Textile Fusion Workshops

My workshops are packed with information, and I show lots of samples. I'm very enthusiastic about my subjects, but my teaching style is calm. When workshop participants make samples and try new skills, I am always positive and encouraging.

In classes where we work creatively, I gently guide those who need help. Especially in situations where people are stretching their creative abilities (or discovering them for the first time), I strive for a happy, flexible, can-do atmosphere.

Many of these workshops can be tailored to the specific needs of your group. Just let me know what you need. Workshops that list "3 hours or more," are also suitable for day-long workshops or weekend retreats. The longer classes explore design and technique in greater depth, and students make more elaborate samples.

Sew a Totebag from an Old Sweater (3 to 6 hours).

Recycle your old sweaters into good-looking tote bags. Learn how to stabilize the knitting, line, bind, and add handles. (See a photo of a knitted/sewn tote bag in the Simple Textile Fusion Projects gallery.) For the 3-hour workshop, participants will most likely have to do some finishing work at home.

Very basic machine sewing skills required. All skill levels welcome.

Supplies:

  • Sewing machine (we may be able to arrange for extras from local sewing shops)
  • a sweater to cut up, at least 15" across the body (30" around). Natural fibers work best, but synthetics can be used, too.
  • 1/2 yard matching cotton fabric for lining and binding
  • 1 yard fusible interfacing (NOT TRICOT)
  • for handles: matching denim, 5" wide x 36" long OR 1" wide webbing made especially for handles (ask at the fabric store)
  • hand-sewing needle, pins
  • sewing thread, colors to match sweater and fabric
    scissors
  • optional: buttons or trims to decorate your tote bag.

For the classroom: One or two irons and ironing pads needed.

Contact Suzann at textilefusion@hughes.net


Quilts from Your Old Sweaters (3 hours or more).

Give old knitted sweaters, cardigans, and swatches new life by making them into quilts. The resulting fabric is stable and suitable for accessories, garments, home decor, and heavy embellishment. We will make a 12-inch square sample to practice piecing and quilting. The sample can be bound in class or made into another project at home. We will discuss the uses of quilted knitting. Many samples and photos.

Very basic machine sewing skills required. All skill levels welcome.

Supplies:

  • Sewing machine (we may be able to arrange for extras from local sewing shops)
  • Sweaters and swatches to cut up. Natural fibers work best, but synthetics can be used, too.
  • 12" square of lightweight cotton to use as a foundation
  • 3/8 yard matching cotton fabric for backing and binding
  • 1/2 yard fusible interfacing (NOT TRICOT)
  • 12" square low-loft quilt batting
  • hand-sewing needles, pins
  • sewing thread, one or two colors
  • scissors
  • optional: to enhance your quilt, bring buttons, sequins, trims, bits of felt, and other embellishments

For the classroom: One or two irons and ironing pads needed.

Contact Suzann at textilefusion@hughes.net


Treasure Textiles (3 hours or more).

Use all those bits of lace and ribbon, beads and buttons, broken china, coins, marbles, sequins, stones, yarn, zippers and whatever else you've collected over the years, in a 12-inch square sample that you can use as fabric, or bind and hang on the wall. Learn different approaches to treasure textile design, options for backgrounds (knitting, crochet, fabric, felt, scraps), planning ahead for success, how to attach difficult treasures, and uses for treasure textiles.

For longer workshops, we will plan a 12-inch square piece based on the scraps and treasures you bring, prepare the background fabric, attach treasures, and begin finishing work. you can use the piece in another project, or bind it and hang it on the wall.

You need basic sewing skills, but any of your needlework skills can be put to use here.

Supplies:

  • Materials Fee: $1.50 per participant, includes polymer clay, eye pins, wire, embroidery floss, vinyl, tulle, felt, yarn, glues, and other supplies.
  • Treasures as listed above. Bring me a challenge!
  • 12" square quilted or pre-quilted fabric OR upholstery fabric OR knitting or crochet stabilized with fusible interfacing. This can be an old workshop sample.
  • Craft blade
  • hand-sewing needles
    tapestry needle
  • scissors
  • optional: to enhance your quilt, bring buttons, sequins, trims, bits of felt, and other embellishments

For 6-hour or longer workshop, participants should also bring:

  • Fabrics to use for a sample: felt, old sweaters, scraps of fancy fabric, upholstery fabric, anything.
  • 12" square of lightweight cotton to use as a foundation
  • 1/2 yard cotton fabric for backing and binding
  • 1/2 yard fusible interfacing (NOT TRICOT)
    12" square low-loft quilt batting

For the classroom: one or two toaster ovens.

