Tag Archives: Gutermann

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Quilts Display at International Quilt Market – Pittsburgh

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I wanted to post, finally, some of my pictures from the Spring International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh. I know you will enjoy seeing some of the spectacular, fun, colorful and whimsy quilts that were displayed. It’s hard to believe that Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh was almost 2 months ago. It seems like only a few days since I was walked off the plane to return home.

Gutermann both spring quilt market

First, I want to show you the booth that I was working in during Quilt Market – Gutermann of America. I helped with the decorating of the booth with my quilts (made with my fabrics for Quilting Treasures and sewn with Gutermann thread). For a sneak peek of my next fabric collection due out this fall (Purr-fect Balance), check out the small turquoise and red quilt shown on the left side. I had received small pieces of the fabric for approval the week before Quilt Market, so I whipped out a small quilt with the pieces.  Please check back as I will post more about this fabric shortly.

You are what you eat Kathy York Quilt

“You are What You Eat” by Kathy York of Austin Texas. Kathy was inspired to create this quilt because of the deers in her neighborhood and that they must be made of flowers because they eat all of hers. The techniques used include hand-drawn batiks, bleach discharged, overdyed, machine pieced, fused appliqué, machine and hand quilting.

Tutti Frutti Main Street Susan Bleiweiss

“Tutti Frutti Main Street” by Susan Bleiweiss of Upton, Ma is part of her ongoing series of art quilts celebrating the use of vibrant color and whimsical imagery.  Sue’s techniques include raw-edge fused appliqué and machine quilted.

Its a Crazy Life Gail Thomas

“It’s a Crazy Life” by Gail Thomas, of Vernon, BC, Canada. She created this quilt with the techniques of hand-pieced, hand-appliqued, painted, machine quilted and hand-embroidered.  Gail worked on this quilt during and after treatment. As her world started healing, she decided the name “Its a Crazy Life” fit with all her stories and the “wow” moments in her life.

House in the Valley #5 Larua Wasilowski

“House in the Valley #5” by Laura Wasilowski is a view of her house by a busy body bird.  The techniques used were fused appliqué, hand-embroidered and free-motion quilted.  This quilt is available for purchase.

A Bright Sun-shiny Day Terri Stegmiler

“A Bright Sun-Shiny Day” by Terri Stegmiller of Manadan, ND is her original design of whimsy, girls, cats and birds. She thinks of this as a self-portrait as she is outside on sunny days watching birds with her cats. Her techniques include hand painted, whole cloth, and free-motion quilted. This quilt is available for purchase.

Roses in the Window Carol Morrissey

 

“Roses in the Window” by Carol Morrissey of Double Oak, TX.  Carol’s techniques fused applique and machine quilted.  She was inspired for this quilt design by a photo she took of some roses that were sitting in her kitchen window. This quilt is available for purchase.

I have many faces Natalie Carlton

Nancy Carlton of Stuart Florida created “I have Many Faces”  and it is available for purchase.  The technique used by Nancy is fused appliqué. She posterized the photos, printed them out and used them for her pattern for fusible appliqué. Available for purchase.

Aren’t these quilts wonderful!  But I’m not finished! I’m working on another post to include more of these wonderful quilts. So check back Monday.

I indicated which of these quilts were for sale, but have no way of knowing if they are still available. They are all so wonderful!  I also provided links to the websites of these quilters. I hope that you check them out – these are some pretty amazing women.

So have a nice weekend and check back Monday for more beauties!

Phyllis

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New “Bee Yourself” Fabrics are the Buzz!

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Fall International Quilt Market is almost here! I love Quilt Market and am looking forward to the trip to Houston next week. And I’m especially excited because I have a new fabric collection debuting with Quilting Treasures and wanted to give you a sneak peak at them. “Bee Yourself” features 12 blocks of happy “bee-isms” along with coordinating fabrics.

Bee Yourself Fabric Blocks Phyllis Dobbs

When I started designing a fabric collection all about bees, the first thing I thought of after I got past the fuzzy bee itself was “Quilting Bee” and then “Sewing Bee”. After these popped into my head, it formed the whole concept of the collection. I thought of many more bees to incorporate as I created the illustrations for the blocks, including “Honey Bee”, “Worker Bee”, “Spelling Bee”, “Queen Bee”, “Bee in a Bonnet”, “Fashion Bee”, “Just Bee Cause”, “Busy Bee”, “Bee Mine”, and the title bee, “Bee Yourself”. In “beeing” yourself, you can be any bee you want to be.

