In-home Study Opportunities!

I had to pass this post from Gloria Hansen's blog along - Artspark Winter Tutorial Bloghop. It is a series of 11 different tutorials that you can view. It began yesterday and continues through November 19.

I might argue with including 'Winter' in the title as it has been unseasonably warm here but it is a great opportunity to pick up some tips. 

Here is the complete list of tutorials as listed on Gloria's blog:

• November 9:: Jane LaFazio – Sketch & Stitch Gift Bags 
• November 10: Lyric Kinard – Glitter, Glisten, Glimmer: Beaded Snowflake Ornament
• November 11: Tracie Lyn Huskamp
• November 12: Melanie Testa
• November 13: Traci Bunkers – Moldable Foam Stamps
• November 14: Diana Trout  – Japanese-Style Fabric Wrap(Furoshiko)
• November 15: Judy Coates Perez – Folk Art Inspired Ornament
• November 16: Kelli Nina Perkins – Whimsical Spool Garland
• November. 17: Lisa Engelbrecht – Experimental Lettering
• November 18: Jill Berry – Geo Papers and Projects
• November 19: Gloria Hansen - Resizing an Image the Easy Way

Hope you can take advantage!

Adding a Sleeve to a Quilt

So, the quilt is done and you would like to have it hang - either on your wall or perhaps in a show. Since I rejoined the world of quilting five or six years ago, I have discovered that hanging a quilt is an art in itself, particularly in the realm of art quilts. For this post though, let's keep it simple.  If you are thinking of entering your latest work in a quilt show, there is a good likelihood that one of the requirements will be a placing a sleeve on its back.

One of the best and simplest descriptions that I have found for how to construct and add a sleeve to the back of a quilt is in Gloria Hansen's blog. Rather than recreating the wheel here, please check out her post. I have used the technique she demonstrates (the photos are invaluable!) many times for quilts both big and small and am totally pleased with the results.

What I particularly like about this sleeve is that an allowance is made for the thickness of the hanging rod. This means the top of the quilt is more likely to hang flat, rather than be slightly bowed by the hanging rod. You can see that extra allowance in the sideways photo of a completed sleeve below. The sleeve is also nicely finished - why not have the back look as neat as the front!