I know it looks like it I’m wearing a discount Snuggie in the photo, but relax. I just decided to wrap myself in Fusi-Boo for dramatic effect. And it’s actually way more expensive than buying one of those discount sleeping bags with sleeves. If you quilt, you may know that Fusi-Boo is fusible quilt batting. [...]

OK, so I just have two more big steps before my public swan dive. In 14 days, I have to turn in my finished ArtPrize entry to be installed on the wall at the David D. Hunting YMCA in Grand Rapids. There is still plenty left to do, but I’m going to make my deadline. [...]

After preparing the last ArtPrize applique for sewing (not the one above), I shifted gears and spent the rest of Wednesday writing to meet some work deadlines. I’m getting closer to finishing the quilt project, and have  been mulling over my plan of attack for the quilting process. It’s going to be challenging to quilt on [...]

This is the ArtPrize quilt I’ve been working on. I’ve been hand stitching every day for the last several days, working late into the night to turn the 127 hexagon flowers made of fabric from donated neckties into something beautiful and agonizing over whether or not this is even possible. I had some help getting [...]

This is what my ArtPrize quilt looked like yesterday morning. It was a box of 127 hand-stitched, paper-pieced hexagon blooms organized by color. (Note that navy blue dominates this box of blooms created using ties donated by prominent men in West Michigan.) I stitched the last 14 blooms at 35,000 feet flying to Seattle and [...]

Thank goodness for this printable hexagonal graph paper. As I work to stitch the final batch of blooms for my ArtPrize quilt, I’ve been thinking about the final shape this quilt will take. Having this graph paper eliminates the guess work. The donated ties I’m working with aren’t as bright as the colors above. But at [...]

I used these vintage thread spools in a photo shoot on my front porch today. The spools weren’t the subject of the shoot just crafty filler, but I did spend a few minutes arranging them just so for a few photos. I have several deadlines to meet this week, so the pressure is full on. [...]

Finally updated with video Oh my word, I’m so tired! I’ve been stitching like mad lately and wanted to give you folks an update on the ArtPrize charity quilt project I’ve been working on. Check back here in a bit for today’s “Take Five” TV segment for an update on how things are progressing. And all [...]

This bloom was made with a necktie that once belonged to Lewis William Seidman. It was sent to me by his niece, Allison Aller, who happens to be a very talented quilter. She heard about the project through a friend and thought her “Uncle Bill” would have been pleased to have his power tie in [...]

I spent Friday afternoon and evening deconstructing neckties and making more hexagon kits for my ArtPrize entry. This is the part of the charity quilt project that I’d skip if I could. But it has to be done to get to the good part – the stitching of the blooms. I LOVE that part. There’s [...]

It’s official. I entered ArtPrize 2010, the international art competition based here in Grand Rapids. I’m working on a hexagon quilt called “Power Ties in Bloom” made out of neckties that will be displayed at the David D. Huntington YMCA in Grand Rapids Sept. 22 – Oct. 10.  The ties were collected by Safe Haven [...]

My oh my. I’m insanely busy and kind of loving it. I’m exhausted and I don’t really know what day it is, but, wow, am I having fun! I’m very excited to report that awesome apron designs have been submitted to the first-ever CraftSanity Apron Show to benefit Safe Haven Ministries. Thank you to those [...]

My apologies for the blog silence lately. I caught a nasty bug the first week of the school and it’s taken me two weeks to shake it. At last my voice is back to normal and podcast ready, so I can  post a new episode this week. A lot has happened in the last three [...]

I wasn’t able to be there to witness this in person, but I wanted to update CraftSanity Podcast listeners on the Beerhorst Family’s ArtPrize adventure.  (They were my guests on episode 102.) Check out the video showing the whimsical processional that kicked off the first day of their ArtPrize encampment here in Grand Rapids, Mich. [...]

Some call it the Loch Ness Monster, but here in Grand Rapids things are a little less formal. Here the 5,000-pound beastly creature floating on the West bank of the Grand River goes by the name “Nessie.” Nessie is the impressive work of a Grand Rapids collective of artists, builders, engineers, designers and other creative [...]