Techniques & How-To's

Looking for a new technique to try to express your creativity? We've put together of list ranging from surface design methods to using technology for art.

Educational Video
Art on the iPad is a slide show and video demo from Susie Monday of apps that textile and quilt artists can use for designing fabric, quilts, compositions, and art tools.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Dinah Sargeant discusses her use of hand-painted fabrics and raw edge applique to create her award-winning artworks.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Sue Reno joins us for Unit 4: Other Techniques to discuss the use of cyanotypes in her artwork. Learn more how she masterfully includes natural imagery in her creative process.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Artist Carol Soderlund often uses imagery from her travels to create her own personalized printing tools. Find out more about her process and the beautiful results!
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)

Hollis Chatelain joins us for Unit 1: Dye and explains her process of creating beautiful dye-painted artworks. See more of her work at hollisart.com.

SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)

Carol Anne Grotrian explains her unique process of creating whole cloth pictorial quilts using shibori, indigo and dye. Also included below is a great list of books and other resources.

SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)

Camille Hawbaker is a printmaker and fiber artist interested in using silk and thread to create fine art. This video conversation leads the viewer through her techniques in various works in the order that she made them. Along the way...

SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Deborah Boschert finds out more about the materials, tools, and techniques that artist Natalya Aikens uses in her hand-stitched creations that are architecturally inspired, thoughtfully repurposed, and delicately stitched.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Sarah Ann Smith is a wealth of knowledge about machine stitching and thread. She shares great visual aids including a giant sewing machine needle and explains the mysteries of how thread is wound onto spools and so much more!
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Artist Jill Kerttula describes how she combines digital photography into her exquisite stitched pieces. The results are simply beautiful!
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Have a beautiful piece of surface design fabric? Artist Pat Pauly offers some great advice about using your one-of-kind fabrics.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)
Jette Clover joins us for Unit 3: Print to discuss how she incorporates printing techniques into her mixed-media collage constructions.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Explore the wonderful world of dyeing. Whether you use natural dyes such as indigo or a full rainbow of synthetic dyes, there are just so many different ways to add color and design to fabric.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
The theme for this unit of SAQA Seminar: Surface Design is Other Techniques. The possibilities are endless for adding pattern and design to the surface of fabrics, including the use of digital imagery.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Paint is such a versatile way to add additional dimension and design to fabrics. There are many wonderful possibilities for creating with paint including different textures, colors, opacity and application methods. It’s great for beginners and maybe a bit less intimidating than dye.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Print may be the most diverse of the SAQA Seminar units. Print techniques include basic mark-making, stamping, using stencils, thermofax, monoprints, rubbing, gel printing even goyutaku — printing with fish.
SAQA Seminar (Video Conversation)

Formerly a painter, Sharon McCartney is full time artist who now works with mixed media to create her layered textile constructions. Sharon incorporates hand-stitching, found objects, and printed fabrics in her pieces.

SAQA Seminar (Article)
In this exclusive article just for SAQA Seminar, Melanie Testa explains her process of selecting colors when creating her custom printed fabrics.
SAQA Seminar (Article)
Artist Peggy Brown has compiled her tips and techniques for using watercolor paints on fabric. This type of process provides both subtle and ethereal effects.
Educational Video

Wen Redmond, a mixed media artist, delights in creating dialogue, changing perspectives and perceptions of fiber. ​She works intuitively, encouraging ‘flow’, and experimentation. Please enjoy this 2-part presentation where Wen discusses her digital printing techniques for surface design and answers questions from...