Point, Click, Quilt by Susan Brubaker Knapp Book Review & GIVEAWAY

This post has been edited to include a GIVEAWAY too.  See the bottom for details :)

Admittedly I'm a book worm....and always have been.  On any given day you will find no less than 6-8 books next to my bed and my chair...yep over 16 books....I'm insatiable.   I LOVE BOOKS and I LOVE Susan Brubaker Knapp's latest book, Point, Click, Quilt.

Point, Click, Quilt was the first book I grabbed when I got to review the newest releases at Checker Distributors .  I sat down and went through each page and gobbled it right up.  If you have been a long time reader of the IHAN blog you already know how much I adore Susan's work.  Believe it or not, I actually am fortunate enough to own one of her pieces...true :)

Look at how beautiful the Introduction page is to Point, Click, Quilt. The colors, stitching, and design just grab me....and that is just the beginning!

 Susan shares how to take great photos for translation into an art quilt. Then she discusses design and composition before she moves on to the process of translating that photo into a great art quilt.  After reading through her book I felt so much more confident and encouraged to create more art quilts of my own.

Did you know Susan also has DVD's....she does and I own both of them and have to say they are excellent...I highly recommend not only Point, Click, Quilt but also her DVD's - Master Machine Quilting and Master Machine Stitching. 

If it were not for watching Susan's DVD's I don't think I would have ever even considered doing any thread painting.  I thought that was for artists and clearly I'm not an artist (I know we are all creative...but honestly there is a real difference...trust me:)

 This is "Red Eyed Tree Frog" my treasured Susan Brubaker Knapp (Blue Moon River) art quilt.  It hangs in my kitchen and I absolutely love it.  Go check out the Gallery at Blue Moon River...I promise you will really enjoy yourself.  After your visit, I'm sure you will then completely understand why I  highly recommend Point, Click, Quilt and Susan's DVDs.

 

Susan  would love to giveaway an autographed copy of Point, Click Quilt to one very lucky IHAN blog reader.  Isn't that fantastic?  Make sure you leave a comment by Friday August 26, 2011 on this post and a winner will be drawn by random number generator.  Best of luck to everyone....this is such a wonderful opportunity.  THANK YOU Susan....this is terrific!!!

Smiles,

Kelly

We Have A Winner for the Master Machine Stitching Thread Sketching Beyond the Basics

Master Machine Stitching

Thread Sketching Beyond the Basics

by

Susan Brubaker Knapp

Blue Moon River

I want to thank everyone left a comment and visited Blue Moon River. I wonder how many of you clicked on the photos in Susan's Gallery?  Did you know if you click on the photos that a description of the work pops up and some of them are for sale?  I clicked on one just by chance and then clicked on all of them.  I would say they are extremely reasonably priced too.   

Oh I so badly want this DVD myself it is going to be tough to put it in the mail tomorrow....good think it is sealed in cellophane....I would not have been able to stop myself from watching it.

The Random Mr. McSteamy asked to pick the number....after dinner....so I checked the number of comments and there were 93.  He said number 22 which was

Michele Bilyeu #22

Love everything Susan does, but I must admit her chickens were unbelievable. I'm still wondering what she sold that piece for. It was so amazing! I'd love to own her/your DVD..I've just started trying to teach myself some thread painting on the art quilts I donate to AAQI and I'm sure I could use more than a few tips!!!

Please e-mail me with your full name and address so I can get your DVD into the mail before I open it and watch over and over and over again.

Stay tuned....more giveaways are on the way.  If you are not a follower, you may want to become a follower because there will be some giveaways for followers only (subscribing to the blog by e-mail or RSS feed won't work to be eligible for those giveaways).  You have a few days, but I thought some of you may want to know.

Smiles,
Kelly

Susan Brubaker Knapp in Houston for Quilt Market 2010

Susan Brubaker Knapp
Blue Moon River

Susan gave a great Schoolhouse presentation during Quilt Market in Houston this year.  Her presentation included a slide show which made it difficult to take photos.  I love this photo....except for the crease in the wall!! 

