Stitching Memories

Creating unique textile art using vintage cloth and embroidery to tell a story and preserve memories Vintage cloth, found objects, embroidery, layered cloth and hand-stitching are all artfully combined by Tilly Rose to create unique textile artworks that tell a story, record a special event, or preserve, display and celebrate a memory of a special person or place. Tilly describes how to create these textile artworks using scraps of fabric, thread, lace, ribbon, buttons, beads, photographs and other found items that readers either already own or have sourced from elsewhere. The projects take various forms, including cloth journals, lavender hearts, hoop art, framed collages, wall hangings and miniature quilts, and involve a variety of easy techniques that are explained through step-by-step demos at the start of the book. These include layering and collage, hand embroidery, creating your own fabrics, transferring your designs to cloth, stamping on cloth, appliqué, embellishing, patchwork, quilting, free motion embroidery and photo transfer. Create a textile artwork using fabric and items from your wedding, a child's first birthday, a Christening or your honeymoon, or even family heilooms that can be cherished in a new way. The whole focus of the book is on inspiration and experimentation - encouraging the reader to be creative, collecting and sourcing materials of special significance and incorporating them into textile artworks that become treasured keepsakes.

“Exquisite content . . . This beautiful book will inspire anyone to venture into the world of creating your own pieces of textile artworks.” —Hot Brands Cool Places Our homes are full of treasured items from the past. Hidden away from view but never thrown away, they are our links to the special people and events that tell our story. In this beautiful and inspiring book, Tilly Rose encourages you to seek out your precious stash of pre-loved items and transform them into beautiful and practical textile artworks that celebrate the lives of your loved ones and preserve your memories for generations to come. Tilly shows you how to make 15 gorgeous projects, including cloth journals, lavender hearts, framed collages, wall hangings and miniature quilts. All of the designs have a story to tell and are made using a plethora of vintage fabrics, threads, lace, ribbon, buttons, beads, photographs and other found items. If you don’t have a collection of suitable materials at home, you can have fun sourcing them from online marketplaces, thrift/charity stores and flea markets, and try mixing them with modern fabrics and embellishments for a more contemporary look. The projects incorporate a range of exciting techniques, all explained through clear instructions and step-by-step photographs, including layering and collage, hand embroidery, transferring your own designs to cloth, stamping, appliqué, embellishing, patchwork, free motion embroidery and photo transfer. “[A] stunning book . . . I love that if like me you enjoy other crafts such as stamping, mixed media and papercraft, these can all be incorporated into your work and give you an individual look to any project.” —Postcard Reviews

The Cultural Power of Personal Objects seeks to understand the value and efficacy of objects, places, and times that take on cultural power and reverence to such a degree that they are treated (whether metaphorically or actually) as "persons," or as objects with "personality"—they are living objects. Featuring both historical and theoretical sections, the volume details examples of this practice, including the wampum of certain Native American tribes, the tsukumogami of Japan, the sacred keris knives of Java, the personality of seagoing ships, the ritual objects of Hinduism and Ancient Egypt, and more. The theoretical contributions aim to provide context for the existence and experience of personal objects, drawing from a variety of disciplines. Offering a variety of new philosophical perspectives on the theme, while grounding the discussion in a historical context, The Cultural Power of Personal Objects broadens and reinvigorates our understanding of cultural meaning and experience.

A comprehensive and richly illustrated survey of one of the most significant and intriguing quilters of the 21st century, featuring 109 color plates of Wells's narrative quilts with intimate commentaries by Wells herself

In Stitched in Time Alicia Paulson shares 30 beautiful, inventive and thoughtful projects that encourage you to take your memories down from the bookshelf, out of the closet, or off the hard drive and bring them into your daily life. Creator of a charming line of handmade gifts and accessories called Posie: Rosy Little Things, Paulson organizes these adorable handmade mementos - each one incorporating unique elements such as photosgraphs, drawings, and other ephemera - into three sections: For the Little Ones, For Every Day and For Special Occasions. Many projects are easy enough for the beginning sewer to complete and Paulson explains all the necessary techniques, from hand- and machine-sewing to embroidery, appliqué, stenciling and transferring photos to fabric. In as little as a weekend anyone can create a keepsake for the ages that will be enjoyed every day - whether it s a quilt made from outgrown baby clothes, an apron featuring a favorite family recipe, a tote bag documenting a treasured holiday, or a stuffed animal fashioned from a child s drawing. With love incorporated into every stitch, these sweet projects each evoke the feeling of a special time and place and are so much more than just a commemoration of events. Whether you want to remember your family summers at the beach or a daughter s first apartment, a perfect gift for a loved one or a memento to keep all to yourself is just stitches away.

Remembering those we've lost and empowering those of the future Stitching Stolen Lives is an in-depth look at the mission and work of the Social Justice Sewing Academy Remembrance Project. Together, we remember the lives lost due to social injustices, with an in-depth sharing of their story. The SJSA compiled extraordinary portrait art quilts that memorialize the individuals and say their names, over and over. SJSA also works with young adults and teens to help find their voice through the art of fabric and quilting, shown through student gallery photography. By working with SJSA, students learn how to cut fabric and make quilt blocks, and along the way, find the strength to express the systemic problems that plague their everyday life through their artwork. This book shares stories and insight into the lives lost and the long-overlooked, heartrending truths shared by teens and young adults. Personal stories of individuals and their families whose lives have been cut short due to social injustices Includes thought-provoking art quilt blocks representing those whose lives were stolen Young adults and teens find their voices through fabric and transform those messages into quilts Featuring forewords by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr

Cross stitch keepsakes of baby's first months from this wonderful collection. Choose from 8 designs, including a birth announcement, 2 for displaying photos, another for adding a lock of hair, and 4 more to display the imprints of little hands or feet.