Modern Logs Partial Blocks

Virtual Classes for October’s PIQF

I’m really excited to be teaching three classes for Pacific International Quilt Festival Online, coming up Oct. 14 to 17. Registration is open and I’d love to have you join me!

Here are brief descriptions. You’ll find more complete information at the links below.

1. Free Motion Improv, Thursday evening 10/15, 4–7 PST

Example of my Free Motion Improv

Liberate yourself from traditional quilting symmetry by mashing up your favorite motifs in a seemingly random way. Combine basic shapes with transitional designs and free-motion fillers to add amazing texture to the negative spaces in your quilts, or create your own unique work of improvisational art. Note: Students should be comfortable with basic free-motion quilting.

Cost: $80, includes $25 kit fee, kit includes your choice of one of my machine quilting books.

Click here for Christa Watson: Free Motion Improv, Price Includes $25 Class Kit (Half Day WS, Thurs, 10/15/20, 4-PST)

2. Free Motion Quilting Designs with Lines, Friday afternoon 10/16, 12–3 PST

Example of my Free Motion Quilting Designs with Lines

Embrace the “hand-sketched” look when you learn to quilt modern geometric fillers that require little to no marking of the quilt. Go beyond the straight line when you learn how to create irregular linear motifs that look great on both traditional and contemporary quilts. Note: Students should be comfortable with basic free-motion quilting.

Cost: $80, includes $25 kit fee, kit includes your choice of one of my machine quilting books.

Click here for Christa Watson: Free Motion Quilting Designs with Lines, Price Includes $25 Class Kit (Half Day WS, Fri, 10/16/20, 12-3pm PST)

Machine Quilting Books by Christa Watson
The kits for these classes include your choice of one of my books.

3. Improv Piecing: Modern Logs, Saturday 10/17, 9–3 PST

Modern Logs is made with improvisational piecing: easy and fun!

Put a modern spin on a classic block while you learn to create improvisationally pieced Log Cabin blocks. Choose two sets of fabrics that have good contrast, such as lights and darks. You’ll need 10 fat quarters of assorted lights and 10 fat quarters of assorted darks to make the 48″ x 54″ quilt. Pattern is included in the kit fee, and the pattern includes additional sizes. Suitable for all skill levels.

Click here for Christa Watson: Improv Piecing: Modern Logs, Price Includes $12 Class Kit (Full Day WS, Sat, 10/17/20, 9am-3pm PST)

Make plans to join me for virtual classes during PIQF Oct. 14 to 17. I’d love to “meet” you!

Modern Logs Quilt Top
Modern Logs made in my Good Vibes fabrics for Benartex. Available on my website, shop.christaquilts.com

Click here to shop for Good Vibes fabrics to make your own Modern Logs quilt!

Good Vibes Fat Quarters
Good Vibes by Christa Watson for Benartex

Click here to buy the Modern Logs paper pattern (not necessary if you’ll be in the class, because the pattern is included in the class fee).

Click here to buy the Modern Logs pattern instantly as a downloadable pdf.

Modern Logs by Christa Watson for Christa Quilts

Maybe you’d like to see a bit of how I machine quilt on my home sewing machine?

Check out this short video on my YouTube channel. It’s not exactly the same thing I’ll be teaching in the classes, but you’ll get an idea of my style!

I can’t wait to meet you and create some amazing things together!

Registration Opens today for the Minnesota Quilter’s Annual Show in June!

I hope you all know by now how much I absolutely love traveling all over to meet enthusiastic quilters and make new friends! I especially enjoy going to places I’ve never been before, especially when it’s a long-time regional show such as the Minnesota Quilter’s Show  & Conference.

Minnesota Quilter's Show

Can you believe they held the first show in 1976 and it’s been running continuously now for the past 20 years. How cool is that?? Well today is opening day for registration, and show dates are June 11-13 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Minnesota quilters get priority registration starting today, and non-members can register beginning on February 3rd.

