A really beautiful quilt comes together through the selection of design, pattern, color and quilting. How we finish our quilts can make or break all of the decisions we’ve made up to that point.
The way we quilt our tops can have a great effect on their visual impact; if the quilting is too simple then the quilt can be boring, if the quilting is too complex then it can overwhelm the piecing and fabric selection.
In this class, art quilter, Heather Thomas will teach you how to use machine quilting to bring out the best in your quilt tops. She will help you understand the physics of quilting and how the density of stitching physically affects the quilt.
Using more than a dozen quilts and tops she will help you understand what the quilting she used is doing to the quilt visually and structurally. She will then use simple sheets of Mylar and dry erase markers to show you her process of designing the quilting for her tops.
This class is for anyone who is struggling with the complex decisions of “How should I Quilt this Quilt?!”
In addition you will have access to a downloadable and printable PDF that includes a number of quilting designs / templates.
Free-Motion Designs for All-Over Patterns Book ($12 Value)
Endless inspiration from your favorite quilters!
Want inspiration for your free-motion quilting? Now you have the perfect tool! This spiral-bound book is full of designs—JUST designs—and will lay flat on your work surface or your quilt to keep your hands on the quilt and that needle moving! The second in a new series, this visual guide is filled with over 75 continuous-line designs from your favorite designers to get you stitching. Perfect for domestic and longarm machines.
Free-Motion Block Designs Book ($12 Value)
Endless inspiration from your favorite quilters!
Want inspiration for your free-motion quilting? Now you have the perfect tool! This spiral-bound book is full of designs—JUST designs—and will lay flat on your work surface to keep your hands on the quilt and that needle moving! The first in a new series, this visual guide is filled with over 75 diverse block designs from your favorite designers to get you stitching.
NOTE: You’ll receive this Class video instruction in two forms: As on-demand streaming video (in your NQC Account); and as a physical DVD, mailed to you.
Heather is a mixed media fiber artist with a passion for color and a dedication to teaching. After a decade of making original yet traditional work, she began venturing out toward art quilting, embellishments, and mixed media work. With more than 12 years of studying and teaching color and design under her belt, she wrote her second book, A Fiber Artists’ Guide to Color & Design, which came on the heels of her very popular first book, Fabric Embellishing: The Basics & Beyond.
In 2011 Heather was a guest writer for Quilting Arts magazine with a multi-part feature on Free Style Machine Quilting. She also participates in group and individual instructional DVDs produced by the Creative Crafts Group. You can visit Heather’s blog at heatherthomasblog.blogspot.com.
Q: How do I know what the Class covers?A: Every Class has a free Preview video you can watch, to give you a flavor of the Instructor and the skills or project that will be covered. In addition, the Overview tab includes a thorough written description of the Class. And finally, each Class Session has a brief written summary of the content in that Session, including the length of each Session video. You will get a good feel for the Class content by reviewing these resources.
Q: Do I have to be a Member of Nationals Quilters Circle to purchase a Class?A: No you don’t. While Premium Members will receive regular offers for special deals on NQC content, Classes are not reserved exclusively for Members. If you buy a Class as a non-member, we’re sure you’d also enjoy having access to our full library of great woodworking videos and articles as a Member, so give it a try.
Q: How do I purchase a Class?A: First you should decide that the Class is what you want. Review the Class Preview video and the various written descriptions of the Class and each Session before you purchase, so you have a good understanding of the Class content. When you’re ready to purchase and gain access to the Class, simply click the “Add to Cart” button, and proceed through the Checkout process.
Q: How do I access/view my Class?A: Once you’ve paid, you can access/view your Class by going to the MY ACCOUNT section of National Quilters Circle. The MY ACCOUNT link is in the upper right-hand area of the website. Within your MY ACCOUNT, a section labeled “My Classes” will appear, including a link to watch the video of your Class. You’ll also receive an email confirmation after your purchase, which will include a link to view your Class. You can access your Class as many times as you wish, and you’ll never lose access to your Account information. Just be sure to “Log In” for access to MY ACCOUNT.
Q: Do I have to take the Class right away?A: No. Any Class you buy will be accessible to you always. You can view your Class whenever you want, and you can view individual Sessions in whatever order you like.
Q: Is there a limit on the times I can view my Class?A: No. Your access never expires. You can view any Class you purchase as many times as you want, whenever you want.