 

"Vanity" is the name of  this piece.  It is 11 x 11 and was on the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine for April/May 2010.  Check out Susan's blog.  When you get there make sure you scroll down and look along the right side of the page.  Many of her pieces are on the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine.  Her work is absolutely beautiful and it is no surprise that she is featured on the cover of  these magazines. 

 

Here is Susan in my sewing area!!  No she does not live next door.....I bought her Master Machine Quilting - Free Motion Quilting and Thread Sketching DVD.  I have admired Susan's creations and having a personal class with Susan (via my laptop) is the only way to go - with my schedule.   I buy DVD's because I'm a visual learner and really appreciate the flexibility of being able to watch over and over again.  This is a little snippet from Susan's DVD.

I have never done any thread sketching in my life.  I have been struggling with finishing a backpack that I made.  I want a beautiful embellishment on the back of it and I finally found a pattern I like.  Below is a photo of some practicing I did yesterday morning.  I did some free motion quilting with invisible thread and then on one of them I used some small cording to make the veins pop up.  It looked ok, but nothing special.  I thought about doing some hand embroidery and beading but then I remembered Susan's DVD. 

 

Look how much different the leaf looks with some thread sketching on it.  Now I know Susan sketches on top of applique that she has done herself.  But I did not find it written anywhere in the quilting police policies that says you can't sketch on top of patterns that someone else has already given you on the fabric!!!  It was so much fun I was actually ticked off royal when I had to stop and go to an appointment.  No joke.

 

 

Keep in mind this is my very first piece.  It is intended only for practice and I have the one I will use on my backpack set aside until I feel like I've practiced with the colors of thread that I will end up using.  I think there is a huge difference between this one and the one with quilting only. 

Susan is an excellent teacher and the free motion quilting and thread sketching is tons of fun.  Her DVD, Free-motion Stitching and Thread Sketching is an wonderful resource if you are wanting to learn either of these techniques or would like to build on your current skills.  Susan was very clear in her explanations and the video captures each step Susan was teaching.  She encourages exploration and gives her students lots of permission to "just do it."  Typically I would be afraid to try something new and tell myself I can't do it-because I've seen so many incredible works of art and I know mine would look nothing near that quality.  But....oh contraire....look how cool the veins on that leaf looks.  They really pop and that was my first attempt. 

Oh, what do we have here? Hmmmm...would that be Susan Brubaker Knapp's latest DVD? Why yes it is. Hmmm...wonder what I should do with it.....(contemplating now).....

Here is a sneak peak at Master Machine Stitching - Thread Sketching Beyond the Basics

I've decided to give it to one extremely lucky IHAN blog reader. I know, I can't believe I'm giving it away either. Thank you Susan for the pleasure of allowing me to give away a copy of your latest DVD, Master Machine Stitching- Thread Sketching Beyond the Basics, here on the IHAN blog!!

Lets see....something different this time.....hmmmmm....ok I got it.....go over to Susan's Website and look at the Art Quilts she has in her Gallery.  Come back and leave a comment about the Quilt you like best and why.

Oh, one more thing, I forgot to mention Susan's Note Cards......

 Susan's Orchid Series Note Cards

These note cards make great gifts.  I love giving and receiving gifts that support quilt artists.  I know you've been wracking your brain trying to find something that you know I will love....and use....so feel free to buy me one or 6 sets of these beautiful Note Cards.   It's like giving two gifts at one time - you give to Susan and you give to me.  Let the giving begin!!! :)

OK...back to the Giveaway

A winner will be drawn by random on Sunday Evening,  November 21st.  Feel free to tell your friends or post about this giveaway on your blog or facebook.  You might want to become a follower of the IHAN blog so you will see the post about the winner, if you are not already.  I am a follower of Susan's blog and I think you should strongly consider becoming a follower on her blog as well.  She is a wonderful writer and I have always enjoyed her posts...I know you will too.

