Blog - Wise Craft Handmade

June 18, 2018

Bari J’s Indigo and Aster Fabric Collection

Little known but widely done- I spend many days in my studio not talking to anyone. Its the very essence of working “remote”. Except for the occasional sputter of profanity that I’ve been known to unload when I experience a computer crash, or a very wrong quilting error, I don’t really talk to anyone on those days. But I have people that mean alot to me that I text with often. They are in other parts of the country, likely doing very much the same thing I’m doing- quietly working hard at home.READ MORE

June 14, 2018

Curated Quilts Issue 5 Mini Quilt Submission

I finished up my submission for Curated Quilts Mini Quilt challenge. The theme is Connections/Improv and I immediately knew what I wanted to do.

Yep. I needed more hand stitching.

I created this piece the same way I’ve created several other recent hand stitched pieces. Arranging bits of fabric over a base cloth, marking lines with my hera marker, and sewing those lines with a running stitch to secure everything down. Composing an abstract piece in fabric and stitching it all securely down, with the hand stitching become an important part of the composition.

I’ve done several hand stitched pieces this way (this paintbrush holder and tote bag are recent examples ). This process allows even the smallest bits of fabric to be used. There are no seam allowances to lose. Rather than worry about them, this process celebrates raw edges. Fraying is Controlled by the hand stitched lines.

Excited to be forming a slow stitching workshop around this process for 2019, stay tuned!

June 6, 2018

Free Motion Framework by Jen Eskridge

Today, I wanted to let you know about a new book that just hit bookshelves. Free Motion Framework: Ten Wholecloth Quilt Designs by Jen Eskridge caught my interest immediately. Those that know me know I love free motion quilting and am always looking for new tricks or ways to improve. Jen is an enthusiastic teacher, and offers up quilting patterns and strategies to help build skills and create dynamic quilting designs, whether you are a long armer or free motioner. Don’t feel that you have to dive right in on a large quilt, this book has ten perfectly sized patterns to start quilting on fat quarter sized quilts. Which sounds so much more doable, right? I’m in love with the idea of tracing out the shapes and overall designs onto the fabric, then spending some time at the sewing machine filling the shapes in with all kinds of free motion motifs. Jen calls it accidentally making a whole cloth quilt, I love that.

Please check out more detailed info on Jen’s blog, as well as leave a comment to be eligible to win a copy of the book and other prizes!

May 25, 2018

Join me at Quiltique in Las Vegas!

I am traveling to Las Vegas in just a couple of weeks to spend a weekend with the lovely folks at Quiltique. I will be presenting a brand new lecture I call Finding the Value in Your Scraps on Friday evening, and on Saturday I will be teaching a workshop on upcycling and how to create your own quilt design (even if you are a beginner!). Here is all the info on what we’ll be doing while I’m there.

There is really nothing more inspiring than to spend time with people who love quilting (or want to love it) as much as I do. Its the best!

Currently, Quiltique has a full line of all the products I carry in their shop- including the Ruby Ruler™, printed patterns, and some of my quilts for you to see. If you are local, be sure to stop by and see these wonderful folks!

You can sign up for the lecture and/or the workshop online or by calling Quiltique directly!

May 17, 2018

#myquiltcouldlive here- Pheasant

When I was in the testing and filming phase of Dream, Learn, Quilt!, I made a quilt with very specific goal in mind. I wanted to test out the concepts from the class- make sure everything was well-covered and understandable, with visual, video, downloads, etc- plus it gave me the perfect excuse to make another quilt! READ MORE