Everything Old is New Again – Modern Quilts from Old Blocks

Rayna Gillman says she flunked 7th grade sewing class because she couldn’t sew a straight seam. Now she considers that to be an asset! Although she started out making traditional quilts, she soon began asking herself the question, “What if?…” Knowing she had nothing to lose, she experimented and found her own way of doing things. She left the rulers in the drawer and cut freehand. She recut pieces she wasn’t happy with and made them new and fresh. She printed her own fabrics and combined them with store bought. The underlying premise of all her work is improvisation, and she has been teaching others her techniques for two decades.

All Rayna’s workshops are process-oriented and take a playful approach to breaking traditional quilting rules. Students are encouraged to use their intuition, to play, and enjoy the results of “happy accidents.” She is the author of three books: Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts; Create Your Own Hand-Printed Cloth; and Create Your Own Improv Quilts.

Rayna will teach a two-day class in September that she calls “Everything Old is New Again—Modern Quilts from Old Blocks.” Here is how she describes it: Leftover blocks you don’t know what to do with? Traditional blocks from another era? Experiments that didn’t quite work? Get them out of hiding and go Modern! “Whether you are a traditional quilter, new to Modern, or a veteran Modern quilter, here’s a fun challenge! Make your rotary cutter into a magic wand, as you slice, dice, add, subtract, and completely transform those random blocks or old tops into exciting new work that you can put into a fresh, modern setting!

For more information and to sign up for the class, contact:

Carolyn Wolf, PO Box 236, Jacksonville, OR 97530, carwolf@sonic.net

Vonnie Beck, 3207 Old Military Road, Central Point, OR 97502, yjbeck@charter.net