Last summer I had a lot of fun helping three friends learn how to make quilts for the first time.....they brought various images they liked and I showed then how to derive simple design ideas from their pictures... - well two went for simple, one overdid herself with complex! There's always one......
then we talked about how to pick a good color scheme...using just the stash at hand...
I'm a great believer in simplicity, and in using ordinary every day tools and equipment or fabric at hand etc rather than being tempted to buy loads of new gadgets and fabrics and wot not.
Let's face it, we are a wasteful society....I'm always appalled to read just how much food gets wasted every day in the USA (40%)....not only could that food have helped those in need, but also think of the resources of water and electricity and land etc that were used to produce it....only to be wasted!
However, you didn't come here to be lectured at!!!! But in my classes I always like to come up with ideas that can get you into creating right away without having to go out and buy or order a whole lot of new stuff!!
So I let the three friends loose on my stash, having first organized it for them...and given them a short talk about choosing colors....I set up a couple of machines, one lady had never even used a machine before! we didn't need templates or anything fancy...free hand cutting works just fine! So you can see how I demonstrated that to them. Sewing things together quickly with a minimum of pins, marking and fuss also helps keep things moving.
Once they got their tops together, I showed them easy ways to layer and plan quilting patterns......
And in the last lesson we covered how to face the quilt, in a really easy way, and finish everything off very nicely.
I think you might enjoy watching them go through this process...and it would be really fun to get together a group yourselves...either literally or virtually! and try my easy easy fun way to make a very nice little art quilt. I say "little" but you can make any size you want....bigger is always better I think! but you don't need to do any more complicated piecing...just use bigger pieces of fabric!!
The class is divided up into 6 hours.
Designing. Color choices. Cutting out. Assembly. Quilting. Finishing.
Each lesson is a mix of text, still images and short videos....now it's not polished photography!!! I don't think I'd win any prizes for Director or anything...however it's a very realistic and valid portrayal of what happens in a quilting class...especially with three highly verbal ladies!!
You can see that 1/3 of the class is spent on planning.....
It has been said that in art 80% of the work is done if you plan well...That's something I've found to be really true. Even though, like everyone...I balk against planning at time...I just want to launch myself into all that delicious fabric or paint or whatever medium I'm working in....but then there's the horrible drag of taking out, of realizing that you cut up a bit of fabric, or worse several bits! , that don't go with the quilt, and the time and the effort of going back and forth to the design wall...what if? no.....or, maybe? nah......and so on.
Throughout the process, I''m there online to help, advise, support, critique...whatever you wish!!
so if all this sounds interesting....do check out The Six Hour Quilt class at
www.academyofquilting.com!!
And I'm happy to answer any questions about this or any other of my classes...also I'm willing to come up with tailor made classes for you or your groups...just let me know! I don't travel so much as I used to, but I'm here at the computer everyday.... looking out of the 'net of art quilters around the world!! When I'm not designing, or sewing, or painting, or playing piano, or dancing, or swimming or doing aikido that is!!!!
So, if you have been, thanks so much for reading................Elizabeth
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