Introduction to Patchwork Quilting

Join us for a two day introduction to patchwork quilting workshop and learn all the skills and techniques you need to get you started. Quilting is a wonderfully therapeutic past time that encourages playfulness with colour, shape and stitch. We encourage sustainability and a zero waste approach to sewing here at CSSC, and this is the perfect way to use up all those odds and ends of fabric, or to upcycle old clothes into a meaningful heirloom textile. We have plenty of fabrics to choose from, or you’re more than welcome to bring your own.

Led by Stitchery Founder Cassandra Belanger, this is a 2-day, in-depth introduction to quilting. The course is intended to equip you with a comprehensive set of basic skills that you can develop and apply to quilting and patchwork. We’ll walk through the process of making a quilted wall hanging or cushion cover at a manageable pace, and with sustainability in mind. We’ll introduce you to all the tools, fabrics, threads and talk about how to use second hand materials. You’ll learn how to use your own creative thinking to develop a patchwork pattern, and we’ll learn how to layer it up with the wadding and backing fabric, basting together the layers, quilting by both hand and machine and finally the quilt binding to finish it off.

The introduction to patchwork quilting workshop is a beginner level course, which means it’s suitable for those with basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine. No quilting or patchwork skills are necessary. If you’ve never used a sewing machine but would be interested in taking this workshop please get in touch as we may be able to arrange an introductory lesson to the sewing machine ahead of the workshop. We have a Janome 230DC computerised (with speed control) sewing machine available for each student; although you can bring your own sewing machine if you prefer to learn on it.

Outcomes:

• An understanding of how to make a quilt; and the confidence to go on and try more.
• A quilted wall hanging or cushion.
• An understanding of how to make quilts that consider the impact on people and the planet.
• An understanding of zero waste sewing.

Topics Covered:

• Sewing machine techniques for quilting and patchwork
• Geometric patchwork blocks (half square triangles, squares, rectangles)
• Choosing fabrics
• Working from second hand fabrics
• Choosing thread and wadding
• Layering up
• Basting
• Hand and machine quilting
• Binding a quilt

More Info:

• Tea and coffee are provided but participants should bring their own lunch and utensils
• All of our classes are suitable for over 16s, younger crafters may be accommodated if accompanied by a participating adult but please contact us before booking
• If the workshop you were looking at is fully booked drop us an email and we’ll add you to the waiting list. We will add extra dates to our most popular workshops too, join the mailing list to be the first to know
• All of our workshops are held at Craft Central, High Street, Dunblane, FK15 0EE
• If you need to cancel or reschedule your workshop we need at least three weeks notice. Please read our cancellation policy before booking