Barbara Blanton of the Academy of Applique
Barbara's Website: http://www.academyofapplique.com/meetthefounder
Barbara Blanton will be the featured speaker at the Country Quilters Guild Quilt Show “Wild About Flowers” to be held Sept. 24 & 25 2022.
In addition to her trunk show, on Sept 24 & 25, Barbara will be offering a very special hand applique workshop for members of our guild (and beyond). There will be one project with two colorways to choose from—both are beginner and experienced sewer friendly. The Class "Pirouette” includes all fabrics (you can pick between 2 colorways). The student does need to bring basic supplies (a list is provided). Class fee to include pattern, template material, overlay, applique needles, thread, fabric. Barbara will have notions for students to try, and for sale. Class is capped at 30 participants. Contact Susan Parry (845-778-5030, parry2@frontiernet.net) for information.
Below is a message from Barbara followed by information on the project.
My name is Barbara and I am PASSIONATE about APPLIQUE. Yes, I understand that some call it the “dreaded ‘A’ word” but I can guarantee that with my patience and humor, students will love this handwork art form by the end of class. I also offer a trunk show called “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Academy,” full of humor and plenty of quilts showing examples of every mistake you can make – and how to “hide” or fix them.
I have always sewn, but it was an antique quilt that I received as a teenager that inspired me to learn to quilt. I checked out a book from the library and made my first quilt, a log cabin, using templates cut out of newspaper in 1973 (this was long before rotary cutters). I finished the top with excitement, then read the next step - “Layer, quilt as desired, and bind.” I layered it with “puffy” batting (after all it WAS for a child) but could not find a book in the library called “Quilt As Desired.” My Grandmother came to the rescue and “machine” quilted it in the ditch. Hundreds of quilts, and some thirty years later, I became obsessed with appliqué. I took classes from every appliqué teacher I could find and practiced – practiced – practiced. I appliqué an average of (3) queen size tops a year; augmented with pieced quilts. Through the years I have moved a lot with my professional career in accounting and finance. With every move from Downers Grove (a suburb of Chicago) to St. Louis, to San Antonio, to Los Angeles and landing in Williamsburg, VA – I have been involved in quilting. I have been the President of local guilds in Missouri, Texas, and California. I organized and ran a charity group in Riverside, CA for (7) years that produced “Snuggle Quilts” for at-risk children. We donated up to 200 quilts a year to the local Police Department.
I took my first appliqué class in the late ‘80’s. I must admit that it was a dismal failure. I was drawn to antique appliqué quilts, so I found a local teacher and signed up for a class. Her work was spectacular! The problem was that she had a stitch that I could not see nor understand. Her stitches were a running stitch that caught the background and the “seam allowance” of the piece. I put this on the backburner until 1990. My New Year’s resolution that year was to “love and conquer the dreaded ‘A’ word!” I found a different teacher and fell in LOVE with appliqué.
In 2015 I formed the ACADEMY OF APPLIQUE – a weeklong appliqué retreat/school held annually at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, VA offering (2) three-day sessions of 10 teachers each from around the world, to about 250 students. I LOVE IT! It is a lot of work, but definitely my favorite week of the year. Additionally, I have an online quilt store called HUZZAH QUILT SHOPPE, and a new venture called "An Applique Getaway." This event is held annually “floating” around the Midwest for a boutique group of (30) students.
Remember, every journey starts with a single step. No matter where you are in your appliqué journey – from barely knowing how to spell the word, to an experienced appliquér – won’t you let me share my experience with you?
PIROUETTE
Taught by
Barbara Blanton
Email: barbara@academyofapplique.com
Choose Your Colorway - Bright (above) or Beige (above right)
This is a beginner/refresher class, perfect for the nay sayers; those that describe it as the dreaded 'A' word; and those that say they do not do hand work. Original design by Audra Rasnake.
By the end of class, you will LOVE applique, Guaranteed! And be confident with templates, overlays, circles, curves, points, and needle turn applique. This will set you up for success in ANY other class offered at the Academy.
Block Size: 18” x 18”
The best part of this class is that you don't HAVE to bring ANYTHING! Everything you need will be available in class to try and purchase if desired.
SUPPLY LIST: If you have the following items, please bring them. It you don't have them, please don't buy them - try mine first
FABRICS: (I will provide a kit, but you are welcome to bring your own if you like)
LAB FEE - to include pattern, template material, overlay, applique needles, thread, fabric.