Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Master Machine Stitching: Thread Sketching Beyond the Basics DVD by Susan Brubaker Knapp. A Giveaway!

Funny story about how I met Susan Brubaker Knapp a few years ago. We had both just finished attending the Portland, OR Quilt Market. I was shopping for a chocolate snack at the airport gift shop. Susan and her mother were in the store, too. Her mom admired the necklace I was wearing. We all stopped to chat. Susan knew of Dragon Threads. We exchanged business cards and soon started emailing.  Since then, Susan and I have become friends.

The first thing I think of about Susan is that she is generous: of spirit, of heart, and of information. Her generous and creative spirit shows on her brand new DVD by Quilting Arts Workshop.  I’ve followed Susan’s terrific work in Quilting Arts magazine articles for years. I was really interested to dig in to the DVD and see how it compared to her magazine articles.

Well, I loved it! The DVD is so well done and easy to understand. Susan’s instruction could not be more clear as she walks you through her workflow. Susan is full of good advice and makes thread sketching seem easy and eminently possible. She starts at the beginning, including what materials you' will need, then moves right through thread sketching demonstrations right on the machine.

The DVD is divided into 5 chapters: Getting Ready, Color, Dimension, Line & Movement and Texture & Pattern. Each chapter is short and concise, but thorough. The information is nicely organized, and the chapters make it easy to go back and find anything you want or need to review. Susan shows how a few lines of straight stitches adds the texture or desired effect such as shading or highlights by the color of thread or the spacing of the lines. Simple right? Here are some samples of the work (photos courtesy Susan Brubaker Knapp):

The techniques Susan demonstrates are straightforward, particularly with such an expert guide. Susan has an artist's eye, and manages to show how and where to place the stitching to successfully achieve a given effect. She illustrates each effect with lots of outstanding quilt samples with amazing details. Objects are sometimes so realistic that they look like photographs! Check these details out (photos courtesy Susan Brubaker Knapp):

When Susan demonstrates stitching on her machine it is mesmerizing. She is so smooth and flowing. She is a natural in front of the camera. I asked her if she did this entire DVD in one take, off the top of her head and basically she did! Here’s a short sample of Susan at work:

 

Sewing is in Susan's genes. Her mom is a retired home economics teacher who taught Susan to sew at age 10. A co-worker literally 'forced' Susan to take a quilting class with her in her 20's. Despite no formal art training (hard to believe when you see her work) it's now her full-time career of choice! In 2005, she started making her first art quilts and credits a 'life-changing' class by quilt teacher, Bonnie Mc Caffery with giving her the inspiration to start designing her own art quilts.

Susan is everywhere. She's going to continue to be in Quilting Arts magazine. She is very active on Facebook. Her blog, Blue Moon River is terrific and every bit as vibrant, colorful, and interesting as Susan is in person. Go visit. Shop! This week she is giving away a copy of a Dragon Threads book by Noriko Endo, titled Confetti Naturescapes.

One of my lucky readers is going to win a copy of Susan’s new DVD.  Post a comment here or sign up for our newsletter. I promise if you’ve already signed up I won’t send you two copies of the newsletter. Do both for two chances to win!  We'll pick one person at random on Dec. 22 to get a copy of Master Machine Stitching!

83 comments:

  1. I would love to learn Susan's techniques. I haven't had to courage to try thread sketching yet, but hope to try in the future. I already enjoy reading her blog.

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  2. I love Susan's work. Thank you for the chance to win in this generous giveaway!

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  3. What a treat this would be! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  4. Want to play this at my machine for best clarity!

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  5. I would love to learn Susan's techniques. She is amazing!

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  6. This is AWESOME! Would LOVE to win it!

    Thanks

    Marilyn
    marilynjw1971@gmail.com

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  7. I subscribed to the newsletter!

    Thanks.

    Marilyn
    marilynjw1971@gmail.com

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  8. Susan's talent is amazing! Thanks for the chance to win a copy of her instructional DVD!!

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  9. I just signed up for your newsletter!

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  10. Susan is a very talented artist and her works are amazing. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of Susan's instructional DVD!

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  11. Thank you for the generous giveaway!

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  12. I just love Susan's work! Thank you for the generous give-away!
    Karen

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  13. I am in awe of Susan's work and follow her blog to learn more of her techniques. Would love her DVD!
    Martha Ginn

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  14. I love susan's work. I have had an awful year and as therapy I am going to learn thread painting, this DVD would help me on my way!
    Glenys Gallagher

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  15. Love Susans work, and she is so nice and personal when you meet her.

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  16. I too have been following Susan's articles in Quilting Arts.

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  17. I follow Susan's blog and love her work, thanks for the chance!

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  18. Susan's work is so stunning, I'd love to have the DVD!

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  19. Can't believe I'm just finding your site! I'd love to have Susan's DVD, follow her in QA always. thanks for the chance.

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  20. Thank you for this giveaway. We just bought a sewing machine with quilting capability and would enjoy learning from a master - SBK. mlwright29 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  21. Ooh I've had my eye on this for awhile now. What a great giveaway. I've seen Susan several times now of Quilting Arts TV and love her work!

