Please leave your Progress reports on the relevant post. Each month’s challenge is listed below. I have closed comments on this page because it was getting too large to load.
The Challenge for August and the page to leave your progress reports
Guidelines
This challenge grew out of the Take a stitch Tuesday challenge run in 2007. “Take it Further” aims to apply textile technique skills to design. The challenge will run all year in 2008.
The Challenge
On the 1st of each month I will post key concept. The challenge is to take the idea, develop it and push it towards a resolved design during that month. In other words you interpret the idea and apply it to fiber or paper.
Every month there will be two options.
The second option will be a colour scheme or a design element like a shape, to develop into a resolved design. This means that if you don’t like the concept you can work the colour scheme or if you don’t like the colour scheme you can work with the concept. Or you can work with both.
The actual project you design can be any thing, in any medium or format you choose. It can be a crazy quilt block, a postcard, a journal quilt, a piece of embroidery, a sampler, a fabric book page or whatever sparks your imagination. It can also be visual journal work. In other words pages spreads of designs worked in a visual journal will be seen as a valid entry and included as one of the formats acceptable for the challenge.
Blog or flick what your response
What ever you choose to do, blog the development of the idea through the month (preferably weekly) and leave a comment on the appropriate post (listed above) with your blog address so that people can visit your site and see what you have done. The flickr group for the Take it Further Design Challenge is here.
If you don’t have a blog or flickr account
If you don’t yet have a site to post images to you will need to set up one. If you do not have a blog you will need at least a flickr account or somewhere to have your images on the web. If you don’t have one go to http://flickr.com . They are free and easy to use and for all those flickr folks a flickr group is established called Take it Further Design Challenge
For a free blog service try http://wordpress.com. It is free and relatively easy to set up with good help files.
Non participation cut off period:
I perfectly understand when people sign up and life gets in the way but if there is no participation for a period of 2 months I will remove your name from the list of challengers.
Link Back
Please help spread the word, blog about the challenge with a link here so people can find it.
If you want to join
The cut off period for joining this challenge is closed. As people drop out I will announce on my blog that it is open for a short while. The challenge is for regular readers of my blog so assume that people who are participating and interested are reading it. If you are interested in joining in leave a comment on the latest months challenge post (listed above). If email bounces back to me or if you have not left a valid flickr or blog address I will make one attempt at contact sorry I simply can’t chase people up.
Please note comments are moderated and they are published once I have read them.
The Challengers let me introduce…
- 6degreesartquilts is Glendas flickr site
- 13th Street Studio Linda is a quilter who also occassionally blogs about other sewing projects
- A Creative Journey… is written by Mary Catherine who creates collage pieces in both paper and fabric
- A Movable Feast Neki blogs her explorations in contemporary textile surface design and manipulation techniques, and needle felting.
- A La Coupaillonnerie I think I translated the sign up comment right as it was left in French but her blog has some great hand embroidered eye candy
- A Stitch in Time is kept by Scottish Fiber artist Carol Clasper. Contemporary textiles and fabric postcards appear regularly in her blog.
- Adventures of Angel Cat is a fiber arts blog touching on a number of areas such as fabric postcards, embroidery, dyeing, and knitting
- AlarTTex Maria del Valle keeps a blog on textiles which although written in Spanish has a handy “translate this blog” feature in the side bar.
- Allie’s in Stitches is the blog of the fantastic crazy quilter Alison Aller.
- Altering Thoughts Pat blogs her explorations into contemporary textile techniques.
- Anna Nowicki has a website on which she houses images of her latest work
- Annies Crazy World Annie is a fellow Aussie crazy quilter
- Apples and Oranges is a blog kept by Kate a contemporary craft practitioner. Sewing, embroidery and knitting are some of the topic covered
- Applique and Embroidery in Beijing I met Mara as a student in one of my classes.Mara does lovely stitching and her blog is really worth checking out
- Art ADD Works for Me Gisela is a quilter
- Art of Textiles Susan quilts, embroiders explores surface design and many fiber related crafts
- Artify the Heart Barbara is interested in paper crafts and journals
- Arts Texile et Dentelle Carinemarie interests range from free form crochet to needlelace, contemporary lace and felt embellishing
- Artsy Crafty Fun, Fun, Fun Laura lists her intersts as knitting, sewing, quilting
- Artwhispers Terry is taking part
- Arty Lady Liz is interested in ATCs, altered art and related crafts
- Ati on the crazy road… Ati is a participant in the TAST challenge and uses her blog to document her crazy quilting projects.
