As promised, here are a couple of photos from the workshop with Hands All Around Quilters in Bloomington, Illinois last Friday.

Becky took a photo of a beautiful poppy she grew, the kind that produces seeds used in baking and cooking. The detail in the center is remarkable, even after altering. Becky jumped right in a did scads of free-motion stitching to outline the petals and detail the center—then proceeded to add borders and stretch the piece and mount it herself! Didn't she do a fabulous job?

Sue’s piece is very different. She took this photo at a hot-air balloon festival earlier in the year and was intrigued by the image of the sun and clouds on the balloon. After altering, she added texture and detail with free-motion work.

Sometimes altering a non-floral image can be challenging, but Sue’s piece is exceptionally lovely. It has not yet fulfilled it’s destiny (it hasn’t yet been mounted or finished). I’m hoping Sue will send another photo once it is bound or framed.

These are just two examples from the group of 16 diverse compositions in the Friday class. Additional photos will be shared as they are available.

If your quilt or art guild would like to have a program and workshop, please contact me. There are a couple of openings in 2010.

This is another wonderful (finished) Threadography piece from the Naperville, Illinois group. This colorful hibiscus was completed by Kathleen Herbach.

After stitching, she added borders around the panel, stretched, and mounted it herself! Excellent job, Kathleen!


The detail shot shows some of the textural stitching she did in the center of the piece.

My mom is much better, thank goodness! Surgery went well and we thought we was stable, until she had a reaction to the pain medication/anesthesia combination. She was on planet Ellie for about three days, hallucinating and unable to sleep. Someone had to be with her around the clock to make sure she was safe. Fortunately, the brain fog lifted yesterday morning and she's back to being her usual self.

Thank you to everyone who said prayers and sent kind messages. She is on the road to recovery. It will be at least six weeks until she is strong enough to go back home. Therapy will be strenuous and uncomfortable, but she is one determined lady!


These are photos of some small pieces made from photos posted on the blog a week or so ago (I've lost track of time, so it may be longer than that.) The altered photos were posted and these are the pieces printed on fabric and stitched.



Did you participate in Virginia Spiegel's Collage Mania? All eight of my pieces were acquired! I'm thrilled—thrilled they sold and thrilled to be a part of this incredible experience. The fiber art world owes so much to Virginia and Karen Stiehl Osborn for making it possible for us all to help the American Cancer Society in this manner!

Whacky Weather!

What a difference a day or so makes! Just a few hours ago we were enduring subzero temperatures and ice storms. Today it is 60 degrees F!! The snow and ice are gone, but melting snow has choked the storm drains and we are expecting floods. Cheez!


My cousin Carolyn’s birthday is new year’s day and I made a Threadography for her. Normally, I only make one of any given image, but she really loves this one—and it’s the cover of my book. So, for her, I’m making a “limited edition.”

The stitching is complete and it will go to the framer on Monday.

I’m frustrated by a bulge in one section, though. I rarely have bulges from heavy stitching and don’t understand what happened. The piece was stabilized with Pelon Thermolam, although it’s a thinner variety than I usually use. Thread tension was fine. There was a lot of stitching in curves, which may have contributed to the abberation, but I’d love to hear your suggestions for preventing this!