Let's take a modern approach to an ancient textile art in this fun and productive Itajime Shibori class, Welcome to the Fold. You will fold, clamp and dye your way into a unique collection of bold and graphic Itajime patterns. This technique and tool driven class will teach you five main folds and show you how to create infinite patterns with the use of 12 high quality acrylic shaped resist template sets.
There is a $100 materials fee for this workshop in addition to the workshop registration fee of $40. Your materials kit includes a three (3) yard pack of Cindy's high quality PFD (prepared for dyeing) fat quarters, all dye, fixatives, detergent, gloves and mask, along with a reusable toolkit that contains mixing cups and spoons, squeeze bottle and funnel, and a set of high quality resist shaped templates. Click here to order your materials kit directly from Cindy.
Hands On Hand Dyes is a line of DIY (Dye It Yourself!) Kits developed by fiber artist and color specialist Cindy Lohbeck of Scottsdale, AZ. Cindy has worked as a professional faux finisher and muralist, and also owned a tie-dyed clothing business in the early years, all of which helped refine her color mixing skills. With the addition of quilting to her creative repertoire in 2002, all of her passions collided and Hands On Hand Dyes was born.
Committed to quality, convenience and simplicity, her hand-dye kits teach color mixing, dye techniques, and valuable lessons in fast, fun, and affordable methods. There is even a non-toxic textile detergent to ensure that each treasured hand dyed fabric is brilliant and color fast. Each kit starts with her own brand of high quality prepared for dye fabric. This 100% Cotton, mercerized “PFD” dyers cloth has become a favorite, and ensures each student will achieve remarkable results. It is also crafted in the USA!
Participant Supply List
Art clothes or apron and comfortable shoes
1 plastic tote bin and lid – approximately 24” x 18” x 6”
Craft scissors
Permanent marker
1 large plastic bag (lawn & garden size)
Roll of paper towels
A dozen - 4” and four (4) - 6” spring clamps – plastic works best. (Check the big orange box store, dollar stores, and pjtool.com for best prices.) The more clamps you have, the more creative you can be!
Registration Opens: Sunday, July 3, 2022
Click to view Cindy's website.
Kick your ice dyeing up a notch in this mash up of Shibori, tie dye and ice dyeing! Cindy's folding and pleating tips, and fabric dyeing tricks will leave each student with a unique collection of radiant ice dyed mandalas and more!
There is a $100 materials fee for this workshop in addition to the workshop registration fee of $40. Your materials fee includes five (5) yards of Cindy's very own line of high quality PFD (prepared for dyeing) quilter's cotton, all dye, fixatives, detergents, bindings, gloves, dust mask, and a reusable toolkit that contains mixing cups and spoons, funnel, squeeze bottles and the Flexi-Net ice dyeing net. Click here to order your materials kit directly from Cindy.
12 large or 15 medium binder clips (office supply store)
18” to 24” acrylic ruler
Water soluble fabric marker or fabric marking pencil – medium color
Registration Opens: Monday, July 4, 2022
AAQG October General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
6:30 pm Arrive in-person or on Zoom; 6:45 pm Show and Tell; 7:00 pm Meeting; ~7:30 pm Program Presentation and Q&A
Join us to meet our special guest, Cindy Lohbeck, fiber artist and color specialist, for her presentation Diary of a Dyehard.
Having worked in textiles and fabric dyeing for over 30 years, Cindy Lohbeck is truly a DYEHARD at heart! Cindy was raised with a passion for creativity and color. Her mother taught her to sew at age 7, and she has worked with fabric ever since. With more than 25 years of experience as an interior designer, she has a love of textiles and an eye for color that is the foundation for her winning designs.
She has worked as a professional faux finisher and muralist, and also owned a tie-dyed clothing business in the early years, all of which helped refine her color mixing skills. With the addition of quilting to her creative repertoire in 2002, all of her passions collided and Hands On Hand Dyes was born. Hands On Hand Dyes is a line of DIY (Dye It Yourself!) Kits for quilters developed by Cindy in Scottsdale, AZ. Committed to quality, convenience and simplicity, her hand-dye kits teach color mixing, dye techniques, and valuable lessons in fast, fun, and affordable methods. Her beautiful color pallets and value gradations are perfect for today’s busy quilter and make hand-dying fabric accessible to everyone.