Here’s What I’m Teaching:

Workshop: Improv Piecing – Facets
Wednesday, June 10, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Dive into improv piecing, but in a more structured way when you make this scrap friendly quilt!
The pattern can be found in my book Machine Quilting with Style.

Facets

Lecture: How Do I Quilt It?
Thursday, June 11, 12 -1 PM

Based on the easy-to-follow methods I teach in my books, I’ll share my best tips and tricks for machine quilting success!

Books by Christa Watson

Lecture: Hallmarks of Modern Machine Quilting
Thursday, June 11, 4-5 PM

Learn how the modern quilting aesthetic can be applied to the machine quilting process!
I’ll share lots of eye-candy examples from my books and patterns.

Christa Watson trunk show of quilts

Workshop: Walking Foot Wonders
Friday, June 12, 8:30-4:30

Get out of the ditch and create dynamic quilt designs with your walking foot!
Detail below is spiral quilting on my Sparkling Stars Quilt.

Walking Foot Wonders

Workshop: Free-Motion Favorites
Saturday, June 13, 8:30-4:30

Learn fast, fun, and fool proof free-motion!!
Detail below is jagged stipple on my Terrace Tiles Quilt.

Free Motion Quilting

If you’ll be in the area – I hope you’ll stop by and see me. It should be a rip-roaring event!

Click here for Minnesota Quilter’s Quilt show info.

Teaching Update: New York Next Month, New Hampshire Next Year

I like to update you all occasionally on where I’ll be heading to teach because I often get asked if I’ll be in a certain area of the country. So the interesting thing is that I’ve never been to New York state in my life and now I’m going there twice in a row! Tomorrow I’m headed out to a visit the Snow Country quilt guild  in Remsen and I can’t wait.

If You Can Quilt It Here – You Can Quilt It Anywhere!

Then next month I’ll be doing a super fun event for the Aurora Sewing Center near Buffalo, NY October 2-5.

Aurora Sewing Center

I’m doing a new kind of event for them which I’m really excited about. I’ll be one of their “sewlebrities” for their monthly sewing club in October. I will be giving a 3 hour presentation on machine quilting along with a meet n greet, demo, and a chance for club members to ask all their burning machine quilting questions.

This presentation will be offered multiple times at both locations of their shop so that all club  members will be able to attend. Then I’ll follow that up with a full-day machine quilting workshop.

If you’ll be in the area during this time, I’d love to see you!

Returning to MQX

I’m thrilled to be returning to MQX quilt show April 15-18, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. MQX has a special place in my heart because it was where I earned  my first national quilt show ribbon back in 2013. Registration opens later this year, so save the date and I’ll be sure to make an announcement once registration goes live!

MQX Quilt Show

Click here to keep up with my current schedule of events. I’d love to see you in person!!

Come See Me at Dave’s BERNINA in Utah August 7-10!

I love teaching machine quilting, and it’s always extra special when I get to teach at BERNINA dealerships around the country. This August 7-10, 2019, I invite you to come see me at either location of Dave’s BERNINA, one of the top BERNINA dealerships in the entire country!

Christa Watson Quilts

I love my BERNINA!! But my students can be successful on any machine!

Teaching in Provo, UT

I’ll be making my first stop at Dave’s BERNINA in Provo where I’ll be presenting my popular lecture and trunk show, “How Do I Quilt It?” on Wednesday, August 7 at 6:30 PM. The following day on Thursday, August 8, I’ll be teaching a full day of machine quilting where students will learn how to improve their skills with Walking Foot Wonders and Free Motion Favorites.

Dave’s BERNINA is offering a terrific deal: a workshop & lecture combo for just $99. You can also sign up for the lecture only for just $25.

Click here to sign up for my quilting workshop & lecture in Provo.
Click here to sign up for the lecture/trunk show only in Provo.

You can also contact Dave’s BERNINA Provo to register by phone (801) 374-5520 or email: info@davesbernina.com.

