Nancy's Corner
2300 Series
| Program Name |
Nancy's Corner Segment |
| 12 Easy Sew Bags |
Klaudeen Hansen, a National Quilting Association Certified Judge, discusses the judging process for quilts and the five basic things judges look for: 1) Cleanliness, 2) A balanced composition with a sense of proportion and scale, 3) Quiltmaker's expertise, 4) Alignment—straight, 5) Finishing features.
Kim Deneault teaches sewing and quilting, not only to the seeing but to those that are blind. She uses textured colored paper with a Braille guide for her students to identify colors by touch. She then translates the design to her Raggedy Reverse Appliqué technique with fabric. Kim is preparing for the first ever “Hands On” Quilt Show. Go to handsonquiltshow.org for more information.
Christine Popenhagen, Project Linus volunteer, encourages those who sew to make blankets for children ages zero to 18 who have been ill or traumatized. There are 400 Project Linus chapters across the country. To find the chapter near you go to projectlinus.org. Each chapter has different needs for their area. Become a blanketeer today! |
| Single Layer Jacket Sensations |
Jennifer Chiaverini, a New York Times best selling author, shares her quilt “Sylvia's Bridal Sampler” that was inspired by her novel, The Master Quilter. This quilt was made with the help of her quilting friends from around the world. She started a blog and an online quilting community to help her readers create their own bridal sampler quilts. Quilters used the website to get the blocks and patterns to start their own quilt. Go to sylviasbridalsampler.org to view some of the lovely bridal sampler quilts from around the world. |
| Appli-Curves |
Carol Battenberg is a sheep producer, a sewer, a quilter, and a director for the Make it With Wool program. Carol explains the Make it With Wool contest and shares photos of the current winners. She explains what judges look for when evaluating garments. Anyone interested can go to sheepusa.org to find more information.
Pat Kroth is a well-known quilt artist and has exhibited nationally and worldwide. Pat uses a plethora of items in her quilts—fibers, findings, elements, fragments, and more. Pat shares her quilts entitled Confetti Craze, Under Currents, Sweet Tooth, and Full Tilt. The wall hangings are very striking, and yet have Pat's personal charm. Visit krothfiberart.com. |
| Versatile Ombre Quilts |
Sewing With Nancy® Heart to Heart challenger and fellow sewer Peggy Nied has made the commitment to live a heart healthy lifestyle and has allowed viewers to track her progress. Start your own heart healthy program with the assistance of the American Heart Association by taking part in Better U – a free makeover and online community that could change your life; uwhealth.org/GoRed. Follow Peggy's progress and learn more on Heart to Heart with Nancy. We will check on Peggy two more times this season as she progresses.
Kathi Wilson and community create beautiful rural art by painting “quilts on barns”. These 8’ x 8’ quilt paintings are amazing! They start as 8” square sketches and transform into framed artwork that is mounted on a barn. She has 15 barn quilts in Racine County in Wisconsin. To take the tour of these striking quilts go to quiltsonbarns.com
Laurie Hird is the author of The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt book. She got her inspiration from the book Do You Want your Daughter to Marry a Farmer? This book consists of 68 letters from farm women who entered a contest that asked if they wanted their daughter to marry a farmer. She took 56 excerpts from the letters in this book and created a quilt with blocks to represent each of their stories. The quilt tells the story that indeed 94% of the women wanted their daughters to marry a farmer! |
| Top 12 Embroidery Tips |
Leslie Travis is a librarian from Chicago who shows kids Pre-K to 6 how to learn about sewing through the library. She incorporates sewing into other topics such as social studies, history, and economics. She also organizes an after school sewing club. For information about the sewing club's activities, go to ray.cps.k12.il.us (under Classrooms, go to Programs, then to Library).
Leslie Travis, a librarian at Ray School, one of Chicago Public Schools, received an energy grant to start a mending center for the school. It taught the kids that repairing something instead of throwing it out helps the environment. It also gives them the power to work together to do something good for their school and community. For more information, go to ray.cps.k12.il.us (under Classrooms, go to Programs, then to Library). |
| Sew-Green Makeovers |
Paula Skeleton saved her wedding gown from 1972 and years later made a christening gown for her granddaughter. She used pieces of the same wedding gown along with pieces from a great grandmother's blouse and great grandfather's handkerchief to create a second christening set for her grandson. It's a wonderful way of mixing memories into each christening outfit for an heirloom treasure.
