Creating a Quilt
Creating a Quilt (Introductory Level)
Date: September 23 – December 2, 2024 (Mondays, 8 weeks)
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Instructor: Wynn MacNeil
Fee: $132 plus HST (Members) | Fee: $151.80 plus HST (Non-Members)
Thread: $20 payable to the instructor
During our time together, you will learn the basics of cutting, piecing, and finishing a hand-tied quilt. You will make a small sampler, crib or throw-sized quilt, depending on how much work you are prepared to do at home. You will learn to keep your seam allowances even, your pieces square, and your quilts beautiful. (No class on September 30, October 14, November 11)
This is a beginner quilt class but not a beginning sewing class. You will have more fun and be more successful if you know how to use a sewing machine and an iron, you aren’t afraid of a rotary blade, and you can thread a needle.
Materials:
Scissors
Sewing needle
The Centre provides rotary cutters, sewing machines and cutting mats. (If you would like to bring your own, please do so)
In our first class, we will discuss other items you may find helpful, such as large safety pins, clips and quilt layers. There will be a few other items you will find helpful that we will talk about at our first class. Things like large safety pins or clips and quilt layers.
Fabric: This will depend on the size of the quilt you plan to make (you will make this decision at your first class): you will need material for the top, backing, and binding plus a middle layer. If you have quilting cotton or other no-stretch fabric, like a shirt you would like to upcycle bring it to our first class.
Also a top sheet makes a good backing and can be very economical. If you are bringing fabric from home, it must be scent-free (no heavy fabric softeners), smoke-free and not musty.
Schedule:
*Students must attend the first class as the instructor will review the proper use of tools, your quilting plan, and the techniques required for the course. If you cannot attend this class, you will need to book a private session with her at your cost. *
Week One: Let’s Get Started
Introductions (share what you’d like), what are your pronouns, your goals for the class, your favorite colours, show us a few images of quilts that get your creative juices flowing. Safety in the sewing room, planning your project. If you’ve brought some fabric, we’ll start cutting. (the instructor will bring some material so students can practice with a mat, ruler and rotary blade)
Week Two: We’re going to cut and sew
This week will be all about cutting, seam allowances, pressing, and techniques for piecing.
Week Three: Blocks and Rows
Deciding on your layout and how to get your rows and columns organized.
Week Four: Sewing
There will be lots and lots of sewing to do to get your quilt top ready. We will discuss borders, and the how’s and why.
Week Five: More Sewing
Week Six: Putting your Quilt together
Now that your top is complete, how do you put your quilt together? We will prepare our quilt backs, make a quilt sandwich and pin our quilts. This week, we will also cover how to hand-tie your quilt. If you are going to be ready to put your binding on next week and you are doing a crib or throw quilt, you will definitely have homework this week!
Week Seven: The finishing touch: binding
There is a lot to know about binding, including measuring, preparing, getting perfect mitered corners, and joining the binding together. Hand-stitching your binding is a beautiful way to finish your quilt, and you will learn this technique in this final class.
Week Eight:
This week you will talk about hand stitching. How to do it and why it’s such a nice way to finish your quilt. Then you will work on your bindings.
Advance registration for members begins September 3
General registration for non-members begins September 16
(How to become a member with Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design)
For more information on this program or to register, email tammy@capebretoncraft.com