On my trip to Japan in 2001, one of the many interesting details I noticed was that all the sewer covers were embossed with beautiful designs. So I was pretty stoked a few years ago when I found not one but TWO books of quilting designs based on them! Just proves once again that inspiration is everywhere.
Industrial designer Siren Elise Wilhelmsen made a clock that knits 2 meters of scarf over the course of one year, and at that rate it's more productive than I am!
Arpilleras are intricately detailed, hand appliqued tapestries made by women in Lima, Peru. They depict colorful scenes of country and village life, with plenty of flowers, crops, animals, and people in 3-D.
you can read dozens of quilting-related blogs all in once place! they also have a quilt store locator and product giveaways!
of guys, that is...crochet artist Nathan vincent turns "manly doilies" from a contradiction in terms into reality.
via DUDECRAFT, more great work on his site (linked from there).
If you're a quilter, I'm sure you have noticed the almost complete absence of men in the field, as they make up just a few percent of the demographic. well, you can stop wondering where they all are, because I found them! (some of them, at least.) seems they hang out over on the MANQUILTERS blog.
Just when I think I've seen it all, I get proven wrong again. Catherine McEver has created some embroidery that looks good enough to eat, and will floss your teeth to boot!
Hungry for more? Click HERE!
Chinese embroiderer Gao Baoying does amazing stitch work...WITH HER FEET!! (I want to see her THREAD A NEEDLE with them!)
more amazing photos HERE!
when you just have to match that thread exactly to the fabric, look no further than this thread-dying sewing machine! guess that's another set of ink cartridges we'll need to buy....
more info HERE
sewscary.com has some great spooky, goth-inspired handmade items for sale!
don't miss the coffin quilt under CUSTOM
This series of unusual quilts by Anne Brenneke features dead rap artists, and was exhibited in Berlin last year.
more photos & details HERE
Artist Patricia Waller makes some of the most outrageous crafts you'll ever see! from conjoined twin teddy bears to dead animals and grisly accidents, these are not for weak stomachs- so look at your own risk!
click HERE if you dare!
I know I'm kind of late to the party as far as quilting goes, but I had NO IDEA there was a whole GENRE of quilt fiction. Including murder mysteries, like this one by Terri Thayer. (love the bloody rotary cutter cover!)
Lots more at AMAZON
Filmmaker and crafter Holly Klein produced this super cute animated video, Maggie and Mildred. All of the backgrounds and characters were cross stitched by hand, then scanned into a computer and animated.
view it HERE
the book Switch Craft has instructions for 20 hi-tech projects, from a purse that lights up with your message to a tote bag with speakers and a wi-fi detecting laptop bag.
available on AMAZON
Despite my distate for all things "Twilight", I have to admit this is a cool concept. I wanna be in a "quilters coven"!
Visit their blog HERE
from the same genuises who brought you "I can has cheezburger" and FAILblog, it's a new site called MUST HAVE CUTE!!
MUST....HAVE....
Join the revolution! Great modern quilts with contemporary and adult themes. WARNING: NC17/ NSFW material, due to sexual content.
Click HERE if you dare!
Donkey Kong this time, from etsy seller CarolinaPatchworks. It sold, too!
More details in their etsy shop
Art quilter Jane Burch Cochran made this great quilt depicting death row prisoners' last meal requests. What a great idea!
See this and more HERE
The Octonauts is an impossibly cute series of childrens' books by designers Meomi, who also designed the mascots for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, among other things.
Get a cup to catch your teeth when they fall out, then follow the links.
Meomi site
Octonauts site
Today I thought I would share a few sewing-related tattoos with you!
from creationssewclever.com
from bluemoonriver, the blog of Susan Brubaker Knapp 
from missouriquiltco.com
fun stuff!!
Cheryl Sleboda made this adorable squid quilt that LIGHTS UP with LED "soft circuitry"!
Article with links to a tutorial & the lighting kit HERE
Not only are there numerous types of Obama-print fabric on the market, now there's a book cataloguing an exhibition of Obama quilts!
Preview a click-through book HERE
