Emerald City Quilt PART 1/ Workshop with Katie Pedersen

In the beginning of this year my husband asked me if I would like to accompany him on a business trip to Seattle. I didn't need to think twice. Well, firstly Seattle has always been on my list of 'Places To Go' and secondly I knew that Katie Pedersen lives in Seattle and that she holds workshops in her design studio. (Quilts! Of course the first thing that comes to mind... what are we quilters like, he?)

Sew Katie Did - Seattle design studio

I contacted Katie and inquired about a workshop at the end of April/ beginning of May and she was kind enough to let me choose a date and a workshop to suit my overseas travel. How nice is that! I booked the workshop before we even booked our flights!

Sew Katie Did - Quilty Goodness

As I met Katie in her beautiful studio I think I just stared at her for the first couple of minutes. She has been one of my favourite quilters ever since I started my quilting endeavours and seeing my quilty hero in person was just so exciting. I couldn't help myself but staring in awe, I guess.

Me and Katie Pedersen of Sew Katie Did

Luckily that stage didn't last long because Katie is such a nice and lovely person and so down to earth.

Sew Katie Did - On-Target Quilt

I signed up for the 'Psychedelic Baby Block/ Improv strip piecing' workshop and Katie showed us some examples of her beautiful work. This 'On-Target Quilt' was especially nice.

Sew Katie Did - Skewed Symmetry Quilt

The technique of this block is so diverse. I was lucky enough to see Katie's Skewed Symmetry Quilt already at QuiltCon in Savannah in February.

So this is my fabric choice. I bought these beautiful Michael Miller Cotton Couture solids at QuiltCon in Savannah and mixed them with these lovely 'Squared Elements' prints by Art Gallery Fabrics. Both fabric lines have a beautiful soft feel.

And that's the first block I made during the workshop. I love to mix solids with graphic prints, it just adds so much interest.

Being in an artist design studio surrounded by beautiful quilts and fabrics is such a great experience!

I cannot highly enough recommend to do a workshop with Katie or any other artist/ quilter who is willing to give workshops in their own studio. Doing classes somewhere with an artist is great but being in their design studio is beyond inspiring. There are so many little things to discover like this quote from a magazine Katie put up on her design wall.

These were the three blocks I made in Seattle and I really liked where this was heading. The improv strips and randomly arranged colours work so well,  Katie called that 'controlled chaos'.

I really enjoyed my day in Seattle not only because of Katie's workshop but also because I also got to spend the day with Marla of Penny Lane Quilts. We met at QuiltCon in February in Savannah where I told Marla that I would be in Seattle later that year doing that workshop. Marla had booked the same workshop at a different date originally but changed it so we could  spend the day together. How awesome is that!

Marla @PennyLaneQuilts and me in Katie's design studio

Marla also made me this super nice pin cushion. Quilty friends are the best!
Could this day be any better?

Back home I continued to sew blocks and kept adding to reach a twin size quilt top.

Oh, I really love those colours!

I decided to quilt straight lines in a regular cross pattern. I used three different colours of the beautiful Aurifil thread, I love the depth that is given to a quilt by using more than one colour of thread.

And that's a sneak peak of the yet unwashed finished quilt.
Stay tuned for PART 2!