DIGITAL CLASS REVIEW AND QUILT: PAINTED PICTORIAL QUILTS WITH ANNETTE KENNEDY, PART II

This was the first project of the class, a lily.  Luckily for me it is one of my favourite quilting themes.  

DVD REVIEW: DIGITAL IMAGERY IN FIBRE ART WITH WEN REDMOND

Wen Redmond is enthusiastic about her subject matter, textured photographs, and that enthusiasm is catchy.  She talks you through various products that can be used to either lay down a textured surface for printing on fabric or to coat the finished product.  Wen also shows you how to finish your completed project.

This is a new field to me but the information was clear, interesting and I was half way to the nearest art store to buy something that sparkled or rippled before the DVD had finished.

You need access to a computer and an inkjet printer for this technique and for those who are not computer savvy, Wen talks you through how to alter your photos and set the printing options.

This 83 minute DVD is available from Interweave for $14.95.

DVD REVIEW: PRINT, COLLAGE, QUILT WITH MELANIE TESTA

The 55 minute DVD talks you through printing on cotton and organza with dyes, layering them in collage form and then into a quilt.

I liked the idea but really did not like the presentation of the material and the dvd sorely needed some good editing.  I don't think this DVD is aimed at novices to printing with dyes, as it did not cover basic information.  It did peak my interest, so if inspiration is what you are looking for, this might suit.

The dvd is available from Interweave for $19.95.  You may however, want to wait for the sale.

DVD & Book Reviews: Fabric Photo Play by Julia C. Wood & Making Faces with Maria Elkins

I got lots of great feedback on my portrait quilt of my friend John and requests for more information on the subject.

John's quilt is the third quilt I have made using the method described in the book Fabric Photo Play by Julia C Wood.  I am not sure where it is available for purchase now, but I am pretty sure if you contact the author she will be able to direct you.  It is published by AQS and at the time I purchased it, cost $20.

International Quilt Study Centre & Museum

For anyone interested in broadening their knowledge about quilting, IQSC offers up their podcasts (both audio and visual) via both their website and iTunes University.  I am now undertaking the mammoth task of downloading a whole slew on them to take on holiday with me.  Oh happy days!

DVD & BOOK REVIEW: BREAKDOWN PRINTING BY CLAIRE BENN & LESLIE MORGAN

In my review about Tray Dyeing, I said that there were other Committed To Cloth publications, more worthy of your money.  Breakdown Printing is it.

Breakdown printing, in its simplest form, is laying colour onto a screen, letting it harden, then removing it onto fabric, using paint, printing paste, discharging agents etc.  If you are just starting out along the surface design route, this would be an excellent first DVD to watch.  Claire takes you through why certain chemicals are used and how to mix them.  When I was making print paste by myself, I could't clearly see how it should look when first mixed and how runny or solid it should be when used.  This DVD clearly shows these sort of things.  The dvd also takes you through preparing your screens and cleaning them up at the end, as well as useful tools.  There are clear demonstrations on how to do the screening and the information and advice are really useful.  I can't wait to get started!

The DVD is available from Committed to Cloth for £14.50 and $25.20 from Dharma.  I recommend this as a really useful resource for your book/DVD library.

DVD REVIEW: TRAY DYEING WITH LESLIE MORGAN & CLAIRE BENN

After my enthusiasm  for Morgan & Benn's book/DVD combo Making Your Mark , I ordered another couple of their publications.

Tray Dyeing is a 44 page book with a 45 minute DVD.  My first feeling having watched the DVD was, is that it?  It really wasn't terribly inspiring.  I think the book is better than the DVD, especially as it contains a few colour recipes, but when it comes down to it, this method does seem a bit of a one trick pony, so there isn't much to tell.

The book costs $25 from Dharma, in the US and £16 direct from Committed to Cloth.  If you have a limited amount of money to spend, they have other publications more worthy of your money.

DVD REVIEW: MAKING YOUR MARK WITH CLAIRE BENN & LESLIE MORGAN

If you want to take up surface design but don't want to buy every book and DVD out there (er, does that sound like me?!), buy Making Your Mark.  Sorry scrap that.  Forget the reasons, just rush to Amazon or Claire and Leslie's website and buy this book.  You won't regret it, not for a single infinitesimal moment,  Yep I love it!

