Pathways Workshop

The Pathways workshop on May 27 for Pine Belt Quilters went very well. I continued with the Power Point Presentation to refresh some of the information from the program two weeks earlier and to see details of how we can draw our own designs, add registration marks, match registration marks on a light box, and stitch the pieces together. Having the PowerPoint with pictures was most helpful, allowing a quick look back to compare color choices and construction methods. I am so proud of the guild's recently purchased projector, and we will all benefit from better programs by using it and the new camera. 
To get comfortable with the Applipiecing technique developed by Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry, I had the students construct a small design about 8" x 10" before starting on their larger project. They cut out freezer paper patterns and ironed these pieces to fabric and cut out, then used glue sticks to turn the seam allowances on the "over" edges. These "overs" were then positioned on the "unders" by matching registration marks.

Using PowerPoint

Elsie Harris, Missy Lee, Martha Ginn, Suzannah Patterson

A light box works well for positioning the pieces, but a quick holding up to the light helps, too.

Dianne McLendon

Joe Bingham

Ellen Hall

After working on the small practice piece, I had the students select their larger design from the four patterns I had prepared. They began deciding on the pathways in their larger piece, some adding Flying Geese, Piano Keys, Spikes, and some using solid fabric paths.

Susie Jackson

Suzannah Patterson

Some of the sewing machines had tension issues using the invisible thread, even after changing needles and trying other spools of thread, but Suzannah's little Janome didn't know it should have problems and performed like a real trooper. She had never used the machine before and we expected disaster and were happily surprised at her outcome.

Some of the students planned to alter their designs and use the Pathways in a novel way, which is always a thrill when a teacher feels like the students are taking the class one step further by adding their own innovation. We were so busy that I didn't get pictures of the finished small pieces before an approaching  thunderstorm caused us to need to move sewing machines to cars before the rain started.
I'll post more pictures later. It was a fun and successful day!

Brookhaven Class

The Brookhaven (Mississippi) Piecemakers hosted a workshop this week where I taught a class called Pathways, a.k.a. Flying Geese. We worked with my patterns that featured three "pathways," utilizing Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry's Applipiecing construction technique. This is a method whereby curved seams can be joined by turning one seam allowance over and stitching it onto the adjoining seam allowance with a tiny zigzag stitch. These quilters are excellent cooks and had an enticing spread out for lunch at the Bogue Chitto Baptist Church fellowship hall, a roomy place for our class.
The class was based on my "Ribbons" piece that was donated in an auction several years ago (pictured below).

My friend Linda Flanders (center, above) helped me by circulating among the 17 quilters to assist where needed. The patterns had blank pathways which the students could change into flying geese, large/small blocks (we called them piano keys),  or spiky points.

To get farther along in learning the Applipiecing method, I suggested that they could make pathways from solid fabric, which Kathy did.

It was a busy and exciting day with lots of beautiful projects started. They promised to share pictures later.