Hand-Sewn Quilting Series I: Contemporary Patchwork

A Virtual Class with Arounna Khounnoraj

Patchwork quilt with pink, blue and brown squares.

In this workshop you will explore color and composition.  Improv patchwork is a method of sewing fabric remnants together that are based on the size and shapes of the fabric that you have on hand rather than based on a pattern. Arounna will demonstrate a few of her favorite construction methods, which will help guide you in designing a color story and creating your own improv patchworks.

Arounna will also discuss the endless possibilities, beyond a quilt top, that come after creating a contemporary patchwork block.


Dates
Friday, June 7th, 2024

Time

12pm – 2:30pm ET*

Location
Zoom, a link will be send to participants the day before class

Cost
$65 for the individual class, $350 for the series

*This session will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all those who register following the live session. This link is live for one month after the end of the series for you to watch at your convenience.

CLASS MATERIALS

  • Sewing needle (no particular size, Arounna typically uses what she has on hand)
  • Cream color sewing thread
  • Snips and scissors
  • Fabric remnants, can consist of colors and prints (equivalent to 1/4 yard of fabric, or enough to have a selection)
  • Iron (optional)

This class is part of the Hand-Sewn Quilting Series.

Perfect for the beginner, our Hand-Sewn Quilting Series aims to demystify the act of hand sewing a quilt block through a sequence of diverse forays into block construction. While rooted in quilting’s history of using scrap fabrics to make beautiful coverlets, this series gathers contemporary voices and techniques to give the new sewist a set of skills and the confidence to take on an existing pattern or personal composition.

Exposure to six unique teachers affords any sewist, seasoned or novice, the opportunity to witness varied approaches even within the same technique. Experiencing the series as whole is sure to provide a comprehensive foundation and will get you well on your way in a joyful practice of hand-sewn quilting.

The blocks from each class can then be assembled together in any way you like to represent a sampler of skills. They would also make great pillows or patches for another textile.

We hope you will join us for all six of our quilting classes to increase your confidence and skill in hand sewing quilt blocks. You can sign up for the entire series here.


OUR TEACHER
Arounna Khounnoraj

Arounna Khounnoraj is a Canadian artist and maker working in Toronto where she immigrated with her family from Laos at the age of four. While her education includes a master’s degree in fine arts in sculpture and ceramics, it was through subsequent residencies that she found her current focus in fibre arts. In 2002 she started bookhou, a multi-disciplinary studio with her husband John Booth, where Arounna explores screen printing and a variety of textile techniques such as embroidery and punch needle. She creates objects such as bags, home goods and textile art.

Arounna has explored a wide range of techniques, methods, and materials that express a passion for everyday creativity and the importance of the handmade in everyone’s life. Her work emphasizes slow design, intuitive thinking, and the importance of handwork. She teaches workshops on a variety of fibre arts and crafts, both in Canada and internationally. She also collaborates with magazines, blogs, and artists in creating social media and DIY projects. Arounna has previously published Punch Needle, (2019) and Visible Mending (2020), and Embroidery (2022).


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