- Au Fil du Jardin Vero is interested in the fiber arts, and posts her projects
- Back Valley Seasons Penny is a participant in the TAST challenge and blogs her textile interests which range over contemporary manipulation and surface design to contemporary embroidery
- Barb’s Spirit Song Barbara lists her interests as being art quilts, needle felting, and embroidery
- Barnyard Chatter Grace is a contemporary quilter and designer
- Beading at the Beach Bobby does bead embroidery and beading
- Bilum Karen’s blog is new
- Blog Doris covers craft, cross stitch, crochet
- California Fiber Artist and Composer Susan is working on her City and Guilds Patchwork and Quilting Level 3
- Canyonquilter is Linda on Flickr
- Carolina Quilter Jody quilts using traditional piecing and hand applique. She also does thread painting, and crazy quilting.
- Carpe Diem Marion is a painter who also blogs images of her visual journal page spreads
- Catherine’s Tatting Attempts Kelly is a tatter
- Celeste has a flickr account
- Cheryl’s Chatelaine covers her needlework interests such as hand embroidery, cross stitch and quilting
- Cherold’s Place Cheri is a quilter who is busy stash busting
- Cindy Bonnell is on flickr
- Cinzia is a new blog set up for the Take it Further challenge
- ckartist Clare has flickr site
- Cleveland Girlie is interested in contemporary fiber and quilting
- Color, Line, and Texture is new blog established by Bernadette
- Color My World Judy Rys is interested in contemporary textiles, fabric post cards, ATCs (artist trading cards) fabric printing and dyeing
- Come Quilt with Me Joan teaches as Quilt University.com and needless to say she writes about quilting in her blog.
- Consuelo on flickr
- Cramzy Emmy explores contemporary textile and embroidery techniques producing all sorts of interesting things
- Crazy atom orbit
- Crazy Here and Now... Jane tracks her interests in crazy quilting and quilting in her blog
- Crazy Q stitcher is Maureen’s blog who is a crazy quilter who posts images of her work
- Crazy Valsusa Lorenza is an Italian who keeps a bilingual blog. She is interested in crazy quilting and contemporary fiber such as fabric postcards, inchies, and ATCs.
- Creating with no Rules is kept by Sharon who is a crazy quilter and silk ribbon embroiderer
- Creative Idyll is a new blog
- Creative Meanderings Doreen writes about crazy quilting, sewing and crafts
- Crftyscrapper Cindy Michele has started a new blog for the challenge
- Committed Stitcher Meg covers cross stitch, embroidery and patchwork in her blog
- Cymbellene’s Fancywork Judy is interested in evenweave needlework techniques such as cross stitch, black work and canvas work
- Dancing Crow creates a fabric postcard a day and takes classes to develop circus skills
- Debbi Baker tracks her latest projects creating fabric postcards, ATCs, and paper crafts
- Debra’s Design Studio Debra is a crazy quilter who blogs her work in progress and has a wide interest in textiles.
- De Ponto em no Belém writes a bilingual blog in which she covers her interests such as quilting, embroidery and sewing.
- Digital Gran has an interest in using computer graphics to design one off contemporary textile pieces. Her blog is dotted with her fiber projects and experiments using different techniques
- Dimity’s Fiber Adventures is a new blog established for the challenge
- Downunderdale Dale is contemporary Aussie textile artist who regularly uses an embellishment machine and other fiber techniques blogs her discoveries.
- Dreaming Spirals is kept by quilt artist Liz Plummer
- Elsie Vredenburg is a quilter who has a website but not yet a blog
- Embroidery Overlaps Barbara works with contemporary textile techniques and embroidery to produce fabric postcards, journal quilts, and various other projects.
- Embroideress is the blog of Linn Skinner who researches historical embroidery and designs samplers.
