Pages

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Catherine Redford’s new Quiting Arts Workshop – review and give-away


Catherine Redford, fiber artist, teacher and machine quilter extraordinaire, has a new Quilting Arts Workshop out on DVD and digital download. It’s called “Modern Machine Quilting: Free Motion Stipples, Swirls, Feathers and More!” It follows on the heels of her excellent first Workshop, “Modern Machine Quilting: Straight Lines, Spirals, Serpentines, and More!” that I reviewed in December 2015 here

Catherine is a co-founder of the Naperville (Illinois) Modern Quilt Guild, and she’s an award winning quilter. She’s been a guest on Quilting Arts TV several times, which is where I first met her.  

With Catherine on the set of QATV, Series 1400, in 2014
In this Workshop, Catherine starts out with the basics: how to choose batting, thread, needles and presser feet; how to press (she sometimes presses seams open to achieve a flatter look); and how to pin baste in preparation for quilting. 

Even though I’m an experienced free-motion quilter (I have my own recently released Quilting Arts Workshop on free-motion fillers), I learned a lot from Catherine by watching this Workshop.

She explains why she prefers an open-toe darning foot for her free-motion quilting (she says she can see better where she is going). I use a closed metal circle (Bernina foot #15). But if she has hand stitching or embroidery on a quilt, she uses a closed-toe foot so she won’t snag her stitching.  

She prefers a single-hole throat plate when she quilts, because it does not allow the fabric to be pulled down into the larger opening on a regular throat plate, which results in a nicer stitch.

While this Workshop focuses on free-motion stitches using a darning foot, Catherine often notes that she uses a combination of quilting lines made with her walking foot and motifs made using a free-motion darning foot in the same quilt. If it’s easier to get straight lines (or mildly curving lines) with the walking foot, then do it. These lines can provide the structure for the rest of the quilting. Then put on the darning foot and fill in between those lines.

She usually starts out by drawing or doodling her motifs on paper, before stitching them. She relies on “muscle memories” build during this drawing practice to help her when she starts quilting her quilt. I found her explanation of her stitches as she drew them on paper very illuminating. By both drawing and stitching the motifs, Catherine reinforces how to create the designs.   




During this 77-minute long Workshop, Catherine demonstrates 26 different motifs, including great patterns to define areas, fill white (empty) space, and highlight borders. There are some beautiful new-to-me motifs that I’ll be adding to my repertoire!  

Want to buy?
You can purchase the DVD ($24.99) or digital download ($19.99) on the Quilting Daily Shop.  

Join the hop! 
Thursday January 7th – Catherine Redford
Friday January 8th – Fresh Lemons Quilts

Saturday January 9th – Bonnie Hunter
Sunday January 10th – Svetlana Sotak
Monday January 11th – Kim Niedzwiecki (Aurifil)
Tuesday January 12th – Julia Wood
Wednesday January 13th – Susan Brubaker Knapp
Thursday January 14th – Jenny Lyon
Friday January 15th – Kathy Matthews
Saturday January 16th – Back to Catherine!


Win this Workshop on DVD!
For a chance to win Catherine’s DVD, head over to Catherine’s website and leave a comment there. At the end of the blog hop, she’ll pick two DVD winners, and one grand prize winner, who will receive a DVD and a Stella task lamp.


Really want to boost your free-motion skills? For an additional chance to win Catherine’s DVD, plus my new Workshop DVD, leave a comment on this post by noon (Eastern Time) Sunday, Jan. 17. (U.S. residents only, please). Tell me why you want to win. I’ll choose one winner at random. If your comment does not appear right away, don’t worry, and don’t leave additional comments, please. I have to moderate comments, because I was getting tons of Japanese porn spam, and I know you don't want to see that in the comments section! ;-)


UPDATE: We have a winner! Sewgirl has won my give-away. Thanks!


For a chance to win my Workshop DVD and Catherine’s, leave a comment on this blog post.