Natalya Khorover's Plastic Nature, a sustainable mixed media workshop
Here’s a creative way to help clean up our planet: make art from single-use plastic bags. Collect them for a few weeks and you’ll discover a myriad of colors, thicknesses, patterns and textures available to you. With Natalya's guidance, you’ll make art inspired by nature from the plastic bags you’ve gathered. She will show you how to prepare the plastic, cut it and stitch it by hand and machine. You will experiment with different types of stitching and finishes, and create an artwork like no other.
Supply list:
You will also need an inspiration photo or two or three, of a nature scene (a flower, a tree, rocks, landscape) printed on plain paper to 8”x10” or larger to use as a starting point.
Don’t spend good printer ink on this photo, plain paper is just fine. If you want to print it larger than 8”x10”, just print out in sections and tape together.
Registration Opens: Sunday, August 14, 2022
Click to view Natalya's website.
Natalya Khorover's Graffiti Lab, a sustainable mixed media workshop
Explore the artistry of urban graffiti and wordplay. A few trips to the supermarket will provide you with a diverse collection of fonts in different styles, sizes and colors from single-use plastic product packaging and bags. This is perfect fodder for graffiti and letter inspired art. Create puns, superlatives, proverbs and haikus you’d like to immortalize forever. (It is plastic after all, so it’ll last!) Add machine stitching and hand stitching and end up with a fun and striking new piece of art.
Registration Opens: Monday, August 15, 2022
AAQG November General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
Join us to meet artist, Natalya Khorover, and see her lecture Alternative Stitching Practices.
Art for earth’s sake – Natalya is inspired by plastic pollution, overconsumption and the urban environment. She strives to use materials which would be condemned to the landfill and chooses to use the unusual techniques of stitching and sewing to bring her artwork to life.
While her design inspiration is mainly drawn from the urban environment, it is also reliant on observations of flora and fauna around us, especially all the little details, like bubbles of rust on a railing, a gleaming reflection on a skyscraper or in a creek, and the ragged bark of a tree.
Natalya’s lecture is Alternative Stitching Practices. What can you stitch on? Just about everything! Natalya will show examples which will motivate you and inspire you, sharing details of the pleasures and occasional pitfalls of working with each. This lecture will broaden your understanding of what you can use in your art.
Jacquie Gering comes to Austin with her Creative Quilting with the Walking Foot workshop! This workshop is also available on Monday, December 5th. Want to quilt your quilts on your home machine and maybe free motion quilting isn't for you? Come discover the joy and creative possibilities of quilting with your walking foot. Linear quilting has a long history and is making a comeback in both modern and traditional quilts. Learn tips and tricks for successful quilting with your walking foot along with innovative quilting designs that can be accomplished on your home machine.
To download this workshop's materials list, please click here.
Materials List:
Sewing machine with walking foot or dual feed. Please have the guide bar or seam guide that works with your walking foot. Please make sure your machine is clean, oiled and in good working order with a fresh needle installed.
An extension table is highly recommended, but not required. Please put on the open toe sole for your foot or use the dual feed foot with the most visibility around the needle. If you are using a dual feed, please have all the feet that work with the dual feed mechanism available and have all stitch plates that are available for your machine accessible for class.
(1) 12" x 12" prepared quilt sandwich for practice (top, batting and backing)
(2) 12" x 18" prepared quilt sandwiches for practice (top, batting, and backing)
(2) 15" x 15" prepared quilt sandwiches for practice (top, batting, and backing)
Please make your sandwiches so that the backing and batting extends at least 1” on each side around the sample beyond the quiltable area.
Practice quilt sandwiches should be whole cloth and solid fabrics. I recommend low loft cotton batting. You can pin baste or spray baste your prepared quilt sandwiches but they need to be basted and ready to quilt. Spray basted quilt sandwiches will be easier to mark and are recommended.
Registration Opens: Sunday, September 4, 2022
Click to view Jacquie's website.
Jacquie Gering brings her advanced walking foot quilt workshop based on her new book WALK 2.0 to Austin!
We'll be taking the walking foot through its paces during this WALK 2.0 class. Students will learn and quilt designs that represent design categories featured in the 2.0 book. Students will learn and practice several of the BIG Six walking foot techniques. With these skills and techniques student should be able to tackle the remaining designs in the walk book on their own. Students should be familiar with walking foot basics.
To download this workshop's materials list and homework, please click here.