Teaching in St. George, UT

On Friday, August 9th, I’ll travel to the St. George location and repeat the same series with the lecture on Friday evening followed by the full-day class on Saturday, August 10th.

Click here to sign up for my quilting workshop & lecture in St. George.
Click here to sign up for the lecture/trunk show only in St. George.

You can also contact Dave’s BERNINA St. George to register by phone (435) 656-1498 or email: info@davesbernina.com

Christa and Maudie at Market

It was fun to catch up with Maudie Borget at market who oversees the St. George location. 🙂

I’m very excited for my local friends and fans who’ve been begging me to teach closer to home (in Las Vegas). This is the closest I’ll get for a couple of years, so be sure to join me if you can!

Click here for my current teaching schedule. I may be coming to an event near you!

QuiltCon Registration Opens June 26 for MQG Members

Just a friendly reminder that QuiltCon 2019 registration opens for MQG members Tuesday, June 26 at 7:00 AM Pacific Time (10 AM Eastern). Here’s a recap of what I’m offering:

My QuiltCon 2019 Teaching Schedule

DSMQ200 Walking Foot Wonders, Thursday Feb. 21, 9-5

Learn to stitch beyond the ditch and unleash the power of your walking foot to quilt modern or traditional designs. Walking foot motifs to be taught include: wavy lines, decorative stitches, irregular grids, several different spirals, straight‐line designs, and more. You’ll leave class armed with the confidence that yes, you can quilt your own quilts! This is a hands-on machine class with machines provided for each student.

Walking foot Quilting Workshop


QDR010 Plan Your Quilting (A), Saturday Feb. 23, 2-5 PM Or
QDR011 PLan Your Quilting (B), Saturday Feb. 23, 6-9 PM

How do you get from “quilt as desired” to a cohesive quilting strategy? Students
will practice sketching quilting motifs on paper, then learn strategies to apply those designs to an actual quilt top. Students will each have a chance to create several different quilting plans using images of their own quilts printed on paper, as well as learning how to create quilting plans for a wide variety of quilt designs. This is hands‐on drawing workshop.

Plan Your Machine Quilting


lec22 Infusing Modern into Machine Quilting, Sunday Feb. 24, 10:15 AM

This informative lecture is full of examples from previous QuiltCons, demonstrating how the modern aesthetic can apply to the machine quilting process. Learn how negative space, minimalism, graphic geometry, improvisation and other hallmarks of the modern aesthetic can be incorporated into your machine quilting work.

Attendees will gain a better understanding of why many modern quilters choose to employ an abundance of straight line and “industrial looking” designs rather than quilting overly ornate and perfectly symmetrical motifs. Suggestions on how to incorporate graphic and linear free‐motion quilting as an alternative to straight‐ line quilting will also be explored.

View from the stage at QuiltCon

View from my lecture last time I spoke at QuiltCon 2017


Non-member registration opens July 10 and I’m excited to be teaching for the third time with a new slate of workshops. If the prior years are any indication, things will sell out fast so set your alarm, make a list of first and second choices and be ready to roll when registration opens!

HST Remix by Christa Watson

My quilt, HST Remix hanging at QuiltCon 2018

If you plan to attend but aren’t sure if workshops are your thing – don’t worry – there’s still plenty to do. There will be social meetups every night, gorgeous quilts to be inspired by, and of course lots of food, shopping and fun! So make plans to attend QuiltCon in Nashville, Tennessee Feb 21-24, 2019. If you are unable to make it, click here to view my current teaching schedule.

QuiltCon 2019 Catalog Just Released – Here’s What I’m Teaching

I’m excited to be teaching at QuiltCon once again February 21-24 in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve been to every QuiltCon since it began and this will be my third time as a member of the faculty. I’m most excited about the fact that although I’ll be plenty busy teaching 3 workshops and a lecture, I’ll still have plenty of time for all of the social events, too.

