Happy New Year, 2018
I hope this note finds you well and enjoying some time for stitching. For me, thankfully January finds me in my studio, designing new patterns and stitching to work through each step so that I can teach you everything I am thinking when I create a piece. If you want to hear some of my thought process, join me for my lecture on Thinking with a Machine Quilters Logic or just come by and chat at:
Prairie Heritage Quilt Show, St. Al’s, Sun Prairie, WI, March 11-13 2018 (no lecture, just chat)
Minnesota Quilt Guild Show, St. Cloud, MN, June 13-16, 2018
WI Quilt Expo, Madison, WI, Sept 6-8, 2018
Bits of news
I love my new Christmas present, a great light box that is essentially a large flat digital screen. (I am not endorsing any specific product; those are not my hands in the photo. Do an internet search for tattoo light box to find the best size and price. Be sure it plugs in the wall, not your computer.)
Here is a glimpse of a new Swan Baby Quilt pattern that will be available to download online( hound me to get it uploaded) or at the Prairie Heritage Quilt Show March 11, 12 and 13, St. Albert’s the Great, Sun Prairie, WI. It will include all full size patterns, written instructions as well a quilting designs and instructions with my logic.
And, believe this or not…
I have been experimenting with fleece. I am playing around with fancy border and edge ideas as well as using traditional quilting techniques but substituting fleece for some of the supplies. So far the results are easy, very quick and beyond adorable!
Update on Classes for Fall 2018
I want you to know that I am well but at an age when I am considering how long I will continue to offer these classes. I have the space secured for fall 2018, beyond that I cannot say for sure. Here is the list of what is planned. Email me at joanie@heirloomquiltingdesigns.com and I will send you the registration form and details.
1-Day Great Outdoors
Tuesday, Oct 23, 2018
Targeted audience: Everyone seeking good fundamentals for machine quilting, desire and attitude are far more valuable than experience. This is the easiest, most forgiving design.
Take a joy ride through the scenic countryside as you learn time-tested free-motion fundamentals stitching numerous background fill patterns. A PowerPoint presentation introduces landscape pattern structure, prep of the work space, plus free-motion quilting fundamentals. Learn each step of machine quilting; marking, pin basting, practice exercises to perfect machine tension. Create a landscape mini-quilt from an original pattern, The Great Outdoors, with free-hand patterns found in nature, tree bark, pebbles, rock foundation, ripples, clouds, flowers, barn wood, leaves, and mountains. This project will be the training wheels to future machine quilting adventures by guiding you to fill unusually shaped spaces
with incredible easy patterns and textures. Enjoy Joanie’s many beautifully stitched examples that will inspire!
Class fee $95.00 for pattern and kit, and thread, bring your own lunch.
2-day Give it a Spin!
Wednesday and Thursday, Oct 24 and 25, 2018
Targeted audience: Everyone seeking good fundamentals for machine quilting, desire and attitude are far more valuable than experience. This design does follow outlines, but with impressive results!
In this 2-day workshop, you will learn each step of machine quilting; marking, pin basting, perfecting machine tension. Use those skills to stitch a whimsical landscape quilt with marked and free-hand circular patterns, AND then, transform your stitched project by colorizing it with such simple, non-invasive products that you will be cheering with joy!
Class fee $195.00 for pattern and kit, bring a dish to pass.
3-day Machine Quilting Seminar
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct 26, 27 and 28, 2018
Targeted audience: Everyone ready to commit to in-depth fundamentals for machine quilting, again, desire and attitude are far more valuable than experience.
Join Joanie as she shares 15 years of award-winning machine quilting experience at this comprehensive event. Spend 3 uninterrupted days learning exceptional machine quilting techniques and good habits to use every day! This seminar will feature demonstrations on essential machine quilting techniques. We will cover the ENTIRE machine quilting process from prepping the fabric through the final binding stitches, using both walking foot and free-motion techniques. This is a hands-on experience using your own machine and is geared for you to use the skills for all of your future quilts regardless of their size.
For the fee of $295.00 you will receive 3 full days in the classroom, 3 lectures, a kit with patterns, fabrics and batting, informative hand-outs, stitch and practice guides. Joanie is preparing kits for the project so there is little additional expense plus more time to stitch in class. You will be asked to bring one dish to pass so LUNCHES ARE INCLUDED! Participants must sign up for the entire event.
NEW for 2018
2-Day Review- Level Two/ Open Studio
Friday and Saturday, Oct 19 and 20, 2018
Targeted audience returning and/or experienced students
This 2-day event will take students to a deeper level of planning and stitching their own projects. We will review all of the free-motion fundamentals but with a focus on planning the quilting designs, marking, basting and maneuvering the stitching of larger projects.
Some students will be stitching or marking while others will have discussions about the specific quilts they want to complete; designs, marking, threads, fabrics and finishing. Learn more fill patterns that can be created free-hand or using the grid as a framework in which other motifs are placed. If you are ready to baste, I will bring my floor standing basting frame. I will have a Weightless Quilter available to play with during the event!
You have asked for this, so this is the plan to date, I am open to suggestions or addressing just what you needs are. I will keep you posted on any changes if you send your brilliant ideas! Since there is not a project for me to kit, the fee is $ 80.00 per day plus one dish to pass.
Email me at joanie@heirloomquiltingdesigns.com and I will send you the registration form and details.
So thanks for reading, please pass this information on to anyone you think may be interested.
Give it your best!
Joanie
