Luke Mulks
Jo-Ann's just purchased and about to be pulled off the NYSE - Why this is a really, really good thing for quilting
Luke Mulks
01/04/2010
This is the headline that got the keys in motion:
Jo-Ann Stores being purchased by Leonard Green & Partners Affiliate for about $1.6 billion
This type of headline might normally be a bit of boring news for quilters, or a mere blip in the busy financial news cycle. As I read through the article (and did a little research in parallel of the players involved), my laptop was the only thing keeping me from jumping through the ceiling (in joy). Read More
Amanda Clark
My First Houston Quilt Market!
Part 2 - Dinners, classes and meetings behind the scenes
Amanda Clark
12/20/2010
The first night my Aunt Laura and I arrived in Houston, we headed to the FabShop Market Kick-Off Dinner Party. These dinner parties were some of my favorite experiences of the trip. A delicious dinner was served, followed by a speaker from FabShop who introduced some special guests. The theme of the party was ‘Undercover CEOs’,(inspired by the TV show ‘Undercover Boss’ - where CEOs spend a day in the shoes of their employees).. Read More
Amanda Clark
My First Houston Quilt Market!
Part 1 - Catching the quilting bug, knocking out UFOs, and taking it all the way to Houston
Amanda Clark
11/12/2010
My love affair with art goes as far back as I can remember. I’ve always felt a natural talent in art, and have steered in the direction of making a career from my art. Drawing and painting had been my outlet for most of my life, but recently I’ve discovered how much of an adventure it can be to express my art in other forms. Read More
Anita Grossman Solomon
NEW! QCN's Interview with the Artist
Anita Grossman Solomon, Rooted in Fabric
10/20/2010
Our debut Interview with the Artist article features author, teacher, blogger and the all around awesome Anita Grossman Solomon. Anita shares some piecing wisdom, and also offers some tips on preparing and storing your fabrics! Read More
Elin Waterston
My Life as an Art Quilter
Exhibiting Your Work, Part 2
Elin Waterston
09/15/2010
Okay, so you’re ready to start exhibiting your art quilts. Now what? First, you need to find a venue (or venues) for your work. These can be local or non-local galleries, art centers, juried art exhibits and/or quilt shows. You can also approach libraries or coffee shops in your area and see if they have gallery space. I’ve had a solo show at a yoga studio, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box a little. Read More
Jena Moreno
Stitched: Documented
Part 2 - Making it Happen
Jena Moreno
08/12/2010
Part 2 of Jena Moreno's Stitched: Documented article series for QCN shines a light on doing whatever it takes to get "it" done. Whether "it" is funding for the project, preparing, traveling, shooting or editing, there are a lot of "it"s that have to get done for a project to see the light of day. "Like any artist, at the start of my project I was excited and focused on making a great piece of work - then the bills started trickling in. Cameras, lights and travel are expensive. I soon realized I had to find a way to help pay for our documentary if we were ever going to get it to the big screen." Read More
Sara Trail
Head out to your local thrift store, and keep on stitching!
Sara Trail
07/06/2010
There is nothing more fun for me than heading to my local thrift store, picking up some "good as new" clothing, and using my imagination (and sewing machine) to make it "better than ever!" Read More
Elin Waterston
My Life as an Art Quilter
Part 1 - Exhibiting Your Work
Elin Waterston
06/15/2010
A big part of being an artist, regardless of medium, is showing your work, right? But sometimes this concept - putting your art (aka, your heart and soul, your innermost personal somethings) out there for all the world to see/judge/criticize - is scary for people. Really scary. Really, really scary. This is mainly because they have a fear of rejection. Let me assuage your fears. Read More
Jake Finch
International Quilt Market 2010 Report
Jake Finch
06/08/2010
International Quilt Market, the tradeshow for those in the Q-Biz. For newbies walking the floors of whichever convention center is up for the industry show-and-tell, it’s a wondrous gorge fest of all things quilty.
Read More
Laura West Kong
You never know just where your Tiny Treasure Adventure will take you!
Laura West Kong
05/18/2010
Summer’s right around the corner. The days are getting longer … and warmer. Are you ready to kick off your
shoes and your king size batting? Why not quilt some tiny treasures? Try something new. It doesn’t have to be big, serious, or even perfect. Just take some fabric out and play!
"There’s no long term commitment to any one technique.. If I try something new and don’t like it, I don’t have to do it tomorrow."