QuiltCon 2019 CatalogClick here to get the complete QuiltCon 2019 catalog.
Member registration opens June 26 and general registration begins July 10.

My QuiltCon 2019 Teaching Schedule

DSMQ200 Walking Foot Wonders, Thursday Feb. 21, 9-5

Learn to stitch beyond the ditch and unleash the power of your walking foot to quilt modern or traditional designs. Walking foot motifs to be taught include: wavy lines, decorative stitches, irregular grids, several different spirals, straight‐line designs, and more. You’ll leave class armed with the confidence that yes, you can quilt your own quilts! This is a hands-on machine class with machines provided for each student.

Walking foot Quilting Workshop


QDR010 Plan Your Quilting (A), Saturday Feb. 23, 2-5 PM Or
QDR011 PLan Your Quilting (B), Saturday Feb. 23, 6-9 PM

How do you get from “quilt as desired” to a cohesive quilting strategy? Students
will practice sketching quilting motifs on paper, then learn strategies to apply those designs to an actual quilt top. Students will each have a chance to create several different quilting plans using images of their own quilts printed on paper, as well as learning how to create quilting plans for a wide variety of quilt designs. This is hands‐on drawing workshop.

Plan Your Machine Quilting


lec22 Infusing Modern into Machine Quilting, Sunday Feb. 24, 10:15 AM

This informative lecture is full of examples from previous QuiltCons, demonstrating how the modern aesthetic can apply to the machine quilting process. Learn how negative space, minimalism, graphic geometry, improvisation and other hallmarks of the modern aesthetic can be incorporated into your machine quilting work.

Attendees will gain a better understanding of why many modern quilters choose to employ an abundance of straight line and “industrial looking” designs rather than quilting overly ornate and perfectly symmetrical motifs. Suggestions on how to incorporate graphic and linear free‐motion quilting as an alternative to straight‐ line quilting will also be explored.

The last time I taught at QuiltCon I was part of a panel lecture/discussion about managing your fabric stash with the lovely and talented Judy Gauthier, Rossie Hutchinson and Mary Fons.

This QuiltCon is shaping up to be one of the best, yet! There are loads of meetups and mixers and the class catalog offers the widest variety of lectures and workshops they’ve ever offered. I’ve got my eye on a design workshop I want to take, and there are plenty of lectures I’m interested in, too!

I hope you’ll make plans to attend, whether or not you take any workshops. QuiltCon is unlike any other quilt show I’ve attended – there’s definitely a party atmosphere there and half of the fun is the socializing! Leave a comment if you plan to attend and let’s get this party started early!!

Your Chance to Win the Kit from my Craftsy Class – Startup Library: Quilting!

It’s just been a month since the launch of my new Craftsy class, Startup Library: Quilting, and already I’ve taught hundreds of students how to make a complete quilt from start to finish!! I love how the Craftsy platform allows me to interact with my students and see their progress, even though we might be thousands of miles apart! For those of you who are new to the blog, or Craftsy, let me tell you a little more about this class. Then see the end of this post for a giveaway to get you started!!

Christa Watson Startup Library Quilting

Click here to get 50% off Startup Library: Quilting (valid thru 10/8/17)

In class, you’ll explore a range of key tools and techniques as you learn to make a quilt from start to finish. I’ll guide you step-by-step through preparing your fabric, cutting out the pieces and sewing them into blocks, as well as basting, machine quilting, and binding to help you finish your quilt with ease. Plus, when you learn with Craftsy you can work at your own pace and ask me questions as you go. By the end of my class, you’ll be quilting with confidence in no time!

WHAT YOU NEED

Lesson 1: Fabrics & Tools (28 min)
It’s every quilter’s favorite part of project prep: shopping! In this first lesson, I’ll explain the fundamentals of quilting and what to keep in mind when shopping for supplies.

