Having had my own studio space now for about three years, I thought perhaps I could share some of my experiences about becoming an art quilter.

The first requisite is that you have a passion for fabrics. All kinds of fabrics, cottons, cotton blends, silks, organzas, tulles, yes, even rayons. You love the texture of things.

I had been sewing my own clothes since secondary school in Finland where I grew up. The fabric selection was minimal really because the emphasis was on home decorator fabrics like Marimekko. NOW Marimekko graphics are used for everything, including rubber boots, and they're really cute!!!

During my married life, I used a lot of textiles to decorate the home, you know, curtains, pillows, tablecloths, napkins, etc. I wasn't really thinking of quilting until I saw a demo by Eleanor Burns in 1978 in a mall fabric store and I decided to make a bed quilt with different color strips of fabric. A pattern we know as Log Cabin, very basic, very old, very easy and fun to do.

Then in 2002 my husband was seriously ill, came home and needed lots of attending to. I had to find something I could do at home to pass the time, to stimulate my creative juices and to take my mind off the everyday challenges and problems. So I started to go to the fabric stores, looked at magazines, found some interesting books and began sewing again.

So, the second requisite is that you like to explore, to read, to go to classes, to be willing to just start sewing something! You never know what's going to ignite your creativity - watch Simply Quilts or Quilt Central on TV for a while. I guarantee you'll see some image, some pattern, some technique that you would like to try.

The third requisite is that you have access to a sewing machine, if not your own, a friend's or family-owned machine. Go check out the new machines, you'll be amazed at what they can do nowadays! You can also find a used one at garage sales, a flea market or a newspaper ad. The sewing machine is your friend, the most important tool you'll need as you begin creating exciting things.

The fourth requisite is that you free yourself up from limited thinking about works and what doesn't work. Many older techniques and views are being thrown out the window in favor of new ides and new techniques. This is not to say that you should give up good construction techniques and settle for something thrown together in a hurry, with threads hanging all over and unfinished details.

So, this is how you begin your creative fabric art journey! There will be more tips in future articles. In the meantime, you can check out my website at: www.katrinasjoberg.com and see if you find something that inspires you to try this art form!

Good luck and have fun!

Katrina Sjoberg has worked as a fabric artist for the past 3 years, designing her own wall quilts in her studio space in Vista, CA. She is very happy that many have enjoyed and continue to appreciate her unique designs and she continues to experiment with a variety of textures, paints, surface embellishments and fabrics.