For 6-hour or longer workshops, the classroom will also need:
One or two irons and ironing pads
One or two sewing machines would be good, but not essential.

Contact Suzann at textilefusion@hughes.net


Knit or Crochet an Underwater Scene (3 hours or more).

Learn to work to a template and to interpret shape and texture in stitches, by composing a small picture, about 5" x 7". No gauge swatches-hurray! Lots of design help and advice. Written instructions for useful stitches are provided.

This class is adaptable to many subjects, like desert scenes, jungle 'scapes, or even food or rooms in a house. We'll knit or crochet the scene that your group likes best.

Student supplies:

  • $1.50 per student, for fabric, fusible interfacing, and batting supplied by instructor
  • a bag of yarn in various colors and textures
  • different sizes of knitting needles or crochet hooks
    tapestry needle
  • hand-sewing needle, pins
  • sewing thread, one or two colors
  • scissors
  • optional: to enhance your picture, bring buttons, sequins, trims, and other embellishments
  • optional: if you have books or magazines with pictures of reefs or fish, bring them for inspiration

For the classroom: One or two irons and ironing pads needed. A sewing machine would be nice, but not absolutely necessary.

Contact Suzann at textilefusion@hughes.net


Button Boutique (2 or more hours).

A good button is hard to find. So make your own! We'll make three or more different styles of buttons out of polymer clay (FIMO® or Premo!®), using simple methods and tools you can find around the house. The more time we have, the more buttons we can make. Button styles include: swirl, stacked shapes, surface-decorated, fake lapis, jelly-roll.

Polymer clay buttons are machine washable and dryable. We'll bake in class.

No experience with polymer clay required.

Supplies:

  • Materials fee: $1.00 per student for clay and metal leaf to make fake lapis buttons
  • 3 different color blocks of polymer clay (FIMO® or Premo®)
  • craft blade
  • plastic rolling pin
    tapestry needle or toothpick
  • paper and pencil
    Optional: Nu-blade or other long clay blade is very helpful

For the classroom: one or two toaster ovens

Contact Suzann at textilefusion@hughes.net


Crazy Polymer Patchwork Pin and Buttons (3 hours)

Create and decorate polymer clay 'fabrics,' then cut and piece them together to make a brooch. Make buttons from the scraps. Great gifts for yourself or any patchwork enthusiast! I'll also show you how to use the polymer clay 'fabrics' to decorate greeting cards, jars, and eggs-more great projects and gifts.

What's this class doing here? It's a textile technique in clay!

No experience with polymer clay required.

Supplies:

  • 3 different color blocks of polymer clay (FIMO® or Premo®)
  • craft blade
    plastic rolling pin
    super glue
  • pin back
    dressmaker's tracing wheel with spikes
  • tapestry needle or toothpick
  • paper and pencil
  • a plastic bag or other container to put your finished buttons in
  • Optional: Nu-blade or other long clay blade is very helpful

For the classroom: one or two toaster ovens

Contact Suzann at textilefusion@hughes.net


TERMS

Because of the travel time involved, I prefer to schedule six or more hours of workshops for one trip. I give short lectures and programs at guild meetings if the meeting is the night before or the same day as the workshop. Contact me, so we can make arrangements that are good for all involved.

  • In the U. S. $475 per 6-hour workshop; $100 for a guild program in conjunction with a workshop. I do not charge for the time spent in travel.
  • Travel expenses from Dublin, Texas, to be paid by guild or shop. This usually includes $100 for round-trip mileage to and parking at DFW airport, plus airfare to the workshop. For workshops within 150 miles of Dublin, Texas, I charge for mileage only.
  • Room and board to be paid by guild or shop.
  • I am glad to teach for two or more groups in one trip. This means that travel expenses are split among the groups. Again, contact me, because I may be able to help in arranging workshops among several groups.
  • I will e-mail or post my rèsumé at your request.

 

Contact Suzann at textilefusion@hughes.net

All photos and content Copyright Suzann Thompson
Web design by Stephanie Vinson