63 comments:

  1. "I would love to win theses videos. I do my own quilting and am always looking for new ideas and inspiration. Being disabled and unable to take classes, books and videos are the only access I have to information. I never miss an episode of QA on TV either. Thanks for all you gals do in getting quality programs and videos to us.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a lovely giveaway. Would love to add to my FMQ skills.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for chance to win your video as well! One of the wonderful things about Catherine's week is the chance to 'meet' new bloggers like yourself...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I absolutely love your work and creativity. Everything is so lifelike and colorful. I know the quilting video will be wonderful too. Do you have or will you ever do one on the painting? Thanks for the opportunity to win!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I have a Quilting Arts Workshop DVD/download on my wholecloth painting technique! It's called "Dynamic Quilt Design: Paint Meets Stitch." You can read about it here: http://www.bluemoonriver.com/shop.html

      Delete
  5. I would love to win these DVDs. I am a firm believer that you can always learn something new. Thanks for the chance to win! treshacottrill@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would love to have this prize. You can always learn.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would like to win the DVD's as I need to add additional designs to my repertoire. I have a few go to designs, but I need more! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love this ty for sharing...Quilting the quilt can be intimidating must be why i procrastinate on doing it lol....happyness04431@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is my year to learn to machine quilt, you have inspired me and with the help of this DVD I could watch and learn. Thanks so much. I have a quilt ready to try, I don't want fear to hold me back for to long.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Would love to win! Thanks so much for the opportunity! Finances require me to do my own quilting on my Janome Jem Gold and I would like to branch out and have some fun with it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about Catherine's DVD, they were very interesting. I would love to win a copy of your DVD as I have decided to try do my own quilting...I can use all the guidance I can get.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Last year I finished two W.I.P.s by having them long-arm quilted. This year I'd like to do the quilting and would appreciate all the help two DVDs would give me. Thank you for the opportunity! Kris - kris@mjfbiz.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is right down my alley. I do a lot of long arm quilting but smaller pieces happen at home. This could be just what I need to step it up.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like to watch the DVDs over and over again. I think it helps to see someone else stitching the motif.

    ReplyDelete
  15. It's good to see different instructors present their FMQ skills. Even though the same skills are presented, sometimes it just 'clicks' when a particular person explains how to do things. Thanks for the chance to win the DVD.

    anndunn24(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Susan, you have such a beautiful collection in your portfolio! I wish we still could get Quilting Arts here in Maine on Public Television--we used to :) What a wonderful giveaway--2 great teachers at our fingertips--thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am a beginner at fmq and would love to win these to help me learn the process. Thanks for the chance to win the dvds and for the great blog hop.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I NEED to win !! I've been quilting for years but still not comfortable/brave enough to attempt much FMQ.
    Thank you.
    kcummings71@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have taken a class or two on FMQ but I am still afraid. Maybe if I could watch it again and again and practice I could overcome that fear. I'd love to learn.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I would like to win beacause I am very new to FMQ...and not very good! lol Would love to win the DVD so can watch anytime. Thanks for the chance! Your review was most helpful!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I do a lot of free motion quilting and I am always looking for great tips! I'm more of an art quilter, than a modern quilter, but I like the look of modern quilts and am planning to give that approach a try! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I would be sooo excited for these DVDs! I think seeing the techniques would help much more than reading about them!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I am trying to teach myself free motion quilting, these DVDs would be a huge help. Thanks for the chance to win.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I keep telling myself this is the year I'll be good enough to trust my free motion quilting. Several years and lots of un-stitching later I'm not there yet, but I'll keep practicing! The DVDs would be a big help!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I would love to win these DVDs. I recently purchased a sit-down longarm and need to learn to do something besides loops and swirls.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I have a really hard time doing any kind of free motion quilting, so having lessons I could refer to would be great!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thank you for this opportunity. This blog hop has had my brain and creative juices on overdrive.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I have enjoyed visiting and hearing all the wonderful comments on the DVD's. The DVD would move me forward to finish the pile of unquilted tops I have. This would be the guide I need to get me started.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you for the chance to win. So far, I have not been brave enough to try free motion quilting. If I won both great VDs I think I could get over the fear.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I took a class from Catherine at the Houston show. She's great and I would love her DVD. what a treat to have the chance to win yours also! I quilt most of my own quilts with straight lines, would love to try some free motion.
    My email address is colemansharon@me.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I would like to win so I can add all of these great designs to my library of designs. I enjoy trying new designs on my quilts. Thanks for the chance to win both DVDs.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I have many tops that need to be FMQed, but my newbie attempts hold me back, so learning from a pro could mean more finishes! Thanks for the opportunity.

