Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workshop. Show all posts

21 February, 2013

Terri McNeill Tessellations Workshop


Those of you lucky enough to have been at a Terri workshop before know what a good teacher she is. So on Friday night I was a good student and cut all my pieces in preparation and anticipation. It was a good move.                                           



On Saturday afternoon 12 of us gathered for the workshop and there was a great spirit of camaraderie and co-operation in the room. “Need that ironed? Here let me while you get the next one done....” You know the sort of thing. For some of the participants who hadn’t done an IPS workshop before it was an eye opener about how relaxing and positive an experience it was. No doubt some of that was due to Terri’s presence, but also I think it was because we knew we had Sunday to continue the work with less rush.           



Saturday afternoon was taken up with laying out and SHUFFLING fabrics around in preparation for sewing. If you were stuck there was always someone to look at your choices with a fresh eye and say “Why not move that one there to there?” With Terri ever vigilant in case of any impending disasters, we sewed one block to see how it goes together and left ready for action on Sunday.             



On Sunday we continued making the blocks. There was a bit of head scratching as we wondered if we were putting the right fabrics in the right places. It certainly helped to have clear contrasts between adjoining fabrics. Veronicas contrasting red and white really stood out, Mogs’ batiks were very subtle and ‘boggy’.             No matter what the choices however, it took plenty of concentration. Once again it was amazing how different  the same pattern looked depending on your choice of fabrics. As the afternoon wore on, row after row was completed with little whoops of ‘Row 1 done....row 2...row 3....etc’. As the photos show, there was great variety in the finished projects. We look forward to completed tops (not necessary quilts) at the next meeting or maybe May. Personally I did express out loud the thought that I might use mine for the Hospital Quilt drive. The response of a person who shall remain un-named ‘Are ye mad?’ caused me to reconsider. There is a lot of thought and effort involved in the tessellating of the blocks. So I have reconsidered and am delighted to say I have an appreciative home waiting for my completed tessellations quilt.                 


Thanks to all who attended the workshop and thanks Terri for a very enjoyable workshop.
PS: did I mention the gingerbread? ....I didn’t mention the gingerbread made by Mary from Susan’s recipe?....OK.. ... Quilters do not live on fabric alone,...there has to be cake. We’ll see about posting the recipe in the food section...hopefully it won’t lead to too many fat quarters among the membership!



Anne Marie Horan         

20 November, 2012

Edwina Mackinnon - Colour Stories


UK tutor Edwina Mackinnon will be giving a talk and workshop at the Mid-West Branch in February 2013.

Edwina will be giving a talk on "Colour Stories" on Friday 8th February 2013. She does a lot of fabric dyeing using procion, indigo dyes and also potassium permanganate, so it should be an interesting talk. 

And Edwina will then give a "Cut and Come Again" workshop on Saturday 9th.

Workshop details: This workshop is a fun, relaxed method for producing attractive blocks using your fabric stash. Just bring along a collection of fabrics and start cutting and stitching. There will be lots of ideas for assembling your blocks to make an attractive quilt.

The workshop will be taking place at the Greenhills Hotel, Limerick. Cost €55.  We're opening up this workshop for any IPS members who would like to attend. So if anyone would like to do this workshop, please contact me to get your name added to the list.

The Greehills Hotel have good rates, swimming pool, free car-parking etc. The hotel is also just down the road from where the Mid-West Branch hold their monthly meetings, which could be very handy if anyone wants to see Edwina's talk on the Friday and attend the workshop the next day.

For further details on Edwina's work please see:

29 April, 2012

Hand Applique Workshop


Last meeting's workshop was "hand appliqué" lead by our own very skilled member Marylin Farrell.

After light confusion about freezer paper, what it is and how to use for hand appliqué we flew along, creating our tulips in a vase.



First we stitched down our flower stems (everybody! had them already cut and ironed to size for the class) and we could practise our tiny stitching.

Then we went on and stitched down the flower part of our tulip, learning how to needle turn the seam allowance under as we went along. We learned how to work inside and outside curves and had great fun comparing our stitch size. Not everybody found it easy to aim for 14 to 16 stitches per inch, but, of course, your work looks so much nicer if you do!

And we were very proud when Marilyn complimented us for our invisible stitches.

Before we went home we promised to bring back our finished pieces (or work in progress) back to the May meeting.

I really enjoyed this workshop and will take my tulips as a start to do more hand appliqué.

Many thanks Marilyn!   

Written by Veronika Feldmann

04 April, 2012

April Workshop: Needle turn applique



At the April meeting of the Western Branch of the IPS, we will be hosting a workshop on needle turn applique.  If you are planning to attend the workshop, please review the supplies list below and bring everything you will need with you:

Fabric (100% cotton, avoid stiff or loosely woven cotton)

  • Background fabric - 21 inches by 22 inches, lightly colored solid or tone on tone.  If choosing a print fabric, make sure the background fabric does not overwhelm the applique fabric.
  • Stems - green fabric, 3 strips cut on the bias at 1.25 inches wide and 8 inches long.
  • Flowers - prints of your choice
Notions
  • Embroidery or small fabric scissors.  Tips must be pointed and not round.
  • Needles - size 10 or 11 mm or straw needles are best, but sharps will work as well.
  • Thread - 100% cotton is best, matching the thread as closely to the color of the stems and flowers and not the background.
  • Paper scissors
  • Basting thread
  • Light and dark marking pencils for the fabric (or lead pencil for light fabric)
  • Pencil sharpener
  • Needle threader
  • Several wooden toothpicks
  • Small fabric pins
  • Small cutting mat
  • Iron and ironing cloth
  • 12 inch ruler
Pre-class preparations

  • Background should be pre-cut
  • Stems: fold bias strip, right sides out (wrong sides of fabric together on the inside) in equal thirds.  Strips should be approximately 1/2 inch wide.  Baste along the middle of the strip (not the edges) and press.