ONE PAGE AT A TIME

Our time is always limited. Ideas abound or they don't appear when we need them. We hanker to play with new processes and materials. We long to be able to develop design ideas. In reality life gives us too many deadlines and and nuturing our artistic side does not have priority.
Take a day out for your soul and see what happens when you relax. Spend a day with me, a mystery play date, and find the trigger to your creativity.

Overall we'll look at getting you inspired about stitches, printing, painting, design, colour, using computer generated images, dyeing, threads and basically anything that I can think of.
Specifically, I will narrow down the topics to between three and five; there will be a design theme, a textile process, and a hand stitch.
We may also look at appropriate cultures, artists, science.... whatever we can fit into a very broad textile theme, and all the time whilst working in a contained A4 format.

I'll see where my study leads and then I will lead you. A mystery that will challenge and surprise you. It will be a different experience for everyone.

Suitable for all levels as you will find your own level to work at. You don’t have to be arty, or you may be extremely talented, your challenge is personal.
Keep in mind that you are playing, learning, experimenting and building a sample book of experiences and thoughts only. Of course this may be the starting point of a new quilt or piece of textile art but that is not the initial aim.

• Each session will have a new set of themes. Booking more than one day is a valid option the second day could be a 'new page' or taking the first days pages further.
• Stargazey Quilts can supply, at a set fee per student, an interesting array of materials to work with OR students will be able to bring materials of their own choice and perhaps some to share.

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

Quilting Arts Magazine started the buzz. I was asked to make some at Quilt festival. Now I’m hooked and I want to get as many as possible joining in the fun. The idea is to work some form of textile art in a tiny tradable format any way you want.

My original trading cards were miniature hand pieced Stargazey ‘quilts’ but I’ll lead you to develop your own style by also covering machine piecing, applique, making and using computer generated fabric images and text, finishing edges, and embellishing in this tiny format. It is a great format for experimenting.

Work on them solo, work them as a grouping, work them as a series. Give them away if you can bear it!!!!

*Stargazey Quilts can supply, at a set fee per student, an interesting array of materials to work with OR students will be able to bring materials of their own choice and perhaps some to share.

POSTCARDS

As an extension of the ATC phenomenon making Postcards is a natural progression that opens up options unavailable in the tiny ATC size.

I’ll lead you to develop your own style by covering machine piecing, applique, making and using computer generated fabric images and text, finishing edges, and embellishing in this small format. Make them by hand or machine in a myriad of ways.

Work on them solo, work them as a grouping, work them as a series. Post them if you can bear it!!!!

*Stargazey Quilts can supply, at a set fee per student, an interesting array of materials to work with OR students will be able to bring materials of their own choice and perhaps some to share.

WAYZ WITH WOOL

I love wool; the fibre, the fabric, the yarn. I adore it's different way of working from cotton, it's bulk and it's manipulative qualities. I try to make a wool quilt every now and again but with so many interesting ways of working with wool I think it is time to just play with it and see where we can push it.

I will introduce students to needle felting, we'll stitch and patch, tuft and tie. We'll work by hand or machine. We'll knit, spin, knot and crotchet if necessary. I'll even give you the low down on making 'proper' felt and felt balls, recoloring wool with dye & paint even if we don't actually do it! We can use new or recycled materials -whatever is needed.

Students will be encouraged to leave the quilt making aside and instead have some fun making some fun and "flatish fellaz" . A way to experiment, acheive speedy results and not take your work too seriously. Some will complete one 'with the lot' but others may prefer to work on a series using different styles. Of course, if someone wants to make some wool blocks for a fuzzy funky flattish quilt I won't be stopping you....

*Stargazey Quilts can supply, at a set fee per student, an interesting array of materials to work with OR students will be able to bring materials of their own choice and perhaps some to share.

PHOTOS TO FABRIC

The digital age is here and I am enjoying exploring the possibilities of turning photos into fabric treasures. I don't want to merely place photos into block quilts, instead I want to use them as a starting point for interesting design or wonderful stand alone keepsakes.

We will start at the most basic level, introducing you to the joy, ease and perfection of photocopying onto prepared fabric sheets.
We may play with this all day introducing other elements onto the scanner so that we produce evocative collages,
We could print out the photo in basic form (black & white ideally) and move on to stitching, colouring and embellishing.

We may look at the use of other image transfer products on the market and at the pros & cons of different systems.

A great class to build your confidence with the ease of digital/computer technology, or merely an acheivable way to create a family keepsake.

Dependant on the availability of printers etc, this class may be difficult to operate at optimum level. I may require a a photo from each participant before the class that I would pre-print and the day would focus on how to alter/enhance them.

• There will be a supply fee charged for fabric sheets and ink per use.

TAKING SHAPE

One thing that attracted me to quiltmaking was the use of repeated shapes and images - the simplicity and order perhaps? In this class we will look at taking one predetermined shape or image (eg. circles, stars, crosses ....or even trickier ones like birds, cats, roses) and construct them in a variety of ways.

I'll demonstrate a variety of ways to piece, applique, reverse applique, embroider by hand, collage and embellish whilst maintaining the integrity of the shape.

This can be a project based class or students may opt to make a file of samples.