Free Motion Classes

Lynn D's Feather!

Spent another excellent Saturday teaching free motion quilting at Sew Portland. My students in this class are mostly at the beginner stage--if they have completed quilts, they have usually tied them, or maybe stitched in the ditch. With lots of information and encouragement, my goal is to get everyone out of their comfort zone and confident in their ability to go home and quilt as desired! This class has been popular--I think this is the 5th time I have taught this workshop, and it is usually full. The midday break gives us a chance to play with the very cool Pfaff powerquilter. It's great because everyone can quilt on it with no special instruction--it works just like your home sewing machine, but is designed for quilting, with a 30 x 36" table and lots of lighting. Maybe some day.........Back at their own machines, we take time to learn simple feathers. Check out Lynn's first-time feather which she turned into a quick pillow at home! I'll be scheduling another round soon, and am thinking about what else might be fun--another quilt using those adorable charm packs? 

Calico Quilt Show

Fabric pins by Rana O'Connor

I'm a member of a guild chapter, Calico Quilters. The group has a show every other year, exhibiting members' work and raising money for chapter activities. This year's show is on April 26 and 27 at the Rowe School in Yarmouth. In addition to the quilt display--which is in itself worth the drive--there are vendors, a raffle table with handmade table-top items, like place mats and table runners, and a sale table for all things quilt related. Somehow I got the idea to make fabric pins. Like miniature art quilts.

I picked up a book on Inchie Quilts--little, one-inch square bits of fabric, thread, batting and beads. Inspired, I set to work, trying out fabrics. One inch square is pretty small, for a pin. One piece of fabric had motifs I wanted to use. My pins ended up somewhere between 1.5 and 3 inches in size. Quilted, embellished with beads, baubles and paint, edged with a tight zig-zag stitch in various colors. Although I work assembly-line style, it takes roughly 30 minutes per pin. I've got 25 done. Enough to fill a little basket for the sale table. I'm hoping that will do!

Stop by Rowe School and see the quilts--I hope to have two of mine on display, and am volunteering as a white glove lady on the 27th, which will give me a chance to enjoy everyone's work.

Triangle Charm Quilts

Mariah's fabulous  flannel

For Charlena's granddaughter

Linda and I teamed up for another great beginner class this past Friday and Saturday. Building on the success of the charm quilts we did last year, this design started with a pack of charms and one-and-a-quarter yards of background fabric. Once everyone learned easy ways to create triangle blocks, they were off and running. The great thing about triangle blocks is the multitude of design possibilities. It is such a versatile block to have in your repertoire! Here are a couple of designs students came up with: Mariah's fabulous flannel and Charlena's quilt for a young granddaughter. Hard to imagine they were made in the same class! I was so inspired by triangles I went home and designed a double triangle border for a round robin I am working on--can't show you the whole thing as it is a secret until the great reveal in April, but look at all those 2" square triangle blocks! Our quick methods turned them out in no time.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

Finished the commission piece and met up with the new owner for lunch to hand over the quilt. She was happy with the finished product which is what matters most when you are making a quilt for someone else. It is an interesting collaboration--taking their ideas and impressions and interpreting them through your own filter. Her vision was of a quilt that implied a person walking their dog on the beach but not a wall hanging or pictorial quilt, more something you could wrap up in. I love this photo of the beach-y quilt with snow in the background.

Commission

Every once in a while I get a commission to make a quilt for someone. Usually a friend, usually a baby quilt or a gift for someone special in their lives. This is a commission for a friend to give her friend as a parting gift. Her image was something that evoked Maine's beaches and the ocean where her friend likes to walk her dog. We met and chose fabrics with a distinctly Maine, not Caribbean, blue theme and a sandy background. I added a dozen fabrics to the 18 we chose together. She didn't want a complicated wall hanging, more a piece that could be snuggled in and used. A simple pattern with a graphic punch stood out from the rest and I set to work. The quilting is not finished, but enough for a sneak peak. The curves and swirls in the blue patches, done with a variegated blue thread, softens the lines and blends the colors. Just for fun I quilted footprints and dog prints in the background sand. I had planned on sand colored thread but realized you could not make out the prints, so went with a double layer of purple. Purple! Yes, purple. Do you think it works? I think I will add more quilting to that part before it is done, maybe background quilting using the sand colored thread. No border. I'll post the finished quilt when I get it done. Hope she likes it! This Saturday is Free-Motion Quilting class at Sew Portland if I have enough people signed up for it. Hope so--it is such a fun class to teach!

Classes Coming Soon

Sign up now for one of our new classes! Free Motion Quilting returns Saturday, January 25 from 10:00 to 3:00. Everything you need to know to "quilt as desired." From a discussion of various ways to finish your quilt tops to practicing feathers, this class allows time for hands on practice and consultation.

In February, Linda and I will teach another in our popular beginner quilt series--Rana's Charms starts with your choice of charm pack. Be sure you purchase one with at least 40 charms. Class begins Friday afternoon, February 21--you can arrive as early as 1:00, but come when you can, and continues Saturday, February 22 from 10:00 to 3:00. We'll be making half square triangles and exploring their myriad design possibilities. To sign up, contact Sew Portland at 797-6700, or send me an email, click here.

 Click here for Quilt gallery and quilts for sale

Fall Classes

I have taught more classes this fall than ever! Free Motion Quilting is a very popular class--the third session is coming up Saturday. We unravel the mystery of "quilt as desired" and leave with the skills and confidence to finish quilts on your home sewing machine.

Yellow Brick Road is a classic pattern. I generally have not used a pattern for my classes, probably because I rarely use patterns for my own quilts. Every class is a learning experience for me. I had wanted to see tops completed, but we ran out of time before borders could be stitched. Everyone left with a plan and fabric to finish, so that part is good, but I'll have to build in more time to shop! I enjoy teaching and hope to continue with a regular schedule--although we are heading into a tough time to fill classes--holidays followed by snow days. Wouldn't it be nice to spend a snow day sewing a cuddly new quilt?

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