Schedule at a Glance

 

Kid’s Camp! Sudoku Quilt

July 12^th throughy 16^th – 10 to 12

 

 OPEN CLASSROOM

Every Thursday 10 to 4

 

 Beginner’s Quilting Class

Tuesdays, July 6th & 20th and August 3^rd – 10 to 1

Saturdays, July 31^st, August 14^th & 28^th, 10 to 1

 

 Wednesday Skills Classes – 10 to Noon

July 7^th – Borders and Mitering

July 21^st – Finishing and Binding

August 11^th – Borders and Mitering

August 25^th – Finishing and Binding

 

 Bag Ladies!

August 7^th – Margot Bag – 10 to 3

August 10^th – Serenity Bag – 10 to 3

August 17^th – Margot Bag – 10 to 3

September 7^th – Pinafore Bag – 10 to 3

 

Long Arm Certification Class – 10 to 1

Friday, July 9^th

Saturday, July 10^th

Friday, August 20^th

Saturday, August 21st

Friday, September 17th

Saturday, September 18th

 

 Sewing Machine Quilted Cover

Saturday July 17^th, 10 to 1

 

 Needleturn Hand Applique—10-2

Wednesday, July 28^th and

Wednesday, August 18th

 

 Chicken Buffet Fused Appliqué

Saturday, September 11th – 10 to 2

Chicken Salad/Grilled Chicken Sandwich Served!!

 

 Roman Shade

Saturday, July 24^th – 10 to 3

Friday, July 30^th, 10 to 3

 

 Radiant Star

Friday, August 13^th, 10 to 2

 

Class Information

Kid’s Camp!  Sudoku Quilt

Summer  has arrived, and Susan has designed a quilting project for the younger quilters that will really capture their attention while building their sewing and quilting skills.  The students will be making a lap size quilt that doubles as a Sudoku puzzle!  Susan will assist the students in fabric selection, cutting, piecing, layering, quilting, trimming, and binding their quilts, and if all goes well, each student will finish off the week with a quilt all their own!  Susan Congdon, Lead Instructor for AQS and a retired school teacher, is experienced in providing quilting and sewing instruction to children of all ages.  All children with the capacity to operate a sewing machine and follow instructions are welcome to attend this class.  Children who sign up for the class should be able to attend each day of the class in order to finish their project on schedule!

Open Classroom Every Thursday

AQS will open the classroom for our quilters.  We have re-configured our classroom area, so we now have eight (8) individual tables for our quilters!  Bring your machines and supplies, and start a new project or finish an old project while visiting with your friends, old and new!  A great way to tackle all those UFO’s piling up in the closets!   We will limit the number of quilters to eight, so please call to reserve a spot.

Beginner’s Quilting Class

Beginner’s Quilting Class is a three-session class where you will be  constructing and completing your first quilt, measuring 40” x 40”.  Students will learn all of the techniques needed to make a quilt, from beginning to end.  You can then use these techniques to make a quilt of any size, from lap size to king size!  Instruction will include:  Discussion of fabric and what types of fabric to use, how to prepare and lay out fabric for cutting; proper use of the rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler; methods for cutting the fabric; laying out the pieces and sewing perfect 1/4" seams; sewing squares into blocks, blocks into rows, and rows into completed pieced tops; adding an inner border and outer border; making the "quilt sandwich" of pieced top, batting and backing; machine and/or hand quilting; trimming, squaring and binding your quilt; adding a sleeve for hanging your quilt; and, most importantly, instruction on how to admire your finished project!

The Bag Ladies!

The Bag Ladies is a class providing expert instruction on the construction of a handbag from the latest bag patterns available.  All bags have a sleek and sexy look and plenty of  pockets, just the way we like it!  Each bag has a special element to offer, like laying in a zipper to close the bag at the top, adding texture to your bag flap, exchangeable flaps, large bags, small bags, hand bags, shoulder bags—you name it, and we have it!  Stop by AQS to see samples of the bags  on display – I think you’re gonna want to make more than one!!

Pinafore Bag

Margot Bag

Serenity Bag

                   

Needle Turn Hand Applique—Baltimore Beauties

Due to popular demand, and requests from our customers, we will once again be offering a class on completing one block from the Baltimore Beauties collection.  These blocks are completed using the needle-turn hand appliqué method, a style that is becoming more and more popular as quilters turn to simpler times when sewing meant “portable” hand work!  Nora will provide instruction to create a lovely block containing flowers, vines, leaves, and my personal favorite, a rouched flower.  A sample is on display at AQS, and I can’t wait for you to see it! 

Silk Ribbon Embroidery—Stay Tuned!!

