My Week at the Folkschool – How to Make a Modern Quilt

March 16, 2015March 14, 20158 Comments

Last week I embarked on an exciting adventure that I want to share with you. I spent 5 full days teaching a full group of students How to Make a Modern Quilt at the John C. Campbell Folkschool. Although it’s hard to capture such a full week in one blog post, here’s a little recap:

The fiber arts building housed both the weaving studio and the quilting studio in separate halves of this beautiful structure, complete with a barn block!

Day 0 – Arrival and check in. This wasn’t a full day of teaching, but as soon as I got off the airplane (in Atlanta) I took a beautiful scenic drive through the woods of Georgia to the mountains of North Carolina. The Folkschool is located in a quaint little town called Brasstown and it was a beautiful place where time literally seemed to stand still. As soon as I was out of the car, it was time to check-in for teacher orientation, enjoy a wonderful southern dinner (the first of many delicious meals), and then meet the students.

Fortunately many of my students had been there before, and knew their way around, so they were able to lead me to the quilting studio, a huge space that was fully equipped for some serious sewing (though most of my students brought their own machines).

There was enough space for all 12 students to each have their own table, design wall and cutting area, plus plenty of ironing boards. We even had room for full-size basting tables!

Day 1-2 Cutting and sewing. Once the students had settled in and organized their supplies, it was time to cut fabrics and learn some modern quilting basics (letting go of perfection, embracing asymmetry, discovering improvisational piecing.) Throughout the week it was fun getting to know the quilters and their various styles. As a teacher, I love to share my methods but I am so happy for each student to settle into her own process and find a comfortable work-flow.

Some of the Modern Logs blocks starting to emerge. I love all the fabric choices!

Day 3 – More block sewing and piecing the backs. Throughout the class I encouraged the students to work at their own pace. Some decided to make bigger quilts, others took their time with the process, and they all seemed to embrace the design possibilities in their backing.

Isn’t this a great pieced backing?

A few of the students even made me smile by throwing in a few random pops of color to their wonky blocks. They agreed that they were channeling their inner Jacquie Gering. 🙂

Day 4 – Basting and machine quilting. This was the day that many had been waiting for, a chance to learn how to quilt their own quilts! They all agreed that they preferred spray basting hands-down to pin-basting and were pleased to learn some of my tips and tricks: such as smoothing each layer with a long ruler, applying spray to the top and backing (not the batting) and ironing the whole thing to set the glue. Each time a quilter finished her backing, several others came together to get it basted in mere minutes. It was quite the efficient process!

This combination of modern fabrics and nearly solids makes my heart sing!

Our week just happened to coincide with Southern Appalachian Modern Quilt Guild meeting, so several of the students and I were able to attend. We got to see inspiring show ‘n tell, eat yummy treats and watch a wonderful slideshow recap of QuiltCon highlights. I even picked up a couple of great ideas to share with my local modern quilt guild (LVMQG).

Pam’s SAMQG show ‘n tell – her original woven fabrics pieced into a table runner.

Pam Howard is the Resident Weaver at the Folkschool and a member of the SAMQG. She was in my class and we became fast friends. She’s experimenting with incorporating her hand-loomed fabrics into her quilts. Isn’t that a cool idea?

Day 5 – The finish and closing ceremony. I am so proud of my students! After a full week of nearly-non stop quilting, smiles were aplenty as everyone got to display their work for the entire school to see. From basketry to woodworking, to tin-smithing, photography, soapmaking, beadwork and more, just about every craft you could think of was well-represented.

Several of the arts and crafts on display at the Folkschool Closing ceremony.

If you’ve never been to the Folkschool, I highly encourage you to visit. They run week-long classes year ’round and I can’t wait to return!

For those of you near the Little Rock, Arkansas area, I will be teaching a shorter version of Modern Logs at the NQA 46th annual quilt show June 18-20, 2015 along with a few other classes. Click here for details.

I just made some new BQF’s (best quilting friends) and I’d love to meet some more!

Thread Thursday and a Folkschool Sneak Peek!

March 12, 20155 Comments

This week I am having the most wonderful time teaching at the John C. Campbell Folkschool. My students are learning how to make a modern quilt, and I will give a full report next week, once I’m home and rested!