Homework:
Link to beam compass
Registration Opens: Monday, September 5, 2022
Jacquie Gering comes to Austin with her Creative Quilting with the Walking Foot workshop! This workshop is also available on Saturday, December 3rd. Want to quilt your quilts on your home machine and maybe free motion quilting isn't for you? Come discover the joy and creative possibilities of quilting with your walking foot. Linear quilting has a long history and is making a comeback in both modern and traditional quilts. Learn tips and tricks for successful quilting with your walking foot along with innovative quilting designs that can be accomplished on your home machine.
AAQG December General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM. Join us in person for our Holiday Party!
Join Jacquie Gering as she shares her design philosophy, process and influences in this entertaining and informative lecture. Jacquie will share in detail how she translates inspiration into innovative quilt designs along with her insights and learnings as she has developed her artistic voice. Come for a peek into the creative process and enjoy seeing Jacquie's quilts up close and personal.
6:30pm Arrive in-person or on Zoom; 6:45pm Show and Tell; 7:00pm Meeting; ~7:15pm Lecture and Q&A; Holiday Party to follow.
Jacquie is a self-taught modern quilt artist, maker, and teacher. She is known for her innovative designs, striking message quilts and unique style as well as for being a pioneer of creativity, innovation, and expertise in walking foot quilting. Jacquie co-authored Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts and her book, Walk: Master Machine Quilting With Your Walking Foot is a comprehensive guide to all things walking foot quilting. She is a leader in and advocate for the modern quilting movement. The International Association of Creative Arts Professionals named her Quilt Teacher of the Year for 2014. Walk 2.0: More Machine Quilting with Your Walking Foot is her newest book. She lives in Kansas City with her husband Steve and her dog Olive, and shares her quilting knowledge on her popular blog, Tallgrass Prairie Studio.
Join Karen by ZOOM to learn paper foundational piecing Karen's original way – streamlined and efficient!
No kit fee. Wild Women Don't Get the Blues pattern pages provided. Patchwork, wonderful color, and wild friends – what could be better? Karen also includes an individualized interpretive color talk in this full day workshop.
Supply list: 15-20 fat quarters you love and want to work with, perhaps including one or more interesting focus fabrics that tie everything together.
Also, fabric scissors, paper scissors, and piecing thread.
Registration Opens: Sunday, October 9, 2022
Click to view Karen's website.
Do you love but avoid the traditional one-patch? Handwork is wonderful, but let’s explore an innovative machine technique, useful for any pattern that would be English paper pieced, without compromising the integrity of the original. We begin with hexagons, then move quickly to a Sunburst star (like in the pictured quilt, simplified for class). You’ll enjoy having this in your bag of tricks!
Machine not required for this workshop.
No kit fee! The pattern will be emailed to you after your register for the workshop.
· 10-15 fat quarters (or equivalent) from stash, some of which should read solid.
· fabric scissors
· rotary cutting tools
· invisible monofilament thread
· offset tweezers (optional)
· straight pins
· pin-able ironing personal ironing board (pins will stand straight up during use - June Tailor Cushioned Quilter’s Square ’n Blocker from JoAnn is best; doubled, covered foam core also works)
· personal craft iron, optional
· poster board, one big sheet or equivalent (heavier than card-stock but lighter than cardboard)
· retractable box cutter or exacto knife
· Elmer’s washable school glue, or other basting glue (glue-pen or the smallest bottle - not a glue stick for this)
· If you have some 1” pre-cut paper hexagons, pull a few out! Otherwise, we’ll make our own.
Note: If you have Dollar Tree, they sell box cutters, glue pens & poster board
Registration Opens: Monday, October 10, 2022
AAQG January General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
6:30pm Arrive in-person or on Zoom; 6:45pm Show and Tell; 7:00pm Meeting; ~7:30pm Lecture and Q&A.
A quilter since 1986, Karen’s inspiration manifests equally of innovation and tradition. Her quilts have won numerous awards, including first prizes in international competitions, and her designs appear frequently in exhibition. Her Clam Session quilt received the Master of Innovative Artistry award at IQA in 2009, and her Indian Orange Peel Quilt was People’s Choice at Quilt National ’95. Having enjoyed success in design, publication and teaching, she finds no greater satisfaction than in hand-finishing a newly quilted piece, with the possible exception of making someone else’s color challenge her business. Karen holds degrees in Piano from Baylor and Indiana Universities, has two beautiful daughters, three exemplary cats, and rides her bike from historic Deep Ellum in Dallas, TX.