Bee yourself fabric collection Phyllis Dobbs Quilting Treasures

It was really fun to create all these bees. The ideas just kept coming and I have an almost endless list of more “bees”. My brother and sister-in-law jumped in with suggestions of their favorite bee-isms. I am thrilled with how the collection turned out and am now sewing and quilting several bee projects for Quilt Market.

The fabrics will be ready to ship to the stores in December, a good time to snuggle up with a sewing or quilting bee and become a busy bee during the cold weather. (Ok, I quit with the bee-isms!)

I will be posting some free patterns here shortly with fun ways to use “Bee Yourself”. Quilting Treasures will also have some free project patterns available on their website when the fabrics are out. I will update you when all the patterns are available.

Schoolhouse Houston Quilt Market

If you are attending Quilt Market, which is open to the trade only, I want to invite you to attend my Schoolhouse event on Saturday afternoon at 4:55 in room 362D. I will be presenting some great ideas and there will be a free gift for everyone. I hope to see some of you there.

I will also be in Gutermann of America’s booth (#537) a bunch of the time and would love to meet you so please stop by. Some “Bee Yourself” projects will be in their booth as well as in Quilting Treasures’ booth (#1056).

Have a great day and “bee yourself”!

Phyllis

 

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Upcycle – Create a Decorative Pillow from Pants or Other Clothing!

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If you are like me, you have a lot of clothing hanging in your closet that you no longer wear. But there is something you still love about these pieces – the color, fabric design, etc. Repurpose or upcycle it to give it a new life. I repurposed a pair of capri pants made with fabric that I loved into a decorative pillow for a guest blog post on FaveCrafts for Earth Week. I had never worn these pants and think that I bought them just for the fabric.

Upcycled decorative pillow by Phyllis Dobbs

Although I chose to make a decorative pillow, you can make many different type projects using this technique. I added detail to the pillow top by sewing multiple wavy lines of both non-metallic and metallic Gutermann threads vertically to quilt the fabric to a piece of cotton batting.  I used different shades of both turquoise and coral threads in addition to a black thread. I also sewed turquoise, red and yellow beads randomly and to the flowers. Please visit the FaveCrafts blog post for full tutorial instructions as well as additional photos.

Close up detail of upcycled pillow by Phyllis Dobbs

In addition to your closet, you can locate fabulous finds at thrift stores or yard sales to repurpose. I’m a fabric junkie so I always keep my eyes peeled for fabrics, as well as sweaters and other items I can sew into something else or use in other type of crafts.

Phyllis

 

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Great Products and Great Displays at Craft & Hobby (CHA) Winter Show

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After spending several days in southern California for the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) winter show, I came home inspired and excited. I took photos of the fabulous products and displays, so many photos that I will have to divide my CHA review into two parts. CHA is a huge show with such a variety of products in about all crafting cagtegories. The variety is one of the things I love about the show.

The trends that I noticed at the show included lots of paper sculpture as well as bead sculpture, glass mosaics, beads and needlework to include both embroidery (and Crewel) and felt. I’m sure I missed some other trends, but these caught my attention.

I was working in the Gutermann booth surrounded by the beautiful and high quality Gutermann threads.

Gutermann booth at CHA winter show

Gutermann threads display

I love the wide assortment of the in both cotton and silk.  Watch for designs and projects that I will be creating using their threads – comiong soon!

Gutermann thread patternI took a closeup of one spool of the varigated thread.  I loved the pattern created by the thread winding and the brilliant varigated color. Opening your eyes to things close  around you can give you beautiful patterns.

Brazzill Basic Papers sculpture

Brazzill Basic Papers had beautiful displays of sculptured flowers.  This display was hanging in a corner of the booth. A beautiful, larger display was in the center of the booth, but they were so busy and crowded with buyers, I could not get to it to take a photo.

Therm-o-Web glittered sculpure heart

Therm O Web demonstrated a new glitter – Glitter Dust, that gives a light sprinkling of glitter by aerosol.  The paper sculptured heart consisted of various sizes of flowers, all with a light coating of Glitter Dust.

Therm O Web Glitter Dust

Knitting and crochet are so versatile, as can be seen by the display in the Bernat booth with these chairs.

Bernat knitted and crochet chair coverings at CHA

These chair covers were knitted and crocheted using Waverly for Bernat, based on 5 of Waverly’s popular patterns.  The yarns are in color collections based on the colors of the patterns. You can see my favorite 2 chairs below.

