• Crafts,  General

    Punch Needle & Hoop

    Punch Needle and Hoop with instructor Steve Butler Class 154 What is it? – Punch needle embroidery, it’s all the rage. Everyone wants to do it. Punch needle is a hand application process that uses a hollow needle to create loops of yarn, floss or even ribbon on fabric giving us a textured pile surface. The result is nothing short of a stunning textile art form. For those of us who have a special sense for fibers and the beautiful textures they can create, we have found a new home. The creative…

  • Crafts,  General,  Tool School Extra Credit

    Extra Credit: Needle Punch & Hoop

    Shagadelic Coaster & Wall Hanging By Shannon and Jason A throwback to an earlier time… when boots were made for walking and Tina told us about love river deep and mountain high. What better way to get your groove on than by making your own set of Shagadelic coasters… or better yet, take those coasters and turn them into a wall hanging. Take your favorite colors of yarn, some rug cloth, the Clover Punch Needle and Punch Needle Hoop, add a little bit of flower power and you are well…

  • Crafts,  General,  Tool School Extra Credit

    Extra Credit: Flower Loom

    Drab to FAB Bag and Hat Upgrade By Shannon and Jason Seldom do we use the phrase “Quick and easy.” Some projects are quick, some are easy… rarely are they ever both. This project is one of those rarities that is indeed quick and easy! Woven handbags are easily found with a quick internet search. In fact, the “crafty” trend is huge in bags for 2022. Unfortunately, if you want the latest Chloé tote or Bottega Veneta bag from that trend, you are going to pay $1,200 or $7,200. Beach…

  • General

    Flower Loom

    Flower Loom with instructor Steve Butler Class 150 What is it? – A famous Clergyman once wrote, “Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into.” Really? I’m not so sure. Can you imagine any of Monet’s major works of art without flowers? He couldn’t. And how about poetry? Spend some time perusing floral themed verse and you’ll see that poetry and flowers can truly be viewed as nothing less than a beautiful garden inside the author’s words. But what does that mean to us? How do we feel about…

  • General

    Extra Credit: Heart on My Sleeve

    Heart on My Sleeve, Wonder Fuse Appliqué Patch By the Shibaguyz You don’t need a hole to cover to add an appliqué patch to your favorite jacket. You also don’t have to be a great artist to show off some FAB skills! There… we said it. A little inspiration, a touch of color, and a sheet of Wonder Fuse is all you need to make a personalized patch to add on to any garment… or home décor… pretty much anywhere you can iron on a piece of fabric! We based the Heart…

  • General

    Design Pro Applique Mat

    Design Pro Appliqué Mat with instructor Steve Butler Class 148 What is it? – Applique, what an amazing and beautiful fiber art form.  What is it? Simply put, it’s the addition of subordinate decorative fabric motifs to a larger, supporting piece of fabric. It has applications to quilting, fashion, home décor and crafts. Appliqué can be elegant or simple and it can create real world, geometric or abstract schemes. Our creative medium is a seemingly unending array of available and ever evolving fabric colors, patterns and textures. Applique, by designed intention, can relate a…

  • General

    Wonder Fuse

    Wonder Fuse with instructor Steve Butler Class 147 What is it? – Whether you’re a seasoned fashionista or a die hard quilt aficionado, applique can be an amazing part of your design process. Applique is essentially applying one piece of fabric to another. It’s usually comprised of supporting decorative fabric motifs attached to a larger, background piece of fabric. It can, and often does, add both design and depth to our project. The overall effect can be enhanced by sourcing an unending selection of fabric colors, patterns or textures. It can make truly inspiring additions…

  • General

    Wonder Clips Variety Pack

    Wonder Clips Variety Pack with instructor Steve Butler Class 146 What is it? – Sequels, we all love them. We see a great movie or read a new novel by a favorite author and we’re hooked and already looking forward to what will be later described as “the eagerly anticipated” sequel.  Then we wait. We wait for the continuation of something we have already found extremely favorable or useful. And it’s not limited to just movies or novels. It’s anything that increases the original in value or use. Such is the case with Clover’s vaunted…

  • General

    Darning Needles

    Darning Needles with instructor Steve Butler Class 145 What is it? – Darning needles, sometimes referred to as tapestry needles, are a no-nonsense, must-have tool for all fiber artists who work with yarns, flosses or heavy threads. In the needle world, these are the heavy lifters. Crochet, knitting, embroidery, counted cross stitch or sewing, they all have applications for darning needles.  The more traditional use of darning needles centers around the repair of knitted items like socks, sweaters or scarves. Darning needles have also proven invaluable for construction projects requiring attaching…

  • General

    Felting Tools

    Felting Tools with instructor Steve Butler Class 143 What is it? – Question. What can you produce creatively with wool roving, a felting needle and a felting pad? Answer. Anything you want. Put your own special touch on art, jewelry, fashion, fashion accessories, quilting, home décor or even stand-alone projects. What you can fabricate is truly limited only by your desire for creative expression. What is needle felting? In its most basic form, the process of needle felting transforms wool or other carded fiber roving materials into a dense cloth or three dimensional shape by bonding those…