Colourplay in Down Under Textiles

Look out for the Colourplay article in Issue No 10 of Down Under Textiles magazine:
Here's a peek but there is more!

The magazine also has articles on Radiance dyeing; how to use deColourant; screen printing with Sally Westcott; breakdown printing and other techniques.

Join Deborah in a Webinar!

I am really excited to tell you about a webinar I am hosting with Quilting Arts next week.

It's Tuesday, April 30 at 1 pm Easter, but you don't necessarily have to attend live... I know not everyone is free during the day (or during the night for those in other parts of the world). You can still register and just download the event and listen and watch whenever you want.

I'll be talking about all kinds of unexpected materials that you can use in art quilts... including foil candy wrappers like I used in my quilt for our Chocolate theme.

Have you ever participated in a webinar? It's a new endeavor for me and for Quilting Arts. Participants will view a digital slide show on their computers that I will be live-streaming from my computer. (Oh the power of technology!) I'll be talking about my artwork, showing tons of examples and sharing techniques and tips.

I've had a great time preparing for this project. Here's an example of one of the small collages I created for the webinar. It's called Metro Grid. Can you guess what "unexpected materials" I used?

I think the webinar is going to be super fun and if it fits your interest and pocketbook, I'd love to have you join me! It is so amazing to know that our 12x12 project has reached people all over the world and this webinar is a pretty cool opportunity to connect and learn more about how I create my artwork and some of my tips and ideas about creativity... even though we might never be in the same place.

Plus... all participants are going to get an awesome discount code to use in future Interweave purchases.

I'm also eager to hear what unexpected materials you've used in your artwork!

Twelve by Twelve on TV

Gerrie and Terry are such indefatigable troupers and Twelve by Twelve ambassadors.  They were up in the very early morn to do a star turn on Portland TV.  Click on the image below to link through to the fun video clip.  The quilts also look great at the Northwest Quilting Expo in Portland.

Twelve by Twelve in Patchwork- und Quiltjournal

Patchwork- und Quiltjournal (Patchwork & Quilt Journal) is a german language quilting magazine, published 6 times a year. In the current issue # 120, the magazine is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special edition and look what's on the cover. Yes! it's a detail from Francoise's quilt  Passion & Colours from the Theme series.

Inside there is an article, with lots of photos!, about our exhibition at Festival of Quilt of Quilting in Birmingham in 2011:

In Birmingham habe ich Mitglieder der Gruppe "twelve by twelve" getroffen. Die Mitglieder der Gruppe haben zu verschiedenen Themen jeweils einen Quilt genäht: 12 Personen und 12 Themen. Das ergibt 12 x 12 Quilts, einer interessanter und kreativer als der andere. Wir freuen uns, dass wir Ihnen diese Quilts vorstellen dürfen.

Happy 20th birthday Patchwork- und Quiltjournal and thank you for sharing our project with your German readers.

Well, yeah, this is exciting!

Honestly, folks, I know we probably seem pretty full of ourselves at this point. So many extraordinary things have happened to our little band of hardworking stitchers, it is hard not to get excited when something more comes along. So, here we are—excited again. This arrived in today's mail.

It's the February/March issue of everyone's favorite art quilting magazine, Quilting Arts, with a 6-page spread all about the Twelve by Twelve project. As usual, Quilting Arts has shown our best sides and made us look far better than we ever dreamed.

The whole issue is about collaborative projects. We are so delighted to be included! We've answered a bunch of questions about what this project has meant and how it has impacted our lives and our art. I hope it inspires more collaboration out there. It is such a rewarding experience!

Talking about Collaboration

I was delighted to see Ricë Freeman-Zachery again in Houston this year. (This picture is actually from 2008. Apparently we didn't take a picture this year. I wish we had.)

She spent time checking out our 12x12 exhibit and was especially intrigued by the idea of such a large group of artists collaborating together. She recently interviewed me about the project. You can read part one of my answers on the Create Mixed Media website here.

