Upcoming classes & groups

Popular teacher Jennifer Corkish teaches all her techniques in two classes a month. These take place regularly on the first Saturday of each month and the Fourth Thursday of each month. Jennifer comes along to each class with new quilts and projects she has designed: from her own take on the popular Japanese Boro technique to applique, English paper piecing, wool applique and stitch embellishment and more…!

Jennifer has been a teacher at Berry Quilt & Co. since we opened and also taught for approximately many years at Berry Patchwork prior to that. Jennifer has built up a number of regular students who have been coming to her classes and making her quilts ever since she began teaching in Berry which is quite a recommendation! Please click through to her teacher profile to read more about Jennifer’s making and teaching experience.

Whilst most people book in to Jennifer’s class on a yearly basis (and access a generous Enrolled Class member discount) it is possible to book in for one or two casual classes (where vacancies exist) to explore a new technique or to begin an ongoing project.

The class has a loose relaxed structure where regular participants work on Jennifer’s original designs at their own pace and build up skills as they progress though the projects. Usually in class all the participants are working different projects and often on more than one project at once. Occasionally, after a number of projects have been completed, class members have requested that Jennifer help them design a unique project, which Jennifer is happy to work on with the student, making it a very personalised class.

Casual participants in Jennifer’s classes often attend to learn Japanese Boro stitching. Pictured below, Boro is a traditional Japanese mending technique utilising layered scraps of material and sashiko style running stitches to hold it all together. Jennifer has devised a method of making boro fabric suitable for our modern fabrics and equipment for use in quilts, bags, table runners, clothing etc.

Teaching Applique using the Hugs and Kisses Applique paper is also a specialty of Jennifers. Beginning with one of the blocks from Jennifer’s well known Flower’s & Urn Quilt, also pictured below is an excellent place to start and this block has been made in so many different color combinations from bright, to Japanese to traditional and reproduction. Begin in one lesson with the starter block and turn it into a wall hanging or cushion OR go on to continue to make the whole quilt.

English paper piecing has featured in many of Jennifer’s quilts over the years and you could begin a project Making Jennifer’s fussy cut cross quilt or a hexagon quilt that gets you started with hexagons without you having to make the whole quilt top from hexagons.

You will find plenty of helpful advice, skills and friendship in this lively class. Jennifer is very good at getting you started on a project and helping you with fabric selection and requirements. All of Jennifer’s students produce quite different and unique results. I’m always amazed at how differently the same quilts can turn out with different fabric choices. As a teacher Jennifer is very open to working with your fabric choices and helping you get the best results from what you begin with. Scroll down to see a number of images of quilts and classes to give you an idea of what the class is like.

Jennifer’s groups are very popular and are often booked out! Casual places, if available, may be booked by phone or via this listing: Scroll to end of the listing and click on ‘ADD TO CART’  Once it’s added to your cart make sure you are booking the correct date. Then follow the prompts to make payment.  

Places are limited Bookings are necessary. All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions

Jennifer Corkish Quilt Teacher in Class at Berry Quilt & Co. with two of her 2018 Projects

Jennifer Corkish Quilt Teacher in class with her Japanese inspired work.

A great photo of Janice in class with Jennifer Corkish. This shot shows the applique block in progress, the sample bright block and larger quilt of Jennifer’s design behind her.

Jennifer Corkish ‘Purity’. A small quilt perfect for learning Jennifer’s Appliqué Techniques.

TO BOOK: Scroll to end of listing and click on ‘ADD TO CART’  Once it’s added to your cart make sure you are booking the correct date. Then follow the prompts to make payment.  

Helen Draper’s classes are running every month in 2018. The class runs on the third Thursday of each month (except April because of easter – Date of Class is April 26th) and is the perfect low stress place to build up some patchwork and quilting skills. Participants in Helen’s classes are all working on their own projects at their own pace so you are able to join Helen’s class at any point in the year, subject to availability. Helen is a delightful and relaxed teacher who enjoys getting to know her class members and sharing her love of hand stitching, fabric and quilt design.

Helen’s love is hand stitching! In this class Helen is able to teach you traditional or modern hand quilting techniques. By this, we mean the actual quilting stitches that hold the three layers:, top, wadding and backing together. Helen can show you the very traditional ’10 stitches to an inch’ elegant hand quilting using a waxed thread for heirloom quilts to the ‘big stitch’ colourful quilting using thicker perle threads for a more modern or rustic effect which has become popular lately.

