It's time for a giveaway to announce the "grand opening" of my new blog!
If you've been reading this blog you may have come to know that I am, and have been for many years, a paper artist who is now moving into the world of textiles. My blog will hopefully record that glorious journey, and my results with various techniques.
So to celebrate one of those techniques, I'm offering a give-away of one 2- yard piece of my hand-dyed cotton fabric, a copy of a great little book that helped me get started, and a large baggie of fun painted paper and fabric scraps from my huge stash!
In order to be eligible for this give-away, all you have to do is comment on this blog and tell me how YOU got started on your own art journey! If you want a better chance to win, comment more than once (but please no more than ONE comment a day, up to three comments total)!
Then on August 9th, one month from today, I will assign each comment a number and use a randomizer to choose a winner. Please remember that if you don't leave a name and email address, or offer some other way of contacting you at the end of the give-away, I won't be able to include you.
Simple, right?
Looking forward to hearing for all of you and good luck!
- Judi
44 comments:
awesome, judi! looking forward to seeing some of your work! my journey...gosh. fits and starts for 30+ yrs, i'd say. but i'm back into it...watercolors this time, maybe get my gumption up to acrylics. tried my hand at making a thoroughly hand made beaded purse for a friend for her birthday that didn't turn out too badly...but it's all a journey. no perfectin necessary. ;)
How lovely! And what a nice promotion! My endeavours toward art are far more awkward because, as my ex used to say, I'm noncreative garbage (okay, so he didn't have the nerve to say it to me, but that's what he called people who had the same level of creativity that I do).
Judi, this is great and very approachable. You are doing it and I wish I could say the same. I've accumulated 'stuff'. I have even used some of my dyes for a trial batch. But I'm not sure I've actually started. But I wanna. I've quilted for years and slightly tweaked things but I want to leave the kits, and the instructions and the peer pressure behind. When you next hear from me, I'll have done 'something'!
8^)
I started out thinking quilts had to fit beds (1957-1978). Then I started making wallhangings and friends kept telling me I was an artist. Thankfully I finally believed them. Your hand dyed fabrics are beautiful. so was the batting.
Woo hoo!!! Please count me in. I've been making some type of art/craft for as long as I can remember. I've always enjoyed keeping busy with crafts and my love affair has just excalated.
What a lovely idea!
I've been crafting since the day two of my best friends (sisters) showed up on my doorstep and announced, "WE can sew!" I think I was five; they were five and three. They showed me what they'd learned, and within days (as I remember it) I was making clothes for my stuffed toys. Cross-stitch, knitting, crochet, and all kinds of other joys followed. Crafting has taken a back seat at various times over the years, but I've never been without it.
I became interested in the quilting process while working as a designer. I was given the assignment of designing a group of jacquard woven patterns based on traditional quilt. I felt compelled to make a quilt after that and then it became more personal.
mmmm hand-dyed fabric!!!!! So... I have been sewing most of my life but have only tried my own hand at art quilts in the past year or so. My big passion is adding fiber or stitching to clay and wouldn't some of your fabric look good ... my fingers are crossed .... thanks for posting this fun giveaway!
I have always done things with fabric. When I learned to quilt I wanted to do my own thing and so that is what started me on making creative art to hang on the wall.
Love your colors! I've been working with glass for the last 10 years and before that I've done some quilting, painting, drawing, etc., trying everything and looking for my artistic voice.
right now I'm into to mixed media, working with glass, metal, fabric and found objects.
These are luscious fabrics, so bright and cheerful! I'd love to win your giveaway if some of these are the prize. I got started on this journey first as a youngster, doing embroidery that my mom taught me. After I was an adult (I'm not claiming to be grown up) I began making my own clothes and then to use up my scraps I began to make quilts and progressed to making art quilts and more recently mixed media stuff. Having fun with it all. Thanks for sharing your process. You can get my email through my blogger name link.
