workshop
Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?
No sewing machines used in this workshop, which can be a half or full day program.
1/2 day workshop: Plant a nosegay of button flowers on a sample quilt block that can become a pillow front or album cover. As you go, you'll discover and cultivate at least a dozen wild & crazy ways to sew on a button, so you’ll have a garden-full of ideas for special decorative accents to add to your quilts, a wearable, or an accessory.
Class Supply List:
Assorted buttons for flower centers, shank type and sew-thru (with 2 or 4 holes), in various sizes and shapes, too
Fabric: 8" x 11 1/2" (fat eighth) of muslin, in natural, for background
9" x 11" piece of white fusible interfacing
9" x 11" piece of thin batting
10" x 12" piece of fabric, for backing
6-strand embroidery floss in 3 shades of green, plus assorted colors for flower centers
Tapestry needle
Fabric pencil
Thimble
1/2 DAY WORKSHOP: Plant a nosegay of button flowers on a sample quilt block. As you go, you'll discover and cultivate at least a dozen wild & crazy ways to sew on a button, adding a special decorative accent to your quilts, any wearable, or accessory. PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING TO CLASS: PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING TO CLASS: · A toaster oven if you have one—ideally one for every 6 people Let me reassure you: There will not be toxic fumes or plastic residue to mar your oven for future use in baking. · Metal spatula or pancake turner · Potholder · 4" x 6" rectangle of tagboard or posterboard For Clay-Work: · Small bricks of Sculpey or Fimo polymer compound in at least two different colors · Optional: seed beads, bugle beads, fine metal ball chain, plastic beveled jewels, and other glass or metal accents to press into the clay · Wax paper · Rolling pin · Small paring knife I'll bring some rubberstamps and other assorted goodies for marking, cutting, and pressing textures into the clay, for students to try out. For Shrink Art Plastic (Shrinky-Dinks): I'll provide: a 4" x 5" sheet of shrink art plastic for each student (more can be purchased). I'll also bring my decorative hole punches, marking pencils and pens, decorative-edge scissors, for students to try out. FULL DAY WORKSHOP: We'll do it all! A bonanza of beautiful button techniques! See the lists above for materials and supplies to bring to class. Quilt Guilds, take note:
ALTERNATE 1/2 DAY WORKSHOP: Craft your own original buttons for any quilt or wearable—there's no better way to get the colors, size, shape, and feeling that will match your quilt surface perfectly. You can also create a beautiful guild pin, or a stunning piece of contemporary jewelry. Try your hand with easy-bake techniques using polymer clay and/or shrink art plastic (which I will provide).