Startup Library Quilting

Lesson 2: Know Your Machine (24 min)
Understand what type of sewing machine best suits your needs, including the features worth splurging on (or not!). Then, get familiar with your machine as you learn to thread it, wind a bobbin and keep an accurate seam allowance.

SETUP

Lesson 3: Working with Patterns (9 min)
Follow along as I go over the information included in your quilting patterns. Find out how to work with patterns as you piece your tops, plus get tips for successfully choosing projects.

MAKE IT

Lesson 4: Cutting the Pieces (38 min)
Before you begin sewing, you’ll need to cut the pieces for your blocks. Learn to work with a rotary cutter and mat as you cut yardage, fat quarters and more.

Christa Watson Craftsy Class

Lesson 5: Chain Blocks (24 min)
Get right into action by sewing up your first quilt block, the Chain! Find out how to keep track of all nine pieces as you sew and press the first block, then make quick work of the piecing by sewing several blocks together at once.

Lesson 6: Star Blocks (32 min)
Ready to throw some half-square triangle units into the mix? Here, you’ll sew the second block of your quilt. Find out how to tame stretchy edges and ensure all of your star points face the right direction.

Christa Watson Craftsy Class

Lesson 7: Assembling the Quilt Top (27 min)
Now, it’s time to have some fun! Arrange and organize your quilt blocks before you sew them together. Then, sew blocks into rows and rows into the inner top – you’ll love my method for keeping blocks in order as you sew!

Lesson 8: Borders (27 min)
Your quilt top is almost done! All you need to do is add the solid and scrappy borders to set off the design. Learn how to piece and add each border, and fix it if it’s slightly too long for your quilt.

Lesson 9: Backing & Batting (11 min)
In this lesson, you’ll prepare the remaining layers for your quilt. Learn how to choose and prepare batting — the center layer of the quilt — and piece the backing fabric.

Christa Watson Craftsy Class

Lesson 10: Basting (8 min)
The secret to quality quilting? Basting, which holds all of the layers together securely. I’ll teach you how to spray-baste the layers and assemble your quilt, explaining why pressing helps you ensure solid results.

Lesson 11: Find Your Quilting Path (38 min)
Quilting — the stitching that holds layers together — can really accentuate your piecing work. Discover different ways to accomplish this, from working with a long-arm quilter to using your domestic machine. And, see how to stitch-in-the-ditch and apply decorative wavy lines using your walking foot.

Lesson 12: Free-Motion Quilting (23 min)
Ready to dip your toes into free-motion quilting? This method allows you to move your needle in any direction. If you’d like, stitch a stipple and continuous curve design on your quilt, or practice for your next quilt project.

Christa Watson Machine Quilting Craftsy Class

Lesson 13: Binding (13 min)
Finish the edges of your quilt by applying a binding. I’ll show you how to prepare for this step. Learn to cut and piece the strips to create the binding, calculate the length you need for any quilt, and square up — or trim — your quilt.

Lesson 14: Binding the Quilt (37 min)
You’re almost there! In this final lesson, find out how to sew the binding to the quilt and finish it by hand. Easily turn with the corners and join the tails with my expert instruction, then get ready to enjoy your quilt!

Christa Watson Craftsy Class

For a limited time, you can get 50% off the regular price of my class when you use this link. The regular price will show on the home screen, but once you click “add to cart” you’ll see the discount. Just for comparison, this class is approximately 2-3 times longer than a “regular” Craftsy class, so it’s a tremendous value, especially when you get it on sale!

GIVEAWAY TIME!
Here’s a behind the scenes secret to share: as I was making the quilt, Craftsy sent me extra fabrics just in case. I ended up with enough fabric for an extra kit. Since I’ve already made the quilt twice (once ahead of time to test it, and a second time on video) – I don’t need to make a third, so I’d rather pass the extra fabric along to you! The kit includes one fat quarter bundle + background to make the quilt top and binding as shown in the class.