I too am extending my creative journey into fabric dyeing and like you, find it such fun. I grew up in a little town where little girls started taking "home ec" in the 3rd grade. I sewed for years through my 5 children's various parties and then began to quilt 16 years ago with the birth of my first grandchild. Now I primarily quilt and purchased a longarm so with my dyeing, I am becoming a "full service" girl. Please visit me sometimes at patricia-myquiltingadventure.blogspot.com. BTW, love your blog!
Patricia
Gee, where to start, Judi!..
I was making my dresses at 12 yrs old lol!..on my aunts treadle machine! been at various things involving fabrics, paint, paper,beads and thread ever since!..
i guess quiltmaking is my first love..however i am seeing wonderful new things in the blogging world...fabric collages for one... i love that!
thanks for your generous giveaway... gorgeous gift!
gypsy (jean)
Gee...where did it all start? I have always made stuff since a little girl...a great improvisor! I crafted...then started weaving and basketry, handmade paper, spinning...all that led to dyeing. Now I mainly make quilts and machine embroidered paper dolls. I don't do much, if at all, dyeing anymore...but would LOVE to win some hand dyed fabric. Thanks for the opportunity to enter this great giveaway. Anita homespunwb@yahoo.com
I am by no means an artist. I dye my fabric the old fashion way with rit dye and a bucket. I like my things to be different. I would love to win some of your fabrics.
What a cool give away--just finished one on my blog!
It seems I have always made some sort of art, be it fiber or traditional. In the past few years, the two have blended and now I have two studios---one for the painting and one for the sewing. But everything I have done/learned along the way has led me to where I am now, and I cannot encourage people enough to try things outside the box, or add a little something different to what you are currently doing. That's how I ended up in this most distinctive style of mixed media I do.
(and I'll be 50 this year, so I've been at it a while.....)
Go for it---enjoy the trip!
Hi Judi! Welcome to the world of blogging. I have signed up to follow your Blog. I have to keep up on wonderful craft and ideas of things to do. Your textiles look absolutely beautiful. I can hardly wait to read your posts as they come. I like taking fabric and recovering things with, whether it is pillows, or pieces for wall quilts. I just love draping it for an affect over my chairs. I even use pieced for table runners or over my entryway hall table. There are so many uses for textiles. Please pop over and say hi. I would love to have you follow my blog as well. Country Hugs and welcome again, Sherry
Congrats on the big step of blogworld...I'm tempted but as of yet have not given in to that temptation. I'm anxious to see what comes out of your studio. For nearly 45 years I've been the 'creative' sort. I've dabbled in a little of everything it seems over the years; painting, spinning, quilting, knit/crochet, cross stitch etc...the list goes on. I'm what you would call a jack of all trades, master at NONE! I can do nearly everything I set my hand to...just not expertly....:)
My quilt journey began over 30 years ago with a scrap quilt made of square patches cut from all sorts of old clothing. I had so many squares when I was done cutting that I ended up making 2 quilts. They were both done completely by machine. Since then I have done some hand piecing and quilting, then machine piecing with hand quilting (the quilting took so long that I never got anything completed), and finally back to total machine work, both piecing and quilting. I've just started managing to do some fairly decent freehand machine quilting...very fun.
Thanks for the chance to be entered in your giveaway.
I am not sure how I got started on my artsy path---but just recently I decided I had better start creating with items out of my stash--or people will be buying my stash at an estate sale someday --I turned 51 yesterday and am happy to say that it is as much fun using my stuff in art as shopping for it!
hugs,
Brenda
www.brendabliss.com
I started quilting after finishing university. combining a variety of printed fabrics is my favourite challenge. How did the dying-to-stitch piece turn out?
My parents got me started years ago - I must've been very young with crayons, and water colors, and plenty of time on my hands -- no TV because they didn't believe in it. A bit of boredom encourages a kid explore their own ideas, and if rightly channeled, that is a good thing!
