In The Spotlight!
At Create Whimsy, we share the stories of makers. Learn about their creative journeys, inspirations and more! Browse all of our Spotlight Stories.
Spotlight: Mandy Pattullo, Textile Artist
Trained as a surface designer, but dedicated to hand stitch, textile artist Mandy Pattullo is inspired by old, worn fabrics. Old quilts, bits of used clothing, discarded fabric scraps and…
Spotlight: Maggie Meister, Bead Artist
Inspired by architecture, ancient mosaics and historical jewelry, Maggie Meister's museum quality beadwork includes structural components and gemstone accents that look impossible to recreate. But Maggie's unique approach to building…
Spotlight: Rose Parr, Healthy Quilter
Show of hands, please - do you ever get so involved in a project that you lose track of time and sit or stand in one position for too long?…
Spotlight: Leni Wiener, Fabric Collage Artist
People--and how they communicate without saying a word--fascinate artist Leni Wiener. Through fabric collage she captures gestures and attitudes that express the human condition without a word being spoken. Leni…
Spotlight: Joyce Pruysers-Emmink & Peter Emmink, Ivy Cottage Fusion Arts
Joyce Pruysers-Emmink and Peter Emmink of Ivy Cottage Fusion Arts are two glass artists working in different styles while sharing studio space (and life) - and they make it work!…
Spotlight: Amy Frazer, Embroidery Artist
With stitch as a metaphor for building community, embroidery artist Amy Frazer hopes that her work encourages other women to take that first stitch, as well as take the steps…Trending Now
Best Pattern for Making a Baby Bandana Bib
Bandana bibs for babies are popular, and some fit better than others. I took two favorites to design this baby bandana bib pattern, that combines the popular bandana style with…
Step-by-Step Guide to Sashiko Stitching
Sometimes I want to get a project done really fast, but lately I have picked up a hand stitching project when I want to unwind. The slow, meditative process of…
How to Make a Jelly Roll Rug
I had seen and admired the beautiful and colorful pictures and wanted to try to make a jelly roll rug for myself! I picked a bright jelly roll of Jen…
How to Dye Fabric with Tea
Dying fabric with tea makes a lovely patina for an aged look to a basic fabric. Tea dying does not create a major change in the color of the textile,…
Organize Your Threads – 10 Great Ideas!
Here are 10 great ideas for organizing your threads! Includes systems for sewing thread, embroidery floss and sewing machine bobbins.
10 Best Fabric Storage Ideas
Ready for your MSM (Master of Stash Management) degree? Check out this collection of fabric storage ideas to make the best use of your studio space.
Best Threads for Hand Embroidery
The thread you choose for hand embroidery can change the look of your project. Matte or shiny? Thick or thin? smooth or nubby? Cotton, silk, wool or metallic?
What Is Kumihimo?
Kumihimo is a popular craft for jewelry makers and fiber artists. The ancient braid is easy to learn with modern tools that make the projects very portable.
How to Make Fabric Baskets and Bowls
I've made and given many washable baskets and bowls as gifts. Choose fabric to match the recipient's home. Just wrap, coil and zigzag stitch to the right size.Latest Stories on Create Whimsy
How to Press Your Seams in Quilting?
We asked some of our favorite quilters: "When it comes to pressing seam allowances, people can be set in their ways. (See what we did there??) Which camp are you…Spotlight: Mandy Pattullo, Textile Artist
Trained as a surface designer, but dedicated to hand stitch, textile artist Mandy Pattullo is inspired by old, worn fabrics. Old quilts, bits of used clothing, discarded fabric scraps and…Spotlight: Maggie Meister, Bead Artist
Inspired by architecture, ancient mosaics and historical jewelry, Maggie Meister's museum quality beadwork includes structural components and gemstone accents that look impossible to recreate. But Maggie's unique approach to building…Spotlight: Rose Parr, Healthy Quilter
Show of hands, please - do you ever get so involved in a project that you lose track of time and sit or stand in one position for too long?…Spotlight: Leni Wiener, Fabric Collage Artist
People--and how they communicate without saying a word--fascinate artist Leni Wiener. Through fabric collage she captures gestures and attitudes that express the human condition without a word being spoken. Leni…Spotlight: Joyce Pruysers-Emmink & Peter Emmink, Ivy Cottage Fusion Arts
Joyce Pruysers-Emmink and Peter Emmink of Ivy Cottage Fusion Arts are two glass artists working in different styles while sharing studio space (and life) - and they make it work!…Spotlight: Amy Frazer, Embroidery Artist
With stitch as a metaphor for building community, embroidery artist Amy Frazer hopes that her work encourages other women to take that first stitch, as well as take the steps…
Spotlight: Ann Shaw, Art Quilter
With her unexpected use of printed fabrics as her palette, Ann Shaw begins with photographs, then abstracts design lines for the pictorial quilts she creates. Careful planning of stitching lines…
Spotlight: Francesca Stone, DIY Blogger
Always looking for new things to make and new ways to make them, blogger Francesca Stone shares her love for on-trend crafting with an ever-growing audience. She is as likely…
Best Beading Embroidery Tools
Bead embroidery adds spark to your fiber art’s surface design as well as taking center stage in bead embroidered jewelry. No matter the end game for your bead embroidery, you…
Spotlight: Michelle Jackson, Fiber Artist
When you see fiber artist Michelle Jackson's work, it will come as no surprise that she has much to say and that she speaks fluent color and value. Her experience…
Spotlight: Sonya Philip, Garment Designer
Born in the Philippines to creative parents, Sonya Philip has explored the world of art with a multicultural perspective. In addition to the Philippines, her family has lived in San…
Spotlight: Emily Bellinger, Contemporary Quilter
As a fine art student, Emily Bellinger encountered the perceived wall between art and craft, but believed that the disciplines have too much in common for any conflict to exist.…
Spotlight: Shelley Rhodes, Contemporary Mixed Media Artist
Shelley Rhodes has always found joy in making art. Inspired by her world at hand, Shelley's contemporary mixed media art includes fragments, scraps and objects observed in her environment that…
Spotlight: Barbara James, Textile Artist
As a professor with the Ohio State University Extension, Barbara James enjoyed a career of teaching family and consumer sciences and community development, focused on local community issues. So she…
Spotlight: Dianne Koppisch Hricko, Fiber Artist
Delighted by surprises, lifelong artist Dianne Koppisch Hricko finds the fluidity and endless possibilities of applying dyes to silk opens more than enough creative doors to inspire her next fiber…
Bead Embroidery: How to Make a Picot Stitch Edge
When you learn how to add a beaded picot edge stitch to your bead embroidery projects, your decorative finish hides most of the thread. Your beads shine just a little…
Bead Embroidery: How to Make a Brick Stitch Edge
Create a professional-looking finish to your bead embroidery when you know how to make a brick stitch edge. The beads stand at attention while joining the layers and hiding the…
Bead Embroidery: How to Back Stitch Beads on Fabric
Add color, dimension and maybe a little bling to your fabric with beads! With the beaded back stitch, you can embellish a straight or curved line and keep your beads…