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Stitch to the Finish Line with Machine Quilting

Stitch to the Finish Line with Machine Quilting

Full Day
Beginner to Intermediate

Dig yourself out from under all those pieced tops and finish them with machine quilting. We will cover all aspects of machine quilting and free motion quilting including using a walking foot, a darning foot and working with specialty threads like rayon and metallic. We will practice ways of breaking away from using pre-determined quilting patterns and encouraging “you” to become the creator. Whether this is your first experience at machine quilting, or you are ready to branch into free motion, you will gain practical tips and confidence. We will begin the class with using practice sandwiched kits, then move to discuss how to quilt a wall sized, layered project you bring from home.

Supply List - Stitch to the Finish Line Workshop by Wendy Butler Berns

Required:
• Sewing machine cleaned in good working order and general sewing supplies
• Walking foot
• Darning foot
• Monofilament thread – YLI, Sulky, Wonder, Sew Art, or Mono-Poly brand, clear color
  
• Cotton thread for initial practicing
  
• Bobbins wound with a neutral cotton thread that generally blends with your backing fabric
  
• Microtex sharp sewing machine needles, size # 12(80)
  
• Schmetz Top stitch size # 14 (90) sewing machine needles
  
• Spool of cotton thread –neutral color and a color to coordinate with your wall hanging
  
• Machine quilting gloves- I recommend "Machingers"
• Layering supplies-approx. 100 1 1/2” long safety pins, batting,*** backing ,top
  
  Optional Supplies for marking quilt top:
• blue invisible pen
• soap slivers
• 1” masking tape
  
• Batting: I recommend Warm and Natural batting for machine quilting
  
  For beginning practice session:
  
• Sandwiched machine quilting practice kits: Using muslin, or older light solid fabric(rather than a print) you do not care about too much, make 3 to 5 sandwiched kits approx. 18 –24” square to use for practice. To make a kit: cut top layer, cut batting and backing layer about 1 1/2” larger, pin baste together with safety pins that are 1 1/2 - 2” long. Bring multiple (3 to 5) kits to practice on and for confidence building.
  
  Layered wall hanging:
• Once you have spent time with the practice kits, you may be ready to tackle the layered wall hanging you will bring from home. Pin-baste and layer a pieced wall hanging you just have not gotten around to quilting. Choose a project that is between approx. 24” and 45” to begin with in class. ( you can bring more than one to work on.) We will discuss as a group options for quilting the layered projects you bring.
  WE DO NOT HAVE ROOM FOR STUDENTS TO LAYER AND PIN BASTE THEIR QUILT IN CLASS, SO COME TO CLASS WITH YOUR WALLHANGING ALREADY LAYERED AND PIN BASTED.
  
  OPTIONAL : for the student wanting to explore the use of quilting with specialty threads:
  
• Spool and a bobbin partially wound with monofiliment thread (brands listed above)
  
• Jeans Stitch thread- 30 weight -heavier thread for more texture
  
• One spool of rayon and/or metallic thread
  

Classroom Set Up

• 8 foot tables at the front of the class for the instructor
• At least 1/2 of an 8 foot table per student, so there is room for sewing machines, cutting boards, etc.
• irons and ironing stations for every 3-4 students
• A flannel board or bulletin board for displaying samples and viewing projects from a distance