Textile Arts Resource Guide: Resource

Showing posts with label Resource. Show all posts

Friday, July 9, 2010

Key Elements for Effective Abstraction

Moe Brooker is an acclaimed painter, but all of the things he says about abstraction during his lecture to the Philadelphia Sketch Club in this 7:21 minute video are relevant for any art medium.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajiH1W1xMg

To learn more about Moe and to view his artwork:

A Morning with Moe Brooker (2.25 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYftzxpKVek

Cleveland Arts Prize
http://www.clevelandartsprize.org/awardees/Moe_Brooker.html

Sande Webster Gallery
http://www.sandewebstergallery.com/artist_pages/artists_brooker.html

Friday, July 2, 2010

Recap - In Case You Missed It (July 2009 - June 2010)

Following are the topics posted this past year (July 2009 – June 2010)

that you may have missed or want to revisit.

Recap - In case you missed it (July 2008 - June 2009) - posted July 5, 2009

http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2009/07/recap-in-case-you-missed-it-july-2008.html

Recap – In case you missed it (June 2007 – June 2008) – posted July 3, 2008

http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2008/07/recap-in-case-you-missed-it.html

Textile Related Tutorials: Part 4 - posted July 12, 2009
http://creativityjourney.blogspot.com/2009/07/textile-related-tutorials-part-4.html

I took a hiatus from blogging from July 12, 2009 - January 10, 2010

Friday, June 25, 2010

Free Web Resources - Part 2

More free online resources to investigate...

Free Web Resources - Part 1

West African Wisdom: Adinkra Symbols & Meanings – “This site's mission is to make available high-quality renditions of these African symbols at no cost for personal and non-profit uses.” – You can sign up for updates to receive alerts when new symbols are added.
http://www.adinkra.org/

Adinkra Cloth Symbols: Asante Wisdom - Aaron Mobley - This is a "...PDF ebook, with 110 symbols, a brief history of the Adinkra Cloth, an image gallery of Adinkra cloths and stamps, and a resource list with links to more information on Adinkra cloth and African textiles." Please be patient as it downloads.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/1323229/adinkra-cloth-symbols-3-9-mb-pdf-august-20-2009-8-29-pm-4-2-meg?da=y

Adinkra Cloth Symbols Chart - Aaron Mobley - Click chart to enlarge
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2927423965_84a92d9c4e_o.jpg

PictoBrowser - a free web application that displays Flickr and Picasa images on websites and blogs.
http://pictobrowser.com/

Penzu – “Penzu is a free online diary and personal journal that is focused on privacy. You can keep your thoughts and ideas to yourself and share only if you want to!” – CNET and PC Magazine both give it a big “thumbs up”.
http://penzu.com/

ARTSBOWL: A Creative Courses Hub – A new platform for promoting art classes, courses, workshops and creative activities. It is designed to raise your profile as a creative course provider as well as a way to stay up-to-date on new courses and competitions, to post blogs and show off your creative projects.
http://artsbowl.com/

Pattern in Islamic Art – “This website offers a FREE download of over 4000 images of patterns and other design features drawn from the rich cultural heritage of the Islamic world. Historically, the decorative arts have always formed a major part of Islamic aesthetic expression. Its remarkable achievements in this direction (much of which are represented here) make it an invaluable resource for designers of all kinds as well as for art-historians and art-lovers generally.”
http://www.patterninislamicart.com/

TextureKing - High quality texture photos that are free for personal and professional use.
http://www.textureking.com/

MapMuse – this website has interactive mapping of quilt shops, and fabric stores across the country, with relevant info given for each store.

Quilting Stores - http://find.mapmuse.com/re1/interest.php?brandID=QUILTING_SHOPS

Fabric Stores - http://find.mapmuse.com/re1/interest.php?brandID=FABRIC_STORES

FabSearch – This site is sponsored by the Fabric Shop Network and provides three ways to search for products: Keyword search for fabrics, books, patterns, notions, etc.; Keyword search for products, newsletters, class information, etc.; and E-mail search in which you "Provide as much detailed information as you possibly can. For example: If you are looking for a specific fabric, include a written description, the manufacturer, name of the collection (if known), pattern number, color name and number, and number of yards you need." This e-mail request will then be sent to 1,000 fabric and quilt shop owners.
http://www.fabshophop.com/fabsearch_quiltart.asp

EMBROIDERY and CROSS STITCH RESOURCES:

How To Videos of Embroidery Stitches – “Hand embroidery is easier if you have someone around to show you how to do it. You can certainly find just about any hand embroidery stitch illustrated in a book, but it’s not quite the same as sitting down next to a friend who can walk you through the stitches. There are quite a few videos available on embroidery stitches, but I’ve noticed that they are either for special techniques (such as “crewel embroidery” or “ribbon embroidery”) or they are very expensive for only a few stitches. So I thought I’d see if I could manage a library of hand embroidery stitches on video.”
http://www.needlenthread.com/videos

Embroidery Stitch Dictionary – Click on the magnifying glass beside each entry to view a large image of the stitch.
http://www.needlecrafter.com/Stitches/stitches.html

Dictionary of Stitches for Hand Embroidery and Needlework - Sharon Boggon -includes illustration of how to work each stitch.
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchindex.html

Embroidery Stitch Identification Guide - Henry Art Gallery - ""The Embroidery Stitch Identification Guide presents a standardized nomenclature and classification system for embroidery stitches based on seven structural and three usage categories. The goal is to provide consistent nomenclature for designers, ethnographers, textile historians, curators, and others who wish to identify embroidery stitches or create embroidered textiles. The project includes names for stitches previously undocumented in embroidery literature, variations of named stitches, and stitch combinations. The index cross references stitch names that deviate from this standardized nomenclature. The focus is on surface stitches, joins, edges, withdrawn element embroidery, deflected element embroidery, and cut work." - "As you move your mouse over the name of the stitch, a large image of it appears.
http://dig.henryart.org/embroidery-stitches/first_level_pages/default.html