Bernat Green crocheted chair at CHA

Crochet and knit chair at winter CHA by Bernat

Aren’t they wonderful!!

Bernat clothing and accessories at CHA

And I just love these sweaters and accessories also in the Bernat booth. I will take one of each! I really love the colors of this display.

Glass mosaic boots by I Love to Create at CHA

Dress made with paper plates by ILovetoCreate at CHA

The ILovetoCreate booth was filled with several wonderful displays created by EdoHeidi Borchers and Tiffany Windsor. Heidi created the mosaic boots using over 2000 pieces of mosaic tiles and buttons. They were gorgeous!  The dress was designed by Heidi and Tiffany with 90 paper plates hand cut into over 5000 petals, glued and painted to look like faux leather.  This was a stunning display to show the uses of Aleene’s glue.

Decorated white column ILovetoCreate CHA

This large column, designed by Tiffany and Heidi, is decorated with 1200 paper plate hand and die cut into over 3300 pieces.

Mosaic skirt created with broken china in ILovetoCreate booth at CHA

Mosaic table by ILovetoCreate at CHA

Broken china mosaic chair by ILovetoCreate at CHA

This display of mosaics was also designed by Heidi and Tiffany for ILovetoCreate. I love the skirt!  It’s made with broken china – cups and plates.  Its really a work of art! The table and chair are mosaics using broken china.  All three pieces created a beautiful setting.

Tulip body painting by IlovetoCreate at CHA

ILovetoCreate also has Tulip paints for body painting. A different design was painted each day.  The pretty model is Savannah Starr, Heidi’s granddaughter. I wonder if it tickles but it would be fun to paint and wear!

Phyllis Dobbs with Tiffany Windsor of ILovetoCreate at CHA

Tiffany is pictured here with me when I ran into her at the show. Besides being a great designer, Tiffany also hosts the Cool2Craft network.

Felt fish pillows by Kunin Group at CHA

The Kunin Group had adorable projects in their booth with colorful felt, including the this fish pillow and the stuffed fish.

Cell phone cases made with Kunin felt at CHA

The cell phone cases were one of the displays in the Kunin Group booth.  They are just too cute and are by Jodie Haffa of Lova Revolutionary.

Bridal accessories by Darice at CHA

David Tutera at Darice booth at CHA

David Tutera, wedding expert and host of My Fair Wedding on WeTV, has a bridal accessory line with Darice. Some of the products are used for the beautiful table setting above. And as you can see, I got to get a picture taken with David.

Mich Turner of Little Venice Cakes at Darice CHA

Mich Turner of Little Venice Cake Company, London, has a line of baking accessories also with Darice. Mich, the Queen of Couture Cakes, is demonstrating on the Darice stage.  Those cakes really look yummy!

Check back for part 2 of my review of CHA.  I have lots more to show you!

Phyllis

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I’m off to the CHA Winter Show (the Craft & Hobby Association)

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I’m really looking forward to attending CHA, the trade show for the Craft and Hobby Association for a few days and as well as the warm weather in Anaheim, CA.  I always love attending this show to see new products, take the educational seminars, and for the exciting atmosphere of the show.

CHA Craft and Hobby Association

I’m excited about the seminar The New Dynamics of Art Licensing that I along with Brenda Pinnick and Karen Embry will be teaching while we are in Anaheim. We have been really focused in putting the seminar together with some great information.  (You can click on the NDAL button in the sidebar to see more on what is being offered.)

At CHA, I will be working for Gutermann, so you can find me in their booth most of the time.  I’ve always loved the beautiful Gutermann threads and am delighted to be working with them.  So if  you are attending CHA, please stop by and say “hi”.

Gutermann threads

The Designer Showcase  is having a change in the format this year, focusing more on what the designers can do for a company.  I’ve always exhibited in the Designer Showcase and had been giving a lot of thought to my showcase this year. Then it just all finally  came together in a mental snap so all I had to do was gather up things I wanted to use and do a little printing. This year, it will also be open to everyone, except for non-CHA members.

I will be involved in something else at CHA that is really fun, but I can’t talk about it yet. But I can mark it off my bucket list. So you will have to check back to find out what this is – it will be videoed and out there for the world to see.  I just have to make sure I don’t mess up, but it will be among friends.  Speaking of friends, that’s another reason I love to attend CHA – to catch up with friends, network, and gab a little.

Check back and stay tuned – I may come back with a little gossip, or not (probably not). But I will have lots of photos of new products, great displays, splashes of fun and splashes of color.

Phyllis