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Somethin' Fishy and Somethin' in the Air Materials List FOR SOMETHIN' FISHY: A FISH. It will be helpful to have a picture or design to use as inspiration in shape and color. Bring a few if you can't decide on one! I will also have patterns available in class. FOR SOMETHIN' IN THE AIR: A BUTTERFLY. It will be helpful to have a picture or design to use as inspiration in shape and color. Bring a few if you can't decide on one! I will also have patterns available in class.
- FABRIC. In general, you will need more variety than quantity. Bring lots of pieces of fabric in the color palette(s) you would like to work in, especially prints. I find them more usable and also more interesting than solids. As far as color goes, be bold. Try using fabrics and colors that are new for you -- fish and butterflies really do come in the wildest colors. Don't limit yourself to cottons either. If you have a piece of a wonderful rayon or silk then bring it along as well. Scrap baskets are great!
- BACKGROUND FABRIC. If you have some fabric you think you'd like to go behind your fish or butterfly, then bring it. A variety of possibilities is good -- you can always piece a background as well. In any case, you'll be deciding this AFTER you get your fish made.
- FOUNDATION FABRIC. A piece of muslin or other plain fabric. 1/2 yard is plenty.
- TOP NETTING. I will be proposing shadow quilting to you as a quilting technique. This will be an optional technique, but it does prove to be helpful to some, especially those with little machine quilting experience. If you would like to try this, you will need 1/2 yard of a lightweight tulle in any color. Black or other dark colors often work well.
*(A note on all fabric: you do not necessarily need to pre-wash all of your fabric. It certainly won't hurt , but this finished quilt is not meant to be worn and washed, but treated as artwork to hang on your wall.)
- OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS. Pencil, tracing paper, freezer paper (optional), scissors (for both paper and fabric), straight pins, glue (I like Aileene's Tacky Glue), reducing glass if you have one.
The rest of these supplies are optional, depending on how fast you tend to work in class. After you have pieced your fish or butterfly, I'll discuss machine quilting and finishing techniques. If you think you may get to that point (many do), or if you'd like to practice some machine quilting on a test piece of fabric, then you will also need:
- BACKING FABRIC. You'll need enough to cover the back of your quilted fish or butterfly. This is a small sized project averaging 12 x 16 inches.
- BATTING. Thinner cotton batting large enough to cover the size of your finished fish or butterfly.
- THREAD. A variety of colors to match your fabrics plus a few darker and lighter as contrast. Monofilament sometimes works well. Metallics and rayon if you'd like to play with them.
- SAFETY PINS. For basting.
- SEWING MACHINE. NEEDS to have the ability to lower the feed-dogs or has a stitch plate to cover them up (check your manual or dealer if unsure). You will need a darning foot or freehand embroidery foot and #80 (avg. wt.) needles. PLEASE check out the feed-dogs and darning foot BEFORE coming to class!
- Rotary cutter, cutting board and rule.
Fabric Images Materials List - IDEAS. You will need to decide on a subject for your fabric image before class. If you can't quite decide between a couple different ideas then bring both and plan starting on one in class. Each idea will need it's appropriate photos or sketches you may already have, as well as any memorabilia, fabric, trim, beads, or other tidbits you would like to include.
- FABRIC. Keep in mind the subject of your quilt. For example, if you know you want a big sky over a big lake, then make sure you have enough sky, cloud, and water fabric to cover the expanse. Portraits will need a wide range of "flesh" colors--look for them in prints, not only solids. In general though, you will need more variety than quantity. Check your scrap basket! Bring lots of pieces of fabric that you think will work. (I usually find prints more usable and also more interesting than solids.) Sheer fabrics such as tulle, netting, and organza in a variety of colors can help with shadow and highlight details of your images.
- FOUNDATION FABRIC. A piece of muslin or other plain fabric that is slightly larger than you'll want your finished quilt to be.
*(A note on all fabric: you do not necessarily need to pre-wash all of your fabric. It certainly won't hurt , but this finished quilt is not meant to be worn and washed, but treated as artwork to hang on your wall.)
- TOP NETTING. I will be proposing shadow quilting to you as a quilting technique. For this you will need a lightweight tulle in any color the same size as your base fabric. Black or other dark colors often work well.
- EVERYTHING ELSE. Pencil, sketch paper, tracing paper, scissors (for both paper and fabric), straight pins, glue (I like Aileene's Tacky Glue), OPTIONAL: reducing glass, freezer paper, colored pencils.
The rest of these supplies you may or may not need, depending on how fast you tend to work in class. On the second day, I'll discuss machine quilting and finishing ideas. If you think you may get to that point, or if you would like to practice machine quilting on a test piece, then you will also need:
- BACKING & BORDER FABRIC. It's hard to know what you will want the borders to look like before the center is pieced, but bring along any possibilities just in case. The backing fabric should be as big as the base fabric.
- THREAD. A variety of colors to match your fabrics plus a few darker and lighter as contrast. Monofilament sometimes works well. Metallics and rayon if you feel they might be appropriate.
- BATTING. Thin cotton batting, again, large enough to more than cover the size of your finished quilt.
- SEWING MACHINE. MUST to have the ability to lower the feed-dogs or has a stitch plate to cover them up (check your manual or dealer if unsure). You will need a darning foot or freehand embroidery foot, and a regular straight stitch foot, and #80 (avg. wt.) needles. PLEASE check out the feed-dogs and darning foot BEFORE coming to class!
- ALSO: Safety pins for basting, rotary cutter, cutting board and rule.
- A photocopy of your subject at the size of your completed piece. Also bring tracing paper. Optional designs will be available for a small fee. - Scraps of fabric in a variety of colors and shapes. The little pieces that you would nomally throw away. The more the better, fiber content may, and can, vary. - Foundation fabric. Muslin works well, as it is sturdy but light enough so that a photocopied pattern can be seen through it. It should be large enough to more than cover the base of your project. - Other fabrics needed: netting and tulle in a variety of colors, backing fabric, thin cotton batting. - Aileen's Tacky Glue or other water soluble, non-toxic, craft or fabric glue. I like a glue that has some body to it (it won't seep through the fabric easily) and that dries flexible (some white glues are made to dry stiff). - Fabric scissors - different sizes or styles may be helpful. Larger for the straight cuts, smaller for detail cutting. I find pelican-bladed embroidery scissors nice for cutting around curves. - Sharpened pencils and a fine-point permanent marker. - Safety pins for basting. - A variety of threads for quilting. I particularly enjoy using rayon, variegated, or other specialty threads. - A sewing machine that can be set up for free-motion machine quiltingÑincluding the correct presser foot (refer to owner's manual if needed). - A rotary cutter, cutting mat, and cutting rulers. Optional yet helpful: - A reducing glass (looks like a magnifying glass), or a peep-hole from a door (find at a hardware store), or digital camera. Any of these will reduce the image you are looking at and allow you to assess how your work is progressing from a different perspective. You do not need tracing paper or other supplies to cut templates. You are cutting loose. |
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