KG-Stitch - This is a highly professional free cross stitch software application. Instead of loading and transforming pictures and photos, this piece of software is used to design your own cross stitch charts and graphs. It has a color palette based on DMC embroidery thread colors. There is also a blog to keep you updated and a Support Forum.
http://www.iktsoft.net/kgchart-en/

User's Manual
http://www.iktsoft.net/kgchart-en/manual-cs/

KNIT AND CROCHET RESOURCES:
KnitMap – “Knitmap is a searchable catalog of yarn stores from all over the world…anyone can review, rate and help keep Knitmap up to date!”
http://www.knitmap.com/

Standards and Guidelines for Crochet and Knitting - "The publishers, fiber, needle and hook manufacturers and yarn members of the Craft Yarn Council of America have worked together to set up a series of guidelines and symbols to bring uniformity to yarn, needle and hook labeling and to patterns, whether they appear in books, magazines, leaflets or on yarn labels. Our goal is to make it easier for...consumers to select the right materials for a project and complete it successfully."
http://www.craftyarncouncil.jade-server.com/files/s-and-g.pdf

StitchMinder – iPhone Knitting Application
http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2008/08/12/stitchminder-free-iphone-knitting-app/

Yarndex the Yarn Directory – “The Yarndex.com yarn directory is created to offer knitting enthusiasts a never before available guide to the world of yarn. It is the goal of Yarndex to present every quality yarn from all manufacturers across the globe in a single source that is easy to search, intuitive to use and that provides quick results to Yarndex users.”
http://www.yarndex.com/

YARNIA – the final product isn’t free, but the service provided is unique – “Yarnia is a revolutionary yarn store in Southeast Portland, and the only place where you can design your very own custom blend of yarn. You choose the fiber, color, thickness, and amount, and can have your custom cone of yarn wound for you right on the spot.” – Click the Custom Yarn link at the top of the page to get started creating your very own skein(s). You’re able to control all of the variables from color to fiber to thickness to amount.
http://www.yarniapdx.com/

KnitPro – “KnitPro is a free web application that translates digital images into knit, crochet, needlepoint and cross-stitch patterns. Simply upload jpeg, gif or png images and knitPro will generate a graph sizable for any fiber project.”
http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro/

The Nike Blanket Petition – “From 2003-2008, a diverse group of international knit and crochet hobbyists participated in a microRevolt project called the Nike Blanket Petition, a 15-foot wide handmade blanket of the Nike swoosh. Each 4 x 4 inch stitched square creates the Nike logo, acting as a signature for fair labor policies for Nike garment workers. Over the five-year period, virtual and hand-made squares were collected on tour, electronically and by post mail, representing over 30 countries demonstrated above.”
http://www.microrevolt.org/web/blanket.htm

Friday, May 28, 2010

Free Web Resources

Following are free online resources you may find useful.
Some you are probably already well acquainted with -
Others you'll probably be delighted to learn about.

The Wayback Machine - The Wayback Machine is an internet archive that is building a digital library of internet sites. It allows you to access web sites and web pages that have disappeared without warning. Just plug in the URL address for the non-working site or page and if it has already been archived, you will be able to view it.
http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

Copyscape Plagiarism Check - You can plug in the URL of the web page you're concerned about, and it will search for copies of your page on the web. It also has a paid for service (called CopySentry) that will automatically monitor the web for copies of your pages and email you as soon as they appear.
http://www.copyscape.com/

Akismet - "Automatic Kismet (Akismet for short) is a collaborative effort to make comment and trackback spam a non-issue and restore innocence to blogging, so you never have to worry about spam [in the comment section of your blog] again."
http://akismet.com/

Photo Pencil Sketch - Upload an image, and it will create a pencil sketch of it
http://www.dumpr.net/sketch.php

Sporkforge Sketch Generator - Upload your image, set your desired parameters and generate a "...sketch"-like abstraction of your digital photograph."
http://sporkforge.com/imaging/sketch.php

E-mail Templates for Newsletters - "Getting your email to look great in all the major email clients can be a challenge at times, so we’ve done the hard work for you with these 30 free email templates. We’ve tested them in all the major email clients, so add your own content."
http://www.campaignmonitor.com/templates/

YouSendIt - "YouSendIt technology is ideal for sending large files without the limitations of email attachments..." It is designed for individual use as well as businesses. The free "lite" version allows you to send a maximum file size of 100 MB with a 1 GB monthly download limit.
http://www.yousendit.com/cms/liteaccount

Google SketchUp - "Google SketchUp is software that you can use to create 3D models of anything you like."
http://www.google.com/sketchup/product/gsu.html

ShipGooder - "ShipGooder is the simple, fast way to find optimum shipping rates for local, regional and national couriers." It provides comparative rates to ship your item for all major national, regional and local couriers. Just plug in your origin and destination zip code, postal code or ISO code for a non-US/Canada destination. The advance option allows you to add package size information.
http://www.shipgooder.com/

The Acronym Finder - "The Acronym Finder allows users to decipher acronyms from a database of over 600,000 entries covering computers, technology, telecommunications, and the military. Unlike online glossaries, search engines, encyclopedias, or thesauruses, Acronym Finder exists purely to unravel the bewildering range of acronyms that impact daily life." - If you access it from the home page, you have the option of using it in 13 other languages. Note: unfortunately if there are "tons" of entries for the same acronym, its a little disconcerting because the listing of them is not alphabetized. Not a problem for SAQA which only has two entries, but there are 95 entries for SDA.
http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/

Artist's Butler: Studio Manager for All Artists and Photographers - Okay, this is not completely free, but you are allowed to download the program at no cost to try it out - this demo allows you to input, edit and/or delete up to 10 records so you can determine if this is the program for you. It has a long list of features.
http://www.lynnsoft.net/