Join award winning fiber artist Andrea Brokenshire in her 5-day in-person workshop, Floral Painted Appliqué on Silk – Dippity Dots!
Andrea is inspired by the natural world. Won’t you join her in her paint box to learn Andrea's technique for painting realistic floral imagery onto silk. This workshop is divided into two sections. To make it easy, all materials you will need will be provided. In addition to painting your beautiful flower, she will also demonstrate how to create her highly textural confetti backgrounds and her technique for turning the edges of the finished applique’ for a clean finish. So let’s have some fun in Andrea's paintbox!
This is a great opportunity to try a fabric painting technique without making a large investment in brushes, textile paints, silk, etc. on your own!
Project Kit Fee: $225. Payable to Andrea Brokenshire the first day of class (mandatory).
Click here to download workshop itinerary, supply list, and project kit information.
Workshop Itinerary:
SECTION I: (Days 1-4) We will be paint this beautiful Phalaenopsis Orchid that I call “Dippity Dots”.
SECTION II: (Day 5) Then, on the last day of the workshop, we will practice how to quilt your flower with free motion quilting your image using a pre-printed panel of “Dippity Dots”. To make it easy, most materials you will need to paint this orchid will be provided in a mandatory project kit that is yours to keep. Any additional supplies you will need to bring will be listed in the supply list (click here for supply list). In addition to painting your beautiful flower, I will also demonstrate how I create my highly textural confetti backgrounds, my technique for turning the edges of the finished applique’ for a clean finish. Free motion quilting is required
Registration Opens: Thursday, November 3, 2022
Check out the latest from Andrea on her Facebook page, AMG Fiber Art and Design.
AAQG February General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
Andrea Brokenshire (AMB Fiber Art and Design) is a national and international award winning fiber artist and instructor from Round Rock, Texas who specializes in contemporary art quilts which depict botanical imagery inspired by her photography. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Oregon State University in 1984. She combines her love of the natural world and fabric with her art. Andrea’s art quilts depict large scale flora appliquéd and then thread-painted onto a “confetti “ background of multiple fabrics reminiscent of the impressionistic era. “I try to express the essence of a flower with fabric. The curve of a petal, the vibrancy of color and the diversity of flora to me is sexy... beautiful. For me, the creative process is a journey as essential as breathing. An expression of self.”
Interested in spending the day quilting with friends with no distractions? This day retreat is for you! Guild members responded in our survey that you want the opportunity to work on your UFOs. Well, we heard you. Our March workshops have been dedicated as single day quilt retreats.
Bring your UFOs, WIPs, PHDs, PIGs, or NESTYs and a quilting or sewing friend - or bring your whole Bee! Only $10 for this day retreat - just to cover our cost to rent the space.
UFO = Unfinished Object
WIP = Work In Progress
PHD = Projects Half Done
PIG = Project in Grocery Bags
NESTY = Not Even Started Yet
Pick your retreat day: Saturday, December 4th or Sunday, December 5th.
Bring your machine and snacks and stay for the day. There are a lot of lunch options nearby if you don't want to pack a lunch. And remember that you can go shopping at Austin Sewing anytime throughout the retreat!
Registration Opens: Sunday, December 4, 2022
AAQG March Corporate Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
Our Spring Social is being planned by our Hospitality Committee and Board of Directors. More to come...
Special Tool: Gyleen's Pineapple Tool ($15)
Instructions: Trash to Treasure Pineapples 2 book ($23)
Gyleen will have the pineapple tool and book available for purchase at the workshop. (If you would like to purchase them and have them shipped to you before the workshop, tool and book can be purchased in a combo for $44 on Gyleen's website. Please note that the prices on her website are higher because shipping costs are included.)
For workshop supply list, fabric requirements and homework, click on Trash to Treasure Pineapples 2 workshop supply list.
General Supplies:
Registration Opens: Sunday, January 1, 2023
Click to view Gyleen's website.
Special Tool: Gyleen's Polygon1 Tool ($14)
Pattern: Seven Sisters ($10)
Gyleen will have the pattern and tool available for purchase at the workshop. (If you would like to purchase them and have them shipped to you before the workshop, click on links above to purchase tool and pattern on Gyleen's website. Please note that the prices on her website are higher because shipping costs are included.)
For workshop supply list and fabric requirements, click on It Takes Seven Sisters Workshop Supply List.
