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David Owen Hastings indigo workshop

by Linda Theil

Original indigo and white workshop product by Linda Theil, May 21, 2021

I took David Owen Hastings live-online, design workshop, "Indi-Go-Modern",  sponsored by the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild last Friday -- May 21, 2021. 

Hastings presented six hours of instruction via the Zoom Internet platform from his studio in Sequim, Washington.

Students used indigo prints of their own choosing, and solids in white and indigo to create small works from six-inch blocks of our own design.

My fabric choices for the David Owen Hastings "Indi-Go-Modern" workshop 

As a warm-up exercise, we cut paper that was printed with indigo fabric designs into strips, and sewed the paper strips together to make strip sets.

We cut the strips sets, and sewed them onto solid white-, or indigo, three-inch paper squares in various combinations that could be manipulated into compositions of the student's own inspiration. 

3x3-inch-square, stitched paper design by L. Theil from exercise in
 David Owen Hastings' "Indi-Go-Modern" workshop May 21, 2021

When we moved on to working with our fabrics, Hastings instructed students in  three design options. I chose the simplest option using two prints to make a strip set, creating templates for a six-inch block design, then using the templates to cut pieces from the strip set in preparation for sewing each block.

Cutting pattern pieces for 6-inch-square block design from David Owen Hastings "Indi-Go-Modern" live Zoom workshop, May 21, 2021



Hastings recommended using an "add-a-quarter" ruler for ease in adding a seam allowance to the block pieces cut from our templates. Since I have an "add-a-quarter" ruler that I use for paper-piecing, it would have been nice if I could have found it to use in this class.


A variety of layout options of 6-inch blocks from work by L. Theil in David Owen Hastings "Indi-Go-Modern" workshop May 21, 2021

Each student experimented with various block arrangements, then assembled their composition (see top photo). 

I was particularly interested in the artists with whom Hastings has affiliated himself in their devotion to Japanese art and craft:

Hastings also presented a lecture about his work, and minimal-design esthetic to GAAQG members at their Zoom Internet meeting on May 22, 2021, and he taught a second Zoom workshop on creating modern abstract quilts on May 23. GAAQG member Kathy Schmidt wrote about her experience in the May 23 workshop in her Quirks Ltd weblog post "Weekend Workshop".

During his May 22 lecture for the GAAQG, Hastings referenced several superb sources of influence and inspiration that could be used as a syllabus for a study of the modern quilt movement: 

David Owen Hastings will present this online "Indi-Go-Modern" workshop, again,  from 9-3 p PST July 8, 2021. Register online at the sponsoring venue Northwind Art of Port Townsend, WA. Cost is $150; registration ends June 24, 2021. Other lecture and workshop events listed on Hastings' website.


Resources

David Owen Hastings, https://davidowenhastings.com/

Hastings events, https://davidowenhastings.com/events/list/

"Indi-Go-Modern" sponsored by Northwind Art, https://ptschoolofthearts.org/classes/in-di-go-modern-with-david-owen-hastings-july-8

Okan Arts, https://okanarts.com/

East Meets West Quilts by Patricia Belyea, https://www.amazon.com/East-Meets-West-Quilts-Explore-Japanese-Inspired-Designs/dp/1419726595

"Weekend Workshop" by Kathy Schmidt in Quirks Ltd weblog, https://quirksltd.wordpress.com/2021/05/24/weekend-workshop/

Japanese Textile + Craft Festival, https://www.japantextilefestival.co.uk/

Romor Designs -- Rob Jones, https://www.romordesigns.com/

Freeweaver Saori Studio, https://www.freeweaver.co.uk/

Comments

Cathy said…
Very beautiful! Interesting!!
5/26/2021
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