The RasterBlaster - Create giant scale prints and images - "The Rasterbator creates huge, rasterized images from any picture. Upload an image, print the resulting multi-page pdf file and assemble the pages into extremely cool looking poster up to 20 meters in size." - You have the option of uploading your image online or downloading the software.
http://homokaasu.org/rasterbator/

The Big Picture Software – The Big Picture is an easy to use free poster printing software that allows you to divide any picture into several A4 pages for printing large posters…Not only does it divide the picture into suitable pages but it also interpolates each page for smooth printing…The program shows how the picture will be divided into individual pages and counts the physical size of the final poster. You can also preview the individual pages…The program contains clear instructions with sample pictures.
http://www.tml.tkk.fi/~tmakipat/thebigpicture/getbigpic.html

Grid Pattern Generator - Just upload your image and it will convert it into a grid. It gives you the option of showing the grid in black and white, in color, using squares and/or using the alphabet.
http://www.typorganism.com/asciiomatic/

Graph and Grid Paper Generator
http://www.incompetech.com/graphpaper/

Wordle - "Wordle is a toy for generating 'word clouds' from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes." - This is a great resource for designing a piece using text. http://www.wordle.net/

Exercises for Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - This is a series of 15 videos - "How to understand carpal tunnel syndrome, its symptoms, and how to relieve pain caused by it with exercises and stretches; get expert tips and advice on treating carpal tunnel pain in this free physical therapy video series."
http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_3747_exercises-treating-carpal-tunnel-syndrome.html

This to That - "Because people have a need to glue things to other things"
http://www.thistothat.com/

Stain Removal Guide
http://www.chemistry.co.nz/stain_frame.htm

Universal Currency Converter
http://www.xe.com/ucc/

TinyURL - To convert those l-o-n-g URLs into something manageable - "By entering in a URL in the text field below, we will create a tiny URL that will not break in email postings and never expires."
http://tinyurl.com/

Zip Code Lookup
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp

LibraryThing - catalogue your books online - "LibraryThing is an online service to help people catalog their books easily. You can access your catalog from anywhere—even on your mobile phone." - The free account allows you to catalog up to 200 books. A paid account ($10/year or $25/lifetime) provides unlimited cataloging.
http://www.librarything.com/about

Free Conference Call - "Teleconferences can have up to 96 participants for 6 hour period of time per session." - Use for business or family.
http://www.freeconferencecall.com/

Create Jigsaw - Upload an image and it will show it in jigsaw puzzle format.
http://www.dumpr.net/puzzle.php

Rubik's Cube - Upload an image and see it rendered in Rubik's Cube format
http://www.dumpr.net/rubik.php

Monday, April 19, 2010

Mira's List

Mira Bartok is an author/artist who speaks at universities and conferences

about grants and other opportunities for people in the arts.

Her full professional bio can be read at the bottom of her blog.

Mira's List is Mira Bartok's blog and is devoted to providing artists with "...up-to-date information, resources and deadlines for grants, fellowships and international residencies. Money, time and a place to create."

Mira unequivocably states that her blog "...is for serious professionals only, from emerging to mid-career to established. " If you have any burning questions about any of these topics, she is the one to contact. For example, a recent post provides Tips on Funding Artist Residencies and addresses many hidden costs that you may not have considered in your budget or erroneously assumed were covered if you received a grant:
http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2010/03/tips-on-funding-artist-residencies.html

Mira's List Blog
http://miraslist.blogspot.com/

FAQ's: Grants
http://miraslist.blogspot.com/search/label/FAQs%3A%20GRANTS

FAQ's: Residencies, Artist Colonies, Retreats and AIR's
http://miraslist.blogspot.com/2009/09/faqs-residencies-artist-colonies.html

Friday, April 9, 2010

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 6

I didn't expect to post another list of tutorials for several months, but the resources keep rolling in. There are so many that I'm having to split them (Part 7 will be posted next week).

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 5

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 4

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 3

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 2

Textile Related Tutorials - Part 1

Free Motion Quilting Filler Project - Leah Day - This is the motherload of ideas and designs for free motion quilting that she is sharing for free!!! Leah has the goal of compiling and making available 365 different designs. To day, she has completed 128. Each design is accompanied by information about its Inspiration, Difficulty Level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), Directional Texture, and Suggestions for Use. Addtionally, Lean includes a video showing exactly how its done.
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/365project.htm

Note: You can sign up to receive email updates about new patterns on her blog:
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/

Free Motion Quilting Designs - Patsy Thompson has also made some design patterns available as PDF downloads.
http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/index.php/free-downloads

Free Motion Machine Quilting: 67 Machine Stitching Tips and Motifs - Free e-book by Quilting Arts Magazine

http://www.quiltingarts.com/Free-Motion-Quilting/

Handbook of Really Freemotion Machine Quilting Designs - Melody Johnson

http://www.meliscellaneous.com/misc/fibermania/Free_Motion_Machine_Quilting_Designs.pdf

Blogging for Quilters - Dena Crain - Dena has written an insightful and information packed article on the do's and don'ts of blogging. Great info for those thinking about entering the blogosphere as well as for those of us already "on the playground".
http://www.denacrain.com/blog/?p=3107

Taking and Editing Photos for the Internet - Vicki Welsh
http://threecreativestudios.com/freeprojects/photoediting.pdf

How to Make Blogger Pages Work for You (as an Artist) - Katherine Tyrell
http://makingamark.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-to-make-blogger-pages-work-for-you.html

How to Quilt a Face - Virginia Greaves
http://www.virginiagreaves.com/blog/2009/11/04/how-to-quilt-a-face/

Thread Savy - Ellen Anne Eddy - Ellen has created a blog where she focuses on how to effectively work with the threads, supplies and equipment that can be both the joy and bane of free-motion embroidery.
http://www.practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/

4/13/10 - I've just learned that Ellen has very recently deleted this blog so that the links no longer work. Apparently she has moved the information to her new blog (see the following link), so please do a search on it to find the information.
http://practicalthreadmagic.blogspot.com/

