Ever wanted to try your hand at the traditional textile craft of patchwork quilting? Now may be the time! We will start by playing with simple geometric forms, colour and pattern to create an effective but simple design for your quilt top. Your experienced teacher will guide you through safely and accurately cutting your fabric using a rotary cutter and quilters ruler.

Next you will sew each piece on the machine to create your quilt top and layer your quilt ready for quilting. Machine quilting, hand quilting and knotting will be demonstrated so you can choose your preferred technique to finish. Finally you will add binding with mitered corners to finish. You will be impressed by the final result and have skills to take home to continue patchwork quilting.

Basic sewing skills are required including setting up and operating a sewing machine. Bring your own sewing machine with ¼ inch foot and walking foot or borrow a machine from the college. Create a stunning heirloom quilt throw (50 × 65in) over two saturdays to use and enjoy or gift to a loved one.

Course Outline:

• Design a simple quilt using squares and rectangles
• Safety and accurately use a rotary cutter with a quilters ruler and mat
• Piece blocks together using a ¼ inch seam foot on a sewing machine
• Layer a quilt sandwich using curved safety pins
• Quilt using machine, hand and knot techniques
• Cut and sew binding to finish your quilt

Learning Outcomes:

• Design, cut and sew to produce a quilt top
• Layer a quilt sandwich with your quilt top, wadding and backing fabric
• Cut and sew on binding to finish your quilt

What to bring:

• 45mm Rotary cutter
• Cutting mat 18 × 24 in
• Quilting ruler 4 × 14in
• Selection of cotton quilting fabric for quilt top (approximately 12 fat quarters)
• 25cm of cotton quilting fabric for binding (112cm wide)
• 1.5 meters of wadding/batting (244cm wide)
• Matching cotton thread (Guttermans or Aurifil are good brands)
• 3m of cotton quilting fabric for the backing (112cm wide)
• Water erasable marker
• Hand sewing needles
• Hera maker
• Tape measure
• Quilting pins
• Fabric scissors
• 2 bobbins
• Pack of universal sewing machine needles
• Curved safety pins (required for the second class)
• BYO sewing machine with ¼ inch seam foot and walking foot (optional)

About the Tutor:

'Melinda has loved sewing ever since she was a young child when her mum first showed her how to use a sewing machine and her grandmother showed her how to embroider, crochet and knit. Since then she has explored and developed her skills in patchwork quilting, embroidery, dressmaking and knitting. As an experienced teacher, she enjoys sharing her passion and knowledge to inspire you to create with fabric and thread.'

Other Information:

• To ensure resources are ready for you at the start of your course, we ask you ideally enrol at least one week before the course commences.
• All courses need a minimum number of students to run ("we try our hardest to get those") . If your course does not have enough students it will be cancelled before the commencement and you will be informed.