Classes & Lectures
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Classes & Lectures *
Hiya! Thanks for checking this page out! If you are here, I’m probably assuming you are curious about what I teach.
I teach a range of classes/lectures designed for beginners, intermediate and advanced students alike. Some classes are designed for 5-weeks, others are one day intensives.
While I love to travel and teach in person, I recognize that is not always a feasible option for everyone. So, I teach both online and in-person. And every class can be customized to you or your organization’s individual needs. I also will do private instruction upon request.
Simply send me a message by clicking on the button below and we can discuss!
Workshops
Free Motion on a Domestic Machine (3-6 hour workshop)
Learn to quilt designs without the need for a longarm machine. Practice techniques such as stippling, feathers, and creating your own free-motion patterns. Leave with the skills to confidently tackle free-motion domestic machine quilting projects on your own. Appropriate for beginning and experienced quilters alike! Please bring a small project (12.5 x 12.5”- 30x40”) whose quilt sandwich is already basted and ready for quilting.
Giving Orphan Blocks a new home (3-6 hour workshop)
Got an extra block or two left over from another project? Don’t get rid of it!
Learn how to use your orphan blocks to create unique and unexpected quilts! In this class we will explore how your orphan blocks can serve as the basis for an interesting and unique quilt design. We will discuss how layout options, color choices, and even other orphan blocks from different projects can be combined to create a visually stunning quilt top.
Beyond Basic Borders {and Sashing!} (3-6 hour workshop)
Elevate your quilting tops beyond the basic borders (and sashing)! In this one-day workshop you’ll learn how to creatively to think about borders/sashing. By the end of the day, you’ll have the knowledge and skills needed to transform your quilt tops with unique borders and sashing, ready for quilting and binding. Appropriate for beginning and experienced quilters alike!
NOTE: This is a technique-based class, designed to let students deep dive beyond the basics into alternative methods of creating borders and sashing.
5 Week Classes
Are you or your organization interested in offering beginner sewing but don’t know how to get started? These 5-week classes are for you!
Introduction to Machine Quilting (5 Week Class)
Use your sewing skills to create your own quilt! Quilting is not only a creative art form, but a practical craft with rich traditions from around the world. Learn to utilize the tools and techniques specific to quilting; from specialized uses of a sewing machine to quilt math. Learn to plan a quilt, create patchwork, and connect layers with quilt stitches. Explore traditional quilting from various cultures and how it can inform contemporary practice. This course is ideal for beginners with little to no quilting experience.
Prerequisite: Basic hand- and machine-sewing skills.
Sewing: an Introduction (5 Week Class)
In this class, students will learn foundational sewing skills. Practice the basics of hand sewing and the essentials of using (and maintaining) a sewing machine. Learn the basic seven stitches needed to connect fabric pieces and hem edges: basting, running, back, slip, hem, catch, and blanket. Explore the basics of embroidery and appliqué. Use simple sewing techniques to create projects like patches, napkins, and tote bags. This course is ideal for beginners with no formal sewing experience.
Lectures
Trunk Show and Personal Journey (45-60 Minute Lecture)
This lecture dives into my personal journey with quilting and my current artistic practice. From growing up as an artsy kid to military service and using quilting as a way to deal with PTSD to getting into art school and teaching. See early quilts that show ALL the errors to current large fiber installation art projects that are heavily influenced by the workmanship and craft that is quilting. This lecture bares it all and is designed to inspire others who may be struggling in their own way.
Quilting Around the World (45-60 Minute Lecture)
This broadly focused lecture explores and exposes quilting from various cultures around the world. How did quilting came to these different cultures? How these cultures made quilting their own? We’ll discuss the historical purpose of quilting and some of the earliest quilts still around, as well as the various cultural beliefs that influence unique and distinct cultural styles will also be discussed.
Here’s what previous students had to say:
“[Karen] is very organized, clear, and thoughtful in her presentation and in how she navigates with the students. I really like her bringing up things like using scraps and thrifting for fabric. And showing us examples of various ways a technique can be used from her own collection or from the quilting around the world has been very inspiring and helpful.”
-Nancy T
Intro To Quilting
Mrs. Middleton is an excellent instructor: organized, knowledgeable, and patient with every question asked. I really enjoyed her class and learning about the history of embroidery, technical terminology (the lingo) and embroidery stitches I did not know how to do , but now I do. I commend our instructor for all her hard work. Teaching online is harder and more time consuming (class prep and delivery) than in person. Karen went out of her way to buy an extra camera to assist her in the class. For all this she deserves a raise!
-Jackie P
Intro To Sewing
Thank you, Karen! I wish you were teaching the other level classes. I admired your nerdiness for art history. It kept me engaged and excited…With the online classes, I could spend more time at home getting myself together first. Overall you did great. Very patient, very mindful, very demure!
-Claire H
Intro To Quilting & Intro To Sewing