Thick Metallic Threads
http://practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/2010/01/thread-savy-thick-metallic-threads.html
Metallic Threads

http://practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/2010/01/thread-savy-metallic-threads.html
Mono-filament Threads

http://practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/2010/01/thread-savy-mono-filament-threads.html
Embroidery Threads

http://practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/2010/01/thread-savy-basic-embroidery-thread.html
Hoop-De-Doo

http://practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/2010/01/hoop-dee-doo.html
The Needle Knows

http://practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/2010/01/needle-knows.html
Angelina and Crystalina

http://practicalthreadmagic-ellenanneeddy.blogspot.com/2010/02/bling-bling-bling-angelina-and.html

Double Bias Binding - Ellen Guerrant - This is a step-by-step tutorial on how to "...make a perfect bias binding" in two extensive parts.

Seamless Quilt Bindings - Dena Crain
http://www.denacrain.com/blog/?page_id=215

Preserving Points - Ellen Guerrant - How to prevent points that extend to the edge of a quilt from being covered or "chopped off" when the binding is applied.
http://ellenguerrant.blogspot.com/2009/02/preserving-points.html

How to Use Conductive Fabric to Create Your Own Custom Circuit for Wearables - Alice Planas - This is based on a process developed by Leah Beuchley and Michael Eisenberg
http://hattilim.com/thesis/docs/solar_doc.pdf

DIY Sewing Machine Retrofit - Micah - This was done to upgrade a Singer Inspiration 4210
http://micah.navi.cx/2010/01/diy-sewing-machine-retrofit/

Art Cloth Display Guidelines - Jane Dunnewold
http://www.artclothstudios.com/tutorials.php

Embroidering a Portrait - James Cummings - this tutorial demonstrates "...how to turn a photograph of a person into a redwork embroidered portrait".
http://www.quiltersmuse.com/child_tutorial.htm

Faux Chenille Interpretation Tutorial - Spontaneous Combustion - Arlee Barr
http://arleebarr.squarespace.com/tutorialsandprojects/2006/11/1/faux-chenille-interpretation-tutorial-spontaneous-combustion.html

Leaf Tutorial - Arlee Barr
http://arleebarr.squarespace.com/tutorialsandprojects/2005/7/1/leaf-tutorial.html

Fabric Collage Under a Sheer - Ken Smith
http://www.bennett-smith.com/Fabric%20collage.htm

Layering - Ken Smith
http://www.bennett-smith.com/layering.htm

Machine Embroidery - Ken Smith
http://www.bennett-smith.com/Machine%20Embroidery.htm

How to "Trick Braid" Leather - This technique could also be easily adapted for use with many different textiles
http://www.ohboydenterprises.com/InstructionsTrickBraidLeatherBracelets.html

7 Braid Mystery Belt - This technique is also adaptable for many textiles
http://home.windstream.net/henryh/Leather-Belt.html

Making Fabric Wings - Patrizia Cozzo
http://ooakdollart.com/Fabric%20Wings%20Tutorial.pdf

Flower Pounding - Kathleen M. Tenpas
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/167/

Printing with Leaves - Sarah Ann Smith
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=1423

Portable Quilt Design Wall - 32" x 32"
http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2009/05/tool-time-tuesdaybut-its-wednesday.html

Large Design Wall - 6' x 4'
http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2009/08/large-design-wall-tutorial.html

Design Walls - What they are and How I Build Mine - Lisa Call
http://blog.lisacall.com/2009/12/design-walls

Dyed Paper Towels for Paper and Fabric Arts - Debra Cooper
http://littleblackkitty.typepad.com/a_little_imagination_and_/2008/05/tutorial-part-2.html

Self-Portrait Stencil - Debra Cooper
http://littleblackkitty.typepad.com/a_little_imagination_and_/2007/06/tutorial_selfpo.html

Frigid Piecing - Pat Coulter - This is a free online class on her technique for creating a very three-dimensional effect
http://www.patcoulter.com/quilts/classes/frclass.html

Piecelique: Curved Quilting Technique - Sharon Schamber
http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/piecelique/index.html

Freeform Curved Piecing - Sarah Fielke
http://www.sewn.net.au/TipsTools/Tutorials/CurvedPiecing.aspx

Easy Pieced Curves a la Fleming
http://www.dioramarama.com/2009/02/tutorial_easy_pieced.html

Easy Circle Quilt Blocks - Alex Anderson - 7:11 minute video - This is a pinless technique for machine piecing circles and curves
http://www.hgtv.com/videos/easy-circle-quilt-blocks/5800.html

Felting on Linen - Margaret Oomen - requires neither Embellisher nor felting needles
http://www.resurrectionfern.typepad.com/resurrection_fern/2008/10/felting-on-linen-a-tutorial-or-experiment-in-fiber-art.html

Working with Fantasy Film
http://www.amstamps.com/fantasyfilmprojects/

Creating Faux Carnival Glass - Zeborah Loray
http://www.amstamps.com/fauxcarnival/index.html

Dyeing Bright Colours - Sandra Wyman
http://thedyershand.blogspot.com/2008/05/dyeing-bright-colours.html

Working on Texture When Dyeing - Sarah Ann Smith
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=916

How to Crochet - This is a series of step-by-step videos that teach the basics of crochet
http://www.melsbrushes.co.uk/?p=1217

How to Pack and Ship Your Quilt - Ellen Lindner
http://www.adventurequilter.com/e-Learning/Articles/Shipping_Quilts.html

Fabric Collage - Ellen Lindner - Info about her construction technique & design inspiration
http://www.adventurequilter.com/e-Learning/Articles/Fabric_Collage_1.html

Perfectly Flat Quilts - Ellen Lindner - Blocking Technique
http://www.adventurequilter.com/e-Learning/Articles/Blocking.html

