Upcoming Workshops
"Quilting with Rulers" with Cathy Persson
Saturday, November 23, 2019 - 10am - 4pm
Clemson Extension - 18 John Galt Road
Whether you quilt traditional pieced blocks and borders, modern geometrics, whole cloth mandalas, or art quilts, the smooth lines that rulers create can enhance your design. Used on domestic, midarm and long arms, there is a ruler for everyone and every machine.
Program-
The program will cover the tools needed for free motion quilting and ruler work, the wide variety of rulers on the market and there uses, ideas for designing quilt patterns for rulers.
I’ll show how pieced blocks and borders can be quilted with rulers, how areas of a quilt can be divided for applying a free motion fill, and how whole cloth designs can be created by using rulers. Small trunk show with samples. Power point presentation for close ups of marking and sewn details.
Workshop-
The Workshop starts with sewing with straight and curved rulers on a nine-patch sampler. Next we’ll practice marking blocks and borders to create a more intricate design, on the same nine-patch.
Second half of the day, we’ll start by designing a quilting pattern for large blocks/whole cloth/mandalas, including marking and ruler selection. Then play with other rulers and designing your own blocks.
I will demo and have available to try, other style rulers. Members can bring any rulers they may want to play with.
Materials-
You will need a few sandwiches of fabric, batting, backing, basted together (spray basted or stitched around the perimeter). If you are a speedy stitcher, you may want to bring an extra sandwich. Use light color fabrics and bring contrasting threads, so you can see your quilting. At least two nine patch sandwiches, using finished 6” solid pieced blocks or use an 18” block with a nine patch of 6” blocks stitched on it (use matching thread). Plus, one 12” to 18” sandwich of a mandala design or solid fabric.
Equipment-
Ruler Foot - You will need a Ruler Foot for your machine. Check with your dealer or get one from Nancy’s Notions. Bernina owners, newer machines have a Bernina brand ruler foot option, but older models need a low shank ruler foot and a Bernina adapter, available at Nancy’s Notion. From Nany’s Notions the foot comes with a 12” arc ruler, perfect for this class.
Gloves - You don’t really need gloves for ruler work, but if you want to add some free motion in some blocks, they are a good idea.
Sewing machine set up for free motion sewing. A large work surface is important. Bring your extended table if you have one. A Slider can help, but this is a smaller project, so not required.
Short and Longer rulers for marking only – a 12” for marking small blocks and a 3”x18” or 6”x24” will work for marking the whole cloth mandala.
Fabric Marking Tool – Bring something that will show on your fabrics.
Thread – contrasting thread, so you can see your stitches. It’s only practice, but why not make it look good?
Optional - Plexiglass or heavy plastic (like a large Ziploc baggie) to overlay on blocks for designing, white board markers, cloth to erase marks and hand sanitizer for cleaning plastic.
Quilting Rulers-
You will need at least one straight ruler, 8” to 12” long and one curved ruler, an 8” and 12” arc is good. The ruler that comes with the ruler foot starter set from Nancy’s notions is great, it’s a 12” arc, about 6” wide. An 8” arc ruler is also useful. One Straight and two curved rulers will give you plenty of options for the class. Important-Make sure your rulers have some sort of non-skid on the bottom! An offset gauge is helpful, too. May come with starter set, I will have aluminum ones available for $3.
I’ll have these specialty rulers available to try. All available from Nancy’s Notions. Westalee six Template Starter Set (4” arc, ½” and 1 ½” clamshell, 6” spiral, 2” circle, two spin petals approx. 3.5”), four Spin Echo rulers (#1,#6,#14,#16), four Continuous Border templates, 2” – 3” (loop, loop #3, rope, small/large heart), Circles On Quilts Expansion pack of 2 (sews circles from 2”-12”), and Sew Steady 12.5” Crosshair Ruler.
*For this class projects you can use 1/4” straight and arc rulers on your domestic machine. You will only be able to work from the front and side, but the project is small enough to turn in any direction. So, if you have a mid or long arm, you can get ¼” rulers and use it on your domestic machine for the class.
*Other rulers might work, also. I have a Handi Ruler designed for marking spines and a 3”x18” rotary cutting ruler, both are 3/16” and work on my domestic machine.
*You can also cut shapes from ¼” foam core as a temporary ruler. It really works!
*Nancy’s notions also has the Westalee Arc Set, that looks good. I can order from a couple sources for a variety of rulers - Angel Oak Stitchery and Checker Distributers that carry Handi Quilter, Sariditty and Angela Walters rulers.
Contact me with any questions about what you need. Cathy Persson 860-304-6124