Having a great time at the Folkschool. Wish you were here!!

We’ve been here all week and today is machine quilting day in class. Many of my students have chosen to piece and quilt with Aurifil thread, and they are getting great results!

I love this version of Modern Logs – it’s so graphic and cheerful!

Since you aren’t here with me, enjoy some pretty pictures of my favorite thread collections:

Tula Pink’s Premium Collection

Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander

Alison Glass Essentials

All of these thread collections and more are available in my thread/precut store!

Christa’s Soap Box – My Thoughts about Modern Quilting Post QuiltCon

March 4, 2015March 3, 201518 Comments

I’m throwing in some more random QuiltCon pics while I wax philosophically below. 🙂 Click here to see most of the quilts from the show, courtesy of Sew Mama Sew.

It’s no secret that in the last few years my quiltmaking style has definitely changed. I’ve enjoyed making quilts for 20 years now, but only discovered the modern quilting style back in 2012 when I first heard about the movement in a traditional quilting magazine. I was instantly stopped in my tracks when I realized this is what I had been searching for, but didn’t know it!

I loved Casey York’s lecture on finding modern inspiration in art! Quilt by Debbie Grifka.

I also love it that people are so passionate about their opinions! I’m not one to stir up debate, but I love reading the emphatic appeals from quiltmakers on one hand who don’t want to be labeled and those on the other hand that do! Isn’t it so awesome that within the larger quilting community, there’s room for all styles and tastes?

I picked up some great tips from Jacquie Gering on being a better teacher. We also had some great conversation about modern quilts and what a wonderfully unique show QuiltCon is!

Going to QuiltCon in 2013 put me on a career path that inspired me to publish patterns, write a book and return to teaching quilting after a long absence. Attending QuiltCon again in 2015 solidified my desire to want to make and share even more!

Lee Heinrich and I stealing a few moments to chat on the show floor. Be sure to read Lee’s QuiltCon comments here. I think she’s right on the money!

Although I do consider myself a “modern” quilter, I’m pleased as punch to be friends with those who don’t share my zeal and enthusiasm for the aesthetic. During and after my trip from QuiltCon I heard from several quilters who realized that maybe “modern” is not their thing, and that’s totally OK!! Because you know what – it certainly is my thing! 🙂

Getting some great tips from Cristy Fincher from Purple Daisies about submitting a class proposal to Craftsy. She’ll be launching her first class soon – stay tuned for details!

But far be it from me to ever demand any of my friends or fans to follow in my footsteps. Instead, I’ll continue to explore the modern aesthetic and will seek to educate myself (and others) about it whenever I get the chance. Because what I love most about the quilting community are the many friendships I’ve made while pursing this passion.

Delicious crepes for brunch with fellow bloggers. The food and conversation were delicious! Visit Elizabeth’s blog at OP Quilt to see a much better picture of the group than the one I had!

I loved the quilts of QuiltCon because you could really see the heart and soul that went into each of them. I enjoyed viewing so may original compositions and appreciate that there was such an emphasis on aesthetics and design. I’ve also been exploring how to incorporate many of the principles of modernism (negative space, minimalism, asymmetry, clean lines, abstract design and even improvisation) into my machine quilting and it’s been a fun ride!

Yes, I totally admit to stalking my quilts! It was so exciting to see people admire my work!

I’ll leave you with one of the first things I said to members of my local MQG when I recently took over as president:

Just because you enjoy modern quilts doesn’t mean you have to BE a modern quilter. And just because you consider yourself part of the movement doesn’t mean you have to make exclusively modern quilts. 🙂

Best of show – i Quilt by Kathy York. When I saw it in person, I didn’t see the larger “I” at first. Then I realized it has so much meaning in the message!

Now, who wants to go make a quilt?

Let’s Have a Giveaway – Courtesy of QuiltCon!

March 2, 2015February 22, 2015296 Comments

A week later, I’m still basking in the glow of the awesomeness that was QuiltCon. Why don’t we have a giveaway so that I can share some of that awesomeness with you?

QuiltCon Magazine features many of the show quilts plus new original patterns.

First up, is a copy of QuiltCon magazine from Interweave. I was thrilled that two of my quilts were showcased in the magazine so I eagerly bought a copy for myself at the show. The publisher kindly sent me another copy for being a contributor, so I’m happy to pass that along to one of you!

Spiralling Out of Control and Modern X were both featured in QuiltCon Magazine.

Next, I received a bit of swag in my goody bag so I’m happy to offer up this beautiful charm pack of Casablanca by Benartex to one of you!

Here’s How to Enter:

Leave a comment below, letting me know whether or not you are thinking about attending a future QuiltCon. You can also mention if you were in Austin, or if you followed along virtually!
I will draw 2 winners at random, one for each prize, and will announce their names on Thursday, March 5th.
The contest is open to everyone, and comments close Wed, March 4th at 9 PM EST.

NQA Quilt Show Wants More Modern Quilts – Enter Yours Today!

February 25, 2015February 24, 20154 Comments

I’m super excited to be working with the National Quilting Association to not only spread the love of quilting, but to educate more people about modern quilts, too!

The NQA Annual Quilt Show is coming up in June and it’s going to include a fabulous judged show of around 400 quilts. The exciting thing is that it’s a non-juried show, which means that everyone gets in on a first-come first served basis. The even more exciting thing is that they will be offering cash prizes for Best of Show, Special Awards, and First Place in each category.

This is only the second time that NQA is has included a modern category in their mix, and I know they would love to see that genre well represented. I’m excited for the workshops I’ll be teaching (details here) and I would love to see quilts hanging in the show made by people I know – in any category!

Click here for online quilt show entry. The deadline for entry is April 1, 2015.

Are you in??

More Quilts From QuiltCon 2015

February 23, 2015February 22, 201512 Comments

I can express more in pictures than I can in words, so here are a few more fabulous quilts from QuiltCon:

(Click here for my previous QuiltCon 2015 post)

Above, 11 of the 12 modern quilts of the month from 2014 were on display including Modern X, which was my pattern for March. The PDF quilt patterns are available for free to all Modern Quilt Guild members on the community site in the members-only forum.

It was fun to get a picture of myself standing next to Optical Illusion to show the scale of the design. It was fun to see people standing back to get a better look!

I loved meeting so many of my online friends in person including Michelle Wilkie, and our quilts got to be “neighbors” in the show! Abacus was my solid quilt and Neighborhood was hers. They both hung in the “small quilts” category.

I loved this small piece, titled “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by my friend and roommate, Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist designs. It reminds me of the art quilts that Michael James made in the 90’s, way back before I was ready for modern and contemporary designs!

I took so many pictures that I can’t possibly share them all in one post, so I invite you to follow me on instagram (or click here: @christaquilts) to see more! You can also search the hashtag #quiltcon to see thousands more images from the show. It truly was a social media event!

Now I can’t wait for QuiltCon 2016 in California. 🙂

My Experiences From QuiltCon 2015

February 21, 2015February 14, 201820 Comments

QuiltCon 2015 has been the most amazing event! It feels like a grand reunion of online friends who’ve never met! The quilts, lectures and social encounters are unlike any other show I’ve ever attended. I’ve seen the most beautiful quilts, I’ve met the most inspiring people, and I’ve had the most amazing experiences!

The Quilts

The picture below shows a small montage of some of the ribbon winners. Click here for pictures and names of all the QuiltCon 2015 winners.

QuiltCon is the largest display of modern quilts in the world!

The People

I met and reconnected with many of my online friends from blogging and instagram, just a few of which I managed to photograph below:

Cheryl Brickey (my roommate) and Amy Garro; Kristy Daum, Gemma Jackson, (me), Yvonne Fuchs, Malka Dubrawsky (Moda designer), Andres Rosales and Cristy Fincher; Daryl from Andover with Chris, The Tattooed Quilter, Leanne from She Can Quilt and me; Jacquie Gering, and Krista Hennebury.

The Experiences

A Show like QuiltCon is more than about just quilts. Making connections and experiencing new things are all part of the fun!