How to Shade - Pam Holland
http://web.mac.com/pamholland3/Pam_Holland_Designs/How_to_shade.html

Fabric Painting: 5 Surface Design, Paint, and Monoprint Techniques - free e-book from Quilting Arts Magazine
http://www.quiltingarts.com/Fabric-Painting-Techniques/

Painted Batting - Sue Bleiweiss

http://threecreativestudios.com/freeprojects/tom/paintedbatting_TOM.pdf

Stitched-In Corners Binding Tutorial - Cheri Sullivan

http://jovaliquilts.blogspot.com/2009/02/stitched-in-corners-binding-tutorial.html

Foolproof Miters on any Width Binding - Sarah Ann Smith
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=457

Binding with Sheer Fabrics and Ribbons - Sarah Ann Smith
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=532

Facings as an Edge Finish - Sarah Ann Smith
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=532

Wholecloth Facing Quilt Finish - Brenda Gael Smith
http://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/blog/2008/02/02/wholecloth-facing-quilt-finish/

How to Make a Kimono - Sam Lemieux

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs19/f/2007/242/e/4/Tutorial_Draft_a_Kimono_Patten_by_taeliac.pdf

Pre-Tied Obi Tutorial - Sam Lemieux - click on the image to enlarge
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs16/f/2007/152/4/3/Tutorial__Pre_Tied_Obi_by_taeliac.jpg

Tansferring Patterns to Fusible Fabric - Michele
http://textiletraveler.blogspot.com/2009/05/tutorial-transferring-patterns-to.html

Discharging Dye for Surface Designers and Quilting - Bob Adams - 9:58 minute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWY1t8V-SNQ

Pinless Painless Basting - Sharon Schamber
http://sharonschambernetwork.com/free_area/videos/pinless_bast/index.html

Stretching Fabric for Mounting Textile Artwork - Cynthia Wenslow
http://www.cynthiawenslow.com/blog/2010/02/tutorial-stretching-fabric-for-mounting/

Mounting a Small Quilt on a Canvas - Sarah Ann Smith
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=1736

Wood Embroidery - Bobbi Huelsmann
http://subversivestitch.blogspot.com/2010/02/bobbi-huelsmann-introduces-wood.html

Marbling Fabric the Easy Way - Kay Sorenson
http://quiltspluscolor.blogspot.com/2010/02/marbling-fabric-easy-way-tutorial.html

A Lesson in Block Printing - Lizzy House
http://lizzyhouse.typepad.com/freeabee/files/blockprint_tutorial.pdf

FAQ
http://lizzyhouse.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c719553ef010534d50a87970c-popup

Machine Needle Felting: Texturizing Fabric - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/machine-needle-felting-texturizing-fabric/#more-530

Making Felted Balls - Judy Coates Perez
http://paintedthreadsprojects.blogspot.com/2008/10/making-felted-balls.html

Making Felt Using Yarn and a Layer of Tulle - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/making-felt-using-yarn-and-a-layer-of-tulle/

How to Paint Dryer Sheets - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/how-to-paint-dryer-sheets/#more-526

Machine Wrapped Cording - Linda Matthews

Textural "Fabric" Paper - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/textural-fabric-paper/

Making Fabric Using Water Soluble Stabilizer - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/making-fabric-using-water-soluble-stabilizer/

Printing on Sheer Fabric - Linda Matthews
http://www.creative-textile-and-quilting-arts.com/printing-on-sheer-fabric/

Snow Dyeing Tutorial - Gayle McKay
http://gaylemckay.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/snow-dyeing-tutorial/

Machine Fusion Fiber - C Findley-Harder

Neocolor II Watersoluble Wax Pastels Tutorial - Leaf: Fannie Narte
http://fanniecarte.blogspot.com/2008/02/neocolor-ii-watersoluble-wax-pastels.html

Transferring Patterns to Fusible Fabric - Michele Guthrie
http://textiletraveler.blogspot.com/2009/05/tutorial-transferring-patterns-to.html

Birch Pond Pattern: Fusing Lesson - Sarah Ann Smith
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=1789

Banner Tutorial - Sarah Waterhouse - This tutorial is for making banners using T-Shirt transfers

Part 1

http://www.knitting-up-north.co.uk/?p=142
Part 2

http://www.knitting-up-north.co.uk/?p=145

Tutorial on Composition Elements – written for painters, it holds true for any 2-D art medium, including ours. It teaches and reinforces the fundamentals in a down to basics, fun way – done in the form of a slide show, addresses 30 subjects including: leading the eye; paths for the eye; positioning objects; block off the exit; and composition checklist, among others
http://website.lineone.net/~peter.saw/ctutor/cmpsitn.htm

Indian Shisha (mirror) Embroidery Tutorial
http://www.joyfulabode.com/2008/02/12/tutorial-indian-shisha-mirror-embroidery/

A Basic Guide to Embroidery and Hand Sewing - Dianne Lewandowski – 170 pages – a comprehensive guide
http://www.needlepointers.com/displaypage.aspx?ArticleID=31731&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.heritageshoppe.com%2fheritage%2fprimer%2fprimer.html

How to Make a Portable Cutting Mat Case - Christine Sews
http://sewing.today.com/2009/05/21/portable-sewing-cutting-mat-case/

Straightening Fabric Grain - Kimara
http://weefolkart.com/?q=node/403

Video Library (online) of Hand Embroidery Stitches
http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/video-library-of-hand-embroidery.html

Gelatin Plate Printing with Natural Dyes – Kimberly Baxter Packwood – YouTube vidcasts – 4-5 minutes each

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IIR10UpWqw&mode=related&search=
Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqSpIR0XrVM&mode=related&search=
Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8jYvapFnxk&mode=related&search=
Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5h7Bw8Fh2Q

How to Use Natural Dyes – Cheryl Kolander
http://www.aurorasilk.com/info/natural-dying.shtml

