Quilt & Color: Playing With Stitch, Paint & Ink

Class Preview

Achieve an appliqué look without having to do any hand-stitching!

Introduction: Tools Needed

In this first session Heather will introduce you to all of the tools you need to create and quilted and colored work of art. She will begin by showing several samples of quilts made using this fun technique. As she does so, she will talk about the design elements used and suggest how you can come up with designs of your own by mixing the motifs she provides or by using your own resources. Next, she will tell you all about the different types of paints and inks she likes to use as well as the brushes. She’ll close out the session with suggestions for batting, marking tools, thread selection and her basting technique.

Creating a Design & Tracing Your Motif

This class includes more than 60 downloadable motifs for you to mix and match into your own unique design, or use ideas of your own. Heather will help you bring together the elements of your choice and give you great ideas on how to mix them up and help them play together well. Then she’ll show you how and what she transfers to the surface of the fabric and what tools you’ll need to get that job done. After all is marked, she’ll walk you through batting selection and show you how to baste using silk pins.

Free Motion Stitching Your Design

Beginning with how to approach your machine from an ergonomic standpoint Heather will show you how to stitch out your design, from using the traced lines to adding detail and then how to choose and stitch out the perfect fill for the negative space. She’ll show you how to deal with the fullness that often happens when quilting heavily and how to double over stitched lines to thicken them for greater impact or to conceal less than perfect stitching. This is a no-fail technique and Heather will show you how to make your stitching look like you’ve been doing it all your life!

Adding Color: Painting, Inking, Marking, Shading & Highlighting

Heather begins this session by showing you how each of the color mediums moves on the surface of quilted fabric, then she’ll show you how different kinds of brushes can be used and how to get the most out of fabric markers. Then she’ll begin coloring in an actual piece, showing you wet and dry shading techniques as she goes. She’ll give you lots of hints on when to color what area and why. All the while, she’ll be giving you lots of information on how to choose colors to enhance your stitched designs.

Final Shading, Squaring Up & Binding

Once you’ve finished the stitching and coloring, Heather will show you how to square up your quilt and bind it using fabric that is the same color as your thread. Then she’ll instruct you to look over your finished piece up close and from several different distances. She’ll show you how to add highlights and lowlights to enhance weak areas or showcase major motifs.

Meet Your Instructor

Learn more about your instructor, Heather Thomas.