Workshop: Ripless Paper Piecing in Lethbridge

The 2nd workshop I taught in Lethbridge is one of my most popular topics - Ripless Paper Piecing. You get the accuracy of paper piecing, even for very sharp points, and you don't have to rip out all that paper. In fact, your 'foundation' can be used again and again.

I converted a few Paper Piecing skeptics at this class!

Here are the great results:

Barb

Bev

Barb G.

Darci

Donna

Deb

Frances

Marcella

Mary - at class

Mary sent me this picture a few days after the class - just needs to quilt it.
Definitely a stunning quilt!

Pat G.

Lori

Teresa

Pat - the other one....

Great job everyone!

New Sample - Ripless Paper Piecing Workshop

I recently completed a new sample for my Ripless Paper Piecing workshop.  I am scheduled to travel to Lethbridge, Alberta, in September to visit the Lethbridge Centennial Quilt Guild and this is one of the workshops they have selected.

Fabrics are Artisan Spirit Sandscapes (turquoise Flight Path blocks)
and Shimmer (green and borders) - all fabrics by Northcott.

Northcott invites quilters to participate in the

 Artisan Spirit Sandscapes Challenge.

The prizes are amazing!

Here are the details.

Save Time, Save Paper!

It is not too late to sign up for my online workshop, Ripless Paper Piecing, at the Academy of Quilting.  The classroom opens on Friday and will remain open until March 28.

This small project will pay big dividends. I will show you how to foundation piece without sewing through  the paper. Using this easy method, you will have perfect points without spending hours removing tiny scraps of paper with tweezers. What a timesaver this is!

I will teach you how to choose a range of values for your blocks, a skill which can be used in many other projects. I will continue to guide you as you choose a quilting design and finally bind your quilt.

 This is the main class project - there are a lot of different ways to arrange your blocks.

PLUS there is a BONUS Project included in this workshop. This Ripless Star Table Runner will be a great addition to your table.

GO HERE TO ENROLL NOW.

Academy of Quilting - Ripless Paper Piecing

Academy of Quilting - Ripless Paper Piecing

This class begins on Friday, February 19. It's a 3-lesson class with one lesson posted each week. The classroom remains open until March 28 so you don't need to rush to complete your project in the first 3 weeks.  And I'm with you every step of the way.

 Here's my version of the class project.

Here are pictures of projects made by previous students.
They show a wide range of colour and value choices.

Enroll in Ripless Paper Piecing today!

You may already have some experience with paper piecing, sometimes called foundation piecing since the usual way is to sew onto a foundation.  This class will show you how you can achieve the accuracy that paper piecing gives without some of the extra steps.

The steps you WILL NOT do are:

• create one foundation for every block you sew by printing or tracing
• cut the foundation into individual sections - you don't cut it up and it is RE-USABLE!
• sew with a very small stitch length that is extremely difficult to rip out if you make a sewing mistake
• spend time removing the foundation from your blocks

Included in this class is a tutorial about fabric 'value' - no, that's not how much it costs!  It is the relative lightness or darkness of your fabrics. This can 'make or break' a quilt.  Here is an excerpt from the class:

**********************************************************************

It is generally thought that there are seven main values that we can select for fabrics. When you move from one to another, you are stepping up or down the value ladder. These are the steps we will consider using:

·         very light

·         light

·         light-medium

·         medium

·         medium-dark

·         dark

·         very dark

         

There are many more subtle variations in between each of these named values. It is the selection of values from the light, medium and dark that create the contrast we see in traditional quilt patterns. Here are two blocks. One has excellent value contrast and one does not. It is very easy to see the difference.

                        

Dakota Star  in light, medium, dark at left and in medium and dark at right

Here are those same blocks arranged as quilts. Which quilt uses value better?  High contrast quilts make each block piece stand out. Low contrast is a more subtle approach. There will be times when you wish to use low contrast. A great use of low contrast is for clothing items. The important thing is to know the difference and choose the values of your fabric to create the effect you wish to achieve.

                  
High contrast and low contrast

                        
Both blocks in grayscale

Notice how the two blocks look in grayscale. The green reads as very dark. The melon color reads very light and almost blends with the background. This is a case where you must trust what your eyes tell you. No one would confuse the melon color with the beige background when looking at the colored version. The red grayscale shows the dark, medium and light medium values.  There are no extremes in this block.

**********************************************************************

Learn more about value and Ripless Paper Piecing in the classroom. 

Enroll in Ripless Paper Piecing today!

Sign up TODAY - Ripless Paper Piecing at the Academy of Quilting

Marlene's quilt from Ripless Paper Piecing

It's not to late to join me for Ripless Paper Piecing at Academy of Quilting.


Class starts on Friday - why not join in the FUN!

Ripless Paper Piecing - a New Design

I have added a new design for my RiplessPaper Piecing workshop. I call this quilt Flight Path - imagine having perfect points every time and no 'ripping the paper off' . Great time saver and no wastebasket full of paper!

There are many ways to arrange the blocks in this quilt and you'll learn all about my 'ripless' method and how value is such an important element in all your quilts.

And here is a new image for Machine Quilting with Decorative Stitches. You'll want to see the 'closeup' of this quilt - all the stitching is done AFTER the quilt was layered with backing and batting. This gives the quilt amazing texture and you never need to use a stabilizer when you use your decorative stitches.

Here's a picture of this class taught in Kona in February.

There is still time to book me for a workshop in 2016 so tell your Guild's workshop coordinator about my website and have them get in touch. Hope to see YOU in my travels!

