Strip Piecing Landscapes and Seascapes

Have you ever thought about making a stunning landscape or seascape quilt, but didn’t know where to start? If so, this class is for you. Strip piecing nature scenes is a great stress reducer and a fantastic way to use up scraps! By the end of the day, you will have a small landscape or seascape (up to 18 x 24 inches). This fun technique uses 1.25 inch strips to “paint” a landscape or seascape. The class will discuss cover choosing pictures for inspiration, selecting fabrics, organizing fabrics, laying out the quilt, and piecing techniques. This is a fun activity that includes improvisational elements. The quilt you make will be a one-of-a kind work of art!





Preparation - Before class, please cut all fabrics into 1.25 inch strips.
Materials and supplies:
• Working sewing machine with cord
• Neutral thread
• Fabric scissors
• 1.25 inch wide strips of fabric – I recommend batiks, although prints or solids will also work. Bring a large variety of colors you will use (blues, greens, browns, purples – if you want a sunrise or sunset include reds, oranges, yellows, pinks).

Strips should be between 2 and 42 inches long. You should bring at least 780 linear inches of strips (to determine the linear inches, measure the length of each piece and add the lengths together. For example, if you have one 4-inch, two 6-inch, one 20-inch and three 40-inch strips, you have 156 linear inches (4+6+6+20+40+40+40=156). 780 linear inches would be approximately ¾ of a yard of fabric cut into 1.25 inch strips.

Sharing and trading strips is encouraged – you may become a strip collector!

NOTE: You may pre-order a bag of 1.25 inch wide strips by e-mailing the instructor at betterdonequilts@gmail.com. These are mixed, batik strips and will include long and short pieces in many colors. Each bag will contain at least 780 linear inches of strips (enough for your class project) and costs $45.

• 24 x 36 inch piece of thin 100% cotton muslin or batiste to use as design area.
• Box for organizing fabric strips. Clean, unused pizza boxes work well. For this project 2 pizza boxes are recommended. I use a 11 x 14 inch plastic box with sheets of paper as dividers.

NOTE: You may pre-order pizza boxes by e-mailing the instructor at betterdonequilts@gmail.com. Pizza boxes are 12 x 12 inches and are $1.00 each. OPTIONAL – Photos of landscapes or seascapes for inspiration.
• RECCOMENDED - Phone with a camera.
• OPTIONAL – 18 x 24 inches of ultra-lightweight fusible interfacing.