Twisted Stitchers: Week 3

Ellen's cuffs from the previous class demonstration. Love the cats and the whale!

One of Nancy's cuffs from the previous class demonstration. She made a ruffle!

Some of Nancy's cuffs from the previous class demonstration.

Picking out fabric for this week's demonstration. So many to choose from! Thank you to Lorrie Thomas for generously donating to our class.

Creative clutter!

Shannon holds up her circle, ready for the demonstration and Meredith cuts a circle out. Check out her awesome cuff from last week's class.

Nancy's hexagon flower with button

Nancy's composition is starting to come along

Shannon's hexagons

Ellen's hexagons

Kimberly's hexagons

Tammy's hexagons

Tammy will make a flower along the lines of the traditional "grandmother's garden"

Week 11: December 1st

Cathedral Window

Cathedral Window quilts are sewn by hand almost entirely - and the process of folding fabric to make the window panes gives the quilt a natural thickness so that the work doesn't need batting or a backing.

Sample that was made using a wedge ruler

Cathedral Windows in progress!

Second-to-last meeting of the Piecemakers! A busy night indeed: continue hand-quilting Local Fabric quilt, make binding and put binding on quilt, hand sew the binding down, learn about Cathedral Windows and create a sample Cathedral Window block. It was a long night, but the Piecemakers were up to the challenge. While their quilt wasn't completed by the last night of the class, the binding was on and a significant amount of quilting was completed. The Piecemakers decided to donate their quilt to ArtPlay and it will be hung in the main building soon. Stop by and see their beautiful work in person. Thanks to the Piecemakers for a fantastic quarter!

Week 10: November 17th

The Piecemakers hand-quilting their Local Fabric quilt - thanks to Ann for providing the quilting frame.

After Common Threads, the Piecemakers still had two more meetings. Their top was complete and now the task of hand-quilting it. Ann provided a light quilting frame and six Piecemakers sat around the frame working the quilt, adding a variety of stitches to the composition.

Hand-quilting a top + batting + backing that was mostly sewn by hand. Long strips of sashing and final panels were put together using a sewing machine.

Six Piecemakers hand-quilting at one time!

Each Piecemaker added her own "signature" to the quilting process.

Many kinds of stitches can be found in the Piecemakers' quilt.

Twisted Stitchers: Week 2

Stitch samples from week 1...Tammy's copy of Etsy artist, DesignedbyJane's felt brooch

This week, the Twisted Stitchers are making cuffs

Tammy and Nancy working out knot issues

A sea of supplies!

Shannon tries her hand at a beautiful little embroidered bird

A new button and some embellishment and voila! you're on your way to having a new accessory!

Ellen's embellishment involves an "anchor" button, some waves and a little boat

Theresa is already doing appliqué

Is it an owl or a cat? Tammy lets you decide.

Nancy has many ideas going at once, a great way to work!

French knots and blanket stitch

A finished cuff

More French knots and blanket stitch - two great things to practice often

Twisted Stitchers: Week 1

From left, Nancy, Ellen, Tammy and Theresa show off their stitch samples

From left, Kimberly, Meredith and Shannon show off their stitch samples

Studiously learning line, blanket, running and back stitches

This semester, hand sewing is being held in the visual arts room of the big house at ArtPlay

New take on an old theme: felt and embroidery floss are a great way to learn beginning stitches

Introducing...The Twisted Stitchers!

It's a new year, and ArtPlay has a new class dedicated to hand sewing. For the next few months, seven intrepid stitchers will tackle projects and laughingly build a support group dedicated to reducing fabric hoarding and perfectionism. This group of women has taken on the name, "Twisted Stitchers" and we can't wait to see what twists and turns they take this semester. Happy sewing!