I'm proud to be a BERNINA Ambassador. My mother got me my first BERNINA machine – A BERNINA 153 Virtuosa QE – for my fortieth birthday, and it truly changed my life, allowing me to create the kind of thread-sketched art quilts I had dreamed about, but was unable to accomplish on my older machine (my mom's 1958 Singer). My primary machine, and my fourth BERNINA, is the BERNINA Q16 sit-down longarm with 16" throat space, digital thread tension adjustment, an independent bobbin winder, and several Stitch Regulation modes. I love it! I also have a BERNINA Virtuosa 153 QE, and a BERNINA Aurora 440 QE. Learn more: https://www.bernina.com
“WeAllSew is a place where sewers and crafters of all ages and skill levels are celebrated and inspired through project ideas, patterns and tips to fuel your creativity and love for sewing.” I’ve contributed to this blog; you can find links to my projects on my "Free Tutorials" page.
Great projects, tutorials and community: https://weallsew.com
Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. (SAQA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt: "a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure."
SAQA promotes the art quilt as a fine art medium. In the past 30 years, SAQA has grown into a dynamic and active community of more than 4,000 artists, curators, collectors, and art professionals located around the world. With exhibitions, resources, publications, and membership opportunities, it seeks to increase the public's appreciation for the art quilt and to support members in their artistic and professional growth. Learn more: https://www.saqa.com
Since 2014, I have been the host of Quilting Arts TV, shown on more than 400 PBS stations across the U.S. Quilting Arts TV showcases the work of art quilters who explain and teach innovative surface design, construction, embellishment, and hand and machine stitching techniques. Novice and professional art quilters alike can learn something new from the wide variety of topics explored on the show.
TV: Visit your local Public Television station’s website to see if the show is available in your area.
Vivika Hansen DeNegre and I are co-hosts of the Quilting Arts Podcast, where we take a deep dive into the world of contemporary art quilting. Episodes feature an Artist in Residence who shares her/his thoughts on the theme. Listen and learn as we explore how art and stitch intersect with passionate creativity unique to the art quilting community.
The Quilting Arts Podcast is available for free wherever you listen – on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Megalink, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and at Quilting Daily.com
I’m a member of the Orange County Artists Guild (North Carolina), an inclusive, non-profit organization of “artists supporting artists,” seeking to increase the visibility and recognition of area artists and craftspeople. The Guild was begun in 2000 by a group of diverse artists who participated in the Orange County Open Studio Tour, a popular annual event in the county since 1995. It is held the first two weekends in November. The group is primarily made up of professional visual artists with considerable experience and dedication, but is open to emerging artists who want more understanding of what it means to produce and exhibit their work.
PAQA-South (The Professional Art Quilters Alliance – South) helps art quilters network and pursue professional development, creates exhibitions of fiber art, and educates the public about art quilting.
Aurifil’s 50-weight/2-ply thread is my go-to cotton thread. This thread, made from long-staple Egyptian cotton, is available in all 270 of Aurifil’s cotton colors, wound on an orange spool. The 50-weight is strong and thin, and results in remarkably flat and crisp seams. One spool lasts a long time, and it's wonderful for piecing, quilting and thread sketching. www.aurifil.com
My work has been showcased several times on TheQuiltShow.com with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims, a subscription-based online show that has featured more than 500 expert quilters. From traditional quilts to modern quilts and art quilts, TheQuiltShow.com provides, inspiration, ideas, techniques and tutorials. I'm in shows 901, 1709, and 2710.
I was featured in Quiltfolk issue #23 (North Carolina) in the summer of 2022. Quiltfolk is a beautifully produced ad-free 180-page magazine that's really more like a series of books. Four are created each year. You can read more about this issue, and subscribe, here: