Sunday, May 22, 2011

Craft Classes May - August 2011

Here is a list of the craft classes I will be running from May to August 2011

Tote Bag Sunday June 12th 9:30am - 2pm  #28
Dianne designed this fabric tote bag to carry all those things you need to 'tote' around. You can make it shorter than hers, it can be made from various fabrics. Make it for a child or yourself. Easy construction.
Has pockets at each end which can be zippered or open.
Accidental Landscapes Saturday 11 June 1:30pm - 4:30pm $25 + pattern $10
Karen Eckmeier has given me permission to teach her classes. This wonderfully easy method of layered topstitch means you can create a fabulous landscape in a short period of time. Choose from Beaches, Farms and Fields, Ski Slopes, Meadows & Mountains, Lakes and Coastlines. This one is beaches.
Fun With Citra-Solv & National Geographic pages Tuesday 14 June 2011 7-9pm $15 + $5 materials fee
Overseas they have Citra-Solv, in NZ we have D-Limonene, it is the main ingredient in Citra - Solv. What can you do with it - have fun, of course. Using old National Geographic magazine pages we apply the D-Limonene and wait for the magic to happen. The cirtus based solvent dissolves the inks in the magazine and makes them  create wonderful patterns. You can use the pages then for collage and creative mixed media work, card making and scrap booking. See the wonderful page below - doesn't it look stunning.
Why not come along and have fun playing with this to see what you can create.

Circle Quilt Sunday 19th June 2011 9:30 - 4pm NZ$45
Dianne will show you how to applique these circles by hand or machine and how to sew inset circles so quick and easy that you won't believe you didn't think of it before. Lots of varations on how to layout these blocks once you have sewn them as well.
Happy Villages Quilt Thursdays 16th & 23rd June 2011 7-9pm NZ$28
Dianne has Karen Eckmeier's permission to teach her classes. The Happy Villages is a fun class that uses squares that you cut and place to make these wonderful villages, complete with windows, doors and stairs - whether they be realistic or fantasy you'll have fun creating them
Harvest Quilt Sunday July 10th 2011 9:30-4pm  $40
Dianne designed this quilt using 2 1/2" strips and squares so you can use a Jelly Roll to make this. A single colour at the end of each strip makes it less scrappy but still very effective. The applique creates the harvest feel along with the autumn colours. You, of course, can use nay colour combination you like, could be brights, children, oriental etc. We can adapt the applique to suit your fabrics.

Collage Landscapes with Sue Wademan Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd August 2011
Sue Wademan is a well known contemporary fibre artist in New Zealand. She will be coming to Palmerston North early August to teach fabric collage landscapes - a design class with textiles. Enjoy the fun of leaving the raw edges out. Can be taken by beginners through to advanced, although having a knowledge of free motion stitching would be an advantage. This is a design focused workshop in which you will create a fabulous collage landscape from a variety of fabrics including lots of sheers (silk organza, georgette, chiffon etc). Wanting to try something different with fabric then this is the class for you!
It is a class designed to develop intuitive use of a variety of textiles.
You will learn 3 techniques of collage - lines, layering and scrunching, working on a sample piece to learn Sue's "linear collage' technique. Whilst making this sample you will learn about the 5 elements of design - line, shape, tone, texture and glorious colour.
On the second day you'll bring a landscape picture and learn how to interpret it in textiles, incorporating lots of sheers for layering and scrunching. You will be encouraged to work on your own individual landscape and to extend your creative processes with lots of help from the tutor. The 5 elements of design will once again be discussed relating it to your indicidual landscapes including many different fabric manipulation techniques to achieve your landscape design.
The goal for this class is for each student to gain confidence in "using fabric like paint" to create your own fabulous and individual landscape colage.
Limited spaces available, book in quick. I am very lucky to have Sue come to teach as she doesn't teach  much now and may be moving overseas. Contact me now regarding your place in this wonderful class!!
Contact me for any further information you require, to book in or call in and see the samples in the 'flesh' so to speak.
Dianne

New Quilting Books

Post Symposium Rose City Quilters in Palmerston North invited UK tutor Yvonne Brown to be their guest speaker at Tote & Gloat and teach 2 classes. Yvonne was a wonderful sharing tutor and speaker who entertained us all at Tote & Gloat, despite being drowned out a couple of times by extremely heavy rain. Yvonne taught her Creative Machine Trapunto on the Sunday after T&G and Celtic Cutwork on the Monday.
I have Yvonne's latest book for sale "Tex-tiles and other Treasures", Using Medieval tiles and stonework NZ$23 a very good price
Yvonne creates beautiful fabric art inspired by the arts and crafts of the medieval period. This is the first in a series describing just how she produces the fabric art and embroideries that have made her well-known around the world.
This book teaches you about transfer painting onto Kunin felt, stitching your design and cutting back using a soldering iron and how to create the stonework effect with Kunin felt, gesso and heat guns.
The next book is Lunchbags NZ$32.50
This book features 25 bags, totes and wraps which are quick and easy with basic sewing techniques. Full colour photos and easy to follow instructions on how to create your own fun totes and bags.
Quilting with Precuts and Shortcuts NZ$50.50
With simple sewing methods, bright fabrics & terrific tips, this intriguing collection ofers something for everyone - even beginners. Use tried and true techniques in creative ways for strip piecing, fusible applique and sewing with precut fabrics.
Whilst readin Mark Lipinski's Fabric Trends magazine (sorry it has sold out) the other day I discovered that the hottest colour trend for this year is white on white on white, for home decorating and patchwork. It certainly does make your work look frresh and clear. Here are 2 new fabrics, one white on cream on the left and the other white on white on the right, but it doesn't look like that on my computer. It is a white on white fern type pattern. Both are NZ$23.90 per metre


Come in and see me or contact me for orders.
Dianne

Quilt magazines

I have once again been very remiss in writing regularly, I must learn to do this more often, I am just so not used to doing this :).
Anyway we have had some lovely new quilt magazines in store - check them out.
The latest Quilt Life magazine June 2011 is out NZ$17.50
This always has very interesting articles to read and think about, along with a recipe from both Alex and Ricky.
The latest Down Under Textiles Issue #4 NZ$11.95
I love this magazine, it always has some very interesting techniques in it to try out. From felting to stamping and painting, using tyvek or Lutradur, there are lots of mixed media projects to play with.
I am now getting the Quilter's World magazine from the USA. The latest issue out is April 2011 NZ$16.50
I also have a couple of back issues at NZ$8 if you'd like to have a look at them. This has more traditional style quilt patterns and various articles about quilting.
Also the latest American Quilter magazine is out March 2011 NZ$15
This is the official magazine of the American Quilt Society and has lots of very interesting articles and some patterns
The next blog will have some of the latest books in store.
Dianne