Q: Can I view a Class on my tablet device or mobile phone?A: No problem. Most newer-model smartphones or other mobile/tablet devices with an internet connection are able to play the Class videos. Simply Log In on National Quilters Circle, and you can view any Class you’ve bought through the MY ACCOUNT section. Or, you can click on the “View Class” link within the email confirmation you’ll receive upon your purchase.
Q: How do I get access to the Bonus Materials for the Class?A: Until you purchase a Class, the Bonus material (any extra videos, download materials, etc.) will not be accessible. Once you purchase a Class, and go to view your Class, each individual Bonus element is accessible by simply clicking on each item. You’ll find the Bonus Materials directly below your main Class viewer frame. You can access the bonus materials as many times as you like and/or save them to your device.
Q: How does the Class Q&A Resource benefit work?A: Once you purchase any Class, within the Class viewing page, you’ll have access to post a question, comment or tip in the Class Discussion area. This is not a “live chat,” but your Class Instructor will answer posted questions and provide tips regularly. You can also view other Class participants’ questions and input to take part in this virtual dialogue among others who have taken the Class and are willing to share tips, answers, or ideas.
Q: Can I print out Class details?A: For any Bonus Material that is a PDF Download, yes you can. Just click on the icon/button for the Bonus element you want, and print with your local printer.
Q: What are PDF downloads?A: These are simply documents, plans, or written materials that are formatted in a way to print out and retain for reference. By simply clicking on the icon/link for any PDF Download that is included with a Class, you can print that document on your own printer or simply view the contents on your computer/mobile device.
Q: Are there any system requirements to view the Class video content?A: Your Class video content is best when viewed on a computer manufactured in the past couple of years with a good broadband Internet connection (not dialup). We also highly recommend using the latest version of Firefox, Safari, or Chrome as your Internet Browser, though recent versions of Internet Explorer will work as well. The recommended screen resolution is 1024 x 768 or larger.
Q: Why do you need my email?A: We need it to acknowledge your purchase of a Class, and send you a confirmation of your transaction. Also, in order to maintain your permanent access to the Class videos, you’ll need to Login to www.nationalquilterscircle.com. We guarantee that we will not share your email with any third parties. You may receive email updates from NQC from time to time, with details of new Classes and updates. You can easily unsubscribe when you receive any email.
Q: Can I get a refund if I don’t like the Class?A: Because you’ll have full access to all the materials and content that is presented in the Class immediately, we can’t offer a refund after purchase. Please review the Class Preview video and the various written descriptions of the Class and each Session before you purchase, so you have a good understanding of the Class content.
Q: How do I contact National Quilters Circle?A: If your question is about the Class content, please use the Class Discussion benefit to ask your question online – and you'll receive feedback from the Class Instructor. Even your fellow Class participants may jump in to offer tips and advice from their experience. If you have other questions or need help, you can email us at nationalquilterscircle@program-director.net or call us toll-free, at 1-855-253-0822. Service Representatives will be available Monday-Friday, from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM Central time, excluding normal holidays.
In the session I will show one quilt and discuss how the quilting is affecting it. I will introduce the idea of curvy versus straight motifs and stitch density as well as the physics of quilting. I will talk about how the selection of motif can augment or overwhelm the other aspects present in the quilt top and how to avoid the pitfalls of over or under quilting.
Session 2: How Stitch Density Affects Depth
11:48
In this session I will show several quilts and discuss how the density of the quilting in various areas of the quilt are affecting how the quilt is seen visually. How that density affects depth and how the quilting could have been done differently to be more pleasing or less pleasing to the eye.
Session 3: Motifs and When to Use Them
12:08
In this session I will show the difference between a motif and a fill and show several quilts that utilize motifs and talk about when to use them and when to steer clear of them.
Session 4: Fill: When Where Why
12:41
This session is all about the important aspect of background fill. I will show lots of different fill styles and talk about using the juxtaposition of straight next to curvy. I will go over the importance of stitch size/density and show several quilts and talk about what is good and not so good about the decisions I made in the background quilting.
Session 5: Designing the Quilting
44:15
In this session I will use a large sheet of Mylar and dry erase markers and two different quilt tops to show a quick and easy way to preview how different quilting selections might affect the surface of a quilt top. I will talk about the criteria I use to decide how to quilt each of the two tops and talk about the thread colors/weights I will use and the order in which I will quilt each quilt.
Session 6: Thread Selection: Color & Weight
6:31
In this session I will show several quilts as I talk about the importance of the color, value and weight of the threads we choose to use when quilting.
Class Q&A Resource
Access to the Q&A Resource for this
Class is available with purchase.
