Paul Schutte's Gaudi class

GAUDI AND ORPHAN BLOCKS

All levels: 4 x 3 hours Two day class

Duration:  4 x 3 hours: 12 hours

Level: All levels. 

Cost: R550 for the two days.

I got my inspiration from Gaudi’s architecture and mosaics which I saw in Barcelona. Thus, bring your UFO'S and orphan blocks plus other fabric scraps and we will cut, rearrange, fuse and machine applique them to a neutral background in order to create a new design, either with a stained glass look or a “broken mosaic” look.  Those who do not have left over blocks can also use bold printed/designed fabric which will be cut in odd shapes to represent mosaic pieces. To get a better idea of the possibilities as well as inspiration, please Google: Gaudi Mosaic Art and look at pinterest.com/explore.gaudi mosaic. This is a class to enjoy and go mad as the director of Gaudi said at his graduation: “I don’t know if we’ve given the degree to a madman or genius”. You will either use raw edge straight stitches, small zig-zag stitches or blanket stitch to machine applique the fused pieces to the background fabric. For this project saturated primary and secondary colours work better than soft spoken colours. The background fabric, though, should be a neutral/plain colour to represent the grout for your “tiles/glass” pieces.

Requirements

1. UFO’s  (3-6 or even more) or orphaned blocks (bring them all) from all former projects or/and 3/4/5 pieces of bold prints with fabric scraps that will tone in with the bold prints.

2. NB Fabric: Plain background fabric (with body / not flimsy or very thin fabric / can even starch it) the size of your wall hanging plus extra 13 cm on each of the four sides. This plain fabric fulfils the role of “grout” between your mosaic pieces. It should give contrast and can be either very light: white/beige/cream or very dark: black/dark blue or dark purple.  Extra scrap pieces in plain/ mottled / hand dyed colours that will relate to and/or compliment the pieced blocks or the bold printed fabrics

3.  Good quality Fusible web / iron-on adhesive / applique paper at least 1.3 times the size of your envisaged final size of wall hanging/quilt.  You need more than the final size of your quilt.

4.  Cutting mat and rotary cutter with sharp blade

5.  Piece of ordinary white paper to use as mock templates, when necessary. Use A3/A4 paper.

6. Erasable pen/pencil, or sliver used soap; eraser;

7. Scissors: fabric and paper

8. Straight pins & pincushion

9. Any ruler

10. Iron and ironing board (see below) between 2 students

11. A big towel (older one) to put on your table under your background fabric. Thus, you can iron small “mosaic pieces” onto fabric without shifting them to a separate ironing board.

12. A Teflon sheet, if possible.

Sewing requirements

1. Clean sewing machine in good working order and usual sewing equipment and manual.

2. Extension cord and adaptor

3. Feet: Open toe, Darning and normal foot

4. Invisible thread and/or variegated thread in colours to echo the colours of the chosen fabric

5. Needles: Universal 80/90 machine needles,

6. Quick unpick