Rust Solution Dyeing Tutorial – Sophie Geelong
http://essellesbabble.blogspot.com/2006/04/rust-solution-dyeing-tutorial.html

Graduated Dyeing in Plastic Bags – Carol McFee
http://www.fibreandstitch.com/pdf/bagdyeing.pdf

Tutorial for Dyeing Cotton Fabric
http://runmoremiles.blogspot.com/2007/07/i-spent-today-dyeing-cotton-for.html

Folding Fabric - How to organize your stash so that the fabrics are uniformly folded (same width and length).

http://turningturning.com/tutorial-folding-fabric/

Shibori – Karen K Brito

http://entwinements.com/blog-mt3/
http://entwinements.com/blog-mt3/shibori/technique/

Making Shibori Fabric Tutorial – Cozy Bendesky
http://users.rcn.com/bendesky/about/cbta/shibori1.html

Pole-Wrapped Tutorial (pictorial) – Rachel E. Pollock
http://labricoleuse.livejournal.com/7904.html

All About Hand-Dyeing – Paula Burch – a variety of hand dyeing instructions
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/instructions.shtml

Janome Sew Mini Tutorial - Alma Stoller
http://almastoller.typepad.com/almastoller/2009/05/janome-sew-mini-tutorial.html

How to Make a Hanging Sleeve for a Quilt - Gloria Hansen
http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/?p=1488

Hanging Pocket - Beth Wheeler - "Tired of hanging sleeves? Try this quick pocket method—great for small to mid-size wall quilts, fabric collage, and mixed media on a fabric base."
http://www.quilterskeeplearning.com/Beths%20stuff/Hanging%20Pocket%20Tutorial-1.pdf

Antique Pattern Library: Crochet, knitting, tatting, netting, embroidery, needle lace, beading and other needlework patterns – “This ongoing project is an effort to scan needlework pattern books that are in the public domain, to preserve them, so we can keep our needlework heritage in our hands. These scans have been photoedited to make them more useful for needle workers, and to reduce file sizes. They are available, for free, to anyone who wants them, for educational, personal, artistic and other creative uses.”
http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/

From Sarah's Bookshelf - Sarah Ann Smith - Sarah shares the 14-page bibliography she developed for her book Threadwork Unraveled. It is broken down into 10 categories, each of which can be downloaded separately if desired. They include: Art Quilting; Breaking Out and Stretching Yourself; Color; Decorative Stitch and Free-motion Embroidery; Drawing, Design Inspiration and Creativity; Hawaiian Applique; Machine Applique; Machine Quilting and Design; Miscellaneous Cool Stuff; and Painting and Dyeing Fabric.
http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/FromSarahsBookshelf.pdf

Changing Color in Photoshop Using Elements Video Tutorial - Beth Wheeler
http://screencast.com/t/DW5255fL

Make Your Own Spray Box - "If you love to use 606 Spray and Fix spray on fusible web for applique make your own spray box so it catches any over spray. It make clean up a breeze."
http://www.sprayandfix.com/blog/2009/08/21/make-your-own-spray-box/

How to Make a Big Ironing Board
http://www.quiltcampus.net/Library/Printings/NL2005-11-BigIroningBoard.html

Machine Fiber Fusion - C Findlay-Harder

Metallic Painting Effects on Fabric - Vicki Welsh

http://threecreativestudios.com/freeprojects/tom/metallicpainting_TOM.pdf

Dyeing Yarn in 30 Minutes or Less - Melody Johnson

http://fibermania.blogspot.com/2009/11/dyeing-wool-yarn-in-30-minutes-or-less.html

How to Unravel a Sweater to Recycle Yarn

http://www.recycleyarn.com/

Fabric Painting: 5 Surface Design, Paint and Monoprint Techniques - Quilting Arts Magazine - step-by-step instructions

http://www.quiltingarts.com/Fabric-Painting-Techniques/

6 Secrets of Successful Machine Couching - Carol Taylor

http://www.quiltingarts.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2009/12/15/6-secrets-of-successful-machine-couching.aspx

Dyeing with Natural Plant Material

http://natural-kids.blogspot.com/2009/10/tutorial-thursday.html

Create Unique Prints with this Easy Technique - Making gelatin monprints on fabric and paper

http://www.quiltingarts.com/blogs/quilting-daily/archive/2010/02/18/create-unique-prints-with-this-easy-technique.aspx

Beautiful Bows - Joggles

Single Loop
http://www.joggles.com/bowtutorial1.htm
Triple Loop
http://www.joggles.com/bowtutorial2.htm
Quadruple Loop
http://www.joggles.com/bowtutorial3.htm

How to Care for Vintage Fabrics: 36 Tips - Kim Kight
http://www.trueup.net/?p=298

23 Things to Talk About in Your Art Newsletter

http://www.theabundantartist.com/23-things-to-talk-about-in-your-art-newsletter/

Business Plans for Artists: Here, I Did It for You!

http://www.theabundantartist.com/business-plans-for-artists-here-i-did-it-for-you/

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Emergency Assistance for Artists Affected by New England Flooding

The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) has issued assistance information

for professional craft artists affected by the flooding disaster occuring in New England:

Important Disaster Relief info for Craft Artists -From CERF

From the Craft Emergency Relief Fund:

CERF would like to make sure that any professional craft artist who has been seriously affected by the flooding is aware of the disaster relief assistance available from CERF.

If, as a craft artist, you have suffered loss, please contact us when able. If, as an arts organization representative, you know of craft artists in the flood area, or plan to correspond with your artist constituents in the near future, please pass this information on. If there are organizations that directly work with artists in your community that you think we should know about, please send us their contact information.

CERF’s programs include:

* Grants up to $1,500;
* Loans up to $8,000;
* Booth fee waivers at craft shows;
* Discounts on materials and equipment from suppliers and manufacturers;
* Assistance with business development through referrals to consultants and other low or no-cost resources

For eligibility requirements and more detailed information, please click here or contact us at:

Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)
PO Box 838
Montpelier, VT 05601

ph: (802) 229-2306
fx: (802) 223-6484
les@craftemergency.org
http://www.craftemergency.org/

Friday, March 12, 2010

Tax Preparation and Planning for Visual Artists

Its that time of the year again - sigh.

