by Becky Goldsmith & Linda Jenkins
Piece O' Cake Designs
Notes to Instructors & Shop Owners
There are several classes that can be taught from this book. We chose "Flowering Vines" because it offers simple hand appliqué (or fusible web--your choice) and foundation-paper string piecing techniques. It's also a very HAPPY quilt design and perfect for beginners.
When we teach, we concentrate on specific techniques. We assume that our students know how to set their blocks together and finish their quilts. However, you know your students best. You may want to add those quiltmaking techniques to the class. In that case, you will need to add class time as well.
Class Description
The emphasis of this 6-hour beginning/intermediate class is to teach the basics of hand appliqué (and simple foundation piecing, if you wish). You will be teaching the invisible appliqué stitch, bias stems, inner and outer points, circle appliqué, and off-the-block construction. Add the basics of foundation piecing, if needed. If your students are true beginners, schedule a second class to teach setting the quilt together.
Basic Student Supply List:
- Required textbook: Flowering Favorites from Piece O' Cake Designs
- Small, sharp paper scissors
- Small, sharp fabric scissors
- An ultrafine-point Sharpie marker
- Clear, medium weight upholstery vinyl cut the size of the finished block
- One sheet of clear, heavyweight, self-adhesive laminate for templates
- Appliqué needles
- 1/2" sequin pins
- 100% cotton thread to match your appliqué fabrics (DMC 50-weight machine embroidery thread or Mettler 60-weight machine embroidery thread)
- White chalk pencil (we like General's charcoal white) to mark darker fabrics
- Quilter's Ultimate Mechanical Pencil (.05 lead) to mark lighter fabrics
- Sandpaper board (bring a sheet of fine-grain sandpaper if you don't have a board)
- Baggie for your templates
- Optional: Lamp and extension cord in case the room is dark
- For fabric requirements, see the list on page 13 of Flowering Favorites from Piece O' Cake Designs.
Teacher Supply List:
- Masking tape
- Extra laminate sheets*
- Extra upholstery vinyl*
- Extra ultrafine-point Sharpie markers*
- Extra white chalk pencils
- Pencil sharpener
- Fine-grain sandpaper*
- We always give our students a packet with a couple of the needles we prefer, a few 1/2" pins to try, and a round wooden toothpick to use in turning points and curves. That way we know that everybody starts out with the key tools for appliqué.
- We bring several spools of appliqué thread in a variety of colors. Students can then see what a difference good thread makes.
*Some students don't make it to class with these supplies. Your class will go more smoothly if you have these items. If you supply laminate and vinyl, know in advance how much you are going to charge your students for these items. Other items can be returned to you to use in future classes.
In the Classroom
- Make templates (page 46-47).
- Make the positioning overlay (pages 49).
- Demonstrate how to make bias stem (page 58). There isn't time in a 6-hour class to make and position the bias stem. Demonstrate how to do this so students will be able to complete this step at home.
- Begin with a leaf that does not lie over the vine. Show how to use templates and the placement overlay when you begin your stitching demonstrations (pages 48, 50).
- Teach the invisible appliqué stitch and outer points on the leaf
- Teach off-the-block construction on a flower (page 14). Choose a flower that does not lie over the vine. Teach circle appliqué first (page 54).
- Teach inner points when sewing the flower to the panel.
