Piecing a Botanical Quilt: a quiltmaking workshop

EDIT: Purchase ‘pieced’: a quiltmaking book.

My book ‘pieced’ includes the pattern and outlines the process taught in this workshop, through detailed instructions and pages of photographs. It can be purchased in physical or ditigal form here.

Requests to teach appear in my inbox on a regular basis. I’ve held back up till now; partly because I’ve been busy with little children, and partly because I’ve been undecided about what to teach and how to teach it. Bits of conversations over recent years with various people have led to my workshop titled ‘Piecing a Botanical Quilt’. The workshop is an introduction to my method for piecing quilt tops, by working through a pattern for a simple eucalyptus quilt. 

I’m honoured that the Geraldton Patchwork Club were happy to be my guinea pigs! One of their members has emailed me maybe annually for a number of years, asking if this was the year I would come and teach a workshop for them. So last week I made the road trip up to Geraldton for two days and two nights to teach this workshop for the first time, and I’m so glad I did.  I had a lovely group of 20 quilters, who were all open to trying something new. A bunch of ladies were pushed right out of their comfort zone with this project, but I’m so pleased with how they persevered through it! 

We covered curved piecing and partial seaming, and then spent quite a bit of time wrapping our heads around the order in which the quilt pieces could be stitched together.

I was happy to see that several students finished their quilt top within the two days (and am secretly glad that not everyone did - it means that I had gauged the challenge level of the workshop accurately). And I’m looking forward to seeing more finished projects in the coming months, as the other ladies were well on the way with theirs. 

Oh, and if there are any quilt groups out their looking to set up a new club room at any stage, maybe chat to someone from the Geraldton Patchwork Club - they have just about the perfect setup (it was a pleasure to teach in it!) Thanks for two very enjoyable days, ladies! Also thank you for your helpful tips for making the pattern a little easier to follow!