And then, omitting other artistic endeavors but on the path to my current obsession, I made a string quilt about 20 years later out of fabric scraps and our old clothes. It was a greeny-peachy thing that I didn't get around to binding; just zigzagged the edges and tied the blocks at the corners with orange worsted that made horrible fuzzy blobs once the quilt was washed. Used it for a couple decades before it expired.
Great question for a drawing! I've been a quilter since i was 17 years old (I'm - eek! - 43 now!) I started dyeing fabric in a small way 11 years ago, but when we moved to a house with a big basement laundry 10 years, ago, I really started into dyeing in a big way. After a couple years of making traditional-type quilts with my hand dyes, I started having huge pangs of wanting to have the quilts I make be totally me. I spent a good 6 years trying to figure out exactly what that was, and hit my stride about 3 years ago! I love being an art quilter, and the blogs I read are always a continual source of inspiration (like your quilting then dyeing!) WooHoo!
I think I've always been interested in art. I did graphic design when I first left school, then went to uni in my 40's for a BA in Art (textiles) now spend most of my time doing textile related things.
Your art looks gorgeous, good luck with the textiles & new blog.
I found your blog today and I am enjoying reading through it and looking at your photos. It is a nice distraction from work on this cloudy Friday. I started 'making' things when I stole my brother's Cub Scout manual many, many years ago. I watched Mom make my clothes and was hooked on sewing and the process of laying out patterns. I continued making my own clothes all throughout high school and college and started quilting about 15 years ago. I dabble in photography, art quilting, collage and whatever else catches my eye. I love it all! I recently bought some discharge paste and can't wait to get started using it. I will add your site to my favorites so I can return for inspiration. Thanks for sharing your work and processes.
I was a creative type of kid, and obsessed with making anything that I could manage to create from the stuff that was laying around our apartment. I think I stole (as in never returned and kept nearly forever) a library book on how to make stuff from junk - when I was 7.
The epiphany that I could create art as well as "stuff" struck me as I was staring down a long white wall in our rented apartment as a newlywed. I knew I wanted to have a wall that I could cover with art of my own creation.
I have been quilting ever since.
Third phase: About 25 years passed, and again omitting a number other artsy or crafty ventures, my dear husband died unexpectedly, leaving a too-young widow with about 100 ties, which I used to make tiny little paper-pieced quilts. It's been nearly five years, and I've made at least 25 quilts by now (not with ties), 1/3 for the bed, 2/3 for the walls, and most larger than 36x36. They just grow.
I REALLY want to win your dyed fabric!!! I have posted on other days, not sure if all 3 posts are supposed to be here?
It's not hard to post a comment to your blog...there is always something interesting and exciting and colorful to see. Thank you.
Ooh La La - a chance to win something made with love from you.
How the hoolies did I get started. . .? Well, my first recollection of art was back when I was a Bluebird. We made paper maché bracelets then macaroni glued to a tin and sprayed gold - ahhh those were the days. Then in high school - Industrial Arts class - I dabbled in leather, pottery, decoupagé and jewelry. When it came time to decide on a major for college, my mother told me to major in crafts or PE since those were the only classes I got A's in. . .
Fastforward - did needle work - then quilting. One year ago I retired and my Art/Craft world blossomed. I have the time to try it all. Bought back issues of Cloth, Paper, Scissors - need I say more? Every morning visit my list of blogs from various artist - you included. Thank you:)
What an interesting photo! Is it the imprint made from a tennis shoe in the sand? I thought you might like to know that as a result of the photo puzzle challenge I now look at the bottom of every shoe I come across..Who would have ever thought I would find so much inspiration under shoes! Susan,thank you for taking me there!
Shari
Judi,I will be following your blog as you continue working with textiles. Your hand-dyed fabrics are beautiful!
Someone lent me a Quilting Arts Magazine. After dreaming about making an art quilt and being "put on hold" for some time,I am thrilled to finally be "doing" instead of just thinking.