The last time information about tax information for visual artists was posted to this blog was three years ago. Its time for an update and access to some additional information. A few resources for some international artists have also been found.

Also: Don't forget to check with your state and local arts organizations - at this time of year they often have free or very low cost tax workshops available that are designed to meet the specific needs of artists.

TAXATION AND TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED VISUAL ARTIST - Peter Jason Riley, CPA (senior partner of the CPA Firm of Riley & Associates, PC) - This is still a fantastic resource!
http://www.artstaxinfo.com/artists.shtml

Worksheets:

          1. Expense Checklist for Visual Artists
               PDF version: http://www.artstaxinfo.com/office.shtml
               Excel Worksheet version: http://www.artstaxinfo.com/ARTIST/VISUAL~1.XLS

         2. Income Worksheet for Visual Artists
              PDF version: http://www.artstaxinfo.com/ARTIST/ARTIST~1.PDF
              Excel Worksheet version: http://www.artstaxinfo.com/ARTIST/INCOME~1.XLS

         3. 12 Month Expense Worksheet for Visual Artists
              Excel Worksheet format: http://www.artstaxinfo.com/ARTIST/12MONT~1.XLS

How to Deduct Your Home Office and/or Studio

http://www.artstaxinfo.com/office.shtml
.

Self-Employment Tax Basics

http://www.artstaxinfo.com/basics.shtml
.

Glossary of Tax, Business, & Financial Terms Written in Plain English

       http://www.planningtips.com/Planning_Tips.asp?Co_ID=110208&Tip_ID=6870
.
       Hobby or Business...Is Being an Artist a Business?
       http://www.microcreditnh.org/artworksnh/pdfs/LanguageLessons.PDF
.

Peter Jason Riley's book (2010 Edition), The New Tax Guide for Writers, Artists, Performers and Other Creative People is available. Full information about it can be found on the following link:

http://www.artstaxinfo.com/buy.shtml
.

NOTE: I have no affiliation
.
.

BARTERING - Have you been thinking about doing this as a way to get around income taxes?
.

Bartering Art? Don't Forget the Tax Man
http://www.artbusiness.com/barter.html

Do You Trade or Barter? Don't Mess with the IRS - Excepted from Artist Trust's Journal - Heather Joy Helbach-Olds
http://www.artisttrust.org/pro_resources/prof_dev/barter

Record Keeping for Business Barter Transactions - IRS Publication
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=215975,00.html

OTHER RESOURCES:
.

Filing for Artists - Stephen J. Drahos - "This article will explain the various types of taxes affecting an artist and give some general guidelines on certain pitfalls to avoid."

https://artistsregister.com/resource2.phtml?resourceId=16

Taxation of the Visual and Performing Artist 2009 - Michele M Stanton, CPA - Prepared for TALA (Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts)
http://www.talarts.org/Publications/TALAIncomeTaxforArtists2009.pdf

Possible Allowable Business Deductions for Visual Artists - Visual Art Exchange
http://www.visualartexchange.org/forms/taxdeductions_10.22.09_alexlehmann.pdf

Tips for Doing Your Taxes: Is Your Art a Business? - Visual Art Exchange handout based on a lecture by Alex Lehmann as part of their Business of Being an Artist series
http://www.visualartexchange.org/forms/Doing%20Your%20Taxes_1.12.10.pdf

Artist Stiffed by Gallery Wants Tax Write-off - George Saenz, CPA
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/tax_adviser/20080219_business_loss_a1.asp

.

INTERNATIONAL TAX POLICIES:

Tax Policies for Visual Artists in Canada
http://vivacorp.org/tax-policies-for-visual-artists-in-canada/

Visual Arts (Canadian) Tax and Business Information
http://www.ontarioartist.ca/en/visual_tax.htm

Revenue, Irish Tax and Customs: Artists Exemption
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/reliefs/artists-exemption.html

Artefacts: the Arts and Tax [Australia] - A practical tax workbook that is designed to assist artists and arts organisations with the tax system http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/artists/reports_and_publications/artefacts_the_arts_and_tax

Friday, March 5, 2010

Photographer Claiming Copyright - How to Prevent

Quilts, Photographs and Galleries - Paul Sugden - This article was written for The Australian Forum for Textile Arts. In it, Sugden discusses an issue that arose with a photographer who was hired by a gallery to take photos of an exhibit. The photographer susequently published the photos of the quilter's artwork on his own website, claiming he had copyright of the photos.

Sugden provides a clause that artists should require to be inserted in any contract that a gallery or other venue has with a photographer. NOTE: artists could also amend it for insertion in the general publicity permission statement they sign with venues for exhibitions.
http://www.tafta.org.au/Pauls_work/PS_84.html

Monday, March 1, 2010

100 Ideas

The last post featured a humorous survival kit Keri Smith designed for artists to use if/whenever discouragement sets in. Keri has also come up with a list of 100 ideas we can use to get our creative juices flowing when having one of those "dry" spells.
http://www.kerismith.com/100ideas.pdf

Friday, February 26, 2010

Artist's Survival Kit

Keri Smith offers a humorous survival kit for artists to help us cope with those days when we find ourselves wondering, "Why the hell did I ever think I wanted to be an artist?"

The kit is made available as a series of 5 downloadable and printable PDF files (she suggests using cardstock) that we can then pull out and consult when having "one of those days" or need to share with an artist friend in need of a "pick me up". For example, the "I QUIT" card gives the following instructions: 1) Go get a newspaper; 2) Read the classified section; 3) Look for jobs that would fulfill you; 4) Circle them; 5) Count the circles.

http://www.kerismith.com/ask.html

Monday, February 22, 2010

UPDATE - Print Your Own Fabric Companies

Only a month ago, I did a post about companies that offer the service of printing yardage of your fabric design. I've just learned about another company for you to consider, as well as have come across a blog posting that provides not only information about things you need to consider, but also provides a lot of comparison nformation about the different services each company offers.

