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Nancy Crow
Improvisations - Let's Experiment
April 5-9, 2010,

Presentations:
Each student should bring 10-12 slides or laptop with digital images or 3-6 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (5 minutes maximum) articulate presentation about their work and be ready to discuss and explain their goals. VGFA can provide a slide projector and a digital projector, but cannot provide a lap top.

SUPPLIES:
Sewing Machine
Swing-Arm Lamp
Digital Camera and Printer or Polaroid and Film
Multiple Outlet Power Strip/Adaptors
Glue to Adhere Snapshots into Sketchbook
Iron/Iron Cleaner
Heavy Duty Extension Cords
Small Spray Bottle
4' x 8' Batting/Flannel (White) on which to pin work
Ball-Head Pins (very fine and regular size)
24" x 36" Cutting Mat/Extra Large Rotary Cutter and Blades
Scissors/Needles/Thread/Rulers
Sketchbook/Pens/Other Supplies You Want
Packing Tape if shipping boxes

Fabrics:
Do NOT bring fat quarters. We will work selvage to selvage most of the time.

4 yards each of:
SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE (Pimatex by Robert Kaufman is wonderful quality)

1 yard of each color:
SOLID COLORS the widest range you can afford to bring and be sure to include both warm and cool colors - 60 to 100 different colors (1 yard of each color)
OFF-WHITES...warm white, cold white, cream (1 yard of each color)
GRAYS 5 to 9 in light, medium, and dark (1 yard of each color)
TANS (1 yard of each color)
PLAIDS 5 to 7 different ones (3/4 to 1 yard of each)
STRIPES 5 to 7 different ones (3/4 to 1 yard of each)
GRAPHIC PRINTS (high contrast)
GEOMETRIC PRINTS, BATIKS (3/4 to 1 yard of each)

We will use everything listed above so do not decide to leave anything out. We will use a lot of solid colors so bring a good range that includes darks, medium and light values - Browns, Blues, Greens, Reds, Golds, Yellows, Oranges, Purples, Violets Please wash and shrink all fabrics!

NOTES REGARDING FABRIC SUPPLY LIST
Yes, the rumor is true!!! Yes, I do ask that each student bring lots of fabrics. My personal theory embraces the belief that one will be freer to be creative if one has many fabric choices available in class. After 25+ years of teaching, I consider each class I teach to be on a graduate level and therefore I expect students to arrive prepared with all necessary supplies. In that regard, I have outlined those fabrics we will use in this class. For some students, my fabric supply list will seem overwhelming in quantity and variety, while for other students, the selection they bring will never be good enough.

About solid colors--the more shades you have to work with, the more you will learn about how to work with color. Color is Joyous!!! Color does not cause pain!!! Take DELIGHT in color!!!
Working in color does not mean only using BOLD colors or HOT colors; working in color means learning to be versatile in all types of colors. Overall during the class, we will use more solid colors than prints but still...bring the requested prints. When choosing solid colors to bring to class, be sure to bring both warm and cool tones. I caution you to not bring mostly middle value solids, rather bring a wide variety, including:

Any color can be warm or cold. Warm tones: Any colors that are mixed with yellow and which have a glow coming off the surface. Cold tones: Any colors that are mixed with blue and which have a dullness and subdued nature. Many students arrive with their own hand-dyed solids or stacks they have purchased from other dyers. By all means, bring hand-dyed if you want. But flat solids (dyed commercially) are equally acceptable. I usually work with flat colors or my own subtly dyed flat colors. My own palette includes approximately 500 shades.

I cannot specifically tell you to bring only 1 yard cuts of each color because I know we will be using at least a yard of some to many colors depending on each student's color preferences. If you bring a yard of each - say 5 blues, 5 reds, 5 yellows, 5 greens, etc. but one each in light values, medium light values, medium values, medium dark values, & dark values, that would be better than not having enough. So bring 1 yard of as many colors as you can afford and shorter lengths for the rest. Remember, we will be working selvage to selvage.