I should’ve taken more pictures but I was too busy sewing this past Saturday at the “How to Work with Ombré Gradients” class with Vanessa Christenson of V and Co. hosted by Daley by The Yard, a LQS in the Greater Boston area.
Vanessa is too darn cute, like, for real: adorable. The class was the same class she taught at QuiltCon this past winter but condensed down a little bit. I’ve never worked with the ombré gradient fabric before so this was a great “let’s try something new” class for me. She talked a bit about the process for making the gradients, the history of the gradients and some beautiful in person examples of some of her quilts to demonstrate the line.
We experimented in the class and made small samples of ombré friendly projects. We ended up making half square triangles from a single gradient, flying geese that faded, a sample flower from Vanessa’s Bloom Quilt Pattern and we ended the day making over sized rosettes with the gradient.
We made the bloom flower using a really neat turned appliqué technique I’ve never done before and was way easier than any other turned appliqué I’ve ever seen. I actually said in the class it might make me like appliqué enough to do it again some time.
I’ve never made a rosette before and I know they’re not hard, since they’re intentionally messy, but I’m so used to matching seams and sewing 1/4″ seam allowance that it was hard to “let loose” to get the rosette to look right. That and as I was halfway through with mine I regretted my color. I made a face at my machine and Vanessa came over to see what was wrong and I remarked “In green, my rosette looks more like a head of lettuce.”
Then I was an Internet micro celebrity for a hot minute on Vanessa’s Instagram account as I hung my items up on the wall for our class photo.
I’m so glad I took the class, it was the right price, at the right time and only an hour drive from home. What a great way to spend a Saturday!
Have you taken any classes recently? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
That looks like an awesome class, I like your green rosette!
You mean my head of lettuce 🙂 Thanks Cheryl, it’s the first time I’ve made a rosette that even vaguely resembled a rosette. It’s such a different process than I’m accustomed to but I love how the ombre added an extra splash of color the way the solids and prints I’ve tried it with before didn’t.
It sounds like a great class and fun Saturday! I know I could sign up for more classes if I paid attention to things in the LA area, but typically driving 3+ hours in LA traffic isn’t my idea of fun, so I’ve not done that, yet. I am planning on going on a retreat (Quilt Bliss) in November, picking up a class or two at QuiltCon in Pasadena, and now you have me excited for Glamp Stitchalot next year, too! From 0 to full throttle soon, it seems!
Oh that’s so cool, I love her fabric and posts! I saw the IG photo on her feed, now I know it was you. I’ve been going to an open class at my LQS once a week. It’s more like a sewing group than a class and some of us are working on different projects, but we can always ask the owner for help. It’s a lot of fun.
WAAAAH! I had no idea this was happening in Mass. Bleepity bleep bleep! My own selfish motivations aside … your class projects are wonderful. I’m particularly crazy about the half-square rectangles. Yay for your fun day!
Come to think of it I’m a total dumb dumb for not circulating an email to my local girls about this…like wow dropped the ball on that! *kicks self*
What a great class, I would never have thought of using gradients like this. I especially love those flying geese, with a whole quilt made from these alone, it would look like the geese were flying off into the distance 🙂
Yes Louisa, I agree that would be neat. I, and the woman at the spot next to me played with the fabric a bit before deciding to have the geese fly into the light instead of towards the darkness. We agreed there was no need for dark symbolism on such a sunny summer day! Hehehe 🙂
I’m so happy you shared this class! It looks like so much fun, not to mention learning a thing or two! I’m in love with the ombre geese! I have never taken a class…ever…that makes me sad!! Maybe one day. As for the rosette, you got to learn how to make them!
Jayne this is actually only the 2nd time I’ve taken a class! I signed up for some classes at the Original sewing expo a few months back and now I totally get why people take the classes, there’s so much valuable detail information you pick up in a hands on class that no number of Youtube videos can satisfy. I highly recommend you find one to sign up for at your local quilt chop to give it a try!
Brilliant – looks like so much fun and a lot learned too!
My traditional guild hosts classes almost every month. They are a great way to get exposure to different techniques! This month I took a class about sashiko and applique, and learned 3 methods for applique. Even some of the seasoned applique quilters found a new way of doing it. I’m curious, could you share your method that made you like appliqué enough to do it again some time? I felt that way about one of the methods I learned. She uses sticky postage labels, prints the design on them (no reversing!), cuts out, sticks to the right side of the fabric, and uses a glue stick to fold the edges under, from the wrong side. The templates are reusable and no iron is required!
Just took a class with Sherry Lynne Wood about Bias Strip Curves, it was so intimidating at first then I had so much fun. Seeing all the options and ideas for ombre fabrics they look really fun!