QuiltCon Choices - Which class to take?
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QuiltCon registration is opening soon. Wondering which workshop to take? I'm debuting three improvisational workshops and a lecture based on projects featured in my forthcoming book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters, which will hopefully be available at QuiltCon - finger's crossed! I just saw the first galleys of the book design and it's so exciting...
Anyway back to QuiltCon choices.
Lecture
Thursday February 19: 2 - 2:45 PM Improvisational Process and Patchworkhttp://vimeo.com/68986625
Improvisation is a process of mind at the heart of every great creative endeavor. Music, dance, theater, painting, drawing, design, cooking, conversation, relationships, play, life, and even science benefit, survive, grow, transform, and innovate through the flexibility of mind that improvisational process engenders. We all improvise every day, so why not bring it into our quilt making! This multi-media presentation includes images of classic African-American quilts in the improvisational style, new work featured in The Improv Handbook For Modern Quilters (available early 2015), student work, and time-lapse video of my process.
Workshops
Friday, February 20: 030 Bias Strip Curves
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Master the innovative improvisational technique of strip piecing on the curve with troubleshooting tips on how to flatten internal distortions as they arise. Explore construction methods for incorporating bias strip curve piecing in both traditional and improvisational compositions. This technique will challenge your skill set and awaken your beginner’s mind.
So this isn't an easy class, but that's the whole point. The challenge presented by tricky piecing situations is a gateway for improvisation and innovation. Not only will you learn how to strip piece on the curve without the use of a ruler or templates, you will be encouraged to discover, master, and innovate your own unique set of patchwork techniques based on the skills you already have. Take this workshop if mastering challenging techniques and/or working with curves lights your fire!
Saturday, February 21: 512 Improvisational Patchwork Doodling
Patchwork Doodle
Doodling is the model for this playful approach to improvisational patchwork. A doodle is not planned or random, but responsive. You will be urged to let go of expectations and commit one-step-at-a-time as you build patterns with simple shapes and negative space into a surprising composition, utilizing basic ruler free sewing techniques.
This is going to be a totally fun and playful workshop. You will learn how to create a quilt responsively --a middle path that falls between random scrappiness and planned blocks. All the ruler-free patchwork techniques are easy to master and you get to use scraps. Working with simple shapes outside the structure of the block, will give you a fresh take on patterning. Adding negative space to the simple shapes has the potential to rock the house! Take this workshop if you are inspired by scraps and have the desire to push beyond scrappy to make a quilt greater than its parts.
Sunday, February 22: 513 Improvising From A Score
Score for Floating Squares
A jazz score indicates the elements of a song without specifying how it’s played. Now imagine a score written for patchwork! You will improvise a quilt by altering the limits of a simple patchwork score for floating squares. You will learn basic ruler free sewing techniques and how to create original scores for future projects.
This workshop explores the central concept put forth in the Improv Handbook, working with and passing along flexible patterns, which I call scores. We are used to passing along fixed patterns with the goal of replicating them perfectly. When a flexible pattern is handed on from one quiltmaker to another it is the range of possible variations of a pattern that is transmitted instead. We will learn flexible patterning by making and altering the score for Floating Squares. Take this workshop if you want to learn how to create and share your own flexible patterns. This is Improv 2.0!
BTW - If you can't make it to QuiltCon, I just signed up to teach two-day, and three-day improv workshops at Quilting By The Lake in July 2015... or invite me to teach at your local guild or quilt shop. I still have dates available in 2015!