Paint and Bead Your Own Decorative Pillow
You can create your own design or fashion your pillow along the lines of this one that I made for this class.
I started with a piece of white PFD Kona cotton and painted the background with an acrylic wash of color. Next I painted the flowers and layered the piece with batting and lining. Then the REAL fun began as I used thread painting to add depth and texture to the design. Here’s where you can really let yourself experiment with color and various thread weights. I particularly liked the look of some variegated 30 wt. thread.
When I declared the thread painting “done” I got out my beads and went to town! Because this will be used for “show and tell” in class I wanted to be sure to incorporate several basic beading stitches. I used moss stitch, scatter stitch, seed stitch, bugle pathways, back stitch and stacked stitch.
My goal was to achieve a vibrant mix of color, texture and bling.
CHRISTMAS TABLE RUNNER – WORKSHOP
Learn to “Quilt As You Go” with this Gorgeous Runner
You will make a beautiful piece of Home Decor to use as a table or mantel runner. It is shown here in festive holiday colors but can be made in the fabric of your choice.
“Quilt As You Go” so that when you have finished adding the last border you are finished! Quilting has already been done.
This is going to be a fun class! __________________________________________________________________________
Time To Get Bitten By The Quilt Bug !
It’s time to get bitten by the Quilt Bug – definitely a LOT more fun than mosquitoes.
You’ll have a great chance to jump in with our newly scheduled Introduction to Quilting Course to be held at Quilty Pleasures in Simi Valley starting in September. During the series of 6 classes you will learn the skills that you need to make your first quilt.
You will be making a vibrant Autumn (or theme of your choosing) wall quilt 32 inches by 32 inches featuring fabrics that you will choose at the first class meeting.
Here’s a photo of the sample we have prepared.
Over the course of the six class meetings you will learn the skills to: select your fabrics, follow a quilt making pattern, use a rotary cutter safely to cut quilt pieces, piece your quilt blocks and quilt so it all comes out right!, prepare and add quilt borders, layer and quilt the 3 quilt layers together, make and add quilt binding.
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Make Your Own Artfully Embellished Journal Covers
- This cover fits a composition book approximately 9 inches high by 7 1/2inches wide.
- Above is the size we will be making in class. We will provide the composition books in the purchased supply kit.The cover below was adapted to fit a spiral bound art journal measuring approximately 5 1/2 inches by 8 inches. We will provide guidelines for adapting directions for other sizes.
Journal Cover for Spiral Art Journal
Introduction to Surface Design
6 Hour Workshop
A veritable smorgasbord of techniques to fire up your imagination and your fabric! We will be painting with acrylics – stencilling, stamping, using paintsticks with rubbing plates, discharging fabric – you name it! You will also learn how to apply some glitz to your work with angelina fibers, foil and glitter.


Students’ Work!
Painting on Fabric

Celebration Fabric Art Cards

Beading on Fabric


Using Alternative Substances In your Art Quilts 3-6 Hours

Friday Feb 22 Personalized Luggage Tags 4-7 PM
Tuesday Feb 26 More Alternative Substances For your Art Quilts 6-9 PM
Brief Descriptions for Art Quilt Technique Workshops
Painting on Fabric
Learn how to transform fabric with paint. You will learn to stencil and stamp with fabric and paint to achieve the look you want.
Surface Design Advanced Techniques
Take your surface design to the next level with fabric discharge, paint sticks and rubbings. Weather and sunlight permitting we will add sun printing.
Putting on the Glitz
Bring on the Bling and learn how to use Angelina Fibers, Foils, Glitter and Crystals in your art quilts.
Improvisational Art Quilting (6 hours)
Get into your right brain while you create. Assemble a freestyle quiltlet using fused scraps and an off beat shape. You will complete the quilt top during the first 3 hour session. Add free motion quilting and embellishment including use of decorative threads, beads, charms and buttons during session number two.
Celebration Fabric Art Cards
Unleash your creativity while you create a fabric art card that is a piece of art as well as a greeting. Perfect for gifting or framing!
Personalized Luggage Tags
Make a decorative and functional I.D. tag for your luggage, your sewing supplies, for gifting – you’ll want them on everything!
Using Orphan Blocks in your Art Quilts
Do you have a leftover block or an embroidered “stitch out” that has been sitting on the bottom of the pile but is much too cute to toss? Come and learn how to build an art quilt with them.
Alternative Substances for Art Quilting
Add drama and texture with lutradur, cheesecloth, tyvek, tea bags, softener sheets and much much more!
More Alternative Substances for Art Quilting
Add drama and texture with lutradur, cheesecloth, tyvek, tea bags, softener sheets and much much more!
(Enroll in both sessions to learn all the included techniques)
Art Quilting and Surface Design Techniques
Fabric available to us is almost endless in its variety, color and design. But once you enter the world of Art Quilting you will find that you’ll want to create your own fabric in order to get just the look you want. Sometimes it’s just a matter of adding some design elements to the commercial print; other times you may want to start with a blank canvas.
Plus it’s just plain FUN !!
Painting on Fabric
In this workshop you will learn how to select and prepare fabric for painting; the characteristics of available fabric paints and how to select the appropriate one for your project. You will learn how to apply paint using stencils, stamps and resists.

