Quilting Arts Magazine June - July 2018

Welcome to a very special issue of QUILTING ARTS—one that celebrates not only what our contributors do, but where they do it. As quilters, we post our finishes on Instagram, share our frustrations on Facebook, and promote our techniques and classes in newsletters and blogs. However, much of the work we do is accomplished in the privacy of our studios, and rarely shared with our community. We thought it would be a great idea to ask our artists to share a view of their workplaces and create a behind-the-scenes tour for our readers. When the photos for these features came in, the editorial team was thrilled. From colorful design walls in an old factory to a unique outdoor wet studio, these inspiring spaces knocked our socks off. No wonder the fiber…

What are we looking for? • Artists with inspiring portfolios of work to be featured in our In The Spotlight, Artist Profile, and Q&A articles. Show us your work and tell us your story. • Essays for “the last word” (up to 800 words). • Unique techniques, new ways to use existing tools and supplies, and ideas we’ve never featured before. If you are teaching, blogging, or exhibiting your art quilts, you probably have great ideas to share! How to submit • Write a brief description of your idea and email it to qasubmissions@fwmedia.com. Your submission should give us an overview of what you are proposing to write with enough detail and supporting information for us to carefully consider your idea. • Attach up to three low-resolution jpg photos of your art or process to your email,…

Esterita Austin is known for the use of textural and dimensional imagery as well as the innovative and original techniques she brings to her quilt-making workshops. One of her international venues is a workshop and tour in the hills of Tuscany held each September. Her work has won international awards and has been published in numerous periodicals and books. esteritaaustin.com Sue Bleiweiss is a full-time fiber artist living in Massachusetts. Using her own hand-dyed cotton, she creates vibrant, colorful art quilts intended to delight the viewer and make them smile. Sue has appeared on “Quilting Arts TV” and has a Quilting Arts Workshop™ video, “Coloring Book Fabric Collage: Dyeing, Fusing, Designing, and Quilting.” She is the author of FUSIBLE FABRIC COLLAGE. suebleiweiss.com Deborah Boschert is an artist who layers fabric, paint, and stitching. Her…

We love seeing where artists create, and so do our readers. Whether you work in an outdoor dye studio, a professional artist co-op, or have carved out a corner for creativity in your home, your studio could be featured on the pages of QUILTING ARTS in our new recurring column, Open Studio. Want to see your studio featured in a future publication? Read on… • To be considered for an Open Studio feature, please provide a brief written description of your studio and email it to qasubmissions@fwmedia.com with ‘Open Studio feature’ in the subject line. • Attach up to three low-resolution images of your studio to help us in the review process. NOTE: Good photography is important in the review phase and beyond. If your proposal is accepted, you are responsible for providing the…

tucked away in a quiet New England mill town, art quilter and longarmer Timna Tarr finally has the studio of her dreams. It is anchored with open shelves for storage at one end, and her longarm quilting machine at the other. Between are tables for cutting, ironing, and a couch for relaxing. And best of all, this open-concept space is bathed in lots of light. “Having lots of light and plenty of room to spread out are luxuries that I do not take for granted.” “I recently moved my studio into a new space about a mile from my house. It was a great move for me. This is a big change from when my home and work intermingled constantly.” Now, with her quilting business and family spaces clearly defined, Timna works…

i often tell people that purchasing a longarm is like buying a car. They are both large investments in money and space. If you are considering making the commitment to longarm ownership, these are my top tips. Test drive Test drive a few different brands of machines before you buy. Every brand feels different, and you will know if you really like (or don’t like) a machine after giving it a good test drive. Many companies set up booths at large quilt shows, which allows you to try out a few machines in one place. Buy from a dealer Buy your machine, even if it’s used, from a dealer. Dealers will help you learn the machine and are an invaluable resource when you have technical problems. You might find a great deal from someone…