We are zooming right into February in more ways than one. 

January went in a flash. I got a year older and hardly noticed. The pattern and repetition of our lives at this juncture is maddening and soothing and like a gosh darn mouse spinner. Okay, I think the proper term is hamster wheel, but you get the idea.

Life is on repeat mode right now. Of course with the occasional major political upheaval here and there. But we will not get into that.

So, what to do? 

TEACH, I think.

I am not doing this forever, but I will do it until the end of March. I do actually need to make some quilts. Right? A quiltmaker makes quilts at least that is the idea. But maybe a quiltmaker just teaches how to make quilts? Either way, I am teaching right now, and I hope you will join me. 

The quilts in this blog post were created by students from my most recents sessions of the workshop Riffing on Tradition—Exploring Design Elements with Quilt Blocks. The next session of this workshop starts on Thursday. Yes. THURSDAY, February 11, 2021.

These workshops are set up so that Sessions #1 & #3 are about lectures, demos, and question & answers. Sessions #2 & #4 (which I call Open Studios) are for students to get feedback, discuss the assignment, and generally feel empowered to move their quilt compositions forward. If you have questions about this, just put them in the comments and I will try and answer them. ALSO all times listed are Alaska Standard Time (AKST).

Riffing on Tradition—Exploring Design Elements with Quilt Blocks ($165)
In this workshop, we combine the basic design elements of art with the traditional quilt block to create interesting, new, and dynamic quilt units We will look at a variety of quilts from all traditions of quilt making to see how individual makers use design elements to create original quilt compositions. From there, students will begin to stitch their own quilt blocks based on design elements.

Lecture—Thursday, February 11, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Sunday, February 14, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Lecture—Thursday, February 18, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Sunday, February 21, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST

Circle & Curve Sampler ($165) 
In conjunction with Quilted Strait in Port Gamble, Washington
Sign UP here.
A complete discussion of all the ways you can improvisation-ally PIECE circles and curves. While learning these new techniques, students will also be given information about improvisational piecing techniques, and ideas for taking these techniques and creating original quilts. During the class, students create a collection of circle and curve quilt blocks–great for a sampler.

Lecture—Tuesday, February 23, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Saturday, February 27, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Lecture—Tuesday, March 2, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Saturday, March 6, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST

ON THE GRID—Structure as Visual Aesthetic ($165)
Advanced workshop for students who have taken at least one other workshop with me. The grid can be an aesthetic used for creating visually compelling quilts. In this workshop students will explore manipulating the grid through color, pattern, repetition, cutting & piecing and proportion & scale.

Lecture—Thursday, March 11, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Sunday, March 14, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Lecture—Thursday, March 18, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Sunday, March 21, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST

Circle & Curve Sampler ($165)
In conjunction with Quilted Strait in Port Gamble, Washington
Sign UP here.
A complete discussion of all the ways you can improvisation-ally PIECE circles and curves. While learning these new techniques, students will also be given information about improvisational piecing techniques, and ideas for taking these techniques and creating original quilts. During the class, students create a collection of circle and curve quilt blocks–great for a sampler.

Lecture—Tuesday, March 16, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Saturday, March 20, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Lecture—Tuesday, March 23, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Saturday, March 27, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST

Linear Blocks—Line into Shape ($165)
Students will use the traditional log cabin quilt block as well as other linear quilt block shapes as the starting point for creating original compositions. Improvisational piecing, contemporary quilt design, and using lines to make shapes are all discussed in this class.

Lecture—Thursday, March 25, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Sunday, March 28, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Lecture—Thursday, April 1, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST
Open Studio—Tuesday, April 6, 2021 2PM—5PM AKST

After this final workshop, I will be headed to McCarthy, Alaska to quilt in the woods! If things go well with the internet, I may well teach from there. If not, it is solar powered sewing all the way, and I will catch you on the the other side of COVID.

So, as a recap. To sign up for Riffing on Tradition, ON the GRID, And Linear Blocks follow this link. To sign up for either session of Circle & Curve Sampler follow this link.

I hope to see you in class!

05 Feb This entry was published on February 5, 2021 at 8:00 PM. It’s filed under About Teaching, News And Events, Student Showcase and tagged Circle and Curve Sampler, Linear Blocks--Line into Shape, On the Grid, Riffing on Tradition, Workshop Schedule Spring 2021. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.