You can begin with an already made and sandwiched quilt and Helen can work you though ideas for quilting it or you can start with a cushion sized sampler or plain fabric to get the knack before you go on to another larger project. Helen teaches a method using a quilt hoop but you are also able to work without one if you prefer. You will learn methods for marking quilt designs on your quilt and you’ll cover threads, needles and the types of designs that are appropriate for your quilt.

You are also able to learn to stitch quilt blocks together by hand in this class. We call this hand piecing. When hand piecing the block is cut out, seam allowances are marked and it is then stitched together by hand rather than machine. It is often a geometrically pieced traditional block. There are a few tips and tricks to learn to make your patchwork durable and accurate and there are a few ways to incorporate templates when making multiple blocks that are all the same but once learnt, you will be able to make anything any time with only a pencil, ruler, scissors, needle and thread. It’s a very portable technique to know. You can learn hand piecing by making one of Helen’s original quilt designs pictured below or by progressing block by block through a range of traditional designs ending up with a ‘sampler’ quilt.

Many of the participants in Helen’s classes have come along to learn one of the techniques discussed above and end up staying on because they fall in love with one of Helen’s quilt designs. As an advanced or intermediate quilter you are able to join Helen’s class to get a kick start on any of her original projects that are listed in her Patchwork Bliss web shop. You can purchase the pattern from Helen’s website or let us know when enrolling which quilt you like and we will organise for Helen to bring the pattern with her to class. As with all our classes you can book in as a regular class member or you are able to dip in here and there as space permits. You can see if spaces are available for casual class members at the end of this entry, where it will allow you to add the class to your cart if there is space. If you would like to book for more than one month, click through the calendar to the next month and add that class to your cart as well.

Lastly, while Helen loves to hand stitch she knows that many of you don’t! So most of her patterns are adaptable for machine and you are able to learn by machine in Helen’s class. Make sure you make contact with us to discuss what you’d like to do if you’re unsure.

Places are limited Bookings are necessary. All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions

Helen Draper Quilting Teacher

The very popular Feeling Groovy Quilt. This quilt can be made with crazy florals and looks just as good made with totally random scraps.

Helen’s latest Quilt, the versatile Berry Bliss. This quilt can be customised a number of ways and features some interesting techniques.

Close up of the Perle 8 hand quilting on Shadowplay.

The very pretty Kiku Blossom Quilt. Features chubby dresden plates and the clever card trick block.

Helen’s Shadowplay quilt made with off-the-shelf tone on tone prints.

SCROLL TO END AND CLICK ON ‘ADD TO CART’ TO BOOK TICKETS

The Waratah has been one of Denise Griffiths’ most popularly requested classes. This is our fourth Waratah class offering with Denise! There have been a number of different Waratah shapes and sizes and each time there have been slightly different techniques employed. 

In this class you have the option to make the Giant Red Waratah sampler (pictured below)  which measures approximately 110cm x 100cm or the Medium Waratah sampler (also pictured below) which measures approximately 75 x 75cm. You could make just the flower which, in each case is independent of the background. You could save the flowers up to make a larger multi flower composition like Flora Australis or Ena’s Pink Waratahs as shown below. If you have been to a class with Denise before and have not quite finished your waratah you are welcome join the class to complete the piece with Denise on hand to guide you. 

About the Giant Waratah: This is Denises largest Waratah pattern. The flower itself measures 90cm across. It is made using Denise’s 3D ‘Baglique’ technique, no more turning tiny edges to sew down. When finished, you will have a free standing, padded flower that can be placed whereever you decide it should go on your quilt. This is a very freeing technique as there really is no mistakes to worry about. Add or remove some leaves and petals or make it a different colour, your choice.

About the Medium Waratah: This is the same flower design as the Giant Red Waratah but it has been reduced in size. The flower measures approximately 62cm across when finished. No stamens are on this quilt which makes it easier to construct. Once again, it is a free standing flower, but does not have the added stamens and can be heavily hand stitched afterwards to add customised details or colour. You could make it in pink or red or repeat it to make a multi flower composition instead of the single flower class sample. 

This is a TWO day class, however if you have been to a class with Denise previously and are only able to join in for one day,  we may be able to accommodate this if there is space. You will need to phone the shop to arrange this and book rather than booking via the website. 

Read more about Denise as a teacher on our Teacher information page.

Places are limited Bookings are necessary. All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions

 

Denise Griffiths Large Red Waratah

Denise Griffiths Medium Waratah

Denise Griffiths Ena’s Pink Waratah

Denise Griffiths Flora Australis

Denise Griffiths Quilt Teacher

Denise Griffiths Textile Artist and teacher with Waratahs.