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Prior to this Quilt Market, I had neglected to give consideration to one of the most awesome facets of concentrated education and inspiration, Take & Teach. My oversight may have been because the hour and a half sessions come at the front end of a jam packed day or because there is so much to take in at Quilt Market that it feels like your mind will blow, but these hands-on sessions were chock full of goodness.
I snuck in and took a little peek. Lucky you, I'm inviting you to go beyond the scenes with me where usually only quilt shop owners get to explore. Here's the backstage tour!
Last year, I caught sight of the traditionally-inspired, but simultaneously on-trend,
Brimfield Awakening Block. Eager participants in the Take & Teach class got a run-down of the basic steps in EPP.
The ladies participating in the Spring Mug Rug, presented by Debra Haney of Clover Needlecraft, took wearable art to the next level.
They were exploring Clover's new paper-backed fusible,
Wonder Fuse.
Festival courses were a flurry of creativity and the skillful use of techniques taught firsthand by masters of quilt artistry. Here a student in the Painting Images with Dyes class taught by
Hollis Chatelain class put shading, blending, and highlighting to work on a fish.
Another student conquered flora instead.
Hollis is a world renowned, award-winning artist. A privilege provided by Festival is access to the highest caliber quilt professionals all in one location.
The merging of artistic mediums is a fascinating development shown both in multi-media classes and on the show floor.
Feathered Star is an enduring classic block due to its awe-inducing points. Peggy Martin taught her students The New Feathered Star using
Quick Strip Paper-Piecing.
Her students produced a flock of feathers in splendid array.
Cindy Grisdela, author of
Fabric Painting and Artful Improv, taught a
Fire and Ice Bargello class.
Melinda Bula is known by her radiantly and realistic enlarged garden blooms. Students produced a variety of Fabulous Fusible Flowers, specifically hibiscus. Unfortunately, while Melinda was in Houston, her home was lost to the California fires.
Collage the Garden with
Sarah Ann Smith brought forth the foliage as well.
Barbara Olson had her
Jump Start Your Creativity students well under way on their projects by the end of class. Each was beautiful and unique.
It's all about the details in Seed Bead Botany with
Nancy Eha. Many prominent quilts on the show floor certainly used embellishment to create intricate details.
Lama, lama, bead-a-rama!
Now, I must mention that some classes did not live up to their description at all, and I for one, was disappointed. Take for instance, the Take Your Pants Off and Let's Make Some That Fit class. Every last one of the students was still wearing pants--serious proof that it's all smoke and mirrors with
Judy Kissinger. Let me know if you have any information about this
scandalous modest deception.
Unlike
Judy Kissinger's class,
Laurie Ceesay's Whimsical Selfie Quilt class had nothing to do with your lower half and focused on above the waist. There were many striking resemblances, and the students said the process was both easy and fun.
Speaking of easy and fun, that's just what
Kathy Kansier's Fast and Easy Broderie Perse Appliqué promised. Based on student response, I conclude that she delivered on that promise.
Gail Garber challenged her students to create original artwork using freezer paper foundation paper-piecing methods in her
Design Sensational Stars class.
Kimberly Einmo's Fire and Ice Quilt has captivated my attention since I saw it in person at
a local show. The student I spoke with had taken one of Kimberly's classes previously and swore her points came together so much better due to the tips she learned.
