Yesterday I attended another Free Motion Quilting Workshop…I have to confess I was a little worried…the Workshop was called ‘What Comes After Strippling?’ And you know me… my stippling sucks…badly!!
This was my third workshop on Free Motion Quilting. I think the old saying ‘Third Time Lucky’ or ‘Three’s a Charm’ or ‘Three’s the Bees Knees’ (OK I made THAT one up!) applies to me…what I am trying to say is that in THIS workshop I had FUN, learned TONS, and came away more confident about Free Motion Quilting!! Maybe…just maybe…with practice…I CAN DO THIS!!
Our instructor, Kathy Martino was friendly, knowledgeable and fun…and started off by saying that Stippling wasn’t a prerequisite to the course…whew! I could relax!
This is Kathy showing us one of her creations and how she used Free Motion Quilting to give this flower life…gorgeous!
The Workshop went from 10am to 4pm…a long day…but it flew! Kathy had tons of examples…had us drawing, pouncing, shared tips on marking, using paper quilting patterns, threads, templates, using grids…all in between practicing the actual free motion quilting sewing.
The other good part to the course was Kathy gave out tons of handouts…and was even selling a book to help us learn more stitches.
Carol, who has also taken a course or two on Free Motion Quilting, really came prepared! She purposely made her ‘sandwiches’ this size and in plain blue to make her stitching pop. She was going to slide these samples into plastic sleeves and put them into her Free Motion Binder when the course was finished! I thought this was so clever of her! You can see her Pebbles, bricks and water samples. She is working on her grid work…(which was pounced on!!)
I love how we all have our own unique look while concentrating on the task at hand…look at Carol’s pursed mouth. I do weird things with my shoulders and clench my teeth… good thing no one was around taking pictures!! :o)
Kathy, gave us all kinds of tips and tricks to make Free Motion Quilting a little easier…like this little trick…
…now you have to use your imagination a bit. Before you start to Free Motion you cut motifs out of freezer paper ie…hearts.. and press them onto your quilt…then free motion around them…stippling or meandering…and then when finished remove the freezer paper
and presto…a focal point!
So now I just need to practice my stippling…:oO
Kathy also recommend this book…which I ended up buying!! How 
could I NOT…I was on a roll!
On the back of the book was this information…just incase you are interested!
SEW all in all it was a wonderful day! Kathy works at the ‘Snip and Stitch Quilt Shop’ in Nanaimo, so if you are interested in taking a course from her you know where to find her!! Be prepared to learn lots…and have fun too!!
Have a terrific Tuesday and Happy Quilting!~P
I would like to take a class in free motion, would be nice to learn tricks and how to keep my hands and machine speeds in sink with each other.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Looks like it was a great course, wish I could have taken it!! Maybe we can get her back?? I gather you got more out of it than you previous 2 part course at "you know where"!!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great course! Do you know if she ever comes off the island for a course? I would be really interested!
ReplyDeleteGreat information. Thanks for sharing p
ReplyDeleteI am learning fmq too so your post was just great
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great class! I love the heart focal point trick.
ReplyDeleteSo, when do we get to see a sample of your work?..... :-)
How awesome! Glad you enjoyed the class!!
ReplyDeleteHow fun - my stippling sucks too, lol! I'd love to do this.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see any of your work but I am sure I will in the future. I think that I would have liked it but other pressing matters prevailed. Keep on stippling. Glad that you came away with a head full of information.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great class. I stippled most of yesterday away....time for something new!
ReplyDelete