h+h Americas

Posted on July 21, 2023 by mimik

I am so out of the habit of doing the social media! I really have been SO distracted. A (whole!) month ago, I went to the h+h Americas show because it was in the Chicago area and I knew a few people who would be at the show. And, I wanted to get out of the house and think about crafty things. It is a business to business show and since I’m a maker, I qualify. I got to see some interesting new products and it got me thinking about equipment and supplies for when I set up my new studio.

I didn’t take enough photos but I got samples and catalogs so this is going to be a lot of links.

I stopped at the Quilter’s Rule booth and saw their all-white Mega cutting mats. I have looked for a white cutting mat for years but the closest I’ve gotten was clear(-ish) or light grey. I want a white mat so the fabric colors stay true. This company has them in all sizes including gigantic (60″ x 120″), not that I’d need that! Anyway, definitely on my new studio wish list.

This Clover tool got me excited- it is called a Pattern Cutting Guide.

It is for changing or adding a seam allowance to a pattern. My patterns don’t come with seam allowances and if someone wanted to add one, this would be just the thing. I can think of lots of times this would come in handy in my work.

I met the designer of Little House Cottons and was charmed by her fabrics. I will have to find a retail outlet in the Chicago area that sells her fabrics. Speaking of which, if anyone knows of good fabric stores in Chicago, I’d love to hear about them.

There were some fantastic displays and this one made me laugh- it is knitted!

I am getting a tiny bit of work done but it is going VERY slowly. I don’t think I will be back to work in a new studio until the new year. Fingers crossed.

Bisa Butler At Chicago Art Institute

Posted on June 18, 2021 by mimik

I’m back from Chicago! We drove out from Boston, 3 days driving each way, and then a week in Chicago. We went to Alfred, NY and visited one kiddo, then to Cleveland (never been there before) where I saw Lake Erie, then onto Chicago where the other 2 kids live. I want to tell you about an amazing show we saw at the Chicago Art Institute.

We saw the art quilts of Bisa Butler. Here is a link to the info at the AIC where there are other pics from the show and also video interviews. I took detail photos of the work, not pictures of the whole pieces. Look at the AIC site to see the whole. I was so fascinated by her use of fabrics and colors and that is what I wanted to remember and study further. Some of the photos are not as sharp as I’d like so sorry about that.

A close-up of how she quilted the arm versus how the geometric pattern of the shirt is quilted.

All the colors in the faces.

The placement of the bold fabric patterns on the hat and jacket.

She uses netting (tulle) to create dimensionality in the skirt-

Shoes!!

And there is her signature.

I just love this fabric with the clocks.

And the hair on this little girl- LOVE! Can you see that it is a 3-D organza rose fabric? I have a little piece of this fabric in red.

That’s all I’ve got. If you have a chance to see the show, I would highly recommend it. I will be thinking about her art for a long while.

Tiny World Class reminder

Posted on September 24, 2018 by mimik

It is next weekend!

All the info is here. It is going to be a nice small class and it will be relaxed and lots of fun! I hope you can make it :-)

Checking in, LA report

Posted on March 13, 2018 by mimik

I got back from LA a week ago but things have been a bit crazy. There was a bad storm in Boston while we were gone and it damaged our roof. We got back just in time to deal with another storm (Wed. and Thurs) and all the water issues. Plastic and buckets in the attic, moving years of attic accumulation to keep things safe, and trying to find someone to repair the roof before the blizzard today. Yep, I’ve been distracted. But we did find someone to do a temporary fix (new roof ahead), and today was a blizzard-y snow day and the attic seems dry so I can relax. Here is a picture heavy post of quilts that caught my eye at QuiltCon.

I have the names of some of the artists but not all. I don’t know how I messed up with that and I’m very sorry. If I find out the artist, I can add the names.

detail- I found the details in the piecing fascinating.

below- Wholecloth, 4 by Heidi Parks. As someone who can’t stand to throw any little piece of thread away, this appealed to me!

below- detail of Pivoted Plaid by Cassandra Beaver

Get Woke by Chawne Kimber

Counter Weave by Scott Murkin

Ms Conceived by Miriam Coffey

This is the back of

this one!

