Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Celebrate National Quilting Day


Come celebrate with me. On Saturday, March 19, 2016, I'll be teaching a workshop at the Kenosha Public Museum in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as part of a National Quilting Day event. We'll be making one of my favorite simple and scrappy quilts - the Orange Peel quilt from my book Remembering Adelia. This happens to be one of the most popular classes I teach and I never get tired of seeing all of the different variations quilters come up with for their quilts. It's a very relaxing workshop and a lot of fun.



You're welcome to join me and the Southport Quilters of Kenosha, Wisconsin, who are sponsoring the class in conjunction with the museum for a National Quilting Day event. The theme is "Scrappy Days are Here Again."  For details, click here.  (Scroll down the page to see the National Quilting Day events.)

It'll be a full day of quilting fun. In addition to the morning class, I'll be giving a presentation in the afternoon. In between, you can browse the quilt show with  beautiful quilts on display and lots of quilting demonstrations by guild members. Sound like fun? Then come on over. Wisconsin's beautiful in March. (More info about the workshop here. Contact the Southport Quilters Guild to sign up.)


It's one of my favorite classes - 







The orange peel (melon, pumpkin seed) pattern has been around a long time but when I made my quilt they weren't really very popular at all. If you did see any they were almost always two-color quilts. It's nice to see sooo many quilters making orange peels now and incorporating them into their different designs.

Back when I was writing Remembering Adelia and a few years before I began my Dear Jane quilt, I noticed that Jane Stickle had used a lot of peels in her famous quilt. Since Adelia also lived and sewed during the Civil War, I decided to include orange peels in the book and weave this quilt into Adelia's story. It was fun poking through my reproduction scraps, making the peels and then hand appliqueing them over that summer. I made them a few at a time in between working on the other quilts and when I had made enough blocks I put them together into my quilt.

We'll talk about Adelia's Civil War diary as you make your peels and sew them together by hand or machine -  your choice. I'll give you some tips on making the peels using a simple starch and template method. Or, you can use your own favorite method of applique to construct the quilt. Some make their quilt with reproduction prints from the Civil War and others use their favorite bright prints. They all end up looking great. 

Don't be afraid of the applique part. I'll hold your hand, I promise. It won't be that bad. You'll do great. 


Here's a pretty blue and white orange peel quilt runner I made. 


Have I convinced you yet?

MARCH 19 -  ORANGE PEELS - Let's do this. (Bring scraps . . . )

http://www.kenosha.org/wp-museumstore/qsot-event/quilt-workshop-with-kathy-tracy/

Hope to see some of you  there.

                                          

*   *   *
[It's always an awful lot of fun to make a quilt like this in a group with like-minded quilters. If you can't make it this time but belong to a guild and would like me to come and talk a little bit about my quilts and teach this one (or any other) in a workshop to your group, contact me for details. I'm always up for making Orange Peels!]

                                             





11 comments:

Teresa said...

Oh my gosh do I wish I could be in that class right now, ! So want to make these! Have fun !

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

If I only lived closer I would so be there--

pens and needles said...

Kathy, would you please, please, pretty please, bring your notions and your knowledge to Southern Missouri so I could take part in something like this??? How I would LOVE to be there!

Rosa said...

I wish I could be there,lucky girl.Hope to join if you come to Spain.

Kathleen Tracy said...

Pens and needles - It's not up to me. I have to be INVITED by a guild. They're the ones who pay me, haha. Find a guild near you that would like me to teach a class and I will come. -K

quiltgrannie said...

Kathy, you taught us how to make this quilt at our last retreat. I am happy to tell you that all my orange peals are appliqued and ready to be sewn together. I can't wait to get it done!! Karen

Ellie said...

Took this class a couple of years ago in Indianapolis and it was so much fun! Imagine my surprise when I saw my picture in this blog!
Ellie Lively

janet said...

Nice to see people celebrating National Quilting Day. NQDay was established by the National Quilting Association on the third Saturday in March. With the recent demise of NQA, the Quilt Alliance is picking up coordination of NQDay - 2016 is the 25th! Look for more information about 2016 plans on the Quilt Alliance website. Everyone should celebrate - it is OUR holiday! (Although, I'd rather be in Wisconsin this year!)

Kathleen Tracy said...

Janet - thanks for the info. I will plan on doing something else fun beforehand to celebrate. Last year I created a free pattern and put it on the blog to celebrate.

Kathleen Tracy said...

Ellie - I hope you don't mind I posted your picture again. Which one was it? That was a long time ago and it's hard to remember faces and names but I do remember being in that room with all of you, haha. My guess is you're the one in the purple shirt . . . Am I right?

Vic in NH said...

Thank you for sharing all of the neat pictures that make me feel excited about Pumpkin Seeds! Your reproduction selections are mouth-watering!