Teaching an Abstract Quilt Class. . .

This past Wednesday I taught how to create this abstract quilt in my monthly Itsy Bitsy Quilt Club class.  The end result is to allow a quilter to design and create their own art quilt. 

My students agreed to be guinea pigs in my preparation for teaching this technique at a Texas guild next month.  Here are their projects in the works.  This student is putting the finishing touches on her threadplay.

The colors in this quilt make me think of a scarecrow.

This one has a fall feel, and

this student was the quickest and is appliqueing the final element to the quilt center.

Teaching a method of art quilting such as this is a little more intense for me as a teacher.  I really have to have my act together and be sure I know what I'm talking about as my students are being asked to look at quilting from a more abstract point of view than they may otherwise be used to.  Try different art quilting techniques if you really want to stretch and twist your brain.

Blessings,
Karri

Last week I began a quilt in the Itsy Bitsy Quilt Club and had gotten fairly far along to this point.

I decided to put the effort into finishing it before too much time had gone by.  I gathered a bead embellishment and the cording for my binding.

I stitched the bead embellishment to the quilt bottom.  As I began to lay the cording around the quilt edge I realized that even doubled up it was too thin to create a good binding.  So I decided to braid it.

Once braided the cording was a good thickness to stitch to the quilt's side.

I zigzag stitched the braided cording to the quilt's side stitching around the quilt twice.

And here is a close-up of the beading embellishment stitched with a straight stitch.

Here is the result.  I enjoyed this style of raw edge strip quilting.  We will be expanding on this style for this month's club project.


Blessings,
Karri

Itsy Bitsy Quilt Club Debuts. . .

The monthly Itsy Bitsy Quilt Club debuted today.  

The goal is to make an 8"x10" quilt with fabric scraps provided by BQE based on a technique that can be completed (or close to it) by the end of class.

 Today's class was built on the idea of being aware of the color wheel to create a stripped, raw edged quilt,

 with embellishments of couching and beading.

Each of us tried to work outside of our comfort zone.

Each of us progressed at our own pace.

And each of us put our own spin on interpretation.

And as with all art quilters, some interpretations are looser than others.

I felt happy with my ability to let go, not think too much, sew, embellish and get to the point of adding the binding.  I am going to use this class to learn to work more intuitively.  I'll keep you updated as to how it goes.


Blessings,
Karri

Bigfork Quilts, Etc.'s July Class Schedule. . .

The BQE July class schedule is published and ready for sign-ups.  

Thanks to the interest in the Folded Log Cabin class, it is being scheduled for a second time.

Clara Clark is teaching the Spicy Spiral Tablerunner and a great skill building class - the Lone Star.  

Watch for additional skill building classes beginning monthly in September.

A new art quilt class begins this month:  Itsy Bitsy Quilt Club.  Each month a new art quilt technique will be explored and incorporated into a quilt no larger than 8"x10".  Design elements will be discussed, opinions shared, and laughter by all. This month's technique is shared in Art Quilting Studio's Summer 2012 magazine by Caren Sacks.

The 2nd Friday of each month will be dedicated to Twisted Fibers, a handwork class.  I will share stitches I learned in Sue Spargo's workshop in March.


Hope you enjoy our classes.  I'll be sure to post class work as it happens so you can share in the fun and inspiration.


Blessings,
Karri