I love to sew. I have since i was in junior high school. Made clothes, “smock tops”, pillows, fun stuff. My very first sewing machine was a Sears Kenmore i got as a wedding gift, and i still have it. Just can’t find the foot pedal! When my daughter was born i was up to my elbows in piles of fabric making the nursery ensemble and little girly dresses. Well, having 4 kids in three years pushed my sewing machine farther and farther back in closet.
Fast forward 20 years and i had been thinking about sewing again, pricing machines and doing research. Thank heaven for Bernina at Create in Irvine earlier this month! I was drawn to the classrooms with the rows of Bernina sewing machines……….be still my sewing heart! Long story short, i was lucky enough to come home with one. And i must say, there is quite a “Bernina groupie” following out there! I was so encouraged by other passionate quilters and seamstresses who said again and again, “YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE IT”!! They were correct. I. LOVE. THIS. MACHINE.!
While i am constantly learning and seeking new creative experiences, i have never done any quilting. However, i love the discipline and the artistic potential of it. Free motion stitching and mixed media fabric wall art hold such an appeal for me. In addition to learning about the machine, i’ve decided to take the plunge into quilting and free motion sewing.
I’ve been practicing with piles of fabric samples i have from a collection i designed for Springs Creative last year. Lots of messy free motion stitching! In my mind it is “perfectly imperfect”! Even going all out on the mixed media thing, and sewing some paper onto the fabric scrap.
My new machine has 85 decorative stitches! That will be fun.
More messy, “perfectly imperfect”, free motion practice on my fabric samples.
Got brave with some simple white muslin/batting “fabric sandwiches”, drawing and doodling with thread and quilting! Trying new threads, stitches, the possibilities are absolutely endless in this craft. My first attempts…
But i have to say, adding painted color to the fabric, then stitching has to be my favorite thing of the moment.
There is such gratification in experimenting and trying new things.
…my practice hearts painted with watercolor then free motion stitched…
Thanks for visiting! I’ll keep you all posted on my sewing and quilting adventures. Create with all your heart….
Joanne Sharpe Arts 
Hey sis! Thanks for the inspiration! I needed it for some jewerly designs! XOXO
I love this! How exciting it is to see your sewing creations! Yay you! 🙂
Wow!!! Is there nothing that you cannot do??? I love it!!! I am a beginner quilter and no where as gifted as you Joanne. You make my heart sing when I look at these pictures ❤
Beautiful….I might have to beak outmy sewing machine!
I love your stitching creations!!!! My first machine was a sears kenmore too!
Me too…looking for a new machine to replace my Vikin from 1973…LOL!
Yeah! Another sewer amongst us! If my house and contents disappeared, a sewing machine would be at the top of the list for replacement. I did sewing before all the other art stuff I now do and when I put it all together, I felt as if I had gone full circle. Maybe you do, too. Great stuff you have done, Art Friend!
I see you are enjoying your Bernina. Love the painted hearts. I was in that free-form non-trad wall art world for a very long time. I still love my 'Nina, and will never get rid of it. I got into dyeing fabric and that was really fun. I left that fabric world when I realized I was doing things to the fabric that could just as well be done on paper.(dye, paint, pens, stencils)Have fun, I know you will enjoy it.
Love your first attempts! I love my Bernina, and I also have a Janome…and a few others. A girl can never have too many machines! You are going to have so much fun!!!
Did you know you can turn those into journal covers?
Wow!! Now that is a bed quilt I would LOVE to have!! Sleeping with all that love!! Oh my, heart be still!! Wonderful job! Makes me want to start sewing again…it's been 26 years for me!! Hugs Giggles
I am imaging a beautiful quilt Jo…Perhaps one to gift to souls who need to heal and be wrapped in love…Your biggest fan (of all times…)With gratitude and grace,Mikki
The orange flower with the blue/purple background is my favorite. Can't wait to see what else you come up with. (And maybe I'll go look at my sewing machine to see what I can come up with!)
