Improv piecing–free form piecing–liberated quilting—whatever name you call it by, I love teaching others how to do it. Because it’s been my way of life as a quilter for quite a while now, it feels very natural to me. I have read the books by other authors and studied up on the methods and thought processes behind their styles. While I teach my own favorite way of working, this study gives me a wealth of ways in which to present ideas to my students so that they can become comfortable working outside the box.
My class yesterday was small, just the way I like it. Only 3 students, but they were all eager to learn the free form process. And oh, my—they did SO well! We really did get all the basics covered quickly.
Cheryl’s first set of elements
Lynda used larger pieces when she began making her elements
Karen had a great blend of florals and solids
They were all so happy to find out how easy it was to sew curves.
Curves!!!
Everyone got their elements onto the design wall with plenty of time to talk about the finishing part of the process.
Lynda was quick to slice larger elements into mix-and-match pieces that really worked to add sparkle all through her piece
A quick look at Karen’s elements–after that first curved seam!
Cheryl ended up with a lot of curved seam pieces, but even her first group of elements on the design wall gave a feeling of serenity
We had such a great time slicing and whacking and arranging and re-arranging. It’s a lot to absorb in one session when you are looking at a whole new way of making and assembling quilts. But it’s also a process in which it’s extremely hard to make a mistake, so it’s a lot of fun.
I know I had a great time teaching it and I think my students had a good time enlarging their skill set and becoming designers of unique quilts!
Thanks for a great class Kathy! I learned so much and can’t wait to keep breaking rules (what rules?)!! You are a gifted teacher who manages to pack a wealth of ideas into one short class, working at each student’s pace, offering lots of encouragement to stretch our imagination. I have added myself to your list of bloggers and will look forward to seeing what you’re up to next!
Thanks, Cheryl. I enjoy teaching very much and I’m always so happy when someone enjoys rule-breaking quilting as much as I do! Keep it up and I can’t wait to see how you finish your piece.
I just made a piece like this and found it lots of fun! Glad you are teaching to others!
I’ve been teaching this for about 5 or 6 years now and I never get tired of it! It just gives students such a sense of freedom!
So wish I was in your area-would love to take your class!
I wish we lived close together, too…I could learn so much from you about quilting!
Thank you, Kathryn, you were an excellent teacher. I had lots of fun and sure enjoyed this class. I recommend all quilters and designers to come and join us rebels, learning to think out of the box. There were so many “best parts”of the class, its hard to name just one…. I know the one part we will all remember, no mistakes because at the end “it just doesn’t matter”. As Lynda said, “it is a learning curve”. She was right about that, we sure did learn to curve, stack, slash and think out of the box. Not sure if I can go back to traditional quilting, b! I am looking forward to making new projects without rules
I’m so glad you enjoyed the class and are now a real rule-breaker! Let’s hear it for knowing that every quilt will be unique!!
Love your work! So glad you share this technique with others.
Looks like you are getting the hang of being a rule-breaker, too! Keep up the good work.