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a great opportunity from two perspectives! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Either DVD would be great -- but both would be fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  35. This novice needs lots more instruction on free motion quilting, so these materials would be extremely useful - and appreciated! Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Thank you so much for a chance to win a DVD - a gift that will help me in my freemotion quilting journey!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I would love to improve my FMQ skills. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'd like to win because I've been afraid of free motion quilting ever since chemotherapy left me with numb fingertips. It's time to get over this fear.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I am in charge of charity quilts for my guild and I really need to get more confident and relaxed with machine quilting.
    Jill Stiger

    ReplyDelete
  40. I've been away from quilting for about a decade, and it would be great to add this skill to my bag of tricks.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Wow, a chance to win two quilting DVDS, that's fabulous. I am always in a quandary as to what to quilt, once the top is done...the dvd's look like they would be a great resource. Thanks for sharing the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I would love to win these DVDs. Am working on improving FMQ in 2016. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Thank you for sharing your techniques and for a chance to win. I would love to be able to quilt with more confidence.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Thank you, Susan! I free-motion quilt all of my quilts, and would love to learn more!!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Awesome giveaway - Catherine is coming to our guild this year so I would love to study up on her techniques before she arrives! :)

    ReplyDelete
  46. My experience in machine quilting is fairly limited. I would like to use these DVDs to help me increase my abilities. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  47. I have much to learn about free motion quilting..I would love to win...thanks...

    ReplyDelete
  48. I would like to win so i could see and learn the techniques described! Sounds like these would would really help me gain dkills and confidence. Thank you for the chance.

    ReplyDelete
  49. One of my goals for 2016 is to improve my free motion quilting skills by practicing and quilting several of my many quilt tops into completed quilts. Both DVDs would be helpful towards my goal. Thank you for the opportunity to win!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Wow, Susan, if you learned lots from Catherine's DVD, then it's going to be an outstanding DVD for me!! Just following this hop has given me some excellent ideas and I can't wait to get started. Thanks for a chance to win both yours and Catherine's DVDs. Yippee!

    ReplyDelete
  51. My highlight of the week is watching Quilting Arts on our PBS channel and when the show features both of you that makes it even better. Would love to win these DVDs.

    ReplyDelete
  52. I'm really looking forward to seeing both of your DVD's. Seeing your work in person was inspiring!!! I know I will learn so much from both DVD's.

    ReplyDelete
  53. DVDs are a quilters dream....love that you can get lots of practice by watching them over...and over...and over. I'd love to win either or both of these DVDS....practice makes perfect..or better!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Hi Susan- I would love to win your workshop VD. A quilter never stops learning and I need all the new ideas I can get.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Would love to win a copy. I know from having taken workshops with you that it has to be great!

    ReplyDelete
  56. I would love to win your workshop DVD. it looks so informative. thanks for the giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  57. This would be wonderful to win so I could develop my skills.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Thank you for offering the give away :) Using your workshop DVD and also Catherine's will help me with my creativity and confidence! I am always hesitant when quilting small and large spaces because I wonder if the design will work in the space and if the final results will enhance the project. I know the excellent info that is given on the DVDs will help me with my skills.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Both DVDs sound like great resources!

    ReplyDelete
  60. I really want to learn to free motion quilt especially for my minis that I make. Her techniques look different than what I've seen.

    ReplyDelete
  61. I would love to have both of these DVDs! I've just been quilting for about a year and a half and I'm gaining confidence with each project I finish. I still have so much to learn, especially with FMQ! I love watching your show and have picked up lots of good ideas! I'd love to be the one who wins,, thanks for the opportunity!
    cathylouwilson@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

I love it when you leave comments… Otherwise I feel like I'm just talking to myself! If you have time to write, please let me know what you think.