Peaks 18 is FULL!
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(Virtual) Guest Artist in the House – Bethanne Nemesh
We are pleased to announce that Bethanne Nemesh, world-renowned fibre artist, will be joining us, via Zoom, at the autumn Peaks!
Bethanne is a classically trained artist and self-taught quilter. She runs a successful longarm quilting business, where she focuses on meeting her clients’ budgets while providing them with unique customized quilting. Bethanne creates a number of art quilts for show each year, quilted with elaborately detailed natural scenery in a style she calls “pictographic quilting.” These quilts feature high-end detail work, including Bethanne’s signature hand-beaded piping. Bethanne’s quilts have won many major national awards at every major quilt show, including numerous Best of Show and Best Longarm Machine Quilting awards, and she was honored by being named Master Quilter by the National Quilting Association in 2015. Additionally, Bethanne has published numerous books teaching a variety of free-motion quilting techniques. To see all of Bethanne’s quilts, books, awards, and publications, visit her website at whitearborquilting.com.
In a virtual course created for us, participants will learn free motion quilting techniques from two of her books (From Fast to Fancy and Quilted Texture from A to Zen) as we work on a wall hanging with her pattern, Rising Tides. The pattern, which includes Angelina Fibers, full pattern, and parchment paper will be provided for a small charge of chf 15. We will have two sessions (3 hours each) of Bethanne’s teaching, dedicated to learning the fanciest of free motion feathers, suitable for the exotic jellyfish tentacles and Bethanne’s blended background of designs inspired by natural textures. The remainder of the day can be spent working on and perfecting each free motion quilting style. You can also choose to work on your own project as you learn a variety of FMQ styles and designs with the help of extensive handouts, on-site practice and tutorials. If you decide to make the jellyfish pattern, you will have the opportunity to learn to use Angelina fibers to give your work a shimmery luminescence, apply them to your own background fabric, or purchase one of Bethanne’s custom printed digital painting panels evoking the ocean depths made specifically for the project for chf 25. You’ll find her methods and progressive step-by-step teaching style will translate well to all FMQ and all levels of experience are welcome, so don’t be shy! 🙂
I hope that you’ll come join us for Patchwork in the Peaks. Registration is now open. There is only place for 10 quilters on each weekend so don’t be late! 🙂
We also have Suki the Juki, our sit-down longarm, to help you make some progress! You can rent her by the hour (chf 15/hr), enjoying a large and newly renovated dedicated space to work. I already have a number of bobbins wound in neutral colours but will be happy to show you how to wind something from your thread stash if needed.
Need a bit more encouragement? Your own Secret Sister will be there to cheer you on! You’ll be one too and we’ll have lots of ideas to help you help encourage each other. Part of the fun is the secrecy!
Other fun for the weekend:
Finished Up Lottery: You can bring as many projects as you like to work on and we’ll list them on your Project Tracker during Show ‘n Tell on Thursday night. When you have a finish over the weekend, you’ll get a ring of the bell, check it off your list and we’ll throw your name into the Finished Up Lottery (up to 2 times) for a chance to win your choice of batting or a set of 4 large spools of thread, any weight, and a thread box. A finish could be a cushion cover, a quilt top, binding on a quilt, a finished quilt, etc but it must have been on your list to count. A finished block won’t cut it! 🙂
Mystery Project Stash Attack! This optional mini-project will be a chance to raid the BNQ Stash to do a mini project that shouldn’t take more than an hour. Note that this cannot be one of the two Finishes for the Finished Up Lottery! 😉
Fat Quarter Dice Swap: This is a fun little game to exchange Fat Quarters. You’ll need to bring three Fat Quarters (18″ x 22″).
Secret Sister: You’ll be assigned another person in the group to be their Secret Sister. The objective is to provide quiet, “secret” encouragement, in the form of very small gifts or notes, throughout the weekend. We’ll provide lots of ideas to get you started. Secret Sisters will be revealed after dinner on Saturday evening.
Machine Servicing: On Thursday, I will be performing Basic Machine servicing (at special Peaks pricing of chf 50) to all who wish to have a little “tune-up” before getting those needles flying!
Clean Machine Tutorial: If you didn’t choose have me do the Basic Machine Maintenance, this short tutorial is to give your machine a good, quick cleaning in preparation for the Quilting Marathon over the weekend. We will cover very basic machine maintenance and clear the cobwebs before getting down to the reason we’re here!
Quilting & Piecing 101: Developed for beginners, on an as needed basis, we’ll give a short introduction to piecing basics, including quick cut methods with rotary cutters, along with highlighting the basic quilting vocabulary, fabric selection, block construction, quilt styles & quilt finishing options. Optional and open to all levels.
We’ve had to adapt our usual schedule to accommodate the Zoom sessions with Bethanne so mornings are free time. Continue to work on your PhD’s/UFOs/PIGs, start a new project, have a massage, go for a walk. It’s up to you. The hot tub will be open in the late afternoons so be sure to pack your swimming costume! 🙂
Come join us in the Peaks!