MPROVISATIONS: LET'S EXPERIMENT! Part III
• Length: 5 days
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• Sewing machine used
• PLEASE NOTE that the EXERCISES in this 5-DAY CLASS are NOT THE SAME as those in PART I of IMPROVISATIONS.
DESCRIPTION
A sewing machine and lots of fabric will be used in this fast-paced and intense workshop designed for students who no longer need "hand-holding" and who are desirous of being far more experimental using machine-piecing techniques. Students will be expected to work spontaneously and intuitively with nontraditional quilt making techniques as they explore design exercises that promote improvisational approaches to composition without benefit of "pre-planning" and "intellectualizing." Emphasis will be on the continuation of a stronger understanding of figure/ground composition and freeing up.
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Students will concentrate on three distinct compositions during this 5-day class:
1. The first will be done in black and white.
2. The second one will be done in a full range of neutrals including white, off-white, very light grey, light grey, medium light grey, medium grey, medium dark grey, dark grey and various shades of black. This exercise in composition will target the absolute importance of value in defining visual planes of depth.
3. The third one will be done in a full range of colors, as many as possible, in as many values as possible. Only solid colors will be used in this class.
• Color and the values of color, from light to dark, will be emphasized so a great selection of fabrics must be brought to this workshop.
At the end of this workshop, students will have completed three compositions in which they have learned a far wider use of value and color and very important technical construction techniques. As always, students will learn to work more effectively, more efficiently from "instincts" and "intuition" so come with an open mind and no agendas, ready for growth and for risk-taking! Students will learn to work more effectively, more efficiently from "instincts" and "intuition" so come with an open mind and no agendas, ready for growth and for risk-taking!
Presentation:
Optional but important: Each student should come prepared with a digital presentation/laptop or 3-6 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (3-5 minutes maximum) but articulate presentation about their work including future goals. The Crow Timber Frame Barn provides use of a digital projector connected to a laptop.
SUPPLIES
Sewing Machine
Swing-Arm Lamp
Digital Camera and Printer
Multiple Outlet Power Strip/Adaptors
Glue to Adhere Snapshots into Sketchbook
Iron/Iron Cleaner
Heavy Duty Extension Cords
Small Spray Bottle
4’ x 8’ Batting/Flannel (White) on which to pin work
Ball-Head Pins (very fine and regular size)
24" x 36" Cutting Mat/Extra Large Rotary Cutter and Blades
Scissors, Needles, Thread, Rulers
Sketchbook/Pens/Other Supplies You Want
Packing Tape if shipping boxes
Optional Books:
> CROSSROADS, 2007, Breckling Press (new catalog from one of Nancy’s exhibitions) - available at Crow Barn
> NANCY CROW, 2006, Breckling Press (new book covering Nancy's work from 1989-2005) - available at Crow Barn
Unfortunately, the following titles are out of print, but your local library may have them or order on Amazon.com.
GRADATIONS: FROM THE STUDIO OF NANCY CROW, Quilt House Publishing
NANCY CROW: WORK IN TRANSITION, American Quilters’ Society
NANCY CROW: QUILTS AND INFLUENCES, American Quilters’ Society
NANCY CROW: IMPROVISATIONAL QUILTS, C&T Publishing
Fabrics:
4 yards each of:
• SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE (Pimatex by Robert Kaufman is wonderful quality)
1 yard or more of each:
• SOLID OPAQUE COLORS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark values so you can be free to work) - reds, pinks, blues, teals, greens, limes, violets, browns, yellows, golds, oranges, purples, maroons, turquoises, rusts, etc.
• GRAYS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
• TANS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
• OFF-WHITES...warm white, cold white, cream
• GRAPHIC BOLD GEOMETRIC (high contrast) PRINTS, PLAIDS, CHECKS, BATIKS, HAND-PRINTED
• Bring BOTH the GLOWING and the FLAT versions of as many of these colors as possible.
• Please wash and shrink all fabrics! No need to iron though if you fold at end of drying cycle.
• We will use everything listed above so do not decide to leave anything out!
• DO NOT BRING FAT QUARTERS. We may at times cut selvage to selvage.
• Do not bring marbled fabrics.
• Bring enough variety so you are not hamstrung!
NOTES REGARDING FABRIC SUPPLY LIST
Yes, the rumor is true!!! Yes, I do ask that each student bring lots of fabrics. My personal theory embraces the belief that one will be freer to be creative if one has many fabric choices available in class. After 30+ years of teaching, I consider each class I teach to be on a graduate level and therefore I expect students to arrive prepared with all necessary supplies. In that regard, I have outlined those fabrics we will use in this class. For some students, my fabric supply list will seem overwhelming in quantity and variety, while for other students, the selection they bring will never be large enough or good enough.
About solid colors - the more shades you have to work with, the more you will learn about how to work with color. Color is Joyous!!! Color does not cause pain!!! Take DELIGHT in color!!!
Working in color does not mean only using BOLD colors or HOT colors; working in color means learning to be versatile in all types of colors.
I caution you not to bring mostly middle value solids, rather you must bring a wide variety, including:
• Light values
• Medium light values
• Medium values
• Medium dark values
• Dark values
Any color can be GLOWING or FLAT.
GLOWING tones: Any colors that are mixed with yellow and which have a glow coming off the surface.
FLAT tones: Any colors that are mixed with black and which have a dullness and subdued nature.
Many students arrive with their own hand-dyed solids or stacks they have purchased from other dyers. By all means, bring hand-dyed if you want but they need to be opaque and not have multiple values swimming across them ... meaning white or light splotches on dark colors.
But opaque solids (dyed commercially) are equally acceptable.
I usually work with opaque colors or my own subtly dyed opaque colors. My own palette includes approximately 500 shades.
I cannot specifically tell you to only bring 1/2 yard cuts of each color because I know we will be using at least a yard of some to many colors depending on each student’s color preferences. If you bring a yard of each – say 5 blues, 5 reds, 5 yellows, 5 greens, etc. but one each in light values, medium light values, medium values, medium dark values, & dark values, that would be better than not having enough. So bring 1 yard of as many colors as you can afford and shorter lengths for the rest.
Remember, DO NOT BRING FAT QUARTERS as we may at times cut selvage to selvage.
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