A Couple of Classes Coming up

Every once in a while, I realize that something I’ve been looking forward to has somehow slipped under the radar.

That happened recently when I was looking at my upcoming teaching schedule and realized that I have two classes coming up with Mancuso Quiltfest Virtual Schoolhouse on October 15th – and there are still spots available in both.

So I thought I would give them a little nudge here, just in case they slipped under your radar too.

From Sketch to Stitch with Inktense Pencils

October 15
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Eastern

This is a class that brings together two things I really enjoy: stitching and colour.

We begin with a design (provided) that becomes our sketchbook on fabric. I’ll demonstrate some free-motion quilting techniques and we’ll use the stitching to interpret the design rather than worrying about making everything perfect.

Once the quilting is finished, we bring in Inktense pencils, adding colour and depth to the stitched design. I’ll share several ways to colour, blend and layer the pencils so you can experiment and see what happens.

I love the way Inktense can transform a simple stitched surface. The quilting creates the texture and structure, and then the colour changes everything.

If you’ve been curious about Inktense pencils but haven’t quite known where to start, this would be a fun way to explore them.

You may notice that these samples look a little… unfinished. That’s because they are! They are my teaching samples, and the blotches and marks in the background are from demonstrating different Inktense techniques. I thought I’d show them as they are rather than pretend they came out of the studio perfectly pristine. 😊

Introduction to Transfer Artist Paper

October 15
4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Eastern

And then, after a little break, we move from colour to image transfer.

Transfer Artist Paper – TAP – is one of those techniques that has become an important part of my own work. I love being able to take an image, photograph, drawing or piece of ephemera and bring it onto fabric, where it can become part of a stitched story.

In this class, I’ll introduce you to TAP and share the things I’ve learned through using it in my own work, including some of the little tricks that can make the process easier and more successful.

There is something quite magical about watching an image move from paper onto fabric. Suddenly, the possibilities for what you can create seem to multiply.

And because the two classes are on the same day, you could even spend the day with me – colour and stitching in the morning, image transfer in the afternoon.

And speaking of Inktense…

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Inktense pencils lately.

On November 21st, I’ll be teaching Colour, Layer & Stitch with Inktense Pencils at Tatter NY (virtually, of course). The two workshops I taught in AqS New England and at AQS Columbus sold out really quickly, and I heard from so many people who could not get into the class and were disappointed. So I’m particularly looking forward to sharing this one at Tatter NY. I hope you can make it.

For the Tatter workshop, every student receives a complete kit with everything they need for the class, which makes it especially easy to simply sit down and begin experimenting. No sewing machines for this one. Just the design and the pencils.

It seems that Inktense and I are spending quite a bit of time together these days – and I’m perfectly happy about that.

So, if either of the October 15th classes has slipped under your radar, there are still spots available. I would love to have you join me for a day of stitching, colour and image transfer. See you then!

Thanks for reading. Until I write again, I’m off on another adventure …

Ana