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  22. Please put my name in the drawing for Susan's latest DVD. I loved her first DVD and I'd love to own a copy of this one.

    Thank you so much for the giveaway.

    Smiles,
    Kelly

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  23. I love dragon books! Please add me to the drawing.

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  24. I signed up for the newsletter too!

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  25. Cool giveaway. Would love a chance to win.
    Susie
    susies@twcny.rr.com

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  26. I signed up for your newsletter.
    Susie
    susies@twcny.rr.com

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  27. Would I love to win that DVD! Just signed up for your newsletter, Linda. Thanks for counting me in.

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  28. Wow, she DOES make it look easy! Yes, I would love the chance to win the DVD! thank you!

    Pam

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  29. The DVD looks intriguing, I'd love to own it :-)

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  30. I would love to see this DVD and try thread work for myself. Awesome giveaway!

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  31. Would love to be included in the draw!

    I need a jump start.

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  32. I am in awe of Susan's art! Thank you for making us aware of the DVD, let alone having a give away! Diana Maria

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  33. Winning Susan's DVD would really top off 2010.
    Happy Holiday Hugs

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  34. Oh, yes, I signed up for your e-mail newsletter

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  35. You see.. chocolate IS good for you! I would love to learn from this DVD. It really does show in the pictures you sampled. I could use some help in learning some style!

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  36. Wow this looks like an awesome DVD. Thanks for entering me :-)

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  37. This looks amazing. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway.

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  38. Excellent review of Susan's DVD. Hope I am the lucky one!

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  39. wow, I can't believe those before and afters. Amazing

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  40. I would love to learn this, thanks for the chance

    http://averagequilter.blogspot.com/

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  41. How wonderful! Thanks for the chance!

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  42. Loved your review & am a fan of Susan's work. Thanks for the chance to enjoy her DVD as a give-away

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  43. Glad I found your blog, I will be following it from now on. Thanks for sharing

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  44. Would love the chance to win Susan's DVD...one of my favorite quilters out there!

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  45. I, too, would love to win Susan's dvd! Thank you for your generous giveaway and pointing to the one on Susan's blog too. I sure hope that I win!!

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  46. What beautiful work. I'd love to win a copy of her dvd.

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  47. It sounds like a great DVD. I love her quilts! (And yours, too.) Thanks for the chance to win!

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  48. Love her work! Thanks for the opportunity to win her DVD.

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  49. Amazing work! Thanks for the chance to enter.

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  50. I love Susan's work and have followed her via Quilting Arts magazine over the years. I would so enjoy winning this DVD and learning more about her techniques. Thanks for the chance!

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  51. Would LOVE to win this book!

    Rosemary
    cntryways@att.net

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  52. I love Susan's blog and so admire her work. The pink orchid photo above is one of my favorites. I would love to win this book.

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  53. Sounds like a great giveaway! Thank you for the chance to win.

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  54. I bought her first DVD and this would be the cat's pajamas to follow up on that one.

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  55. I would love to win this!=)
    explabgirl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  56. I signed up for your newsletter. Thanks for the opportunity to win!=)

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  57. Hello! Thank you for this very special giveaway - I would love to own a copy of this CD lesson. I have also signed up for your newsletter. Best, Ann playdoll2 AT gmail.com

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  58. Susan's work is amazing. I would love to win this. Thanks!

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  59. I would love to have a copy of this DVD. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  60. I too (like everyone else) would love to win.

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  61. I have signed up for your newsletter.
    thanks!

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  62. I love susan's work and dvd's thank you for the chance to win!

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  63. Wow! I love Susan's Work! Thanks for the chance to win.

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  64. I would love to have a copy of the DVD

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  65. I am a visual learner and just watching the DVD would be a great learning experience! Please enter me for a chance.!

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  66. I just signed up for your newsletter. Could you enter me a 2nd time. Thanks!

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  67. New techniques to improve our skills...we all need that! Enter me please, I love Susan's work.

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  68. This looks fantastic! I would love a copy!
    Hugs,
    Kerry
    kerrykatiecakeskeb43@gmail.com

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  69. Thank you so much for hosting this giveaway! As if the holidays weren't hectic enough for you :) I have signed up for your email newsletter. The "before and after" quilting pictures are wonderful!
    nsue21702 at gmail dot com

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  70. What a wonderful giveaway! I love Quilting Arts and have a few DVD's but not this one! Please enter me in your drawing thank you and Happy Holidays!

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  71. Oh, this looks great, I've really enjoyed Susan's work in the Quilting Art calendars. Thanks for sharing.

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  72. Thanks for introducing me to Susan. I'd love to learn her techniques.

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  73. ooooooh pick me! pick me! pick me! Bernie

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  74. This looks awesome - I'd love to try this technique

    http://averagequilter.blogspot.com/

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  75. I'd love to win this. Somethings are much easier to understand with a video.

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  76. I love Susan's work! Thanks for the chance to win:)

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