- Enchanted Art Elizabeth is a fiber and mixed media artist who says she enjoys “traditional patchwork quilting as well as incorporating other materials such as paint, beads, wire, and more”
- Everyday Revelations Kate is a crazy quilter who posts images of her blocks
- Expression d’Art Textile Contemporain is a French blog written by Inger a shibori dyer
- Fabulous Threads Annica is a contemporary stitcher interested in all aspects of fiber
- Farbtupfer a bilingual blog tracking explorations and experiments in paper and fiber arts
- FaeryDi’s Fibre Feats or Fiascos is Dianne’s blog that tracks her textile interests.
- Faffing About Lynne is interested in contemporary fiber work, embroidery and paper arts.
- Fiber and Pulp Linda is a a professional quilter and art quilter, owns of a quilt store and author of books on quilting.
- Fiber Arts Addict Dianne has started a new blog for the challenge
- Fiber Fantasies Lynn lists her interests as being quilting, sewing, dyeing, knitting, needlepoint, cross stitch, and needlepunch
- Fiberhart Beverly is a an art quilter who writes about her process, techniques and quilts
- Fiberworks is a flickr site Peggy will use fr the challenge
- FibreFan is interested in textiles and new to blogging
- Fifiquilter has a flickr account
- Flying Colours Juanita’s interests are contemporary quilt-making, fabric dyeing and surface design
- Focus on Fiber Sandy describes herself as a hand and machine knitter and embroiderer with an interst paper and mixed media.
- From the Basement Liz describes herself as a cloth doll maker, sewer, beader, needlewoman, crafts person, and sometime quilter
- From The Magpies Nest Sue is a quilter
- Getting to Crazy LouAnne is active with crazy quilting and redwork embroidery
- Goatgoddess’s Weblog is a new blog set up for the Take it Further challenge
- Goodworks1 is a new blog started for the Take it Further challenge
- Greasyming Leslie is a crazy quilter and contemporary stitcher who lives in Africa
- Green Spiral Herbs is the blog of Betty Pillsbury who is a well known crazy quilter- in her blog she writes about herbs, her herb farm and her textiles.
- Hand Quilting Violette’s blog has a special emphasis on hand work and quilts.
- Haute Nature is by Holly who describes her blog as “Ecologically based creative ideas, art and green products for your children, home and lifestyle” It’s an interesting blog do check it out.
- Healing Balance Passion Gwen regularly blogs page spreads of her art journal
- Heb Art Helen Suzane is a quilter who is interested in contemporary techniques, surface manipulation and surface design
- Helinacq (Helina) is on flickr
- Helenann - Helen has a flickr site
- High Fiber Content Julie is a quilter with an interest in surface design, dyeing, paper arts and collage
- Hockey Kitten is Christine on Flickr
- Honey Bee Stephanie is interested in Patchwork, quilting and embroidery and has a new blog for the challenge
- Jacqueline’s Blog is a bilingual mixed media fiber arts blog
- Jaffy is Janine on flickr
- Jayne Slovick has a flickr account
- Jenny’s Australian Needleart Journey tracks Jenny’s needlework and hand embroidery projects
- Jumpstarts Dianne is interested in contemporary needlework and quilting
- Just Enough Time Deb has started a new blog for the Take it Further Challenge
- Karen Marie has a flickr site
- Karen South’s Crazy Quilting World covers crazy quilting and gardening
- Karrins Crazy World Karrin is a crazy quilter, quilter and hand embroiderer
- Kerrykatiecakes is a crazy quilter
- Kazzy’s Place is Karen on Flickr
- Lady Jane’s Journal Christine keeps an interesting blog on historical textiles, embroidery, lace making, and patchwork
- Laura Lee has a flickr page
- Laurence on flickr
- Le Blog de Joelle is a new blog set up for the Take it Further challenge
- Le Blog de Laurence is the blog of a French Crazy Quilter
- Let’s Create is kept by Tricia who is interested in hand made felt.
- Libélulas na Janela Glaucia is a crazy quilter
- Life in Stitches Deb tracks her interests in textiles
- Life Scraps and Patches Connie writes quite a bit about her personal life but it is interspersed with fiber and craft related posts
- Linda is a quilter who has reactivated her blog for the Take it Further challenge.
- Little Works of Art Margaret is a contemporary embroiderer who dyes and manipulates her fabrics before embellishing them
- Linda Stokes Textile Artist dyeing, printing, machine embroidery and cloque are some of the techniques Linda writes about in her blog.