Coming full circle with Marianne Fons, from whom I bought my very first quilting book, and her daughter Mary Fons who published my very first quilt pattern in her magazine 20 years later!
QuiltCon Pin Trading – such a fun way to remember everyone I met!
Getting temporarily tattooed from Sarah Watts of Cotton and Steel. (Permanent tattooing was also a thing – just not my thing!)
Being interviewed to talk about Spiraling Out of Control by the Quilt Alliance project.
Sharing Modern X as part of the special exhibits tour with Bill Volckening.
Being asked to autograph a copy of QuiltCon Magazine in which 2 of my quilts from the show were featured – such a surreal moment!

And many more amazing moments that will live in my memory for a long time! I always say I’ve never met a quilt or quilter I didn’t like. But coming to QuiltCon feels like I’ve found my tribe, and for that I am truly grateful. 🙂

A Visit With Tula Pink – I Learned a Thing or Two!

February 18, 2015February 16, 201512 Comments

For Valentine’s Day, I got to spend the afternoon with Tula Pink, who came to town to lecture and promote her new Berning sewing machine at Quiltique in Las Vegas.

Tula and me – she’s much taller than I am, but so is everyone, LOL!!

Let me tell you – this gal is amazing, and not just because of her fabrics! She has incredible business acumen, is very clever and articulate, and has a great sense of self-confidence. Although she’s a big name in the industry, she’s very straightforward and down-to-earth, and she took the time to answer everyone’s questions and pose for pictures.

Here are some interesting tidbits:

Yes, Tula Pink is her real name. 🙂
Tula was originally a fabric designer for Moda, then left the company to design for Free-Spirit fabrics when Moda wasn’t ready for her out-of-the box wild colors and splashy offbeat artwork. There’s no drama there though, and she has nothing but great things to say about both companies.
She started off in the record industry, creating album cover art for many famous musicians. She was happy to give up goth and skull drawings so she could focus instead on creating pink bunnies, teal horses and purple owls.
She draws all of her artwork by hand, working in shades of grey with pencil on graph paper. She designs to scale and thinks in repeat so as to create seamless scenery. To make the most of her “drawing economy,” she’ll only draw half images, if the design is to be a mirror image.
She’s incredibly focused – it can take up to 6 weeks just to get the coloring right on her drawings, after she’s spent an incredible amount of time working out the drawing details.
She’s a history buff and loves to read all she can about famous women in history – Marie Antionette, Queen Elizabeth, etc. These ladies have inspired some of her most well-known fabric lines.
Tula describes her style as “modernitional” – part modern, part traditional. She doesn’t want to be put in a box and simply wants to create what she loves, hoping her art will resonate with her audience.

Due to popular request, Tula will be offering a line of large scale, wide-backings soon!

She definitely resonated with me and I look forward to seeing more of her work in the future. Tula Pink’s fabric and threads are always a hot commodity in my precut store and I’m in the process now of designing a new pattern using her fabrics.

My Blog is a Finalist in the Craftsy Blogger Awards!

January 26, 2015January 24, 201521 Comments

I got some super fun news over the weekend. My blog was selected as one of four finalists for Best Quilting Tutorials in the Craftsy Blogger Awards. Thanks to those of you who nominated me – I really appreciate it!

The other three bloggers are pretty amazing and a couple of them are definitely more well-known that I am, so my chances of winning are pretty slim. But, what an honor just to make the final cut! With the hundreds of quilting blogs out there, being one of the top four makes all the work I do very validating.

Of course, I’d love your vote, but be sure to look through all the categories and vote for your favorites. 🙂 Just in case you are new to my blog, you can check out all of my free quilt along tutorials here.

Voting runs through Wednesday, January 28th. May the best bloggers win!

Las Vegas Modern Friends – Come Join Me!

January 13, 20151 Comment

This is an invitation to my local Las Vegas friends and those in the surrounding area, to come join the local modern guild! The Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild has been around for a few years, but they made a New Year’s resolution to become an official affiliate group of the national Modern Quilt Guild!

Isn’t that exciting? I’m helping out by getting all the paperwork together and recruiting a few of my friends. Be sure to check out details about upcoming meetings on the LVMQG blog and join the fun. 🙂