INSTRUCTOR: Denise Labadie

CLASS FEE: $675

MIN/MAX STUDENTS:

Denise’s Art Quilt Design Intensive five-day workshop focuses on quilt composition, fabric painting, working from photos, and comparative effects, benefits, and use — basically, the “what, why, when, and how”—of alternative quilt construction, texturing, and finishing techniques.

The first two days are dedicated to fabric painting: using Seta transparent paints, how to best mix, apply, and layer the paint; how to create and use resists; and how to cause (and control) layer-by-layer differential paint absorption, diffusion, blending, patterning, and mottling. The two days of hands-on painting ensures plenty of time for “guided experimentation” and techniques exploration.

Each participant completes the workshop with a collection of their own highly textured fabric in the colors and textures that they themselves have selected to bring depth and complexity to their art quilt projects.

The following three days focus on construction techniques and “best practices” re: turned edge appliqué, reverse appliqué, insetting, free-form strip piecing, couching, and quilt finishing. A key focus is on reliably creating different effects and textures.

Throughout the five days an additional emphasis includes Working with Photographs. Each student is asked to bring in an enlarged photo (or large sketch) to act as a generalized quilt or project template to help focus and personalize their fabric painting and construction techniques training.

Class fee plus additional mandatory painting supplies surcharge ($50.00 as of 10/2025).

Experience: Confident beginner (comfortable with operating a sewing machine) through Advanced.