Quality Quilting Experience

This was my first QuiltCon. It was AMAZING!

I was over the moon excited and nervous because events like this can be very overwhelming. I was so ready for the opportunity to learn and create with some of the best at modern quilting. 

I registered for the longarm classes the first day registration was open. Thankfully I was one of the first 1000 to register so I got an awesome goodie bag. I saved my “unbagging” video in my highlights on IG. Unbagging sounds so strange but they gave us a super cute tote. I was so grateful for all the awesome vendors. 

I ended up taking all classes by Angela Walters because after researching all of the instructors she had the mindset I most want to emulate. Her focus is on finishing the quilt and not perfection. I need that most because half the time I will load a quilt and stare at it for a few days before I began for fear of quilting the wrong thing or my skills not being good enough for what I really want to do.

Block Busting Designs: Machine  Quilting Designs for Blocks of All Shapes and Sizes

The first class was “Block Busting Designs: Machine  Quilting Designs for Blocks of All Shapes and Sizes”. Deciding what to quilt is the most commonly asked question for a quilter. We also ask it to ourselves constantly throughout quilting. Like Angela say, “80% of quilting is knowing where to go and how to get there”, so we really shouldn't stress on the specific design. 

This class was five stars all the way from techniques to confidence building. Angela’s way of teaching is so positive, uplifting, and humorous. She doesn’t take herself to seriously so it really helped me relax and have a good time. She doesn't focus on a ton of fancy theology she just tells you straight.

The classes focused on a panel that included around 10 blocks. She started off with simple blocks and motifs and built our designs from there.

             

             

 We came in and she let us jump straight on the longarms to help us settle our nerves. Also to help us be able to focus on the design elements later on when we start working on the panel. 

Her class supplies include a killer panel, which you can get one here at Quilting is my Therapy, a handout, and the Amara longarm machine generously furnished by Handi Quilter.  

   

She took simple motifs and taught us how to modify them to fit all sorts of blocks. The value in an in person quilt class versus watching a ton of YouTube videos is the immediate reassurance you can get from the instructor. Plus with Angela is her humor. She was also great when answering questions. In the past I have had instructors that answer everything with “ it just depends” then offer no further explanation. Angela would answer “it depends” and then ask a series of questions. Followed by her showing you what she would do.  

As a quilter I have the problem of being in the middle of a design needing to get to one end of the block and my brain just skips. I loose track of my fluidity and with her being there she can help you to finish creating a path. It’s like she can visibly see your brain skipping and help you figure out exactly what to say to yourself. 

She had these perfect one liners that I was able to use and keep repeating to myself to help me move trough my design. Her energy flowed through the whole class. It was seriously contagious.  

Her class was so uplifting, full of information, and she was willing to even touch on stuff that wasn’t included in the class. She has over 17 years of knowledge and was willing to share so much. 

Machine Quilting Negative Space with Rulers 

The next class I took was Machine Quilting Negative Space with Rulers. 

Her ruler series is AWESOME! I normally do not buy quilting rulers besides a good straight edge because I feel like they are so limited as far as multiple options. Her straight edge “Slim” is definitely in the top two for my favorite straight edge rulers. It’s literally the perfect size to actually maintain control the entire length of it. 

She put great thought into the rulers and did a fantastic job explaining them to us. She showed how each ruler is so much more than whats just on the packaging. You don’t have to use the whole length of every ruler, vertically versus horizontal, and even making the ruler designs larger or fitting a space better. 

 Her full line of rulers can be found HERE. I personally bought the Slim, Squiggy, and the Shelly. 

  

Machine Quilting Boarders and Backgrounds

My last class was Machine Quilting Boarders and Backgrounds. This class was so fun! It was so expandable. I use that word specifically because she had us first design something in a boarder then she would give us some of those great one liners to expand it as a background filler.  

  

Every class she would work on a white board as we watched and then she would let us ask questions as we were trying to think through it. Next we would head to our machines and try it out. 

These were definitely the best quilt classes I have been too. She truly cares for her students and was made for teaching. The top three one liners I will take from her classes were “Where are you going?”, “How are you going to get there?”, “What do you want to highlight or hide?”. 

They seem like common sense but when you are quilting and your brain is working so hard on the visible brain teaser that is quilting it helps to have phrases that calm you mind down.

I’m also grateful for all of the friends I made in the classes too. Quilters are such a special community. Full of creativity, compassion, and sharing.

I’m so glad I made QuiltCon a priority this year and made it happen. I am so pumped for QuiltCon 2021 in Atlanta, GA. 

 

Happy quilting and remember keep it positively peachy!