type to create impressions on watercolor paper with hand torn edges.

There are seven pairings in the book.  Each book is 9 1/2″ H x 6″ W. Each book has 20 pages and 14 hand drawn illustrations. Each pair is a wine and cheese that I love best together. I had to do some serious research. In this case, a lot of wine and cheese had to be consumed. It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it.

The binding is a sewn retchoso binding that allows the book to lay flat when the viewer reads it. I remembered to take a photo before they got cased in. Lovely. The cover title is also letterpressed onto a lovely textured green paper.

Although lighthearted in many ways, the book also poses my thoughts about pairings and how I feel our culture presents that we are better or more whole if we are coupled up with that special someone. Each pairing has their own phrase associated with this idea, such as “two peas in a pod” or “coupling”.

You see the wine and cheese together, overlaid through a window that showcases the matched set and both of their best qualities. When you turn the page, the cheese stands alone and the wine is left incomplete, with a hole in the bottle.

To purchase a book, please visit my etsy store here or contact me. I worked on this edition with Mary Kathryn Wimberly at Texas Woman’s University. Thank you, Mary Kathryn!

Posted May 30, 2011

Greek: 72″H x 54″W x 2″D

Greetings! I have just returned from the great adventure of the opening of Quilt National 2011. This is my piece, Greek, that you can view at the Dairy Barn in Athens, Ohio until September 5, 2011.  It is such an honor to be a part of this amazing exhibition. I was a first time exhibitor, as were about half of the exhibitors for this biennial. The quality and breadth makes for a really engaging exhibit. While the book/catalog is wonderful, it is so much more amazing to see the pieces in person.

Greek was awarded the “Most Innovative Use of the Medium”, which is generously sponsored by the Friends of FiberArt International. What a pleasure.

I met the most wonderful art quilters and friends of textile art!  People streamed in from all over the globe for the event. We had pieces from 13 countries and 22 states in the exhibit. 88 quilts are exhibited (85 are juried in), chosen by 3 wonderful jurors, from a sea of over 1000 entries.

Lastly, here is my piece and my very own sold sticker! I was delighted to meet the curator and collectors that purchased Greek for their collection.  What a wonderful experience. I can’t wait to get to my studio tomorrow and start on a new piece!

The delightful Judy Kirpich, fellow fiber artist that I met at a Nancy Crow workshop, has the honor of having her piece, Circles No. 4, grace the cover of the book.  Order your catalog of the exhibit here.