Lily and Loom Fabric

This giveaway is open to all (int’l winner just pays shipping). To enter, leave me a comment letting me know how many UFO’s (Unfinished Fabric Objects) you currently have! Once you take my class, you’ll be armed with the skills to finish them up! The giveaway will remain open through Sunday night, Aug 13, 2017 and I’ll choose a winner first thing Monday morning.

Click here to learn more and watch a preview video for Startup Library: Quilting

Update: Winner Selected and Comments Closed

Congrats to Susan M. who has been contacted via email.

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My Trip to Quilt Nebraska 2017

I’m trying to carve out more time to share a little update each time I teach. Although I repeat a lot of the same classes, it’s so fun to meet such a variety of fun quilters when I travel! In each workshop I teach, I’m always taking mental notes of what works well, what could use some tweaking, and which of my silly jokes get the most laughs!!

Teaching at Quilt Nebraska 2017

Ahem, there’s no Las Vegas in NE, so I made a simple fix!

Last weekend I was in a tiny, but adorable little town callked Kearney, as one of the teachers they brought in for Quilt Nebraska, the annual retreat of the Nebraska State Quilt Guild.  (Next year’s event will take place in Omaha if you are nearby and inclined to go.)

Although it took me 10 hours, 3 different planes (including the tiny one below), and 2 layovers to get there, it was worth the trip. Whenever I’m among quilters, I truly feel at home among friends.

The Glamourous Life of a Traveling Teacher!

This is what the “glamorous” life of a traveling teacher looks like, LOL!!

On Friday I taught my most popular class – a full day of Modern Machine Quilting. I teach this class using a sampling of designs from all 3 of my books. First, we tackle walking foot quilting in the morning, which builds up the students’ confidence. My favorite part of this class is when students realize that YES, they can quilt their own quilts and they can do more than just stitch in the ditch!

Walking Foot Quilting: Spirals

Although I teach several different walking foot designs, spirals are always a favorite!

Then after a nice lunch break, we practice free-motion quilting in the afternoon. In a relatively short class like this (6 hours goes by fast!), there’s not enough time to quilt on an actual quilt, so students practice on sample sandwiches consisting of fabric and batting scraps. The best part about getting to play is that it’s okay to learn and be a “perfeclty imperfect quilter”, since it’s all just practice.

Free Motion Quilting: Student work in Christa Watson's class

Here are some great student examples of the free-motion favorites we tackle in class.

Not only do students learn how to quilt the actual motifs, we also have a discussion on how to apply those motifs to an actual quilt. It’s similar to the process I teach in my Craftsy class, The Quilter’s Path. If students can make a plan to tackle their quilting, and break it up into bite size pieces, it’s much easier to handle and they don’t get overwhelmed.

Carol Ann Waugh Lecture

Carol Ann Waugh shared her inspiring creative journey.

Friday evening we were fed a yummy dinner and treated to an inspiring presentation by Fiber artist, Carol Ann Waugh. I’ve long been an admirer of hers and I got to have some fabulous conversation with her and another amazing instructor, Becky Goldsmith of Piece O’ Cake Designs. It’s fun to talk shop and compare notes with these teachers on how best to interact with students so they get the best possible experience!

Christa Watson, Carol Ann Waugh and Becky Goldsmith

I love getting to know other instructors along with the students!

On Saturday, I taught students how to dive into improvisation piecing while make the Facets quilt from my book Machine Quilting with Style. I teach this class a lot, and it never gets old!! The beauty of improv is that no student’s quilts look alike, even if they are using the same fabrics, and making the same design!

Student work on Facets from Machine Quilting with Style

Just a few of the gorgeous blocks being sewn in class.

Saturday night capped off the event with an excellent lecture about Modern Quilting from Kristy Daum. Kristy and I are online friends and we’ve gotten to chat for a few minutes here and there at quilt shows and industry events. She was even part of my blog hop when my first book came out a couple of years ago. Click here to see the version of Facets that she made!