I love what you're doing! Couldn't live without my sewing machines….seems like you are in sewing heaven. It's a grand place to be. 🙂
Oh my goodness, this is heavenly!!!!! Seriously LOVE the watercolor hearts with your new free motion stitching. Someday….someday.
How cool Joanne! I made (quilted) my Letter Love Journal Cover with my Bernina. I have 3 machines so it can get addictive. I bought my machines in Roch on Monroe Ave near 12 corners. They are great helpers if they are still there.
bead on!
you know i'll be calling you, LOL!!
Show us your quilting! Put some pics on your FB page girl!
DO IT Jean!
thanks Lisa! You sew a lot also, don't you??
the Bernina is heaven Martha.
We'll share sewing love in Phoenix!
So, you too are one of those passionate Bernina girls? Awesome!
Sounds like you are a pro Sharon?!
i'll have to get on that Cheryl! Any suggestions as to find out how?
i HEART YOU back!
miss you Mikki!
Thanks Christine! Now get out that sewing machine and come play with us.
you are right Yvonne, sewing HEAVEN!
my someday came, yours will too Kath!
Paula, it's the Bobbin Case on Monroe Ave and they are super nice and helpful.
now, little miss… you are speaking my language!!! Love!!!!!!
I love your sewing creations!I have tried free motion, but need to practice, practice, practice.
I love this. I quilt, or have tried my hand at it, too. I love that so much of it ties in with my love of scrapbooking. My grandmother started me sewing many, many years ago way before I had heard anything about scrapbooking. I would say in fact, 46 years before I knew anything about scrapbooking. I'm glad you are enjoying this craft too.
Joanne,I'm so excited for you! I can recommend a great on-line class if you're interested: Stupendous Stitching by Carol Ann Waugh on http://www.craftsy.com It will give you lots of really cool ideas to your free form stitching Art. Another good one is Stitch and Slash by the same instructor, same website. HAVE A BALL!!!!
Joanne, you're a natural. You're creating some fabulous thread sketching and I love the painted pieces. Those would make wonderful journal covers! Beautiful!
I was all set to do some stamping today but your practice session with free-motion quilting has inspired me to get my sewing machine out. I have stamped for about 20 years and quilted for almost 3 years. It is so hard to decide which I want to do each day as I love both quilting and stamping. I have so many UFO's (Unfinished Objects) and need to work on those.Thanks for sharing your work with us.
Love these !! Love the color. Sometimes I just love the mindless stitching to create a design !!Shirley
Even though you are playing in a different media, the style is all YOU! I could recognize a "Joanne Sharpe" piece from a mile away. All that color and the wonderful stitching with the blue thread! Beautiful!
Love these!! I started sewing 2 years ago…and recently started quilting…I love all the free motion stuff!
Incredible….Yes you are just incredible…..Beautiful !!
Joanne, I've just found out about you and I love, love, love your style, the COLOR, everything. I will be signing up for an e-course one of these days soon :))Can you tell us what art media you used on these wonderful samples??? By name? Thanks in advance, your new loyal follower, chris
Ms. Joanne – you are my hero! I come to your blog and there is just endless inspiration! I have just taken up sewing but was WAY behind you because I had never, ever used a sewing machine or sewn anything really except one hand-stitch, the running stitch, making pillow and dolls. So this post just blew my socks right off. Small art quilts are my newfound passion and once again you have inspired me like crazy to create. I dearly love your artwork and your style and your classes… and having said that I must go and sign up for the Color Lovin class. I have been hesitant because I have so little time, but you dear lady are truly my art hero. I just think you are awesome and so very inspirational! Keep it coming!
Love your work with your new machine!
Hey,…creative diversion…This post couldn't be written any better! I believe that is among the most important info for me and many others.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!!! How wonderfully you- pretty juicy colors, embracing the wonderful "muchness" of sewing free!Glad you are having fun Joanne!
Joanne, your new sewing machine is pumping out some awesome works of art already. It is so fun seeing what you are doing with it. You go girl. I'm still reeling from the great classes at Create in California. Glad we met. Loretta from Gig Harbor.
Joanne, which Bernina did you get??? I'm dying to upgrade from my little Singer and am always opening to enabling 😉