Kestrel's Quilt Brain Bootcamp

This full-day workshop focuses on teaching students how to think creatively, demonstrates the importance of design elements, and teaches the first rule of Kestrel’s personal design formula. Kestrel will guide students through a series of hands-on exercises:

Lesson 1: Idea Generation

Students will go through series of exercises that will help students think of subjects and settings from nothing.

Lesson 2: Importance of Value

Students will work on small project that will show the importance of value. The project will be shared with the class, followed by a presentation by Kestrel showing real-world examples and how value can be used in composition.

Lesson 3: Color Combinations

Students will learn about color harmonies and practice using them to create compositions in two small projects. Kestrel will follow-up with a presentation to share examples of color arrangements in real life and fine art.

Lesson 4: Highlight, Midtone, and Shadow

Students will learn the first rule of Kestrel's personal quilt design formula and practice implementing that rule on a simple subject first. Kestrel will share how this formula applies to all of her own work. Students will begin work on applying the formula to a design of their choice (students may bring a pre-printed photograph of their choosing or use one provided by Kestrel. Photo subjects should be simple: A pet, a flower, a single object, etc.)

Lesson 5: Picking Fabric

Students will participate in an exercise in choosing fabric based on Kestrel's design formula. This final lesson is intended to prepare students to turn their design (from Lesson 4) into a finished quilt at home.