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.