Book Give- Away

I hope you had a chance to read the profiles of each of the 12x12 artists over the past month on Crescendoh. Even after all this time, I am still learning new things about each of them! (And continued to be so inspired and thankful for our friendship.)



To wrap up this special feature, Lark has offered to give-away TWEVLE copies of our book!Just go to Jenny Doh's blog and leave a comment before Saturday, May 21st, by 5PM (PST). You'll need to have a US or Canada address. I am thrilled that twelve more people will get their hands on a copy of the book! We are eager to spread creativity and inspiration about this project.

Crescendoh Spotlight: Week 3

The Crescendoh 4-week special feature continues about the authors of Twelve by Twelve:The International Art Quilt Challenge.  This week the spotlight is on Terri, Gerrie and Brenda.

Crescendoh: Week 2

Nikki, Terry and Diane are spotlighted on the 12x12 feature on Crescendoh this week! Be sure to check out their inspiring essays and beautiful images of art quilts!

Crescendoh Spotlight

I am thrilled to announce that Crescendoh is hosting a four-week special feature about us and our book! Crescendoh is Jenny Doh's amazing website dedicated to "creative passion, authentic community and focused compassion." I think our 12x12 group fits this poignant description perfectly, and we are honored that Jenny was eager to share our project with her readers.

Each Monday (starting yesterday), three of the "twelves" will be featured on the Crescendoh home page. Just scroll down until you see the image of our book cover, then three of our smiling faces. You can read the first few words of an essay written by each artist, then click on the ... ellipses and that will take to you to a page with her full essay and some bonus pictures of her artwork.

Karen, Kristin and Helen are the featured artists this week. Be sure to check Crescendoh over the next three Mondays to read more thoughts about art and community from each of us.

Aside from checking out our spotlight, be sure to peruse all Crescendoh has to offer. It's an astounding collection of ideas and inspiration about art, plus classes, book reviews, stories and even a shop filled with arty goodies. Whenever I have a few minutes and I'm looking for insight or inspiration, I always scroll through the Crescendoh archives for beautiful essays about living a creative life.

Twelve by Twelve Art & Soul Radio Podcast

Four of the Twelves, Deborah, Diane, Nikki and Kristin are interviewed by Lesley Riley on Art and Soul Radio about our project and the book.

Download the Twelve by Twelve International Art Quilt Challenge podcast (18.3MB).

Helen and Diane Interview on Quilting Stash Podcast

I've been friends with Annie Smith for some years now, and I'm a big fan of her Quilting Stash podcast.  (you might also know Annie from her feature on Ricky Tims' and Alex Anderson's "Quilt Show.")  I was delighted when Helen and I ran into her at PIQF last October, and even more delighted when Annie asked if she could interview Helen and me for the podcast.

Annie tells me that our interview will be posted as her new podcast TODAY, and to accompany our interview she is giving away a free copy of the Twelve by Twelve book.  Anyone who comments on Annie's blog through the end of the day Saturday has a chance to win the book, I believe.  Go check out Annie's site!

By the way, it's easy to subscribe to Annie's podcasts for free via Itunes.  Search "Quilting Stash" and it'll pop right up.  Annie has a lovely voice and chats about all-things-quilting, so it's like settling down to talk quilts with a lovely friend.

And thank you, Annie, for sharing this interview with Helen and me with your listeners!

New Zealand QUILTER: Magazine Issue 73 September 2010

As we celebrate our group's third anniversary, my favourite quilting magazine New Zealand QUILTER features an article highlighting a selection of quilts from the Passion theme.  See issue 73:

Published quarterly, New Zealand QUILTER showcases the best of New Zealand contemporary and traditional quilting. New Zealand QUILTER also presents the Made in New Zealand II exhibition which will be on display at the Craft & Quilt Fair at Christchurch (17-19 September).