Lisa Binkley combines fabric, handwork, and beading to the ultimate degree on her quilts. She recommends piecing and quilting first then adding embellishment later. She also makes recommendations for needles and thread for the best beading. She shares her beautiful beaded creations with Nancy on this television show. Visit her site at lisabinkley.com |
| Applique Know-How |
Sandi Keiser, the Department Chair of the Mount Mary College Fashion Department, shares updated information on fashion design programs. She explains that fashion design is much more than just sewing and working with fabric. Fashion designers rely on a variety of skills including design, sewing, fitting and pattern making. These skills are enhanced through the use of numerous computer programs. To produce a line of apparel a designer starts with a design concept or theme, chooses colors, decides on fabric and trims, makes several sketches, and finally drafts the pattern that is required for garment production. Most design programs offer a foundation of skills and then allow students to concentrate on a specialized area of interest in their final semesters. Many educational programs also provide opportunities to travel and study in the US and abroad. For more information go to mtmary.edu/dept_fashion.htm.
Recycling and makeovers have become a worldwide venture not only in the sewing industry but also in the apparel and fashion industry. Sandi Keiser, Department Chair of the Fashion Department at Mount Mary College, explains that when it comes to fabric the paradigm has certainly changed and shifted. We need to think of sustainable fabrics and try to be a little bit political in challenging people to recycle. Her students have taken the recycling challenge in creating many of their fashion designs using sustainable fabrics and recycled items such as bottle caps, ties, vintage blankets, and more. Sandi and her students are inspired by companies like Alabama Chanin (formerly Project Alabama), owned by designer Natalie Chanin who is committed to sustaining the living arts. Go to alabamachanin.com for more information on Alabama Chanin, or to mtmary.edu/dept_fashion.htm to find out more about Mount Mary College Fashion Department.
Linda Wieck is the originator and the creator of the Camo Quilt Project. Her group has made over 2,125 quilts that have been sent overseas for our service people. The beauty of these durable compact quilts is that they are made of a lightweight camouflage fabric and can be used inside or on outdoor convoys. Linda's group also makes “Cool Ties” that have four sections. The two center sections contain soil moist crystals that keep a soldier's carotid artery cool. A Cool Tie is sent along with each Camo Quilt. For more information or to request one of these quilts for a member of the armed services go to camoquiltproject.blogspot.com. Your donations help pay for the materials to make these quilts for which our troops are so appreciative. |
2200 Series
| Program Name |
Nancy's Corner Segment |
| Pattern Fitting with Confidence |
Ethel White is a Wisconsin dressmaker who was inspired to quilt after seeing the Gee's Bend quilt exhibit in Alabama. She created the Peace Stone Quilt to honor two African tribes making peace with each other. African Queen Nzinga was also an inspiration to Ethel, and she appliquéd the Queen's portrait on a quilt. She used authentic fabric such as African Mud Cloth in her appliqués and quilting.
Helen Martin, a graduate nursing student and quilter, educates small groups of women about heart health. As the women come together to quilt, Helen and a friend share stories and educate the women about heart disease. The quilts created are donated to generate research money for this #1 killer of women. For information about heart disease and to take a heart healthy quiz go to uwhealth.org/goredforwomen. |
| Magical Fabric Yo-Yos |
In this three-part series Nancy focuses on “Sewing Green”.
Part 1: Sewing with ECO friendly fabrics such as organic cotton and bamboo, grown without pesticides, defoliants, and fertilizers, is kind to our environment and less likely to trigger allergies. These new fabrics drape well and are fun to sew.
Part 2: Recycling of PET plastic bottles offers us fabric! Ten bottles equals one pound of fabric. The fabric is lightweight, soft, and pliable. Make a project that you use over and over again with recycled fabric for double duty recycling!
Part 3: Using natural fibers in quilting promotes “sewing green”. Batting made from corn is hypoallergenic, washable, soft, and safe for our environment. This naturally based craft fiber is made from corn grown in the United States, and it is renewable. |
| Jackets on the Cutting Edge |
Nancy features some of her sewing collectibles including a 1893 “Columbian Egg” needle case, a 1940s pinking machine from her grandmother, and vintage toy/traveling sewing machines.
