Smashing Settings for Sampler Blocks Workshop

Description

This one-day workshop is based on the premise that there are many ways to create an innovative setting for sampler or friendship blocks, and that a quilt's border should not be a design afterthought, or something rigid to "hold the quilt in", but rather be a well designed space in which the quilt comes to a gradual visual close.

Students will go home with many design ideas on paper, which they can "flesh out" at their leisure. A simple graph paper template system and color strategies will also be covered in class, so students can begin to work with quilt blocks as soon as they get home!

Important Notes

Smashing Settings for Sampler Blocks is offered as a one-session or two-session workshop. Make sure to check the supply list for the class you're attending.

Supplies Needed for One-Session Workshop

• Copy of book Smashing Sets: Exciting Ways to Arrange Quilt Blocks (available from your local quilt shop or from the author )
• Pencils, sharpener, eraser
• FLAT rulers (one long, one short are handy) NOT plexiglas straightedges, because they cast a shadow on the paper.
• Graph Paper – 8 squares per inch preferable, cross section pad. If you can't find 8 squares/inch, bring whatever graph paper you have.
• Tracing paper – pad or roll
• Glue stick, scotch tape
• Scissors for paper AND rotary cutter with blade too dull to cut fabric
• Rotary cutting mat
• Plexiglas straightedge: 6" x 24"
• 1-1/2 yds fuzzy surface fabric (cotton quilt batting or flannel-backed tablecloth are best ) to display blocks on the wall
• WIDE masking tape to adhere design surface to wall.
• Optional but recommended
  • Desk lamp for your working area at the workshop.
  • Cushion or pillow for your chair to raise you to a good working height!
  • IF you have a set of quilt blocks at home you've never set together, bring them. Having quilt blocks to see out of the corner of your eye sometimes makes the design exercises more tangible. If you don't have a set of blocks, perhaps a quilting friend does. It doesn't matter if the blocks are not all the same size, or the same design, or even the same color strategy!

Supplies Needed for Two-Session Workshop

• Copy of book Smashing Sets: Exciting Ways to Arrange Quilt Blocks (available from your local quilt shop or from the author )
• Pencils, sharpener, eraser
• FLAT rulers (one long, one short are handy) NOT plexiglas straightedges, because they cast a shadow on the paper.
• Graph Paper – 8 squares per inch preferable, cross section pad. If you can't find 8 squares/inch, bring whatever graph paper you have.
• Tracing paper – pad or roll
• Glue stick, scotch tape
• Scissors for paper AND rotary cutter with blade too dull to cut fabric
• Rotary cutting mat
• Plexiglas straightedge: 6" x 24"
• 1-1/2 yds fuzzy surface fabric (cotton quilt batting or flannel-backed tablecloth are best ) to display blocks on the wall
• WIDE masking tape to adhere design surface to wall
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, BRING A SET OF QUILT BLOCKS WHICH NEED TO BE SET !! If you don't have any of your own, perhaps one of your quilting friends have blocks to volunteer! These may be friendship blocks, sampler blocks, blocks of all one design or all different; blocks of more than one size or shape, any blocks!!!!
• Cushion or pillow for your chair to raise you to a good working height!!
• Extension cord with multi-plug outlet
• Small table lamp to illuminate your personal table space (for first day)

Since most of your class time will be spent designing a setting for your sampler blocks, and cutting shapes to put in place on the design wall, it is unlikely that you will do much sewing in class. However, if you border each of your blocks ( to set them off from the background or to help make them square), or if you do strip piecing or speed-pieced checkerboarding to fill some of your template shapes or background areas, you will be sewing right away.

• Bring your sewing machine and all you need to go with it (thread, power cord, foot pedal, tool box, presser feet, extra needles, etc.) But leave these supplies in the trunk of your car until you see that you are going to need them. You will definitely not need a sewing machine during the first day of class.
• Straight pins – to pin your shapes to the pellon for transporting home after class
• Iron with small ironing board; bring distilled water for iron if you use it.
• Fabrics: A larger number of smaller pieces of fabric is better than a few large pieces in a limited range of values/colors.
• Bring COMPLETE range of values – lights, mediums, darks
• Bring fabrics of the predominant color family in the blocks, as well as complementary colors, analogous colors, etc. For example: if in your quilt blocks the color BLUE predominates:
  • Complementary colors would be oranges
  • Triad color combinations might be:
       Blue, yellow orange and red orange
       Blues, yellows and reds
  • Quadratic Chords (found by placing square or rectangle onto color wheel, with one corner in BLUE:
       Blue, yellow green, orange, red violet
       Blue, yellow, orange, violet

For more on choosing a range of colors/values, see my book Blockbender Quilts, pp. 141-142, or Strips That Sizzle, pp. 77-79. In the colors chosen, remember to bring LIGHTS, MEDIUMS, AND DARKS. It is not necessary to buy ALL fabrics new; pull from your own fabric collection first!