Sketching with Smiles,
Kelly

Day 30 of 31 Days of Giveaways - Susan Brubaker Knapp from Blue Moon River

IHAN's 30 Days of Giveaways

Anniversary Celebration

Day 30

The Tulip Bag Pattern and

Orchid Series Note Cards  

from Susan Brubaker Knapp 

of Blue Moon River 

The Tulip Bag

The Tulip Bag Pattern has a large outside pocket, lots of inside pockets and come with a pattern for a cell phone case. What a perfect bag for Spring!!!

Orchid Series Note Cards are photos of Susan's work

 Hi Susan :)

Oh I'm so excited to share with everyone a fun story about meeting Susan Brubaker Knapp.  Last fall I went to Huston for Quilt Market.  I was sitting on the sofa in the lobby of the hotel blogging (only free wi-fi and you know I'm frugal) along with several other folks who were using their laptops.  As usual I struck up a conversation with some of the gals sitting around me and Susan happened to be one of them.  I had absolutely no idea I was meeting such an incredibly talented woman.  We exchanged business cards and I checked out her blog.  Talk about feeling lucky.

When I decided to do this Anniversary Celebration 30 Days of Giveaways I wrote to Susan right away.  I absolutely love her work and I had read about her Orchid Series Note Cards (photos of her work made into note cards) on her blog.  She not only agreed to give a lucky IHAN blog reader a set of her Orchid Series Note Cards but she's giving them The Tulip Bag Pattern too!!!

Think I'm just embellishing the way I talk about people?  Then check this out....who's work is splashed all over the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine? 

Oh yea baby.....that would belong to none other than Susan Brubaker Knapp!  See I was telling the truth and I was not embellishing the story one bit.....she really is incredibly talented :)

I asked Susan about what it is like to create, where does she begin and this was her reply:

Each piece is an emotional catharsis, and begins when I am filled with a strong emotion: awe at the beauty of nature, joy in nursing a baby, anger at an injustice. Art is my way of celebrating and documenting the deep mysteries of human beings’ relationships with each other, with our innate creativity, and with the natural world. Much of my work explores metamorphosis and transformation.

Creating fiber art is an intense tactile experience. My core materials — cloth and thread — are the result of my background as a traditional quilter. But I also use substances foreign to traditional quilters, such as fabric paints and dyes, Tyvek, Angelina fibers and water-soluble pastels, to transform the cloth.

Susan speaks to Guilds and Teaches as well.  I've not had the good fortune to take a class yet but if I get the opportunity I'm going for sure. 

This is Susan's DVD, Free-motion Stitching and Thread Sketching, it is available at the Interweave Store.  I have found DVD's have been a great resource because I'm a visual learner and I'm not a fast learner so I can take my time and review the material over and over. 

If you would like to have a beautiful set of Orchid Series Note Cards and The Tulip Bag Pattern then you'll need to leave a comment on this post telling us about someone special you have met just by chance. 

There is no requirement to follow Susan's blog, but you may be very glad you did because she shares great information and inspiration.

Thank you Blue Moon River!!!

Susan you continue to inspire me and I am very appreciative...big hugs to you. 

Grateful Smiles,
Kelly

10 Tips for Resolving Tension Issues by Susan Brubaker Knapp

Susan Brubaker Knapp has written 10 Tips for Resolving Tension Issues and it was published today on Quilting Daily.  I thought it was very interesting and wanted all of you to know about it too!!

I had the pleasure of meeting Susan while in Houston for Quilt Market.  We were both sitting on the sofa in the Hilton working on posting to our blogs.  She is a lovely and very talented lady. 

Her DVD,  Master Machine Quilting: Free-motion Stitching and Thread Sketching is available through Interweave Press.  

Susan teaches you the basics of free-motion machine stitching, including thread work to enhance the surface and quilting to hold the layers together beautifully. Find out what materials you’ll need and how to get started. Beginners and intermediates—and those who have been too terrified to try until now—will find inspiration and answers, as well as lots of tips, techniques, and practical information to improve their machine stitching. Stitchers of all levels will benefit from Susan’s thorough approach—from her careful consideration of materials and preparation (including advice on how to chill out), to the differentiation between thread sketching and machine quilting. Learn the benefits and purpose for each of these methods, and find plenty of inspiration through Susan’s artful examples.

Kelly
Smiles,