Classes

Online Quilt Design Classes at Quilt University

Dena Crain’s online patchwork quilt classes can be found at Quilt University, perhaps the world’s largest and most popular online adult education facility for quilters. At Quilt University, you can find complete details about each of her classes, the schedule for the year’s classes, instructions on how to register and pay for a class, and plenty of helpful support from faculty and students alike.

The current schedule for Dena’s Quilt University classes is:

• Goodbye to the Grid:  Take the leap to become an art quilter with this inspired method for releasing inner expressions.  Four lessons, int/adv levels, $36. See Student Work. Next offering: January 27, 2012
  

• Designer Pinwheels: Redesign a typical pinwheel in atypical ways, then learn new ways stitch it up. Four lessons, int/adv levels, $36. See Student Work. Next offering: February 10, 2012
  

• Darned Quilts: Make an entire quilt top from one amazing constructed fabric. Four lessons, int/adv levels, $36. See Student Work. Next offering: February 24, 2012
  

• Structured Fabrics: Stripes, Checks and Plaids: Cut, sew, layer and stitch your way to an original wall hanging. Four lessons, beg/adv levels, $36. See Student Work. Next offering: 2012–To be announced
  

• Reflections: Learn to design, critique and construct an original quilt using artists’ principles. Four lessons, int/adv levels, $36. See Student Work.  Next offering: March 23, 2012
  

• Math for Quilters: Draft blocks, figure template sizes and yardage, calculate layouts and apply math to calculate the real cost of your quilts. Three lessons, beg/adv levels, $27. Next offering: April 27, 2012
  

• Crystal Quilts: Use the principles of symmetry to create these sparkling designs. Three lessons, int/adv levels $27. See Student Work. Next offering: May 25, 2012

Read previous student testimonials.

Registration for all classes opens 5 weeks before the dates published above. 

All dates and prices subject to change without notice.

Check Quilt University for further details and registration.

More information can be viewed here by clicking on the international quilt festival workshop link by the same name below.

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International Quilt Festival Workshops, Classes and Lectures

Built Quilts Workshops

Art quilts spontaneously inspired by fabrics and construction methods; little, if any, preliminary design or planning involved.

• All-in-One Reverse Appliqué:  Design, cut, sew and quilt all in one step to make original quilt art.  Design and sewing.  1 day, all levels.

• Darned Quilts: Swap like cut-outs from an embellished gradated background to make fun and fabulous value studies, each a student’s individual creation. Design and sew. 1, 2 or 3 days, all levels.

• Design Lines:  Stack, slice, mix and reassemble layers of fabric, adding three different and contrasting  linear elements – 1/2”, 1/4” and 1/8” narrow – as you create a one-of-a-kind art quilt; stack, quilt and bind it quick as a flash.  1 day, all levels.

• Five Easy Pieces: Design and make an original quilt top from five single pieces of fabric, borders and bindings optional – a real designer’s challenge! Cut and sew; no drawing.  1 day, int/adv levels.

• Structured Fabrics: Build your own multicolored, textured fabric constructions and learn how to make original designs. Design and sew.  1 or 2 days; all levels.

Symmetry Sets Workshops

Simple design methods plus motions of symmetry lead to innovative quilted wall hangings and bed cover quilts.

• Crystal Quilts:  From a quick folded paper exercise, make elegant abstract quilt designs, each with a strong focal point, based on reflection and tessellation.  Longer sessions include complete construction details.  1, 2 or 3 days; int/adv levels.

• Designer Pinwheels: Fourfold rotation of a tessellated right triangle – interesting, challenging, cleverly designed original innovative quilts.  Design and sewing.  2 days; int/adv levels.

• Goodbye to the Grid: Design original art from a simple and easy to learn drawing technique, then explore how best to construct the design as a quilt by drawing from an individual repertoire of expertise. 1, 2 or 3 days; int/adv levels.

• Reflections: Simple symmetries, Butterflies and Quarters, make beautiful art quilts; focus on design, interpretation and critique – a truly artistic experience.  Design and sewing.  1 day.

• Symmetry Sets:  All four Symmetry Sets workshops may be offered in a single 5-day session.  Design and sewing.  5 days; int/adv levels.

• Wholly New Wholecloth:  Crystal Quilt symmetry and design applied as wholecloth quilting patterns.  Drawing and design; no sewing.  3 hrs; all levels.

Miscellaneous Tutorial Workshops

Useful information for all quilters!

• Costing, Pricing and Selling Your Quilts:  Factors to consider when figuring the costs of a quilt, three pricing methods, ins and outs of selling through consignment shops, exhibitions and galleries.    Lecture and discussion seminar, no sewing.  3 hours, all levels.

• Fuss-Free Binding:  Bind quilts quickly and easily, entirely by machine and with professional results.  3 hours, all levels.

• Seamless Binding:  Bind your quilts with the smoothest of finishes.  The only joins lie within the mitered corners.  Optional machine embellishment.  Sewing.  3 hrs, all levels.

• True Quilts:  Having trouble with crooked, wobbly quilts that don’t hang straight no matter what you do?  Learn unorthodox methods to square, stack, bind, quilt and hang a quilt so it hangs properly.  Stacking and sewing.  1 day (can be subdivided into briefer sessions); all levels.

All workshops can be individually tailored to meet the specific needs of each venue. Numbers of days for teaching can vary, depending upon the amount and nature of content to be included. Each class contains a variety of subjects for demonstration and discussion. Any of these topics can provide material for lectures or mini-workshops. See class details for a better idea of what is possible, and contact Dena for more information.

Lectures

• Dena Crain: American Artist in Africa: Autobiographical slide lecture featuring original art quilts and the environment from which they derive. Combination travelogue, sources of inspiration, and artistic development. 1 Hour

• World of Color: Color physics for quilters; the basics of the value scale and the Munsell color system explained in a simplified, fun way that is easy enough for anyone to understand. 1 Hour

• SAQA Portfolio 14: Carefully selected works of quilt art by Professional Artist Members of Studio Art Quilt Associates display many approaches, sources of inspiration, methods and techniques from the best of contemporary quilt artists.

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Terms and Conditions

In general, a set fee per day for up to 16 students, plus a fee for each student over that number, is required. Guaranteed number and fee level may very depending on location and type of event. Cancellation within fewer than 90 days before the first teaching date will require full payment of fees for the agreed-upon guaranteed minimum number of students and/or lectures. Suitable accommodation and all ground transport relative to classes, as well as to and from arrival and departure airports, must be included.  More details upon request.

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS