David Owen Hastings is a modern quilter, graphic designer, and textile artist living in the Pacific Northwest. He creates richly layered contemporary artwork and modern minimal quilt designs. Sharing knowledge, encouraging creativity, and teaching new skills are personal passions of his. David gives lectures and workshops on branding, art, textile, and modern quilting techniques. He enjoys helping people bridge the gap between modern art and modern quilting!
Workshop: Inspired by Art
Starting with a favorite work of art, develop your own unique modern quilt design. Be inspired by shapes, colors, structure, or the feeling you get and design a whole quilt with an eye on modern minimalism.
Modern Quilt Design, Inspired by Classic Art
Bring a photo of a work of art, and we will explore the many ways you can take inspiration from it to develop your own modern minimal quilt design. We will break down the image to its most basic elements, create a rough drawing, then start building a test block using improv techniques. David will demonstrate sewing curves without pins, and without fear. You will develop a complete modern quilt, with time to start quilting and ideas for binding with a modern touch.
Workshop Details
- Experiment with different elemental geometric shapes, including gentle curves
- Explore spare, simple compositions for a modern look
- Think about figure and ground
- Consider the sewing lines as a key design element
- Select one work of art, and bring a photocopy of it to class
- Break the artwork down into elemental blocks
- Assess which blocks work well, and choose one to translate into fabric
- Discuss color and value choices and decide on a palette
- Map out pieces for one composition
- Cut out fabric pieces improv style
- Audition colors and placement
- Build composition improv style, trying out multiple fabrics, stepping back to assess the effect of each
- How do I quilt it? Learn how to add texture and surface design with walking foot quilting.
- Watch a demo of facing a quilt for a modern look and joining finished quilt blocks
- You may even completely finish a small wall quilt in the time we have together!
I will provide full hands-on instructions in class. Bring a photocopy of your art inspiration, and we’ll create a new work inspired by your selection. This is an all-levels workshop. Basic knowledge of machine piecing is helpful, but not necessary. We will learn together!