And some details-

There were a lot of amazing quilts; so many it was overwhelming! There were many quilts with political messages and an area that had some of the AIDS quilts. I found those quilts very moving because of the birth dates- so many of the deaths were of people I could have known, gone to school with, been friends with. It brought me back to that time. I am glad I made the effort to go to the show even though quilting isn’t my main interest. I saw people I knew, so many fiber friends, and it is always fun to wander through the vendors and see all the cool ~~toys~~ I mean tools! Next, I will show pics from the Swaddled Baby class.

a little more LA and what comes next

Posted on May 8, 2017 by mimik

The last thing I want to mention that I love about LA is the food- we do tacos, tacos, and tacos. Also fresh fruit and veg- we had strawberries from a farmers market like I have never tasted in my life!

Do you watch Chef’s Table on Netflix? I love that show! We went to Nancy Silverton’s restaurant for an amazing dinner.

And lastly, I’ll mention the Getty Villa. I enjoyed the collection although a big part of the museum is currently closed. Loved these weird bird, fish, lady creatures.

What comes next? I am doing the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival, Saturday June 3. I will be working toward that, right up to the last minute I’m sure. Tomorrow, some new finished pieces!

LA 2- it sure isn’t Boston!

Posted on May 5, 2017 by mimik

I love going to LA. Everything is so different from the everyday world outside my door- the plants, the weather, the fashion, the people on the sidewalk, the food… Then I come home to see my New England home with new eyes.

We stayed at a lovely Airbnb in Silverlake with a back garden which included-

Also a fig tree and there was an avocado in the next yard, plus a large citrus of some sort.

After 2 busy days of teaching, we spent a day in the gardens at The Huntington. What an amazing place. I have never seen anything like the desert garden. I am including my husband in the pic for scale ;-)

I took a lot of texture photos-

And that is now my new phone screen saver. How about this cactus?

There was loads more that I could show but that desert garden is what I will go back for next time I am in LA.

The next day we drove up to the Mount Wilson Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains. We left town and it was 80 degrees. At the Observatory it was in the 50’s and we were freezing!

Next, off to Ventura for something completely different. Unfortunately I spent much too much time in the hotel and not enough contemplating this-

Yep, I am already planning my trip for next year.

Craftcation 2017

Posted on October 12, 2016 by mimik

Remember when I went to LA last year for Craftcation and had SO MUCH FUN?! Well, tomorrow is the day that registration opens for the 2017 conference.

And I am going to be teaching!!! I will be teaching Tiny World pincushions and also an ornament/souvenir. I am really excited to be going back to LA. Here is the deal- registration opens tomorrow, Thursday Oct. 13 at noon est or 9am pst. The first 50 people get $50 off the cost of registration. And, I have an affiliate link here so if you go through that link, I will get a few $ which will be put toward my plane fare. Look at all the amazing people who will be there!

Here are all the reasons the Craftcation team thinks people would like to come to Ventura–

Craftcation: Business + Makers Conference is an annual four-day event featuring industry professionals leading attendees in hands-on DIY workshops and creative business classes.

Have you ever thought to yourself…

I’d love to take a vacation while making things with awesome people.
I have a great idea for a business that I want to turn into my full-time job but I don’t know where to start.
I have a successful business and I’m ready to take it to the next level but I’m not sure how.
I want to make meaningful connections with people in my field but I don’t have the time or opportunity to make it happen.

Craftcation is the place where you can make it happen!

If you’re a maker, blogger or creative business owner then join me for four inspiring days that you’ll never forget. Craftcation has over 80 hands-on workshops and business classes so whether you’re coming to craft, grow your business or a little bit of both, there’s lots of making, meeting and learning in store for you.

Craftcation takes place April 27-30, 2017, in the beach town of Ventura, California, (about an hour north of Los Angeles). Craftcation utilizes Ventura’s historic downtown buildings and businesses as well as the beach for special events like networking meet & greets, cocktail socials, a pop-up shop, opening celebration, yoga, as well as food and art tours.

Registration opens 10.13.16 and the first 50 people to register get $50 off!

This is why I think you should come–

Southern California at the end of winter!

Amazing people and energy!

And, TACOS!

Ask away if you have questions. Again, I had a wonderful time last year and am thrilled to be asked to teach! Hope to see you there!

LA Flowers

Posted on April 25, 2016 by mimik

I love going to a new place with a completely different ecosystem. At home, I am used to walking around and knowing most of the plants. When I go somewhere with a completely different climate, it is all an awesome mystery. I can’t get over the wonder of it all!

First, some flowers from my beach walk in Ventura.

I know these ones- California Poppies.

After leaving snowy Boston, all the flowers were bliss.

