Sashiko I – Saturday February 25th from 12pm – 3pm (One 3-Hour Session)
Sashiko, which means “little stab,” is an ancient Japanese embroidery technique originally used to add strength and warmth to wearers in northern Japan. In the last 200 years, Sashiko has become more decorative and gives homage to traditional Japanese design motifs. In Sashiko I, you will learn the fundamental techniques behind this wonderful art and will work on your precision and consistency. This uniformity will help you make beautiful sashiko creations.
Experience Level: Any
Prerequisites: ability to hand stitch
Materials: Sashiko I Kit, which can be purchased directly from the Cornwall Yarn Shop
Cost: $30

Sashiko I – Tuesday February 28th from 10am – 1pm (One 3-Hour Session)

Cathedral Window Quilt – Saturday March 3rd from 12pm – 4pm (One 4-Hour Session)Learn the techniques of how to make this extremely ornate folded quilt. This is a unique quilt because its construction includes the quilting as you piece and Cathedral Window is also very portable, as it is assembled in sections. This also combines machine piecing with simple hand-stitching, which is a wonderful way to practice your hand-stitching (You can also complete this without a machine). It is a great quilt to use up scraps or charm packs. Learn this technique and you can make Cathedral Window into anything from a small ornament to a king size quilt.
Experience Level: Basic to Advanced
Prerequisites: basic experience with patchwork and ability to hand-stitch
Materials: Fabric for background, traditionally white or off-white, but any solid or tone-on-tone will do (During this class, a yard will be more than sufficient, but you may want more to make your quilt larger while at home. A good rule of thumb for Cathedral Window Quilt is 4 times as much fabric as the desired size of the finished product), neutral thread and bobbin, your sewing machine and User’s Manual, sewing needles of your preferred size, various charm packs or scraps that are no smaller than 3 inches square.
Cost: $35

Sashiko II – Saturday March 10th from 12pm – 3pm (One 3-Hour Session)
In Sashiko II, you will take the fundamental techniques that you learned in Sashiko I and run with them. In this class you will learn to create designs that are compatible with sashiko. You will also learn to transfer your own designs to Japanese Indigo in multiple ways. You will learn about other possible uses for sashiko besides panels and will learn about alternative materials to use with your sashiko creations.
Experience Level: Intermediate
Prerequisites: Sashiko I
Materials: Indigo Yardage of desired size (which can be purchased directly from the Cornwall Yarn Shop), Sashiko Needles, thread and thimble (which you should have from Sashiko I), pictures or images to transfer (This is optional: If you are creating geometric patterns, you will not need any additional images.)
Cost: $30

Sashiko II – Tuesday March 13th from 10am – 1pm (One 3-Hour Session)

CLASS DESCRIPTION
Learn the techniques of how to make this extremely ornate folded quilt. This is a unique quilt because its construction includes the quilting as you piece and Cathedral Window is also very portable, as it is assembled in sections. This also combines machine piecing with simple hand-stitching, which is a wonderful way to practice your hand-stitching (You can also complete this without a machine). It is a great quilt to use up scraps or charm packs. Learn this technique and you can make Cathedral Window into anything from a small ornament to a king size quilt.

Experience Level: Basic to Advanced
Prerequisites: basic experience with patchwork and ability to hand-stitch
Materials: Fabric for background, traditionally white or off-white, but any solid or tone-on-tone will do (During this class, a yard will be more than sufficient, but you may want more to make your quilt larger while at home. A good rule of thumb for Cathedral Window Quilt is 4 times as much fabric as the desired size of the finished product), neutral thread and bobbin, your sewing machine and User’s Manual, sewing needles of your preferred size, various charm packs or scraps that are no smaller than 3 inches square.
Price: $35, all additional materials included

This is a really exciting step for Bookerworx (and me, obviously), so I am really proud and very excited to be back in a classroom! Please check out the classes and get feedback back to Gail, the wonderful owner at the Cornwall Yarn Shop.

Also, I’ve added a Gallery of Quilts to showcase some of my work for you all. Check it out at the Gallery of Quilts link on the menu. Thanks everyone!

Here’s the video: http://www.loulabella.com/2012/01/world-of-bees-virtual-tour.html

(If you are wondering about the fabric arts that I did for it, check out the stuffed larvae, pupae and egg, as well as the large, fuzzy, wall-mounted bumble bee.)

I decided to make a monster cake, somewhat inspired by Ugly Dolls. I mean, what guy doesn’t like monsters?! So, the A Monster for Danny cake was born. This was a quick cake, but I’ll admit, extremely delicious, as well as a big hit on the design.

Check it out:

I have always been fascinated with this holiday and all of its traditions. I like it so much, actually, that going to Mexico during the holiday has been added to my list of things to do before I die.

Several years ago, I made traditional Pan de Muerto. This bread is amazing. It is spicy and sweet all at the same time. It makes the whole kitchen smell of oranges and anise. This year I wanted to do something different.

The Calaveras (Skulls) are what gets interesting. They are so ornate and colorful. I think some people would find it weird to decorate skull cookies for a funeral, but this tradition is beautiful. I found some inspiration there.

This cake was created for a few other reasons, as well. It was meant to go to a Halloween Party as a dessert, and to be a birthday cake for my friend Shawn, but it was truly inspired by Dia de los Muertos.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

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This cake featured 4 hexagon-shaped tiers to represent honey comb. It then had 8 layers, both yellow cake and chocolate cake, which was striped, so the inside looked like a striped bee. It was frosted in a pastel yellow along with colored vines, then covered with dozens of hand-dyed and hand-formed gum paste flowers and bees of all sorts. Every crevice had something to see, and there really was no back to the cake.

The finished cake was displayed on a pedestal, so that people could walk around it. It weighed somewhere near 40 pounds and was very interesting to deliver, but it made it!

The following slideshow shows pictures from each step and then includes pictures of the finished product. Enjoy.

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For more information, check out: http://www.hhnaturemuseum.org/index.php/your_weekend_visit/exhibits/the_world_of_bees/

Some work I did for the exhibit includes the Exhibit Opening cake (which was 4-tiered, 8-layers, filled with tons of gum paste bees and flowers and cow’s milk free due to a food allergy) and all of the Fiber Art work that the exhibit contains. Hope you like it! Pictures to come soon!

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The Kyoto Blossoms Quilt is an original design by bookerworx! It is a panel quilt and features Dupioni Silk and hand-dyed batiks. Backed with a beautiful black and white wave fabric (see detail photos). This can be used as a throw or a twin-size quilt. It is 72×90 inches (about 182×228 centimeters). Its sophisticated style will go with any decor. This will make a wonderful gift, but be warned, it may not make it passed the door! Enjoy! Comes in a gift basket. Made with 100% cotton and 100% Dupioni silk fabric, and polyester batting. All new material. It retails for $235.00 at my shop at etsy.