Registration Opens: Monday, January 2, 2023
AAQG April General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
Gyleen Fitzgerald makes quilts that blend color, pattern and texture to provide a contemporary essence in traditional quilting. Her strength as a quilter is demonstrated by the infusion of engineering tools and innovative techniques to simplify visually complex quilts. She shares her enthusiasm for quilting through interactive lectures and workshops. As a writer, Gyleen centers on quilt project books and how-to videos, magazine articles, haiku poetry, and children’s books.
An avid quilter, Gyleen has earned Best of Show honors and as a publisher, she is a Gold Medal winner for Polygon Affair…So Easy You’ll Fall in Love and Quilts: Unfinished Stories with New Endings. She is best known for inspiring Trash to Treasure Pineapple Quilts and the creation of the Pineapple Tool by Gyleen.
Gyleen has appeared on The Quilt Show and Lifetime TV promoting a contemporary spirit in traditional quiltmaking.
For Gyleen, dreams hold no limits. Ray, her husband is her shining light and quilting is her passion; together her life is in balance.
Gyleen is a Philadelphia, PA native who spent her formative years in Taiwan and Japan.
Join Patricia Belyea for a fun and challenging 2-day ZOOM workshop featuring her Matchstick Madness Word Quilt.
You will learn how to make the Matchstick Medallion (pictured top left, approximately 17" square). On the first day, Patricia takes you step-by-step through her process of drafting matchsticks, making a paper pattern, and assembling the Matchstick Medallion. Once you've mastered this technique, you will design additional alphabet letters out of fabric matchsticks. By the end of the workshop, you will have completed the word LOVE and discussed how you will build out the rest of your quilt design. If you are adventurous, design a different word around your Matchstick Medallion.
On the second afternoon, Patricia will teach you how to finish your quilt with a Designer Facing. This finishing technique—simple, fun, and fast—gives your quilt a contemporary look with nothing showing on the front.
Patricia Belyea is an internationally recognized quilter who broadcasts from her teaching studio in the Okanogan Highlands of Washington state. With seven cameras and five computers, Patricia gives you a front row seat in your own sewing room.
Registration Opens: Sunday, January 29, 2023
Learn more about Patricia and Okan Arts at okanarts.com.
AAQG May General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
Patricia Belyea takes joy in creating Spirit Quilts for families who are celebrating a life or mourning a loss. Listening to their stories and incorporating the clothes of a loved one, Patricia has learned how stitching memories into quilts completely transforms their meaning and power. Patricia includes an overview of Spirit Quilts she’s made over the past decade.
A creative quilt maker, speaker and teacher, Patricia co-owns Okan Arts with her
Join Linda Sullivan of Colourwerx for her in-person workshop Two Techniques in One - Topaz! Learn the beginning basics of foundation piecing plus refine your precision piecing skills with this ‘2 technique in one’ workshop while making this stunning quilt. Linda will guide students step-by-step and demo her time tested, stress free tips and tricks for paper piecing and for perfect precision piecing!
Click on the link to download Topaz Supply List.
Registration Opens: Sunday, March 5, 2023
To learn more about Linda and Colourwerx, visit www.colourwerx.com.
Boost your appliqué IQ with Linda Sullivan at her Appliqué Stitch Lab workshop! Loaded with super practical tips and tricks, this workshop is a great way for students to learn or brush up on easy machine appliqué. Students will learn a variety of methods to prepare their shapes for appliqué and perfect their own “unique machine appliqué stitch” during class. Along the way, they’ll also learn how to use a variety of fun decorative stitches to texturize their appliqués and gain the confidence they need to appliqué the day away!
Click on the link for your Appliqué Stitch Lab Supply List.
Registration Opens: Monday, March 6, 2023
AAQG June General Meeting will be a HYBRID meeting – in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin and virtual by ZOOM.
It’s no surprise that Linda loves colour and loves creating colourful contemporary quilt designs and patterns as well as teaching the art of quiltmaking! With over 22 years experience as a professional quiltmaker, Linda is intensely passionate about the art of quiltmaking. Always searching for a twist on traditional quiltmaking, her designs are well known for their contemporary whimsical look, adventurous appliqué and fearless use of colour. She enjoys collaborating with her partner, Carl, in their design company Colourwerx, designing surface patterns, self publishing a line of best selling quilt patterns and traveling to share their love of colour with quilters around the world.
