Handwork - Handquilting Basics
Working with patchworker and quilter Anna Farago, you will learn the basics of beautiful handquilting.
Teacher: Anna Farago
Workshop Duration: Half Day
Description: The workshop will start at the very beginning, with the essentials of how to prepare and secure the layers of a quilt. Once the layers are prepared, options for marking where to stitch will be shown and explained. Finally the hand stitching will be the focus. Participants will have plenty of time to get their hand quilting technique worked out, practiced and applied. Binding will also be on the agenda.
Materials:
Please bring:
A. Your quilt top fabric:
For cushion: 21 x 21inches
Cot sized quilt: 1metre of fabric which is at least 115cm wide
B. Your backing fabric:
For cushion: 21 x 21inches for backing – something plain and simple like calico or cotton.
Cot sized quilt: 1metre of fabric which is at least 115cm wide. Eg. flannelette or cotton fabric, brushed cotton or wool for back of the quilt.
C. Batting:
For cushion: At least 23 x 23 inches of wool, cotton or bamboo batting (or you buy from Anna Organic Cotton Batting $5)
Cot sized quilt: At least 120cm x 135cm of wool, cotton or bamboo batting (or you buy from Anna Organic Cotton Batting $15)
D. Notions:
- Rotary cutter (if you have one)
- Cutting matt (if you have one)
- Water soluble fabric marker
- Greylead pencil
- Hera marker
- Ruler
- Perle 8 or sashiko thread
- Sturdy long needle with large eye – Sashiko or Straws
- Masking tape
Anna will bring:
- Some cutting matts and rotary cutter
- Samples and examples of quilts and cushions made using the techniques and methods to be used during the workshop.
- Quilting pins and clips.
Takeaway: Depending on designs and stitching time, participants will leave with a near finished handquilted cushion top, wall hanging, or cot sized whole cloth quilt with the knowledge and instructions on how to finish it off.
Level: Beginner/Advanced Beginner/Intermediate
So I wrote last week a post asking “Is my making fast fashion?”. And then I did a video on Instagram discussing similar topics in a slightly different way. And as always, you lovely humans have helped me clarify some of my thinking with your thoughtful, clever commentary.
And while I think there is so much more to discuss, here are four key possibly-more-meta ideas that have come up for me out of those conversations.
In using the quote last week that suggested that there was no single answer, and suggesting that this was freeing, I really did mean that we should sit in the grey. Not that the lack of “an” answer to this question should mean we get to ignore the question but rather that the lack of “an” answer means that we need to keep asking bigger more beautiful questions. And keep asking them.
Is my making fast fashion?
Am I living my values or merely thinking them?
And how can I make those two things a little more aligned in this moment?
These are my big beautiful questions.
Yours might be different.
And importantly this leads to point 2.