Kirsty and I had a great time chatting over dinner and getting to know each other better. She told me more about her experience judging QuiltCon earlier this year, and I think it was the most we’d ever talked to each other in person!! We even realized we will both be teaching at Maine Quilts next year and it will be fun to see her again!

Christa Watson and Kristy Daum

Kristy shared a bit about her creative journey along with the evolution of modern quilting. It was fun to watch many of the audience members get excited about what she had two say, and I think between the two of us, we made quite a few modern quilt converts over the weekend!!

Kristy Daum Modern Quilt Lecture

Community in quilting is so important – whether you find it in a guild, class, or online!!

It was a fabulous weekend and I’m happy to be home for a few more days before I head off to Houston to teach for a couple of guilds there: The Coastal Prairie Quilt Guild of Texas and the Houston MQG. I can’t wait to meet more fun friends!!

Christa’s Soap Box – I like to Share

Hi friends! It’s been a loooong time since I’ve written a “soap box” post! But don’t worry, they aren’t as scary or “controversial” as the name may imply, LOL!! My blog is my happy place, so I try keep things uplifting and positive around here. My soap box posts are just a chance for me to share my thoughts and feelings about quilting in general, with no other purpose than to be sort of a journal for me to capture what I’m thinking about, and a place for you to respond if you feel so inclined.

(I’ve included a few pictures from my week at Vermont Quilt Festival so that it’s not all text.)

Feathered Chevrons at Vermont Quilt Festival

Feathered Chevrons was my entry into the Faculty Exhibit at Vermont Quilt Festival 2017.

Recently I’ve been thinking about social media sharing. I have social media accounts in all the places (FB, IG, pinterest and soon to be YouTube.. yadayada.. – just go to the appropriate spot and type Christa Quilts), but I always return to my blog as my “home base.” It’s the one place I can go to write long form essays, share indepth written tutorials, and post lots of pics.

Don’t get me wrong, the bite-sized snippets that we all share on Instagram, Facebook, etc. are great. And you can’t beat the reach of a dedicated weekly email newsletter. However, I feel like there’s so much “noise” out there that sometimes things can get lost. I just recently returned from a teaching trip and I realized how much I enjoy the personal face-to-face interactions with my students in a classroom environment. Although there’s no way to replicate that exactly on social media, I feel like my blog is the next best thing and here’s why:

Christa Watson trunk show of quilts

Some of my quilts on display after my machine quilting trunk show.

When I teach an in-person class, the students are coming to me. They’ve signed up for the class, have prepared their class materials ahead of time, and they are excited to learn. Once they’ve read the class description, they know what to expect and we all have a fabulous time. We have created a community and many times we create relationships that extend far beyond the scheduled teaching day.

Student work - free motion quilting class with christa watson

Student practice in my free-motion quilting class.

When I blog, you come here to read what I’ve written, or be inspired by what I’m sharing. Many of you even leave comments which I do my best to answer to directly, and I really like that interaction. I really do consider you all friends here and try to treat my blog as an extension of my classroom. I’m NOT standing on a street corner (or better yet – at the entrance to a quilt shop) yelling “hey come take my class – I want to teach you something!” as crowds of people shuffle by on their way to do something else. Yet, that is sometimes how social media can feel. So. Much. Noise.

All of this is to say I’m going to start spending a little more time here, and posting more often. Don’t worry, I’ll still be in alltheotherplaces. And I have no set schedule that I have to keep up with. Sometimes I may only have time to share once a week with a quick update. Other times I may share several in-depth posts in a row. But it will definitely be thoughtful and with purpose.

At times my posts will need to be promotional (gotta pay the bills); other times they may be poignant (writing helps me think).

Student work from String of Pearls

Student work from my String of Pearls class.

After I wrote my fist book in 2015, things got really crazy really fast. Now 3 books, 2 Craftsy classes and one soon-to-be-revealed-big-project later, I realize that I miss blogging regularly. So I’m jumping back into it. Although I know I won’t post everyday, I realize I do best when I capture thoughts and ideas and write a little bit each day. So it may take me 3 days to write a post, but I’m excited to make blogging part of my regular routine again.