Nancy showcases her collection of antique toy sewing machines. Many of them date back to the 1930s, from Germany. |
| Trace 'n Create Bags |
Sue Outland, a grandmother and longtime Girl Scout leader, creates a tactile quilt for her blind granddaughter, Makala. This inspires her scouting group to quilt. The Girl Scouts, as well as her granddaughter, Makala, sew blocks that go into blankets for children at the St. Louis Children's Hospital. If you are interested in donating tactile quilts for blind children go to seeitourway.org.
Margaret Jankowski is the originator of The Sewing Machine Project. She started collecting machines in 2005 when she read about someone saving to purchase a machine and then losing it in the tsunami. Since then she has taken hundreds of machines to different parts of the world. She only asks that each person receiving a machine “pay forward” some kindness to someone in need. For details of donating a machine go to thesewingmachineproject.org. |
| Picture Perfect Quilts |
Flora Brooks created a picture quilt called “My Hero” for the Sewing With Nancy® 25th Anniversary contest. Her quilt is a tribute to military service and sacrifice. The quilt honors her husband, who was seriously wounded in Viet Nam and lives a life of courage and bravery. Flora used a combination of photo transfer, raw edge appliqué, and machine embroidery on the quilt.
The featured picture quilt, “El Roi,” was created by Mirla Bernasconi and it tells the story of a young girl from Ethiopia who was abducted and beaten. Three lions chased off her captures and protected her until the police arrived. Mirla was awe struck by the many forms God's angels take, and she was inspired to make the quilt using free-motion embroidery and quilting skills.
Helen Klebesadel, an artist, educator, and activist, shares several of her paintings including quilt images—inspirations from her childhood and great-grandmother. Her artwork includes images by or about women. If you would like to see Helen's work go to portalwisconsin.org. |
| Already Cut, Ready to Quilt |
UW Health registered dietitian Gail Underbakke gives advice on how to reduce our risk of heart disease through our food choices. She shares some healthy snack ideas to have while sewing or quilting. Check out goredforwomen.org to find heart-healthy recipes.
Exercise specialist Karla Bock shows how to incorporate physical activity while sewing and quilting. Check out the exercises at uwhealth.org/gored.
Heart attack survivor Mary Celnicker shares her symptoms and what she did to change her life. We need to take action ahead of time and to take the heart check-up free on-line at uwhealth.org/gored. |
| Ready Set Serge |
Nancy Daly is an art and quilting teacher who works with kids at the Monroe Street Fine Art Center in Madison, WI. Her class is called Fabric Storyscapes. The kids create little mini quilts that they design and sew themselves.
Michele Hatchell worked with Nancy Daly to create a large quilt called “Our Wonderful World”. The quilt blocks were made by 450 kids at Shorewood Hills Elementary in Madison, Wisconsin.The quilt was named after Louie Armstrong's song, which the children sang in music class. It was a year-long labor of love. The children in this school speak 33 different languages, and this was a chance for them to all work together. They learned a little “quilt math” and had an international dessert night in the process. |
| Sew Boutique for Kids |
Information was included in this Nancy's Corner on how to create a felted sweater.
This segment unveiled unconventional sources for fabric, such as using a guy's tie for embellishing. |
| Cosmopolitan Sewing |
Carol Butzke, an AQS quilt appraiser, explains why and when it's important to appraise our textiles and quilts. She also explains how to care for heirloom quilts.
Eve Kovacs, physicist by vocation, wearable artist and contest participant by avocation, explains how she solves her design problems in wearable art the same way as she solves scientific problems. |
| Embroidered Gifts, Wrappings, and Ribbons! |
Jennifer Chiaverini, author of Elm Creek Quilt novels, is a quilter who became an author. She shares her basic thought process for writing and how she manages her time. She has written fourteen novels, and also publishes pattern books. Many of her readers were inspired to quilt after reading her novels.
Christine Motl continues the tradition of recycling flour, sugar, and feed sacks. She shows samples of sacks that were intentionally manufactured for recycling, and discusses projects that could be made from them—a lesson in history as well as recycling. Her collection is charming! |
| Cuddly Critters Fleece Accessories |
Joe Cunningham is a musician first and then a professional quilter. He writes and performs music about his quilt creations. He shares his inspirational musical about Joe, the Quilter, and several of his quilt creations. |
| Raggedy Reverse Applique |
Joe Cunningham is a musician first and then a professional quilter. He writes and performs music about his quilt creations. He shares his inspirational musical about Joe, the Quilter, and several of his quilt creations. |
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