DVD REVIEW: EXPRESSION SESSION WITH ALICIA BURKE

This is a Quilting Arts Workshop DVD.  It costs $19.95 and is 62 minutes long.  The link is here.  

Subtitled making vivid mixed-media fabric, they may as well call it, playtime for those of us who can't really paint.  Using acrylic paint, fabric paint sprays and shoe polish for goodness sake, Alicia swipes, stamps and dribbles paint across the surface of the fabric or paper she is working on.  Clearly a 'more is more fun' sort of girl, she aims to get as many techniques on the surface as possible.  

For those who are looking to get into mixed media or just colouring the fabric surface, this is an easy way to do so.  There is nothing she shows you that takes any fancy tool or any great skill, in fact the skill may be in when to shout "ENOUGH!".

I really enjoyed this DVD.  I have been inspired to just grab a doily off the cake stand and spray a bit of paint through it.  And finally, thank goodness, someone has shown me a fun way to use shoe polish!

DVD REVIEW: INSPIRED VELVET WITH ANGIE HUGHES

This DVD is produced by COLOURICIOUS.  It runs for 97 minutes and costs £18.  It is available from other outlets including Amazon.

I purchased this dvd, having been inspired by the trailers for it on the COLOURICIOUS website.

Given my lack of access to velvet, I know I am not going to use the techniques on this DVD exactly as shown, but it was immediately obvious that you could do everything Angie talked about on other fabrics.

Angie's work is rich in colour and texture and she uses a lot of really fun stuff that makes you want to go out and play.  She touches on painting, printing, foiling, using glitter (at last a use for it).  I am sure the sweet wrappers she uses are something I won't have trouble finding and for the pyromaniacs amongst us, she gets out her heat gun too!

Like other COLOURICIOUS DVDs, the format is a classroom setting with a few people sitting around watching and occasionally participating.  It did feel rather fake, as they tried to look engaged in the process, but this is just a small niggle about that type of format.  

On the whole I found this DVD a good way to learn about how you can start a surface design picture, and had me eager to get something shiny out and stick it on some fabric.  If you like shiny, and you like to play, this is the DVD for you.

DVD REVIEW: TEXTURE TRANSFORMATION - STICTH, ALTER, RECYCLE

If you long to use up your old dryer sheets, get out your pencils and do some colouring, oh and maybe throw in a bit of computing, this is the dvd for you.

Natalya Aikens sets about showing the techniques she uses, in a very straight forward manner.  She doesn't waste time with silly catch phrases or have her pet cat running around the set.  She has information to impart and she does so with no frills.  I have to say - I like that!

This dvd is produced by Cloth-Paper-Scissors a sister publication to Quilting Arts.  It is 67 minutes long and costs $19.95.  The link is here.

Now, you do not make a project with this dvd, it is an ideas format, something to get those creative juices flowing.  So if you want your hand held as you make something, this isn't the dvd for you.

DVD REVIEW: REBEL QUILTING - THINKING OUTSIDE THE BLOCK

On my quilting journey, I have not had a lot of opportunities to take classes with real live teachers, so last year I decided to invest in more quilting/surface design dvds and online classes, to expand my skills.  One thing I've realised is that not all quilting dvds are born equal and that just as the usefulness of a class may vary, so too will a dvd.

Today I am looking at Rebel Quilting - Thinking Outside the Block, with Jamie Fingal.  The dvd is a Quilting Arts Workshop dvd and costs, at the time of writing this, about $20.  I always try to buy my Quilting Arts dvds in their sales, so I probably paid about half of that.  To link to the dvd, click here.

I chose this dvd because I liked the look of Jamie's quilts.  They are fun and funky and brightly coloured.  Watching the dvd also made me realise that they are really simple to make, and that you could easily make yourself a quilt in a day or two.  I didn't like the whole 'stick a zipper in the middle of your quilt' idea, but then you could just leave it out if you hate it.

Stupendous Stitching

Like most quilters I know, I use only two or three of the stitches from the many that are available on my sewing machine.  The quilter Carol Ann Waugh however, uses every single stitch on her machine.  And I mean every stitch.  Carol has produced some interesting looking quilts, so I signed up for her class Stupendous Stitching on Craftsy and gave it a go.