Academy of Quilting - Ripless Paper Piecing

This class begins on Friday. This is a 3-Lesson class, one lesson is available each week. Our classroom remains open until April 20. You don't need to rush when you take a class at the Academy. I'm with you every step of the way. The fee for this class is $30 US.

ENROLL HERE

You may already have some experience with paper piecing, sometimes called foundation piecing since the usual way is to sew onto a foundation.  This class will show you how you can achieve the accuracy that paper piecing gives without some of the extra steps.

The steps you WILL NOT do are:

• create one foundation for every block you sew by printing or tracing
• sew with a very small stitch length that is extremely difficult to rip out if you make a sewing mistake
• spend time removing the foundation from your blocks

Included in this class is a tutorial about fabric 'value' - no, that's not how much it costs!  It is the relative lightness or darkness of your fabrics. This can 'make or break' a quilt.  Here is an excerpt from the class:

Choosing Your Fabrics

You will need a larger range of values for the two colors in your quilt. Choose two colors that you like to put together.

It is generally thought that there are seven main values that we can select for fabrics. When you move from one to another, you are stepping up or down the value ladder. These are the steps we will consider using:

·         very light

·         light

·         light-medium

·         medium

·         medium-dark

·         dark

·         very dark

         

There are many more subtle variations in between each of these named values. It is the selection of values from the light, medium and dark that create the contrast we see in traditional quilt patterns. Here are two blocks. One has excellent value contrast and one does not. It is very easy to see the difference.

                        

Dakota Star  in light, medium, dark at left and in medium and dark at right

Here are those same blocks arranged as quilts. Which quilt uses value better?  High contrast quilts make each block piece stand out. Low contrast is a more subtle approach. There will be times when you wish to use low contrast. A great use of low contrast is for clothing items. The important thing is to know the difference and choose the values of your fabric to create the effect you wish to achieve.

                  
High contrast and low contrast

                        
Both blocks in grayscale

Notice how the two blocks look in grayscale. The green reads as very dark. The melon color reads very light and almost blends with the background. This is a case where you must trust what your eyes tell you. No one would confuse the melon color with the beige background when looking at the colored version. The red grayscale shows the dark, medium and light medium values.  There are no extremes in this block.

Learn more about value and Ripless Paper Piecing in the classroom. 

Enroll in Ripless Paper Piecing today!

Academy of Quilting - Ripless Paper Piecing

 Ripless Paper Piecing online workshop at the Academy of Quilting starts on August 22

You may already have some experience with paper piecing, sometimes called foundation piecing since the usual way is to sew onto a foundation. This class will show you how you can achieve the accuracy that paper piecing gives without some of the extra steps. The steps you WILL NOT do are:

·create one foundation for every block you sew

·sew with a very small stitch length that is extremely difficult to rip out if you make a sewing mistake

·spend time removing the foundation from your blocks

·fill your recycling bin or garbage with the foundation removed from your blocks

I like to think of this method as the Green Alternative. I have made many paper pieced blocks and quilts. I shudder to think of all the paper I threw in the garbage over the last 25 years. At least in the last few years, it has gone to be recycled, but it still makes me feel wasteful!

A step that can cause difficulties when paper piecing is having the right sized piece of fabric to cover a section of your block. I will show you how to avoid this problem with some prepration steps.

 

In this class, you will learn how to

·select fabrics in a range of values in two color families; a very complete discussion of 'value' is included in this class.

·download a foundation piecing block

·set up your machine for ripless foundation piecing

·sew your blocks and add borders

·audition and test quilting designs before quilting and binding.

Along with the main project (pictured above) I have added a 'BONUS' project to the class. This Ripless Star Table Runner will be a great addition to your table.

Sign up TODAY.

Quilt Canada - Brock University

This year's Quilt Canada was held at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario.  I taught 3 workshops and also took a workshop with my friend, Elaine Quehl.  It was a busy time but I managed to take a few photos during my time at Brock.

On Wednesday I was joined by a small (but enthusiastic) group of students who wanted to learn my Give & Take Applique technique. The project for the class was the Sunflower Table Runner from my DVD. Thanks to Janome for providing our sewing machines. Everyone enjoyed trying out a variety of stitches for their applique.

I gave each student my Give & Take Applique Stencil Set; it makes tracing the pattern onto fusible web faster and easier. 

Great results everyone!
 

Thursday was 'Ripless Paper Piecing' day.

 

 

Here's another happy group with their Spring Tulips blocks. This makes over 100 students who have learned my technique so far THIS YEAR!

 

I loved everyone's fabric choices and how quickly everyone was creating their blocks.

We had a whole garden blooming in our classroom.

 

PS - want to be among the next hundred to learn about Ripless? I'd love to come to your guild, shop or event and share this timesaving and no waste method.

See my workshop information on my website.

 

 

 

 

Peter brought one of his paper pieced projects to show and share. He made 'My Vacation Week' to use 'ugly' fabrics in the shirts. They definitely aren't 'ugly' when made into the shirts Peter.

 

I'm sure I saw all these shirts on my last tip to Hawaii :)

 

The last shirt in the row is Peter's painting shirt - the last day of vacation he spent the day painting! 

Thanks for sharing Peter.

I managed to do a quick tour through the Merchant Mall after class. That's where I found my friend, Sherri Hisey from Border Creek Station Pattern Company. It was fun to say a quick hello. Next time we'll have to spend more time catching up!

 

There are more photos coming your way - my dyeing day with Elaine Quehl (and what I did with that dying fabric in the Ziploc bags!), my final workshop at Brock and my trip to the Dufferin Piecemakers in Orangeville.