Sunday, January 17, 2016

Cattails : Fused Quilt Class with Toni Bergeon


Last weekend, I took a quilt fusing class with Toni Bergeon at Piece by Piece in Appleton, WI.

Although I've done fusible applique before, I've never fused the entire background of a quilt before.    This was something new ...   The class projects had us fusing strips of coordinating fabrics.  Really -- no need to buy any new fabric with this (but did that stop me?)   It's a great way to use up scraps!

This quilt is only 10 x 13 (or so).  Small enough to finish in a single day--which is a blessing.  You doenough to learn the technique, but it won't be hanging around your quilt studio as a UFO (unfinished object).

I have long-been fascinated by Cynthia St. Charles' fused and printed quilts with layer after layer.  I'm just in awe of her work, so perhaps I'll try a few with fused blocks instead of strips ...

Detail of the cattails - fused and stitched

She also went over 4 ways to do bindings :
1) Envelope (That's the one I used here.) aka an invisible binding.
2) Artist Binding -which is just kind of a facing at the edges that is turned to the back.
3) Tight Zig-Zag all around the edges
4)  Regular Binding - single-fold

Toni Bergeon is just starting to teach more quilting classes, and is currently working on a professional website for her wonderful art quilts.  If I could, I would point you to her, but she doesn't have much of a web presence yet.  Be on the lookout for her work ... Great stuff!

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