description

There is nothing as comforting as hand sewing.

With needle and heart in hand, I fall into a steady rhythm that calms and soothes me.

There is creative magic and meditation in every stitch and in every stitch exist an Om. This class will start with a demonstration of a few of my favorite hand sewing applications from embroidery, trapunto, furrowing, beading and more. Then you will create your own sampling of these techniques onto a freeform and intuitively assembled art quilt. This class will focus on the art of hand work.... hand sewing, hand appliqué, hand beading and fabric manipulation. This is a great class to take in order to end the retreat on a calm and creative mode. Perfect for the beginner and experienced needle artist.

Check out my blog for more examples of this workshop at almastoller.typepad.com sewing machine is optional.

Stitch, Meditate, OM

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

supply list

• a baggy of fabric scraps (silks, wool, felt, sheer)
• four- 100% cotton fat quarters (solid colors)
• four- 100% cotton fat quarters (with pattern)
• fabrics scraps with flowers on it
• 1/2 a yard of felt
• 1/2 a yard of muslin
• thimble....very important
• colored pencils or crayons
• Micron pen or fabric pen
• face, flower, organic rubber stamps
• rubber stamp ink pad for fabric (Palette is great)
• 2 packets of silk ribbon embroidery floss
• embroidery needles
• embroidery floss in various colors
• beads in an assortment of sizes and colors
• black beading thread size D
• sewing kit: pins, scissors, pin cushion
• appliqués: odd bits of handmade embellishments like, crochet or knitted bits, crazy quilt block, machine-sewn scraps, flowers, bits of lace, bits of embroidery, anything you might want to recycle.
  
  NOTE:
• sewing machine is optional
• I will bring a handful of items to share.
• I don’t use an embroidery hoop because I like to allow the fabric to warp and shape itself.
  
  
• Feel free to bring one if you’d like.

Alma Stoller is a fabric, fiber and mixed media artist. She teaches all over the country at various art retreats and conferences. Her writing has been published in major art publications like Somerset Studios and Cloth, Paper, Scissors. She was also featured on the Home and Garden channel in the ‘Crafter's Coast to Coast’ program. She creates several zines and  is currently working on a magazine called Crochetology. Her first book Fabric Beads Extravaganza will be released in the Summer of 2009.