Saturday I took a class with Joyce Hughes, of Joyce Hughes Originals. The workshop was put on by the Rebecca’s Reel Quilters. I’m always reluctant to not be spending my day with my husband, but today was worth it. Thread painting is a lot of fun, and this project stitched up very quickly.
Joyce started us out with 12″ quilt sandwiches she had prepared before class. I had four sunflowers and a bunch of leaves fused onto the top. She led us through layering thread colors onto the piece, to create this great dimension that I wouldn’t have even imagined was possible.
We worked one color section at a time. It was awesome watching the texture develop.
I don’t want to give away too much of Joyce’s technique – she definitely deserves her class fees. We kept adding new colors on top of the previous ones we had added. This was the first time I have had success with metallic threads. Each new color really brought the piece to life.
Check out the back. Even the back is amazing.
I do wish we had gotten to play with the hot fix crystals Joyce uses on her other work. Maybe next time.
The only real bummer all day was that she demonstrated bobbin work at the end, and I don’t have the stuff to do that. Yet. I’ll be ordering a new bobbin case and fancy threads, just as soon as I cross a few more projects off of my list.
I think I can see how to do at least part of this project on my longarm. I’ll be testing my ideas out soon. There is just so much of it that would need to be done on my domestic machine, and you know I like to make big quilts. The idea of wrestling a big quilt through the throat on my Bernina is what led me to get the Gammill.
Thread Painting
It sounds and looks like a great class! I love learning new skills and it’s always fun when the back of the quilt is as lovely as the top. 🙂
I would definitely recommend taking a class with Joyce if you have a chance. She is so talented and sweet.
That looks like a fun class. I get so excited about seeing the texture on a quilt develop, so I think thread painting would be tremendously fun. Your piece looks amazing!
Thanks! I have to pull out some pieces from my stash and get more thread to try it again.
What a fun class and technique! It looks wonderful!
Thanks!
What a great job. I like the idea of practicing on a pre-printed panel and making it look better. Your work was lovely. I, too, need to learn how to do bobbin work. I think I’ll have to do some research on you-tube.
I’m fascinated by the thread painting on a longarm process. Let me know how that goes. I also want to take one of Kelly Cline’s classes in the use of longarms with vintage linens. I have a LOT of old linens.
Oooh. I’ll have to look her up. I have a project using hankies my mom started. We looked at it recently and then put it away.
That is impressive Jen! What a fun new skill you have! Do you have a few ideas for some new projects using this technique?
Indefinitely do have a project in mind. I have a few projects to wrap up before I can start something new, though.
All the thread painting I’ve seen in person was done entirely on a longarm. I can’t imagine doing i any other way. Your piece does look very pretty on the front AND the back.
Thank you! Joyce only uses her domestic machine, and it doesn’t even have a particularly large throat space. I will definitely be trying it on my longarm soon.
It’s beautiful! Thread painting is a technique I’ve been wanting to learn. Your sunflowers look amazing! And the back is just as pretty.
Thank you! You should definitely give it a try. I had so much fun with it.