Info About Next Session of eClasses

Just a quick message to let everyone know about upcoming eClasses I have scheduled for early 2013.

The following 3 class dates will be announced soon:

Quilt Whisperer eClass by Carla Barrett-  This class is all about learning Carla’s unique approach to how to design quilt tops for machine quilting.  Also learn some of Carla’s favorite quilting designs and how to find your own inspiration!

Fabric Design with Photoshop Elements* by The Pixeladies- The Pixeladies teach you how to design fabric for use in your art, art quilts and pieced quilts.

Tablet Design Class* by Carla Barrett- This eClass is jammed pack with methods for how to effectively use your tablet and PSE to design quilts, quilting, quilting motifs, zen doodle and more!

*this eClass has a prerequisite of Beginning Photoshop Elements eClass OR basic knowledge of Photoshop Elements or PS CS.

Side note- I decided to take a class break for this holiday season 2012 so teachers and students may enjoy their holiday season!  Keep watching for when I finish scheduling the 2013 eClass dates!

Thanks, Carla

Wholecloth Quilt- WIP

Here is my latest WIP (work-in-progress), a wholecloth quilt created using digitized designs:

Of course, the next step is to freehand quilt some fills, which will be the finishing touch for this quilt.  Oh yes, the outside border, too.

I used designs from four designers- center is from Ronda Beyer, triangle design by One Song Needle Art,  border 1 by Lisa Calle, corner motif by Kim Brunner, and outside border by Lisa Calle.  As you can see, I am using my latest tool, (albeit an expensive one) my Intelliquilter, (IQ) and my designing skills with the IQ is improving.  This is actually a trial piece before I do a larger project.

I finished the quilted background for my Autumn quilt.  This is the background layer and I will be adding a top tree layer using fibers, beads and what not.  Here is the overall quilted background, (freehand guided) followed by a close up picture which shows the texture quilting:

That’s all from my studio today.  Happy creating!

 

Works in Progress

As always, I am working on several creative projects at once.  I am making progress on the art quilt shown in the post below, plus, I have been drawing quilting designs using my Tablet PC- which will be turned into digitized quilting or embroidery designs.    Plus, here are some other projects in the creative phase:

1.) Tree Overlay, made out of fiber, fabric and other embellishments, for my art quilt.

2.) Freeform Beaded leaves for quilt above.

3) Mokuba Freelace scarf. (I do have a tutorial for this project)

4) Wholecloth Series of Quilts.  I am working on several designs on both silk, cotton, and whatever materials I find on hand.

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I promise to write about each project as it develops.  Plus, I have some design projects in the works, but I can only share about that when they become available for sale.

Baby-wise, dear little Ethan has been getting over roseola, which is a type of childhood virus featuring several days of a high fever, followed by a rash.  Poor little guy, he has been feeling most crabby, but  thankfully, has had no complications.

What have YOU been up to?  Hugs, Carla

Autumn Art Quilt in Progress

Many years ago,  I was asked to design a custom quilt for a client commemorating a Sacramento, California college anniversary.  This quilt was auctioned off, then donated back to the college.  Last I heard, it was on permanent display in the college library behind glass.  I was very proud of my design, which also won a blue ribbon at the California State Fair.

Loved it so much that I decided to create another for me.  Once again, this quilt features a pieced background quilt layer with an overlay of a large autumn tree.  This tree will be different than the original, as I plan to include some cool fiber art techniques, and of course, some freeform beading elements such as some leaves, bark texture, etc.

Here are some pictures of the bottom quilt layer while it is on my machine quilting table.  Note that the 3-D tree layer will be added last:

Here is a close-up of one of the dozens photo transfer images in the quilt:

I am quilting the quilt portion of the project with some nice texture quilting.  Students from my classes will recognize the freeform freehand quilting shown here:

Feels good to be creating again!  Lots of projects planned, so stay tuned!

Before I sign off, here is an image taken for the gardeners reading my blog- or for people who like pretty images.  It is a dahlia in bloom from my front garden:

Have a great weekend!  Carla

Next Class: Fabric Design with Photoshop Elements

The next class offered on StepOnPins.com is Fabric Design using Photoshop Elements program taught by The Pixeladies.   Registration is now open for the class running from October 31- November 20, 2011.

Anyway, I have been waiting for a long time to learn the Pixeladies method for designing fabric.  While I am very comfortable with the software, I have long admired the fabric and scarves  that Deb and Kris (aka Pixeladies) have created over the years.

The Pixeladies take a single picture and turn it into a designer scarf, or designer fabric to use in their quilts.  This appeals to the artist/designer in me.  I will take a stab at doing this.  Here is a photo I posted yesterday:

And here is my fabric designed from this photo:

After I take the Pixeladies class, I will show you how improved I am.  LOL  If anyone wants to take the class with me, just click on the links at the top.

Enjoy your day!    Carla

Works In Progress

Thanks for the emails asking me why I have been quiet.  I am working on getting ready for the Phoenix Guild trip, and for the Fall Class schedule.

