New Sewing Courses:
THE POWER OF QUILTING WORKSHOPS SERIES
World Patchwork and Quilting Workshops
Hand sewing traditions from all over the world
For Sewing Enthusiasts and Those Who Want to Become One
Sashiko... Hawaiian Appliqué Quilting... Irish Manx...
I've put together three new offerings aimed at getting you excited about needle and thread and deepening your knowledge of the history of textiles from different parts of the world. Start on September 30, 2023 with the popular Sashiko class that kicks off this special sewing class series on patchwork and quilting traditions from around the world, followed by Hawaiian Appliqué Quilting on November 25, 2023. We'll end the year with English Paper Piecing. The date is December 30, 2023, with more offerings to be added in 2024, such as Korean Bogaji.
The hand sewing classes of my WORLD PATCHWORK AND QUILTING SERIES draw their inspiration in craft traditions from around the world. Enjoy hand sewing as a personal experience! It is an intimate and creative process that is organic and has a relaxed concentration as its foundation. This cultural practice, thousands of years old, is rarely used or taught anymore. These courses aim to change that. All courses are suitable for beginners and advanced students alike.
When we look at sewing in a detached way from sewing with a sewing machine, we find ourselves with fabrics on our laps, doing something that is very personal and not just focused on efficiency. Here we have the opportunity to develop our own unique signature with needle and thread and be inspired by the rich traditions of patchwork and quilting.
We can look back on a very long textile tradition that managed without the sewing machine. In Germany, when we talk about sewing, we mainly think of dressmaking with a sewing machine, fashion, and Burda.
However, it is so much more than that.
As an apprentice in Herrenmaßschneiderei Schmidt in Sauerland, I had the privilege of learning to sew in the traditional way, sitting on the table with short needles and the classic thimble on the middle finger. Among the many steps required to tailor a suit specifically to a particular body, I found contemplative handwork, which is prevalent in tailoring, to be the most appealing. After my apprenticeship - originally, I wanted to become a fashion designer and first wanted to learn the craftsmanship - and working in theater in Dortmund, followed by my studies at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and Städelschule Frankfurt, I completely lost sight of textiles as an artistic material. There was no one to serve as a role model on my journey. It wasn't until many years later in Dubai that I met Felicity Brown and vaguely remembered my beginnings. Since then, I collaborate with her and couldn't stop learning as much as possible about textile craft methods and their socio-cultural connections.
All hand sewing techniques have much in common. They lend a personal and tranquil touch to the sewing experience and are are gentle on the hand. Furthermore, they can do much more than a sewing machine. This also means that efficiency is not the primary focus. The entire process is slowed down, providing space for contemplation and mindfulness. We can indulge in our creativity and do it together with others. The results have a special organic and distinctive quality.
Because textile processes are often multi-layered and time-consuming, women have traditionally enjoyed working together, inspiring and supporting each other to create the essential textile items for everyday life. I started my Quilting Bee from this example.
With these simple tools, the needle and thread in your hand and the thimble on your middle finger, you can realize any sewing project you desire, wherever you are.
The workshops provide a good foundation for further participation in the Quilting Bee, where you can share and expand your experiences with a small group of textile enthusiasts.