- Los bordados de Loló works mainly even weave embroidery techniques and silk ribbon embroidery
- Love Fibre Fiona is interested in contemporary textiles particularly dyeing, surface design, embroidery and she is current undertaking a City and Guilds certificate in Patchwork and Quilting. In her blog you will find her explorations in technique and reports on work in progress as well as her drawings and sketchbook work.
- Luci’s Creative Adventures Luci is interested in contemporary embroidery
- Luna’s Baublebilities Virginia is interested in jewelry and textiles. Her blog is new
- Made by Misa Listed among Misa’s interests are embroidery, sewing, crazy quilting, drawing, painting, ATCs, mixed media art
- Made in Hägn Frida’s site is bilingual and currently very new
- Magic Armchair Traveller Sue is interested in a range of textiles and posts lots of inspirational photos on her blog
- Magic Indigo Tricia is a contemporary textile artist who works also works in mixed media to produce some great spreads in her visual journal
- MagicXstitch Mayté has a handy translation button inher side bar so you can read about her cross stitch and hand embrodiery
- Mags Ramsay is interested in contemporary textile, quilting and stitch techniques
- Maggie’s Textiles I encountered Maggies blog because she took one of my classes. Her stitching is fantastic and her blog is worth watching.
- Magpies Mumblings Mary Anne crafts, sews and knits
- Making Stuff Jess has a new blog which she will use for the challenge
- Mallakoo is a new blog and Malla blogs about her crazy quilting
- Mama’s Getting Crafty is Jennifer’s personal blog which she is going to use for the Take it Further challenge
- Marci has a flickr account
- MarianUK is a new blog established for the Take it Further challenge
- Margo’s Musings Margo is a cross stitcher
- MaryJoO has a flickr account
- Meleeis’s Weblog is a new blog set up for the challenge.
- MegAbq Fabric Challenge is a new blog established for the Take it Further challenge
- Memyni (Ronelle) is on flickr
- MG Quilts Maggie is an Aussie quilter who blogs about quilting, links to resources and documents what she is making.
- Miami Threads is collaborative blog of art quilters who share information, techniques, and images of work. Judy is going to use it for the Take it Further challenge.
- Michelle’s Stitch and Paint Spot Michelle is a textile practitioner interested in mixed medai and surface design
- Mi Casita de Pájaros is written by Maria a Spanish blogger interested in craft, quilting, and embroidery
- Million Little Stitches is a new blog by Maya who lists her interests as embroidery, knitting, crochet, beadwork, journaling and mixed media.
- Mixed Media Julie is a painter who tracks her interests in contemporary mixed media fiber techniques, beading, fabric postcards
- Monique is interested in contemporary textiles and patchwork
- Moonsilk Stitches Marjorie has started a new blog. Marjorie also has a flickr site
- MsLiz’s Thread Elizabeth has established a new blog in order to participate in the Take it Further challenge
- Nanna J on Flicker is Nan
- Needle ‘n Thread Mary Corbet regularly contributes to the online stitching community with video tutorials of stitches, free patterns and sound advice.
- Nela’s Life Diary is a stitchers blog
- Neverending Lists Fiona tracks her fiber projects and textile related interests in her blog
- Nichobella Acey tracks her interests in quilting, mixed media assemblage, and embroidery
- Nuvo Felt focuses on needle felting and experiments with contemporary textile techniques
- Occasional Jottings Linda is interested in surface design, dyeing, contemporary quilting and textiles. She blogs her visual journal, design process and work in progress
- Orange Rug Yarn Musings Juli blogs about her needlework, and is interested in design and drawing.
- Out of the Basement Kay is interested in quilts and wearables
- Paddy’s Daughter makes quilts, does needlework and sewing
- Painted Quilt Donna is a quilter
- Pam Kellog’s Kitty and Me Designs Pam is a Cross stitch designer who a few years ago discovered crazy quilting. She blogs her work in progress and often provides free designs for her readers.
- Pat Gê on Flickr
- Patchwork a dos bandas is a Spanish quilter
- Patchwork broderie et cetera Paule does crazy quilting, quilting and embroidery
- Pensive Mood is Leenas blog established to participate in the challenge
- Permutations in Fiber Ruth interest in fiber arts and paper arts takes her into all sorts of areas of textile practice making her blog interesting reading!