Student work on Facets from Machine Quilting with style by Christa Watson

Student work in my improv piecing class. We made Facets from Machine Quilting with Style.

It’s been nearly 7 years since I first started blogging and I still enjoy it – so thanks to all of you who have been with me since the beginning. And I offer a warm welcome to those of you who’ve just joined! Now I gotta go jot down some more ideas about my next post….

Happy quilting, friends!

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Vermont Quilt Festival Class Registration Now Open – See My Schedule

This year I’m getting to travel to so many beautiful places I’ve never been before. That includes Essex, Vermont to teach at the Vermont Quilt Festival which has been going strong for 41 years! The show runs from Fri-Sunday, June 23-25 and classes start on Thursday, June 22. I’ll be teaching a total of 4 classes plus a trunk show. Read below for details:

Vermont Quilt Festival

The registration process for the show requires you to create an account and then purchase your $35 registration ticket which includes entry into the show the entire time. After registration, you  can then select the classes you wish to take.  It’s a little cumbersome, so to make it easier, here are some quick links:

Step 1Click here to create an account on their site. Then login.

Step 2Click here to add the $35 registration. Click “book ticket” to add it to your cart. The item “registration” is located in the “class categories” option.

Step 3Click here to view and add classes to your cart. You can search classes by category, instructor or date.

Step 4Click here to view and select any of my classes. Click each image individually to add it to your cart. Then check out and pay as you normally would.

The system will allow you to view the classes, but it won’t allow you to add classes to your cart until you’ve added the registration option. When you click on the detail of each class, it will list the number of seats still available.

Here’s what I’m teaching:

#118 – Modern Machine Quilting

Christa Watson Books

Thursday, June 22: 8-3
Take your modern quilts to the next level by adding depth and dimension to your designs. The secret is learning to let go of perfection by practicing over a dozen different asymmetrical textures that require little to no marking of the quilt. Students will utilize both free-motion and walking foot techniques by practicing on small practice samples or leftover quilt blocks. Students may bring in their tops for a discussion of possible quilting ideas.

Click here to purchase the recommended books, signed by me.

#203 – Ultimate Free Motion Fillers

Friday June 23: 8-12
Learn 12 fun fillers in just 4 hours! This class will walk you through a dozen of the free-motion motifs from The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting. This will be a fast paced class, so students should be comfortable working with their machines and have a little bit of experience with machine quilting. Book Required: The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting.

Click here to purchase the required book, signed by me and Angela.

#204 – Machine Quilting Trunk Show

Colorful chevrons

Friday, June 23: 1:30-3:30
I enjoy making complete quilts from start to finish, and am excited to share quilts from my books and patterns. I’ll share a few tips I’ve learned that make the machine quilting process easier, and will present a variety of designs that can be done on a home sewing machine. Exact quilts shown will vary and my lecture will include detailed images of machine quilting, as well as an opportunity to get up close and personal with my quilts.

#321 – Structured Improv Piecing (Facets)

Facets

Saturday, June 24: 8-3
Learn how to dive into improvisational piecing, but in an organized way. Students will create their own crazy pieced fabric, then give it some structure when they make their own Facets quilt top. Class includes instruction for quilt top only. Required book: Machine Quilting With Style.

Click here to purchase the required book, signed by me.

#413 – String of Pearls

String of pearls

Sunday, June 25: 8-12
Show off your favorite collection of fabrics with this bright, graphic quilt. It’s a great first pattern to get your feet wet with modern design. The blocks are easy to sew with plenty of background space for you to add interesting quilting texture. Class includes the instruction for quilt top only.

Click here to purchase the required pattern.

If you plan to attend the show, please let me know in the comments! It would be so great to meet you in person. 🙂

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