Cover Quilts

Check out the cover and first page of the Craft Fair Friend magazine (caution 4.5MB download) for the forthcoming Craft & Quilt Fair in Christchurch, New Zealand (17-19 September 2010). The Twelve by Twelve quilts will also be on exhibition at the Craft & Quilt Fair in Hamilton, New Zealand (9-12 September). Brenda will be giving twice-daily floor talks at 11am and 2pm.

Spotted in New Zealand Quilter Magazine...

Come and see the Twelve by Twelve exhibition in New Zealand:

• 9 - 12 September 2010: Craft & Quilt Fair Hamilton, New Zealand
• 17-19 September 2010: Craft & Quilt Fair Christchurch, New Zealand

Twelve by Twelve in the News

Last month, following the Twelve by Twelve exhibition at the Australian Quilt Convention, some of us were interviewed by the Epoch Times. You can read the resulting fun article at: Quilting Twelve by Twelve.

For NSW residents in Australia, the Twelve by Twelve exhibition at Gosford Regional Gallery winds up on the afternoon of Wednesday, 23 June.



Brenda will be packing up the quilts and taking them up to the Textile Art Festival which runs from 25-27 June (Friday- Sunday) at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre. Kirsty will be joining her. Together we will be presenting daily floor talks at 10.30am and 2.00pm and daily demonstrations at 9.30am, 12noon and 3.00pm. Come and say hello!

Twelve by Twelve on the Smart Arts Radio Program

If you are near a computer tomorrow afternoon, you might like to tune in online to my local public radio station 92.5 ABC Central Coast to hear me chat with Scott Levi on the Smart Arts program about the Twelve by Twelve exihibition that opens at Gosford Regional Gallery on Friday, 28 May.

It runs from 2.30-3pm on Friday afternoon, 21 May (Australian Eastern Standard time) which is the equivalent of:

• 4.30-5pm, Friday New Zealand time;
• 9.30-10pm, Thursday US Pacific Daylight Savings time;
• 5.30- 6am, Friday UK (London) time;
• 6.30-7am, Friday Belgium time  and so on.

Scott has asked me to bring in some of quilts so I am thinking of sharing two theme sets.  I have a couple in mind but would be interested to hear your thoughts - check out the poll in the sidebar ->.

PS:  During this time, Scott will also be interviewing artist Tony Scott.  If it's the same person as this Tony Scott,  his Geometric Translucent Chart series has a quilty feel.

Feature Story: Australian Patchwork & Quilting Vol 19 No 1

Turn to page 106 of Volume 19 No 1 of Australian Patchwork & Quilting, and you will find a feature story about the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project with a focus on the 12th theme challenge - Twelve.

And don't forget that the WORLD PREMIERE EXHIBITION of Twelve by Twelve quilts opens at the Australasian Quilt Convention in Melbourne on Thursday 29 April. We can't wait!

Read all about us in Down Under Textiles!

Down Under Textiles is an exciting new Australian magazine dedicated to textile arts. Issue #1 is on sale now and includes a profile on the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project.

Down Under Textiles is only available from Specialist Retailers including our very own Kirsty at Pompom Rouge! or you can order direct from the publisher by calling  02 9555 9322 or you can use this form (718KB pdf) A$9.95 + $2.75 postage & handling. International postage is extra.

Thoughts on finishing

I've almost finished my identity piece. This time I've been experimenting with painting fusible webbing and securing it with free motion stitching. Here's a peek of a sample I prepared to check my tension:

The piece also incorporates some embellishments so I've opted for a pillowcase finish to cover up some of my knots and stitching.

The Twelve by Twelve project has been an ideal opportunity for me to experiment with a variety of quilt finishing techniques and to simplify the steps involved. I am delighted to report that my quilts (and me!) feature in an article and instructional DVD covering the following finishing techniques:

• continuous mitred binding;


• facing finish;


• pillow case with "escape hatch"; and


• satin stitch/zig zag edging.

Look out for Quilters Companion #37 and the DVD cover which shows an ATC that Terri made.

My understanding is that the DVD is not usually distributed outside of Australia but overseas readers can still purchase a copy via the Australian website by sending an e-mail order.