I just spent a couple of days in the mountains, and of course came back with a camera full of photos :-) I can’t seem to go on vacation without my camera - you’ll never know where you’ll find inspiration for your next piece of fiber art!

It’s funny though, as much as I love the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, the photos I find most inspire me to create art are of the little things. I love the texture of lichen on rock, how water reflects sunlight - even the twists and curves of tree roots.

Here are some of my favorite photos (just remember, they are my copyright and may not be used without my permission) - that are making my fingers itch to start a new art project:

So next time you’re looking for inspiration - I’d recommend taking a fresh look at the little things. Pay attention to texture and detail - you might be surprised at how much is out there!

all photos: C Findlay-Harder

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I’m finally finished teaching art camps for the summer and that means I can get back into my studio and start making things!

Here’s my palette for my next machine-embroidered piece of fiber art:

That’s so yummy I think I could eat it with a spoon :-) I’ve got sari silk ends, raw mohair, carded mohair (from a farm just down the road from me) silk caps and silk roving.

I love the different textures and hands that you get from using different types of fibers in one piece. The silk acts differently from the mohair, which has a different shine than the raw mohair does… and then there’s the sari silk…

Next time you’re planning a piece of fiber art, try something different that you haven’t tried before. You might be surprised at the results you get :-)

image: C Findlay-Harder

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I recently got an email from a reader, asking for help because she couldn’t mend blue jeans on her small sewing machine.

There are a few things that can make your life easier, especially if you have a small sewing machine, or a machine with a small harp or large base.

• First of all, try rolling up the pant leg as tightly as you can - reducing the bulk can make your life easier.
• Use safety pins to hold the rolled areas together - that way you won’t have to worry about holding them together tightly. Just make sure you don’t sew over the pins!
• Try a different angle. If you’re trying to sew a patch from the bottom of the cuff, upward - try going from the waistband down - it can be easier to slide the larger areas of the pants onto the machine.
• Make sure the patch is fused on - again, if you’re not having to hold extra things in place it will make your life so much easier!

Unfortunately, there are some sewing machines that are simply too small or under-powered to tackle heavy fabrics like blue jeans. If your machine stalls when you’re sewing - stop and ask someone else for help!

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I think this is such a clever idea! Leisure Art’s designer, Kathy Elrod, has come up with an easy way to create your own original cross-stitch designs with rubber stamps.

Just use a water-proof ink (I’ve had really good results with Staz-On) and stamp your design directly onto your aida cloth. Use the same color ink as your embroidery floss to make sure you don’t have weird shadows underneath the stitches :-) You can even stamp words or letters, or just draw them on with a permanent pen.

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I have very fond memories of a doll house that my mom made for me as a child. It was made from fabric & batting, but would stand up by itself - and had a handle so that I could toddle around with it.

I was tickled pink to see that Whip Up (one of my favorite craft blogs) has posted a tutorial on creating a soft fabric doll house. There’s even a barn pattern as well!

I’m sure a special little girl in your life would love to get one of these for Christmas… Or just make one for yourself and call it a purse :-)

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