Dancing on Your Quilt
Come and dance on your quilt in this multi-day workshop with Ann Fahl. The process of quilting can be one of the most satisfying and creative parts of making a quilt. Watching the surface of your quilt come alive is exhilarating. It makes all your hard work seem worthwhile.
So, instead of sending your quilt out, why not learn to free-motion machine quilt yourself? Try this more free-spirited approach to your quilting; with little marking; using Ann's new book Dancing with Thread as a guide. Please bring a small quilt top from home, to practice on in class. Ann has lots of thread, quilt preparation and machine tips to make your quilting easier and more successful. This class is for the student that has some experience with machine quilting and wears dancing shoes.
Supply List
every student is responsible for understanding their sewing machine and how to adjust it. Some brands have computer menus that are difficult to navigate. You will need to know how to: raise and lower top tension; lower feed dogs; change stitch width; change stitch length; reduce pressure on the presser foot; know how to set your machine for free-motion work. Some Viking machines have a free-motion override setting, know how to find and activate it.
Thread and needles may be purchased from instructor.
- Sewing machine capable of lowering feed dogs. Make sure it is cleaned and tuned before class. There's nothing more frustrating than coming to class with a machine that can't handle the assignment! Bernina owners leave your stitch-regulator at home!
- A platform or table extender to increase the flat working surface area around the feed dogs and needle.
- Sewing machine instruction manual
- A big handful of large rustproof safety pins, the curved ones are best
- Darning foot, extra bobbins, and extra bobbin case if you have one.
- Top Stitch machine needles, size 12, 14, and 16
- Thread: monofilament smoke or clear, bobbin fill (the Bottom Line by Superior Threads). Decorative rayon or poly solid and variegated, metallic, and any other shiney threads you'd like to experiment with. Bring something for quilting your small quilt top.
- Folded cardboard with grid, or dressmakers cutting board (about $14.95). If you are driving to the event, please bring one. 2-3 students may share one board
- Straight pins with large heads, scissors, pencil for marking fabric
- One small completed quilt top (embellished or appliqued preferred,) about 24 x 24 to 36 x 36 inches, plus batting and backing to size. Please make sure top is complete. We'll baste them together in class.
- 2-3 copies of photo the above quilt top, printed as large as possible on standard 8.5 x 11 paper
- 18" square quilt sandwich of muslin or solid color fabric, safety pin basted together for practice
- Dancing with Thread, Ann's new book on machine quilting
- A few sheets of paper, black felt tip pen and a inexpensive pocket or manila folder
- Retractable metal tape measure, at least 6 feet long. Bring one only if you have one in your tool box.
- Quilter's gloves, optional, or gloves with tacky latex palms
- Steam Iron, optional
- Bendable Bright Light, optional
- Sewers Aid, or liquid silicone, bring this if you own it
For workshops longer than 2 days: we will customize a supply list for your group.
Please provide one large table for each two students, and iron and ironing board for every seven students. Blackboard or whiteboard and markers. Please no more than 20 students. Two large tables for the use of the instructor.
