Today I took a class at Quilters Oasis in Mesa, Arizona. Linda Hopkins, the instructor, presented the class to her one and only student, moi!! Linda is from New York area and comes to Arizona for the winter. She goes to various quilt shows as a demonstrator for River Silks, a company that sells hand dyed silk ribbons.
Linda uses the ribbon in the bobbin of her sewing machine. That means you have to think backward (or upside down). First you hand wind some ribbon on a bobbin, then place the bobbin in your machine by-passing all tension discs. Select any utilitarian stitch - straight, zigzag, designed, basically any stitch other than satin stitches or any stitches that go over the same area numerous times.
I made myself a reference sheet that shows a variety of machine stitches, often set to the largest stitch size I could set the machine at, in two different widths of silk ribbon - 7mm and 4mm. This sheet will help me remember the stitch settings when I want to use this technique on a project.
It was exciting to reveal the fancy ribbon work by turning the material over. (Remember, you are working upside down, the ribbon is on the bobbin, which is underneath.)
During the workshop various shoppers came in to the classroom to see what we were doing. At one point a woman said, "Krista, Krista Zeghers from Holland?". I looked up to a familiar face. Carol, who used to work at Boyne Valley, was visiting the shop. We knew each other from working for Tiger Hills School Division. What a small world!!
Silk ribbon bobbin work is now another tool in my quilting tool kit of strategies to use. Great day!!
Linda uses the ribbon in the bobbin of her sewing machine. That means you have to think backward (or upside down). First you hand wind some ribbon on a bobbin, then place the bobbin in your machine by-passing all tension discs. Select any utilitarian stitch - straight, zigzag, designed, basically any stitch other than satin stitches or any stitches that go over the same area numerous times.
I made myself a reference sheet that shows a variety of machine stitches, often set to the largest stitch size I could set the machine at, in two different widths of silk ribbon - 7mm and 4mm. This sheet will help me remember the stitch settings when I want to use this technique on a project.
It was exciting to reveal the fancy ribbon work by turning the material over. (Remember, you are working upside down, the ribbon is on the bobbin, which is underneath.)
During the workshop various shoppers came in to the classroom to see what we were doing. At one point a woman said, "Krista, Krista Zeghers from Holland?". I looked up to a familiar face. Carol, who used to work at Boyne Valley, was visiting the shop. We knew each other from working for Tiger Hills School Division. What a small world!!
Silk ribbon bobbin work is now another tool in my quilting tool kit of strategies to use. Great day!!
Quilters' Oasis in Mesa, Arizona
Sampler of bobbin work
Linda working on a crazy quilt that has a lot of silk ribbon bobbin work on it.
My sampler, ribbon side up showing various stitches, length and width noted,
with 7mm ribbon (blue) and 4mm (green) ribbons
Back of sample showing the type of stitch used. This is what you see as you are working.
The ribbon is in the bobbin, so the fancy work is underneath.
Makes for an interesting reveal, when you turn it over. Rather like working blind!
Samples of the silk ribbon. Once again the 7mm is blue and the 4mm is green. See the size difference?
See the ribbon I have hand wound on a bobbin ready to be put into the drop-in bobbin case.
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