Read More
Jena Moreno
Stitched: Documented
Part 1 - Hitting the Ground Running
Jena Moreno
04/21/2010
In Part 1 of Jena Moreno's Stitched: Documented article series for QCN, Jena shares the origins and passion behind her upcoming independent quilting documentary, Stitched. Get an inside view on some of the ups and downs of the process of documentary filmmaking, and read more about three quilters that are the focus of the film (hint...they're amazing, award winning, and all 3 are ramping up for the infamous International Quilt Festival in Houston)"Snowmaggedon, missed flights and laryngitis couldn’t keep us from finishing production of our documentary, Stitched." Read More
Elin Waterston
Yodeling, dance and other ways of beating the creative block.
Elin Waterston
04/06/2010
So here’s the lesson... I needed to get out of my head. I needed to stop thinking “I’m gonna be creative now.” I needed to remove my deliberate intention to be creative and just let the creativity happen on it’s own. There will always be times when I feel I’m not in the zone or I have nothing new or different or unique to say artistically. I know now that I just need to push through those times with wild abandon, and leave my head out of it. Read More
Claire O'Connor
A happy leaf on the wind: How one quilt artist catches the breeze.
Claire O'Connor
04/06/2010
Left to my own devices, I'm a happy little leaf on the wind…making art, getting stuff done, in the flow – and periodically getting "stuck". So what happens when the flow isn't flowing? What to do when the wind ain't blowing? As an artist, how do I navigate my way through? Over the years, I've developed a rich and reliable toolbox to help myself get going again. Here's a bit about two of the most essential tools: commitment and support. Read More
Jean Jurgenson
Inspiration - The same object from a different angle!
Jean Jurgenson
03/25/2010
My daughter took a photo of a taxi from the window of her high-rise apartment building in Hong Kong. The elongation of the surrounding buildings as you looked down fourteen floors fascinated me. Thus, my quilt Hong Kong Taxi was born. Many ordinary landscapes and streetscapes can be made infinitely more exciting by finding that unexpected perspective. Read More
Aileyn Ecob
File Under...Potential Art Quilts!
Aileyn Ecob
03/25/2010
I love the process of making an art quilt! It usually starts with an inspiration for a design, but the inspiration really continues through all the other steps that finally achieve that original idea. One of my sources of inspiration is a file of design ideas---potential art quilts! Read More
Louise Handley
Finding Silhouettes - Sometimes a technique is looking right back at you!
Louise Handley
03/11/2010
My sister was coming to visit for a few days. Some type of quilting project that we could do together seemed like a good idea, but what? I was temporarily out of ideas. My thoughts kept going back to a snapshot of the two of us on the beach as small children. The photo was very poor quality, blurry and gray, but I had always loved it.
What could we do with that photo? Read More
Franki Kohler
Viewing nature has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Leaf shapes jump out and say “Print me!”
Franki Kohler
03/11/2010
I’m enchanted by the simple shapes of nature -- a single ginkgo or dusty miller leaf or the drama of a Woodwardia fern can be the starting point for my art. I use sun print, cyanotype print, photography and/or fused appliqué to start. My challenge then is to apply threadpainting and quilting lines that enhance the image. I often use beads. Read More
Luke Mulks
Hello, World!
Luke Mulks
02/25/2010
Hello, World! If you're reading this, you've just stumbled upon the Quilter's Choice Network (QCN). This website is the result of many hours of hard work and planning over the last two years, and this is only the beginning of what there is to see and experience. Read More
Whether it is with YouTube, blogs, or their own websites, quilters everywhere online are putting out great tips and info to help fellow quilters improve their craft. The Video Pincushion features an ongoing collection of video from these web savvy instructors. New videos will be added in often, so be sure to check back for more help!
Hacking the Brother KH-930e Knitting Machine
Craftzine (YouTube Channel)The Quilt Halo
Sharon Schamber (YouTube Channel)ABC's of Quilting, Trapunto 101, Part 1
Patsy Thompson - (YouTube Channel)How to Quilt : Making a Baby Quilt
Shelly Cordsen - (YouTube Channel)Quilting with Buck
panodano98 - (YouTube Channel)Charm Packs - Brand New to Quilting Series
Sarah – Missouri Star Quilt Co. (YouTube Channel)Do you have a how-to video that you'd like us to embed in our Video Pincushion section? Email us and let us know!
