Inspired by a DVD: Printing & Patchwork from Coloricious

I’ve attended about forty minutes of a quilting workshop right here in my home which was both convenient and fun. Previously I’ve been enjoying all kinds of creative videos on Youtube so I already knew I enjoy watching others be creative. I think it’s inspiring, especially if I don’t have the energy to create something myself but still want to indulge in creativity. Also lately other shows by Coloricious on the online Country Channel, but more about that later.

Now it’s time to review the DVD Inspired Printing & Patchwork with Jamie Malden (presenter) and Mary Gamester (quilting teacher)! This is the first Workshop DVD I’ve ever seen and I love it! I hope it’s the first in a big inspiring collection!

In the Inspired DVD series you will find video workshops on various textile techniques. The printing is done with non-specified fabric paint and Indian wooden blocks with interesting looking patterns! These DVD:s are published by the company Coloricious and behind that name is Jamie Malden and Holly Pulsford who also teaches and introduces guest teachers in their workshops!

In this DVD Jamie talks about colour theory in length and I would even say it’s the biggest lesson in there. After reading Julia Caprara’s great book Exploring color this DVD came in just in time! Jamie shows how colors works together and talks about primary and complimentary colours as well as warm and cold colours. She also shows pages from her Mood Book. It’s a spiral bound notebook with black pages made into a Color Theory Book. There is a spread for each main color followed by a spread per complimentary colour combination. Each spread shows a diverse collage of different papers (painted or ripped from magazines/advertising) and even items glued in. The book is so inspirational! When my mom, who is a quilter, had watched the DVD she set out to make her own inspiration book! I’m inspired by her book and by Jamie’s. Just as Julia Caprara states; experimenting with colors is great fun!

The quilting that is made is fairly easy and aimed at the beginner that wants to get started quilting. I’ve explored all the styles that Mary Gamester shows, and didn’t learn anything new from these segments except her technique on folded circle patches. You’ll learn strip patchwork, log cabin square and crazy patchwork! If you want to start quilting I think this is a great DVD to purchase, you can watch it over and over again, and as a bonus you’ll learn both color theory and printing your own fabrics.

It’s the printing and making your own fabrics that I’m most interested in as a mixed media artist. There are many possibilities and endless of products to try out! Just watching something like this gives me energy to start, and that is a good testimonial from me!

Recourses Quilting Inspiration

[update: none of these can be found online anymore]

• Mary Gamester’s homepage – textile artist presenting her work. My favorite is her beautiful quilt Tulips at Chenies! Wow, right?!
• Coloricious homepage – information about the DVD’s they sell etc.
• Inspired Printing & patchwork – buy it online and check out images from the DVD projects
• The Colouricious Blog – info about what’s going on over there

Oh, and if you’re like me and love crazy quilting you should check out Diana Trout’s interview with Susan Cohen. I love crazy quilting because you don’t need to think about straight or “correct”, hehe. Have you tried it yet?

Two artists I adore

Oh, and what creative DVD’s are your favorite ones? On my wish list right now are Alisa Burke’s Expression Session Creating Vivid Mixed-Media Fabric by Interweave and Collage-Acrylic Paint Pizzazz (Collage Techniques for Paper and Fabric) with Sherrill Kahn, by Creative Catalyst Productions Inc.! Oh my. Want.these.now!

Go to Alisa’s blog and Sherrill’s homepage [was at www.impressmenow.com but it is not longer online] and you’ll understand why I love these two artists – they create beautiful things!

* My Book Review Page – check out the must-own-books too!

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