In a surprising turn of events, I have inherited a box of hand-dyed silk ribbons in varying sizes and colors, that is used for silk ribbon embroidery.  The gift came from Karl Dunnigan at Dunnigan’s Vacuum and Sewing Machine store, where they are about to embark on a major renovation and needed to reset their inventory focus.  And then I learned that one of our customers has quite a bit of experience in doing silk ribbon embroidery, and has agreed to do a class for us.  I will donate the box of ribbons for the class for student use.  Suggested books for the class include “A Silk Ribbon Album” or “Miniture Baltimore Album Quilts,” both by Jenifer Buechel, both available on Amazon.com new or used.  If you plan on taking the class, please purchase your book on-line prior to the class.  Along with the book, you will need to bring with you to class small scissors and tapestry needles.  This is a one-shot class so that we can put the beautiful hand-dyed silk ribbons to a beautiful purpose.  Please call early to reserve a seat for this class, which will be limited to 12 people.  I think it is going to be very interesting and a lot of fun!! 

Skills Classes

Borders and Mitering—Learn to add borders that fit! And that force your quilt to be square!  Add the mitered look to your borders for a finished look.  AQS has developed a quick and easy way to miter the borders on any quilt.  Even a beginner can learn this trick, and impress everyone with the resulting look.  Rule of thumb:  when you are working with multiple borders (1^st inner border, 2^nd inner border, outer border) – if you miter one of the borders, you should miter them all!  And you can miter multiple borders all at the same time with one easy application!  With this quick and easy method for mitering borders, it will be a snap!!!  Bring your pieced top and border fabric to this class, and you will be amazed at how quickly we finish your project!

Finishing and Binding— If you have any quilts that are ready for binding, but have been putting the job off, or don’t know how to apply a binding, bring them in for this skills class, and we will have your binding on in a jiffy!  We can also attach a “sleeve” to your quilt at the same time so you are able to hang the quilt on a rod on the wall.  A tight binding with perfectly mitered corners will be a great finishing touch to your quilt!

Other Method Questions?  Give AQS a call and we will design a special class just for you to address the problems that are keeping you from completing your project!

Roman Shade

I was working on a lovely pattern from one of our new books, but was somewhat uninspired to make just one more wall hanging-size quilt.  What to do?  I wanted something to hang in the pass-through from the shop proper to the classroom area, so why not make a roman shade?  After some research and the purchase of the proper hardware, I made a functioning Roman Shade that I think is just terrific!  And now I would love to share the technique with you!  The material list for this class will explain the size of the pieced top that you will need, the back/lining piece, and the other materials that you will need.  I will provide the “hardware” for your first Roman Shade.  But I think that once you have made one, you will want to make more.  They are lovely and functional, adding color, texture and drama to any room, and can be used in a window, doorway, pass-through, just about anywhere!

 Radiant Star

While working on a quilt for a friend, I was “forced” to make a HUGE Radiant Star for the center of the quilt.  Two things happened:   I was amazed at how easy it was to make, and everyone who saw the star just loved it and asked for a class on making the star.  Well, the class has been scheduled, and I can’t wait to show you how easy it is to make this magnificent piece.  We will be making a small star in the class—about 40” x 40”, and squaring it off with square blocks and setting triangles.    The book we will use for class provides easy instructions to make this star into a full size quilt just by adding borders top, bottom, and sides.  I think you are going to love this class!

 Sewing Machine Quilted Cover

Kris has taken a tried and true pattern of a sewing machine quilted cover and added her own wonderful twist!   This wonderful pattern has it all—sewing-themed quilted fabric and a finely fitted cover with an easy-to-do appliqué technique to personalize your cover.  You can appliqué your name, your machine’s name, an inspirational word or phrase.  This is a wonderful gift idea for your friends—make a quilted sewing machine cover with their name or initials on the front!   This is a fun and easy class that I think you are going to really enjoy!

Chicken Buffet Applique

Susan will provide instruction on creating a block from the Chicken Buffet book.  This book is just darling. It has 12 blocks with appliques of whimsical chickens that are portraying the recipes of different chicken dishes. For example, the applique for Fried Chicken is a chicken sunbathing. The chicken pictured for Stewed Chicken With Dumplings is a chicken that is rather drunk on a bottle of marinade. The book includes recipes for all the dishes illustrated by the chickens. If you are looking for a gift for a quilter, this book is just precious.  The recipes and chicken block themes are the following: Hawaiian Chicken (surfing); Stewed Chicken with dumplings (drunken, with marinade bottle); Chicken Cacciatore (baseball catcher); Chicken Gumbo (in pot with veggies); Chicken Divan (lying on sofa); Southern Fried Chicken (sunbathing); Chicken Caesar (Greek statue); Chicken a la King (on toilet "throne"); Chicken in a Basket (lounging in basket); Chicken Chow Mein (in geisha robe); Chicken Soup (in bowl, with saltines); and Chicken Italiano (pizza chef).     Make one block and hang it in your kitchen or give it as a gift to a friend.  Or you can make all the blocks and piece them together to make a wonderfully whimsical quilt.  This is a great project for the first-time appliquer, too!