The possibilities for three-dimensional manipulation of fabric - gathering, pleating, tucking, shirring, and quilting woven materials - are seemingly endless. To describe them all would be to describe the entire history of sewing. In The Art of manipulating Fabric, Colette Wolff has set herself just this task, and she succeeds brilliantly. Working from the simplest possible form - a flat piece of cloth and a threaded needle - she categorizes all major dimensional techniques, show how they are related, and give examples of variations both traditional and modern. The result is an encyclopedia of techniques that resurface, reshape, restructure and reconstruct fabric. • More than 350 diagrams support the extensive how-tos, organized into broad general categories, then specific sub-techniques • Handsome photos galleries showcase the breathtaking possibilities in each technique and aid visual understanding by emphasizing the sculptured fabric surface with light and shadow • Textile artists and quilters, as well as garment and home decor sewers, will expand their design horizons with the almost limitless effects that can be achieved.

When Jane Dunnewold's book Complex Cloth was published in 1996, it quickly became the bible of surface design for fiber artists. In the years since, the world of surface design has significantly expanded: now fiber artists, art-to-wear designers, and art quilters have a much broader range of surface design products to choose from, and there are a wealth of technique combinations that can be used to create art cloth. Art Cloth picks up where Complex Cloth left off, showing how to layer processes with the latest products to create stunning cloth for use in a variety of fiber art. Following Jane's techniques with step-by-step photography, you will learn to create art cloth using dyes, color removing agents, paints, and foils combined through processes that include silk-screen printing, stamping, stenciling, and handpainting. In addition to detailed step-by-step wet-media surface design techniques, Jane demonstrates how the use of color and design contribute to successful layering. She guides and inspires artists to take their art cloth to the next level through sidebars with design tips and exercises that support the technical information. Finally, each technique chapter concludes with project ideas for the skills learned, so anyone working through the book can literally build layers on cloth as each chapter is completed.

Offers vital information on choosing fabrics and creating patterns through basic sewing techniques. After learning how to make various styles of fabric books, readers will learn embellishment techniques that include painting, writing, decorative stitching, machine and hand embroidery, print and transfer techniques.

Design one-of-a-kind art cloth for your favorite quilting, sewing, home décor, and garment projects! This comprehensive guide to water-based resist dyeing techniques makes the process easy to learn (and even more fun to play with) using textile artist Lisa Kerpoe’s test-driven instructions for creating depth on a flat surface. Create dimensional effects with ingredients like oatmeal, sugar, and soy wax—mix and match 8 resists with 7 application techniques for endless possibilities. Paint, stamp, stencil, splatter, layer…and come away with soft, touchable fabric. Materials for non-toxic resists are easy to find, starting with your kitchen cupboards!

A mother stitches a few lines of prayer into a bedcover for her son serving in the Union army during the Civil War. A formerly enslaved African American woman creates a quilt populated by Biblical figures alongside celestial events. A Diné women weaves a blanket for a U.S. Army soldier stationed in the Southwest. A quilted Lady Liberty, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln mark the resignation of Richard Nixon. These are just a few of the diverse and sometimes hidden stories of the American experience told by quilts and bedcovers from the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Spanning more than four hundred years, the fifty-six works of textile art in this book express the personal narratives of their makers and owners and connect to broader stories of global trade, immigration, industry, marginalization, and territorial and cultural expansion. Made by Americans of European, African, Native, and Hispanic heritage, these engaging works of art range from family heirlooms to acts of political protest, each with its own story to tell.

Transform fabric into exquisite art bowls Delve into the world of quilts, fabrics, and bowl making! Take quilt blocks and bring them into the three dimensional space as tasteful, modern bowls. Kirsten Fisher shares her unique artistic vision and instructions on how you can take any piece of fabric and reinvent it using the design of your choice. Perfect to forever display a favorite fabric or quilt block, or provide a thoughtful gift to loved ones. Learn step-by-step how to use fabric or quilt blocks to create modern, functional art bowls Show off your stitching artistry with endless decorative opportunities Great way to make use of scrap fabric, they also make great gifts!