length of class: 3 hours
no sewing machine is needed for this class.
Surface Design – Advanced Techniques
Make your unique fabric creation even more special with discharge techniques and paint rubbings. You will learn various techniques for removing dyes from your fabric to achieve your original design. Once you have selectively removed the color, the possibilities are almost endless.
You will also learn how to apply oil based paint sticks to fabric using commercial rubbing plates as well as “found objects”.

length of class: 3 hours
no sewing machine required for this class
Putting On The Glitz

Punch up the excitement and the sparkle. Learn how to use Angelina fibers, add metallic foil and glitter to your creation. Bring on the Bling, add crystals with ease.
length of class: 3 hours
no sewing machine required for this class
Embellishment With Fusibles and Fibers
During this class you will learn how to add dimension and interest to your art quilt with fused and raw edged applique. In addition you will have fun playing with some scrumptious fibers and using them to further enhance your art.

length of class: 3 hours

* Sewing machine is required for this class.
Finishing School for Art Quilts
If you have any art quilt “tops” lying around that you would love to transform into a finished piece then this is the class for you! Bring them to our Finishing School and learn how to transform your small art piece into a wall hanging or a pillow. (small art size pieces – no larger than 18 inches per side)
This is a 6 hour class held in 2 sessions of 3 hours each.
Part 1: Quilting the Art Quilt
You will learn how to select batting and backing for your piece and how to prepare it to be quilted. We will also discuss choice of thread (including bobbin thread) for quilting and how to plan the quilting itself.
Part 2: Finishing Techniques for Quilted Panels
If you choose to assemble a wall hanging you will learn how to finish the edges of your piece with a choice of binding techniques or other finishing methods. You will also learn various ways of preparing your art piece for hanging.
If you choose to assemble a pillow you will learn how to put together a removable pillow case using a 2 piece lapped back.
* Sewing machine required for this 2 part class.
Stencil and Stamp
Boost your creativity by learning new ways of applying decorative elements to fabric by using stencils and rubber stamps. These versatile tools lend themselves well to beautifying your backgrounds and more!

length of class: 3 hours
no sewing machine is required for this workshop
Beading on Fabric
Beading adds drama, texture and sparkle to your fabric piece. Learn how to select and apply beads with various beading stitches to achieve the effect that you want.

length of class: 3 hours
no sewing machine is required for this class.
Stitch Art
Learn how to select and apply a broad range of threads to your quilt surface. Topics will include bobbin work and stabilizing/hooping your fabric.

length of class: 3 hours
* Sewing machine is required for this class
Improvisational Art Quilt
Get into your right brain while you create. Assemble a free style quiltlet using fused and/or pieced scraps and an off beat shape. No patterns. No templates. No blueprints. Your quilt will tell you what to do as you go along as you embellish, quilt and finish it.

length of class: 6 hours (2 sessions of 3 hours each)
OCTOBER 2012
- Painting on Fabric: Oct 2 6 PM to 9 PM
- Surface Design – Advanced Techniques: Oct 9 6 PM to 9 PM
- Beading on Fabric Oct 10 10 AM to 1 PM
- Putting on the Glitz Oct 16 6 PM to 9 PM
- Embellishment with Fusibles/Fibers Oct 30 6 PM to 9 PM
- Stencil and Stamp Oct 31 10 AM to 1 PM
NOVEMBER 2012
- Art Quilt Finishing School – Part 1 Nov 6 6 PM to 9 PM
- Art Quilt Finishing School – Part 2 Nov 13 6 PM to 9 PM
- Stitch Art Nov 14 10 AM to 1 PM
- Beading on Fabric Nov 16 4 PM to 7 PM
- Improvisational Art Quilt Part 1 Nov 28 10 AM to 1 PM
DECEMBER 2012
- Improvisational Art Quilt Part 2 Dec. 5 10 AM to 1 PM
- Stencil and Stamp Dec. 7 4 PM to 7 PM
And stay tuned for Sunday “make it – take it” sessions at Barons planned for November 25, December 2 and December 9. You’ll have a chance to stop by and make a quick Holiday gift – more info to come from Baron’s.