In Phoenix, I am giving a lecture on Quilt Whispering, followed by a workshop on Doodle Art Fills.  Here is my class logo:

I have expanded this class to a full day workshop, so I have added lots of fun Creative Exercises, including this class sample project:

Last weekend, Joe and I went to Fort Bragg, CA, and of course I went sea glass hunting!  The ocean is so refreshing, I envy the readers who live near the ocean!

Back to work now!  Hugs, Carla

Successful Class!

With my 3 week long Quilt Whisperer 101 Online Class wrapping up, I have the free time to blog again!  I am happy to report that the class went well, and the live meetings were fun to do.  Thanks to all the students in the July QW Class for your hard work and for taking my class.

So what’s next?  Next up is a Tablet Design Class, which is already written.  However, I still need to shoot and edit the videos for the weekly lessons.  Here are examples of what the class will teach.  How to draw a wholecloth quilt using a tablet:

 

How to design quilt tops using a tablet.  Here is the before:

Quilt top by Debby B.

Here is the designed quilt:

(Thanks to Debby B. for allowing me to share her lovely quilt top)

The class teaches many other skills, too.  How to design Edge-2-Edge designs and pantos, and how to PPP with your tablet, and more!

Once I finish my videos for this class, the class will be announced and my mailing list notified by an email newsletter.  If you wish to be on the class list, just post a reply here- or on my class page.

Other news:  With an adorable grandbaby in the home, Joe and I lives are enriched!  Ethan is now 3 months and is so cute… a Gerber baby really!  He is a good natured baby, healthy, and even sleeps through the night!  He is a precious gift.

My next speaking and workshop is scheduled for September in Phoenix, Arizona.  I am honored they asked me to come.  I will be giving a lecture on Quilt Whispering, and my workshop will be my Doodle Art Fill Class.  Students will go home with their own original doodle art quilt to later quilt:

How have YOU been?    Happy Summer, Carla

Class Sample Drawing

I am putting the finishing touches on my new class for the 2011 International Machine Quilter’s Showcase (MQS), called “Doodle Art Fills for Quilters.”

As a machine quilter, we doodle naturally and are frequently practicing how to quilt and draw new fills.  The students will go home with pages and pages of fills, plus they will learn how to draw and use fills more effectively in their quilting and quilt design.

My class logo design is one Creative Exercise we will do in the class, as well as how to turn your design into a small art quilt you can color.

I do touch on the subject of turning your doodles into a wholecloth quilt design using many of the techniques taught in class.  This is not a class  devoted to wholecloth design, but I do show them how designing a quilt is really just doodling.  Here is one class example:

I expect this class will be fun, and as always, I love to give students lots of visuals and fun things to do in the class.  I believe this class is scheduled for Saturday morning, the last day of MQS show.

New Class Developed!

Hello!  Registration is going great for the new class on how to use Photoshop Elements.  This is a true beginner class taught by the Pixeladies.  Does this program intimidate you?  Sign up now!!  Class starts on March 14, 2011.

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I am pleased to announce that while I have been recuperating, I have been busy developing some new classes.  I am finished with the first class, which is all about Doodle Art Fills for Quilters:

This is a class about expanding your quilting fills, and how to combine doodling and quilting.  There is also a section on using fills on your quilts,  digital doodling, also how to create a  stunning art quilt/wholecloth combination!!

I will be teaching this class at International Machine Quilting Showcase (MQS) in May.  I hope you will join me for this class.  You will go home with lots of new ideas and inspirations!!  Just click the link for MQS for more information about this class.

Keep watching, I will be sharing some of my class samples as I make them.   I also will be showcasing some of the other classes I am teaching at MQS in May!

By the way, my class logo was created using Photoshop.  I show you, step by step, how I used Doodle Art Fills to create this small quilt in my class.  It is one of the many creative exercises in my class.

For more information about using Photoshop Elements in your work, see the Beginning Photoshop Elements Class at the top of  this post!  Hugs, Carla

American River College Quilt

Here is a quilt I designed as a custom project for a friend, Molly, many years ago.  This quilt was to celebrate the American River College (ARC) anniversary.   ARC is located in Sacramento, CA.

The quilt was auctioned off, then donated back to the college by Molly and her husband.  It now is on permanent display in the college library, behind glass.

Here is the quilt:

If you look closely, there are pictures scattered all over the quilt which features pictures from the college founding and history.  There is even one of Ronald Reagan, who was Governor of California when he visited the college.  This is my “subtle” photo transfer technique which I have been doing for about 9 years now.

The overlay of the fiber art tree was something I added during the quilting process.  The leaves were made using water soluble process and fibers.

This quilt was shown only one time- at the California State Fair, where it won a first and Best of Division ribbons.

I have never shown this quilt on my blog before, so I figured it was time.  What joggled my memory was a recent email from Molly letting me know that ARC was getting this quilt appraised.

I do have another quilt like this waiting in my queue to be quilted.  When I design a quilt, I always like to have aother one on hand to remind me of the first quilt.

Happy Quilting!  Carla