Fiber Talk

EGA is sponsoring our conversation with versatile textile artist Laura Wasilowski. After a short stint in theater, Laura built a career dyeing fabrics and threads while raising her children. That led to her captivating art quilts. These days she still creates quilts, but on the much smaller side of the art form and with a good deal more embroidery. She also teaches a large number of classes through C&T publishing. One of those classes involves her newest canvas, felt bowls produced by Fibres of Life. These bowls are a terrific, high-quality, affordable product and Laura’s class shows you how to bring them to life with thread, ribbon, and other embellishments. We explore stitching these bowls at some length and encourage you to give them a try. Also, make your way to Laura’s website to enjoy her outstanding quilts.–Cindy and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Embroiderers’ Guild of America website Laura Wasilowski’s website Fibres of Life website Renaissance Ribbons website/a Laura Wasilowski’s classes We hope you enjoy this conversation with Laura Wasilowski We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Kick Back and Stitch Cassatt, stitched by Robin Rossignol.Kick Back and Stitch Matisse, stitched by Robin Rossignol.After listening to our show with Jane Garrison of Threadnuts/The Painter’s Threads Collection (https://wetalkfiber.com/2023/08/19/fiber-talk-with-jane-garrison/), Robin Rossignol was inspired to purchase some of those threads and match them with some of the Kick Back and Stitch designs she owned. In this video, we talk about 10 of those pieces and explore the threads and design features. Robin’s work is an excellent example of how you can try counted-canvas needlepoint by stitching a small, inexpensive, design using stash threads or by making a small investment in new threads. See the links below for sources.—Robin & Gary Links: Kick Back and Stitch designs can be purchased from your LNS, but here’s a good online source: https://store.apneedlearts.com/kickbackstitch.html Robin frequently refers to the book, “Twisty Stitches.” There are actually two volumes of “Twisty Stitches.” They were written by Carole Lake and Michael Boren. Their website is: https://stitchplay.com. You’ll have to purchase the books from a LNS or an online book seller as they’re no longer sold on the Stitch Play Designs website. CyberPointers: https://www.cyberpointers.org/ American Needlepoint Guild: https://www.needlepoint.org/default.aspx

Amanda Metes, The Needlepoint Finishing Fairy, joins us to talk about her journey from stitcher to finisher to finishing educator. She’s accomplished a lot in a short time and the result is a terrific resource that will help you “get your ornaments to the tree” and eventually tackle bigger, more complex projects. During the conversation, we also get some tips from Amanda about what you can do while stitching to make quality finishing possible, along with a discussion of the pros and cons of using glue. Note that hot glue is basically all con. We hope you enjoy the conversation and then visit her website to join her community of needlepointers who finish.—Cindy and Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: The Finishing Fairy website The Finishing Fairy on Instagram The Finishing Fairy on Facebook/a The Finishing Fairy on YouTube The Finishing Fairy on TikTok We hope you enjoy this conversation with Amanda Metes. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

We’re chatting late this Wednesday, but still chatting. Cindy and Gary talk about needlepoint finishing, making cord, Michelle Agnew’s goldwork, mounting linen on Rolaframe scroll frames, felt bowls, “Piecework” magazine’s International Needlework Museum Directory, and shops equipping new stitchers with the tools they need to succeed. Sunday’s guest: Amanda Metes, The Needlepoint Finishing Fairy—Cindy & Gary Listen to the podcast: Watch the video. Click here to view it. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Rolaframe scroll bars are available several places. Gary bought here. Fibres of Life website for felt bowls Laura Wasilowski Felt Bowl Embroidery class Fiber Talk’s new Patreon page EGA website CyberPointers website Avlea Folk Embroidery website We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Michelle Agnew wanted more for her designs than traditional gold work and stump work techniques could provide. So, using those techniques as a foundation, she developed (and is still developing) her own approaches. The result is gold work sculpture that adds a new dimension to the gold-thread world of needle arts. Her efforts have earned her a Hand & Lock prize and resulted in a full-time needlework business that, in addition to her own art, involves teaching, working in the fashion industry, exhibiting, and creating commissioned pieces. After you hear her story, take some time to visit her website and social-media channels and absorb her terrific art.—Gary Listen to the podcast: This show is also available on FlossTube. Watch the video You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses. Here are some links: Michelle Agnew website Michelle Agnew on Instagram Michelle Agnew on TikTok/a We hope you enjoy this conversation with Michelle Agnew. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show. To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.