The Six Hour Quilt Class

Well...I had this crazy idea last summer that it would be fun to see if I could persuade 3 victims to take a 6 hour class with me and make a quilt from start to finish - 3 people who had never made a quilt before!  In six hours....I wanted to have them design the quilt themselves, figure out a color scheme, work only from an existing stash (mine!), cut it out without a pattern, construct it, quilt it and finish it.

One person, it turned out, had made a sampler quilt about 100 years ago! One had done some embroidery, the other had once used a sewing machine to fix some hems!!  But all three were enthusiastic and open to ideas.

We filmed in short video bursts, yes, cinéma verité!  All warts very evident - especially on me (I had just been quite ill)...but I really liked the results.  It is very much a reality show...their questions were excellent and I'm sure that led to my explanations being fuller and clearer.  The question and answer process of teaching is so rewarding to both sides, I feel.

So if you've never made a modern or art quilt before, or if you just want to watch the process from  idea to quilt and all the decisions in between...or if you're looking for a way to do a six hour class for your guild....then consider this class.

It goes live with the academy of quilting this Friday.  

I have always tried to put a lot of research into my classes...and had been considering various topics, but my boss kept say "they want videos!".  I didn't realize just how much I'd enjoy going back to basics, showing three keen students just HOW to do it!  I do think it's enjoyable to watch, and you're bound to see something new - a lot of people have asked me about the kind of facing I do for example.   But I think the most important thing is seeing how the construction is really a very small part of the process...it's the planning, the cogitating, the experimenting that's where the art is.

And I'm happy to say, all three now have a nice quilt hanging on their walls - yes in pride of place!!

Happy to answer any questions/comments.......

if you have been, thanks for reading!  Elizabeth