We left Ventura and drove to the Joshua Tree National Park. I’m so glad we went. The high desert is a beautiful place when winter rains have caused so many flowers to bloom. I hope I can visit again, maybe in another season.

These are just a few of the many, many flowers we saw blooming there.

Lots of plants growing out of rock crevices-

Then LA. This particular flower was at the Getty Center–

And these were at the Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. That was my favorite (non-fabric store) place we visited in LA.

On our last day, we spent the afternoon walking around Venice Beach and the canals there. Oh my, this house is so beautiful-

And the garden with all the colors of green- it took my breath away.

That’s all the tropical flowers- don’t want to overwhelm the blog! We are getting some spring here in Boston so I will have lots of my own flowers to enjoy soon.

November news

Posted on November 19, 2015 by mimik

I really should start a newsletter. It’s on my list for someday when I have time! Here is some news and some fun things I’ve been enjoying.

I will be in Rollinsford, New Hampshire this weekend at the Open Studios for artstream studio. This is their brand new space and I can’t wait to see it! Susan Schwake, artstream’s owner, invited me to come up and enjoy some time in the new space.

I will have lots of goodies and hope some of you can make it. It is Saturday and Sunday, 10 to 5, 20 Front St, Rollinsford, NH.

Speaking of Susan, have I mentioned her new book Art Camp: 52 Art Projects for Kids to Explore (Kids Art)!!

Yeah, it’s actually a bit of bragging since I am one of the profiled artists <3 What I love about this book is that it is for kids. Not kids and their parents or teachers. It is projects they can do on their own. I had a book like that when I was a kid- it was called the Make-It Book. Actually, I still have it, totally falling apart but oh how I loved that book.

I have a mini-feature in the Holiday issue of Sweet Paul magazine. I designed 2 ornaments for them and they will put the directions up on their website but I don’t think they are there yet. I will keep you posted. But, in the meantime, here is a link for free access to the online version of the Holiday issue. Enjoy!

Here are some things I’ve been enjoying lately-

I know I mentioned Miss Fisher. Such glorious eye-candy! I have finished Season 1 and 2 but before I started Season 3, I got distracted by The Great British Baking Show (or Bake-Off as it is known everywhere else except the US). So, so good. And I am not normally a reality, contest show kind of watcher.

I’ve just discovered the Dear Sugar podcast. You might not know this about me but I love advice columns. The problems of life in a few paragraphs, get their answers. Or something. Anyway, I read/listened to Cheryl Strayed’s book Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar a few years ago and loved her voice, how she thought and talked about hard questions. I am thrilled that I now have a whole years’ worth of episodes to listen to!

Okay, one more photo of some things that will be coming to NH with me. Hope some of you can make it!

Portland (west)!

Posted on July 24, 2015 by mimik

I had an amazing time!

I saw beautiful dolls at the NIADA conference–

Harriet by Shelley Thornton.

Ima Naroditskaya‘s beautiful doll.

I listened to amazing people give inspiring talks including- Ronnie Burkett His talk made me desperate to see one of his performances and guess what? He will be in NYC at the end of September! Time for another NYC trip!

Toby Froud–

And Georgina Hayns from Laika Studio who brought some of the puppets for us to examine, up close. So so awe-inspiring! (Are you noticing the puppet theme?)

But that wasn’t the best thing. The best thing is that I internet-know George. She has bought some of my pieces and we’ve corresponded. She invited me to visit Laika and see how a hive of 400 people come together for 2+ years to make a fantastic movie. Honestly, as a one-person show, it was hard to wrap my head around! I saw so many interesting and beautiful things- and now I have to wait more than a year to see how it all comes together!

She took me around to some Portland fabric stores. We went to Bolt Fabric, The Mill End Store and the Pendleton Outlet– where they were having a sale, how lucky am I?! I got some good stuff- for the dolls, for clothing for me, and for random projects. Cottons-

And wools except that purple one is silk-

She asked me to teach while I was there, so on the Sunday, a group of friends came together and made ornaments. Thanks for the Instagram photo Vera! (since I didn’t manage to get any pics.)

Okay, what else? I met up with a friend of a friend and now I have a new friend! I also met up with Diane who I saw last time I was in Portland, so many years ago. Time flies but we stay connected- thank you internet. And I went to the Button Emporium of course. Most of these things came from there (except rick rack from Bolt).

So yes, it was great. I hope it isn’t another 7 years before I get back!

Doll

the art and craft of Mimi Kirchner

Category Archives: inspiration