Shari
I will email you my address if you announce I am the winner.
P.S. Disregard my previous comment about the shoes. It was intended for a different blog.
my art journey began when I was barely tall enough to see over my Moms Singer sewing machine. It was my job to help her sew by raising and lowering the presser foot! now almost 5 decades later, I am still sewing, and lovin every stitch!
I decided to GO FOR IT, and post my limit of 3 comments..another piece to the beginning of my art journey was when my son was in kindergarten, and it was the Centennial year so I was wearing my painted stars & stripes t-shirt...the entire school staff bought those shirts for the Parade...it was my first sale of my handmade art!! and I never stopped since then...20 years ago! I peddle my wares everywhere I go!
Neat idea, Judi! My love of art comes from my childhood. Spent hours creating dolls, paper dolls etc. My Mother taught me to sew on a machine at 11, but it wasn't until my 40's that I realized that all the formal art training I sought was leading me back to my sewing machine. The show, "Full Deck Art Quilts" in spring of 1995 was an Eye opener for me and I have been art quilting ever since.
My mother was the one who sent me on my art journey. When I was a young girl I enjoyed accompanying her to several of her ceramics classes. Sometimes she brought slabs of clay home. I was fascinated watching her create things of beauty in various art/crafts media. She encouraged me to try new things. I'll never forget the time she found me coloring the linoleum flooring with crayons. (I guess that was one she didn't encourage!)
I will email you my address if you announce I am the winner.
Shari
Shari said...
My art journey continued... A long time ago,when I was enrolled in an art class, I painted a five foot wood backdrop onto which I mounted a toilet seat (sticking out) and and a toilet paper holder.(Art?) Realizing I couldn't haul it alone,I recruited my younger sister's help.OF COURSE I didn't tell her what we would be carrying or that we had to take the shuttle bus! (I think the worst part for her was waiting at the bus stop.)
I will email my address if my name is drawn.
I was afraid I might have missed out on this, my computer died awhile back but now I am up and running again and trying to catch up on my favorite blogs. I got started on this journey first as a youngster, doing embroidery that my mom taught me. After I was an adult (I'm not claiming to be grown up) I began making my own clothes and then to use up my scraps I began to make quilts and progressed to making art quilts and more recently mixed media stuff. Having fun with it all. Thanks for sharing your process. You can get my email through my blogger name link.
In this second posting, it was my good fortune to be able to volunteer in our local public school teaching kids to create art quilts, that really gave me the steam I needed to develop my quilting. I did this for 6 years and we created 6 collaborative pictoral quilts, one in the shape of the state of Rhode Island, and individual children created their owns quiltlets. Whenever I need inspiration, I look back to the pictures and remember the joy children bring to any endeavor.
wow this is a very generous giveaway! Let's see my journey started about 8 years ago when I walked away from corporate life and took a weaving class. From that point forward I've been on a fiber and paper arts journey and I've never looked back!
After reading Sue B's comment a memory sparked. Weaving was a piece in my puzzle too. I just loved the feel of the yarns and fibers and all the colors. But somehow, it just wasn't me so I moved on to quilting. I still have some of the cloth I wove. Maybe I should use it in a quilt!
How did I get started on my art journey? Really, really get started? The earliest thing that comes to my mind, is learning how to sew using bubble wrap. Yep, that's right. I was probably around four. My mother would set me down with a variety of DMC floss and squares of bubble wrap and give me a needle—a real needle, none of this child-safety nonsense—and I'd sew concentric squares in the bubble wrap in different colors, going up in one bubble and down in the next. I looked at a few of these the past couple years, and they're actually kind of fun bits of art. ;)
So that started me sewing, and one thing has led to another. I've been very lucky that crafting has always been a part of my life.
My love for art began in grade school and I was one of the lucky ones who had art twice a week. I know that's not true of kids anymore. I just remember being so fascinated with the different colors and textures we would work with.
doot65[at]comcast{dot}net
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