- Pins and Needles Jocelyn has just recently started a blog. She is a crazy quilter who also does needlepoint, freeform crochet, makes artists books and does hand embroidery.
- Pocahontas County Fare On this blog you will find knitting, sewing, as well as notes on natural history and books.
- Possibilities etc! Judy does some interesting needlepoint and even interprets crazy quilting images on her canvas.
- Potiron Blogs is participating in the Take it Further challenge
- Puddle of Dreams Jacqui is trained as a painter, she has her sketchbooks online and writes about her explorations into crafts in her blog. Jacqui is also participating in the Take it Further challenge.
- Purple Fan Lin Moon is interested in embroidery, crazy quilting and silk ribbon embroidery but ranges into other textile related crafts too.
- Purple Missus Lynda keeps a blog on contemporary textiles covering experiments with different fabric manipulation techniques and notes on what she is working on
- Quieter Moments Elizabeth has made some fantastic contributions in the TAST challenge pushing stitches to their limit and is participating in this one too
- Quilt Til You Wilt Annie is a quilter
- Quilting and Life in General Doni is a quilter
- Quiltlover62 Kelly has a flickr account
- Quilts n’ More Pamela is quilter
- Quiltifications Tirane tracks her current quilting projects
- Ravenhill Emily does a range of fiber related activities. On her blog you will find beading, embroidery, crochet, knitting, and sewing.
- Reading and Stitching in Il Jenny is interested in needlwork such as freestyle creative embroidery, cross stitch and knitting
- Red 2 White Monika has set up a new blog to share her interests in sewing, embroidery and patchwork, fabric painting and batik
- Reneorgeron’s Weblog is a new blog set up for the Take it Further challenge.
- Ringaringarosie’s is a new blog established for the Take it Further challenge
- Rooted in Mississippi Rissa Peace Root is well known as both a needlworker and crazy quilter. Rissa edits CQMagOnline and keeps a blog of your interests.
- Sandra’s Studio is a new blog esptablished for the Take it Further challenge
- Seamless Skin Karoda is a contemporary quilter and fiber artist
- Sequana has a flickr account
- Serendipity Anna Nowicki is a textile artist who employs contemporary surface design techniques to produce fabric of interest to be used in her quilts
- She who Measures is the blog of historical costumer Kelly Ridley. There are some really good, informative posts to found here making it well worth checking out.
- Sisters is a blog shared by two sisters
- Sita’s Tangled Web Sita describes her young blog as ranging “from psychology to needlework and fabric craft and anything in between”.
- Skildtquilts is a new blog
- Skybell Arts Kim is interested in contemporary fiber arts, quilting and embroidery
- Skye’s World Skye describes herself as liking to work in different mediums. Her interests include quilingt, embroidery, cross stitch, crochet, and knit.
- S’mockery Kay Susan has taken the City & Guilds Creative Embroidery Parts I and 2 and mainly blogs about contemporary embroidery
- Snippets from Chaos is Lori’s sewing blog
- Snow Days Mady is interested in hand embroidery
- Sooner or Later by Yarn goddess makes all sorts of items such as fabric postcards, inchies, ATCs, journal quilts and so on. She is very busy!
- Sparkle Jars Gayle has an interest in quilting and fiber and uses her blog to document what she does.
- Spinning Yarns Judith is a quilter and crazy quilter
- Spirit Cloth tracks Jude Hills explorations with thread and cloth. Jude has a great sensitivity for her medium
- Squarequilter is Betty on flickr
- Stacey’s Corner of the Universe Stacey is a cross stitcher
- Stitch and More is written by Simona in Italy and she tracks her crazy quilting and embroidery projects.
- Stitch Nut Kat is a machine quilter, who also enjoys beading and craftwork.
- Stitchin’ Addiction is a new blog set up by Shari to track her Take is Further challenge projects and her other stitching interests
- Stitching Susan has just started a blog in order to follow the Take it Further Challenge
- Stitching with Schnauzer and Siamese is written by Maggie Harris a mixed media textile artist who knits, sews, and does hand stitching
- Stitchintime is Gayle on flickr
- Stitchnpatch Vicki has completed her City and Guilds in level 2 and now has moved on to level 3. Her blog tracks her progress in contemporary embroidery and quilting.
