Creative Machine Quilting and Design
by Caryl Bryer Fallert

Three to Five day class • all levels
You must know how to operate you machine in free-motion mode.

The supply list below is for workshops at the Bryerpatch Studio in Paducah, where we will provide irons & cutting boards light boxes etc. Supplies marked with * will be available for sale in our studio shop.

Learn the secrets of successful machine quilting. Various methods of machine quilting will be demonstrated in the class, and you will have a chance to make a sample of each one. Major emphasis will be on free-motion (feed-dogs down, hand guided) quilting.   This is your chance to really expand your personal "vocabulary" of quilting patterns.

There will be an opportunity for group feedback on a finished quilt top that you have brought with you, and help in planning a quilting pattern that will enhance your top and add an important additional dimension to your design.

The class will include several inspiring slides presentations, with lots of technical details included.

Class projects:

Three day:   You will have time to make a series of samples, trying out various approaches to quilting and designing.  These can be made into a cloth reference book or they can become a series of miniature whole cloth quilts. 

Four-Five day:  
You may want to design and complete a small whole cloth quilt during the class. 
You will have time to make significant progress a quilt top you have brought from home.  
You may want to make a series of miniature quilts, and try out the many different methods of designing and drawing with thread.

Subjects that will be discussed in the class include:

• How to manage a large quilt with a standard sewing machine.
• How to avoid physical exhaustion and repeat motion stress injuries when machine quilting
• How to plan a quilting design after the quilt top is completed
• Contemporary whole cloth designs
• Enlarging and simplifying your drawings or photos to make them into quilting designs
• How to make free-hand filler designs that look complex and are really easy.
• Basting for machine qulting
• Batting choice
• Needle and thread choice
• Marking and transfering your design to the quilt top
• Couching with heavy cords and yarns
• Design and composition in quilting designs
• Shading with thread
• Blocking, squaring up, and machine binding.

Subjects that will NOT be covered in the class:

• How to manage disagreeable threads like rayon and metallic.
• Trapunto
• How to use your machine.  You must know how to operate your machine, and it must be in good working order before the beginning of the class.

Sewing Machine: One that is friendly, well adjusted, and able to do free motion as well as straight stitching. Zigzag and other options are welcome. You must be familiar with your machine, and know how to operate it in the free motion mode.You must have at least one free-motion foot for your machine: darning foot (open toed is preferred, but closed is OK), "big foot", quilting foot, etc. Optional: If you already have the following feet, bring them along: walking foot, open toed embroidery foot, open toed darning foot, couching foot, braiding foot, edge foot.

Fabric:

• * Four yards of muslin, or white or solid light colored 100% cotton fabric. You will be making this into small quilt sandwiches. These can be made ahead of time so you have more time to sew in the class. 9" x 12" is the recommended size, so they can be cut to fit into sheet protectors in a three ring binder for future reference.
• * Two yards of fabric for whole cloth designs. This can be plain white, black, or any solid color. It can also be a fabric with surface design, that you or someone else has dyed, painted, printed, stamped, etc. (NOTE: this should be very low contrast fabric.   No splashy patterns or high contrast prints.  (You want your quilting stitches to show up clearly)
• An unfinished quilt top (if you have one)
• Batting: At least two yards or up to twin size 100% cotton or 80% cotton / 20% polyester (Fairfield Cotton Classic is ideal).

Thread:

• * Cotton or Polyester thread in several colors. Bring at least one color to match your fabric and at least one to contrast with it.
• * Mono-filament (both clear and smoked) (Polyester is preferred)
• * Optional: If you have #40, #30 or other top stitching thread, bring it along.  These threads will be demonstrated in the class.
• Optional: If you have other specialty threads (rayon, metallics, sliver, etc)  feel free to bring them.  There will however, not be instruction on how to use them.

• sewing scissors
• * small sharp thread snips or embroidery scissors.
• * Seam ripper

• Schmetz #70, #80 & #90 Microtex Sharp or Machine Quilting needles are recommended
• Schmetz #80 and #90 system 130 N (top stitching) needles may be needed for heavier threads.
• * Schmetz Microtex Sharp #60, needles are recommended for lighter weight threads.
• Safety Pins (available by the bag in most quilt shops)
• Optional : Kwik-Klip pin closer or grapefruit spoon.

Drawing Tools:

• Ruler
• * Flexible curve
• Pencils in both light and dark colors will be needed. (Berol "very thin" white, & silver and * white charcoal are recommended)
• Optional : An Eberhard Faber "Magic Rub" eraser will be helpful, but not absolutely essential.
• Tracing paper: one pad
• * Plain white paper - several sheets (typing, scratch, copier paper, or drawing paper)

Optional

• * Quilting gloves, driving gloves, or latex surgical gloves. (Machingers are recommended)