In Person or Virtual Workshop
A quilting art piece featuring a blue flower with green and purple accents, stitched with thread, set against a background with mountains, hearts, and water patterns, mounted on a white page.

Personal Symbols for Art Quilt Collage

Create up to six 5x7” art quilt collages highlighting personal symbols using composition templates and inspiring fabrics. Suitable for all levels.

About this workshop

Explore and create shapes and symbols that have personal meaning

What symbols and personal themes will you incorporate into your small art quilt collages? Houses, leaves, bowls, ladders? Deborah will guide you through exploring and creating shapes and symbols that have personal meaning. Create 5×7” fabric collages highlighting personal symbols using composition templates and inspiring fabrics. Embellish with machine and hand stitching. Learn simple finishing techniques and mount your art quilt collage on mats ready for framing.

Workshop at a Glance

  • Focus: fused appliqué, composition, personal symbols, stitch as a design element, hand embroidery, finishing

  • Duration — 1 day

  • Skill Level — All levels welcome

  • Project — six 5x7” art quilt collages ready for framing

  • Format — In person or virtual

  • Fees — $750 virtual · $850 in person

In the workshop

What the Workshop Looks Like

From finished samples to works in progress, here's a look at the creative process we explore together.

What to bring

Supply List

Required

  • six to ten pieces of fabrics approximately 9x10” — or similar scrap sizes Consider picking a focus fabric and building the rest of the fabrics around that with small tone on tone prints. At least one fabric should be dark and one should be light. Choose at least one “pop of color.” Fabrics don’t need to be measured exactly. Large scale multi-color pints can be tricky for this project. If you have a stash of pre-fused fabric, this is a great workshop to use it. Apply fusible web to the back of your fabrics before the workshop.

  • six 6 x 8ish inch pieces of batting or felt any color

  • card stock window
    Using an 8.5 x 11” piece of card stock paper, mark a 5x7” rectangle and cut it out, leaving you with a window to help with design decisions.

  • iron and ironing surface

  • parchment paper

  • embroidery floss and/or perle cotton
    A sandwich size plastic bag full of floss will give you lots of options. Choose darks and lights in a variety of colors. If you don’t have embroidery floss in your stash, I suggest bringing 4 to 6 skeins in a variety of colors.

  • embroidery needle

  • thimble, needle threader and stitching glasses if you use them regularly

  • scissors, large and small

  • rotary cutter, ruler (6x12 is great), small rotary mat

  • One or two colors of acrylic paint to finish the edges of your art quilt collages

  • Sponge brush or spouncer for finishing edges

  • sketchbook, pen and pencil

Optional

Tip: Watch these Videos

Watch this short video that describes the workshop.

Follow the instructions in this video for fusing your fabrics ahead of time.

Watch this video to help you choose fabric and prepare your supplies.

A woman with shoulder-length gray hair, glasses, and earrings is smiling and taking a selfie while sitting on a dark blue couch. She is wearing a green, short-sleeved, buttoned blouse and dark jeans. Behind her, there are shelves filled with colorful yarn and yarn balls.

About Deborah

Deborah is an artist, author, and teacher whose art quilt collages are known for their bold use of color, layered texture, and personal storytelling. She has taught workshops for guilds and groups across the country for over two decades.

Bring this workshop to your group

Ready to Book?

Connect with Deborah to arrange times, formats, and fee structures that work for your guild or group.