- Studio Quilts Debbie writes about contemporary fibre and textile arts in her blog.
- Studio Threads Vivian is interested in contemporary quilting and ATCs
- (Such a) Fickle Stitcher ranges over a few areas of textiles such as beading, embroidery and knitting
- Susan P’s Weblog is a new blog set up for the Take it Further challenge
- Suzical is interested in contemporary embroidery and textiles
- Sudukc is on flickr and has a Yahoo blog
- Suz Stuff covers her explorations in contemporary fiber techniques
- Taking a Leap is a new blog establsihed for the Take it Further challenge with interests listed as textiles, fiber and paper
- Tango Musings Linda describes her interests as “playing with fabric and paints to create art”
- Taylors Textile Trials Carol is a fiber artist who is completing a City and guilds in Machine embroidery
- Tenar’s Cave tracks her interests in needlework and knitting
- TextileXplorations Susan is interested in contemporary fiber work
- The Beauty of Life Paula has established a new blog in order to participate in the Take it Further challenge but has already posted some images of her embroidery check it out as she has been whipping beads with thread.
- The Crazy Atom Orbit Ren tracks her varied fiber interests in her blog
- The Floss Box Emily is a cross sticher who regularly provides and points to free designs online
- The Laughing Parrot Sarita has recently started her blog. So far there is sewing and quilting on it
- The Path to Hell Margaret describes herself as a “obsessive compulsive fiddler of fabric”
- Tinab4’s Weblog is a new blog started for the Take it Further challenge
- Thistle Cove Farm Sandra blogs about her life and fiber projects
- Threads Across the Web Carol-Anne blogs about the progress of her beautiful Japanese embroidery
- Threads Addict Annette is a contemporary quilter, hand and machine embroiderer, and blogs her projects which include items such as fabric postcards, art dolls, fiber charms, and fabric journal pages.
- Threads of Love Linda does embroidery, crazy quilting, quilting, makes contemporary dolls and blogs her projects along the way.
- Threadmill Jeannie is also taking part
- Thelma’s Sew’n Things Thema is interested in embroidery and crazy quilting
- Travel Fibre and Thread Sue writes about contemporary textiles and motorbikes! An unusual mix but interesting particularly since I still sit on the back of a bike.
- True Stitches Heather is a contemporary textile artist who designs, spins, knits, weaves, and quilts
- Tundra Threads Deireth is interested in contemporary textiles and blogs her current work. Her blog contains quilting, embroidery, fabric postcards and felting.
- Tuscany’s Blues I met Caroline via one of my online classes and her enthusiasm immediately attracted me. Her blog is relatively new but she is interested in fiber arts of all kinds
- twinkxter is Vicky on flickr
- Twobarsandanna1’s is on flickr
- Tyquilts is on flickr
- Ullas Fiber Blog Ulla is interested in quilting, beading and fiber related activities
- Upstatelisa’s blog covers sewing, quilting, applique and crochet
- Up too late, as usual …Andrea is a fellow Canberran whose creative energy spins off in all sorts of fiber related directions.
- Utilidades da tia Gloria is a blog written in Portugueseby Gloria who is interested in crochet
- Urban Debris is an interesting blog about creating art from recycled items.
- Valerie L has a flickr site
- Vintage Vanity is a new blog for the Take it Further challenge set up by one of my students
- Vivian in Stitches is interested in art quilts, embroidery and contemporary textiles, and fabric postcards, books etc
- Watercan’s Weblog is a new blog established for the Take it Further challenge
- What Boggles my Mind Nancilyn explores many forms of contemporary fiber and needle work particularly art dolls
- Windows to Me Dawn is interested in altered book, fabric books, artist trading cards, postcards and antiques
- WWKD is a new blog set up for the Take it Further challenge
- Wyrd Needles Lisa mainly cross stitches
- Yvonne has a flickr site
- Zee Art Studio Kathy describes herself as working with both a fiber and in mosaics although at the moment of review there was a lot of personal posts
- Zquilts Marie’s blog contains her projects in quilting, needle felting, needle thread painting and dyeing