Original Post

Eyecandey - the newest company to enter the field (along with Fabric on Demand, Karma Kraft, and Spoonflower)
http://www.candeystore.com/

My Big Digital Fabric Printing Experiment - Kim Kight- She had a single design printed by each of the four services. Discusses the results in detail.

http://www.trueup.net/?p=5364

Digital Fabric Printing Guide - Kim Kight's side-by-side comparisons of the 4 companies on 21 different indices (ranging from price to color matching information)
http://www.trueup.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/trueup-dtpguide1.pdf

20 Ideas for Digital Fabric Printing - Kim Kight provides a lot of great ideas for taking advantage of digital fabric printing services
http://www.trueup.net/?p=5309

Friday, February 19, 2010

Textile Artists' Dream Come True?

What if there was available to you a non-toxic invisible "liquid glass" spray that protected fabric surfaces from dirt, heat, acids, and UV radiation while remaining breathable yet remains invisible to the naked eye?

Spray-on Miracle Could Revolutionise Manufacturing - This has got to be too good to be true, but just in case it isn't, I want some - I want it NOW!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/sprayon-miracle-could-revolutionise-manufacturing-1885158.html

The only question that remains is when it will become available commercially...

Friday, February 12, 2010

All You Need to Know to Screen Print Fabric

Michelle Saintonge breaks down the mechanics of screen printing into a series of easy to understand tutorials that advanced screen printers as well as those new to the process will find extremely useful.

Preparing Your Fabric for Printing or Dyeing *Big Tip Alert*
http://www.printcutsew.com/1461/preparing-your-fabric-for-printing-or-dyeing-big-tip-alert/

The Beginner’s Guide to Sounding Like a Screen Pro – Silkscreen printing terms
http://www.printcutsew.com/259/the-beginners-guide-to-sounding-like-a-screen-print-pro/

Can You Explain That Again? – More terms
http://www.printcutsew.com/376/can-you-explain-that-again/

Screen Print Table to Go - build a print table that is specifically made to print fabric
http://www.printcutsew.com/392/screen-print-table-to-go/

Printed Lace? It’s Easy and Quick. Here’s How
http://www.printcutsew.com/203/printed-lace-its-easy-and-quick-heres-how/

Squeegee Pressure. What’s Important to Know!
http://www.printcutsew.com/824/squeegee-pressure-whats-important-to-know/

CMYK for Photorealistic Screen Printing - This guide will help you produce a four colour CMYK halftone separation of your image to capture the look of a photorealistic image.
http://www.printcutsew.com/454/cmyk-for-photorealistic-screen-printing/

A Full Size Guide to Printing Halftones - This is a guide to silkscreen printing of halftones and the correct mesh count for your dot size.
http://www.printcutsew.com/274/a-full-size-guide-to-printing-halftones/

The How-to of Screen Coating - This how-to shows you step-by-step the proper way to coat your silkscreen frame.
http://www.printcutsew.com/288/the-how-to-of-screen-coating/

Screen Printing 101

Part 1 – Getting Started - This tutorial is the first in a series of three turtorials that teach you everything you need to know about silkscreen printing whether it is on fabric, t-shirts or onto paper.
http://www.printcutsew.com/549/screen-printing-101-part-1-getting-started/

Part 2 – Creating the Stencil - This tutorial shows how you will expose and wash your newly made stencil on your silk screen frame.
http://www.printcutsew.com/649/creating-your-screen-print-stencil/

Part 3 – The Good Stuff - This tutorial focuses on printing onto fabric and paper with a screen print frame.
http://www.printcutsew.com/660/screen-printing-101-part-3-the-good-stuff/

Feeling Exposed? - Here’s a quick guide to exposure times for silkscreens whether you use a pro lamp, task lamp or the sun!
http://www.printcutsew.com/613/feeling-exposed/

Building a Silkscreen Frame from Scratch - Make your Own Screen Print Frame for $10.00.
http://www.printcutsew.com/579/building-a-silkscreen-frame-from-scratch/

What is Screen Printing Registration?

Part 1 - Learning how to register your prints is a very important skill and helps you jump from craft hobbiest to serious printer.
http://www.printcutsew.com/663/what-is-screen-printing-registration-part-1/

Part 2 – How to make sure that each colour in your design exposes on the same location for each of your screens.
http://www.printcutsew.com/1314/screen-printing-registration-part-2/

Part 3 – How to set up your fabric on your print table so you can print repeating patterns over and over again.
http://www.printcutsew.com/1338/screen-printing-registration-part-3-fabric-registration/

Wash and Learn! “Big Tip Alert” – Print colours not lining up? Troubleshooting bad registration.
http://www.printcutsew.com/1469/wash-and-learn-big-tip-alert/

Using Strippers and Banishing Ghosts
http://www.printcutsew.com/1438/using-strippers-and-banishing-ghosts/

Quick and Easy! Build a Screen Print Frame From an Old Picture Frame
http://www.printcutsew.com/81/quick-and-easy-build-your-own-silkscreen-frame/

The Darker Side of Screen Printing – This tutorial will show you how to set up your dark room, or dark corner if that’s all you have
http://www.printcutsew.com/284/the-darker-side-of-screen-printing/

TLC for Your Silk Screen Frames
http://www.printcutsew.com/279/tlc-for-our-silk-screen-frames/

Rip Your Screen? Here’s How to Fix it Fast
http://www.printcutsew.com/276/rip-your-screen-heres-how-to-fix-it-fast/

A Mesh Count for Everything! Well, almost.
http://www.printcutsew.com/272/a-mesh-count-for-everything-well-almost/

Textile Arts Resource Guide

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