Labor Day Excitement!

"Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers." Labor Day brings to mind different things for different people. For many school children, it means their last day of summer vacation and freedom. For most, though, it's the last hurrah of summer before fall leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, and Christmas decorations are evident everywhere you look. It is nice to celebrate a day about working by not working. But there is something you can do this coming Labor Day that will allow you to not have to cook and clean for a week—all while learning new appliqué skills and making new friends.

This could be you!

On September 5th, 2016, starting at noon EST, registration opens for classes at the Academy of Appliqué! Because we wanted to make sure you don't miss the registration day and time, we have included all the links you might need in this post. Barbara and her team have set up very detailed instructions as to how you can register, and you can begin the sign-up process here on the registration page starting at noon on September 5th.

Click here for the catalog!

We've shared some details about the classes we will be teaching at the Academy in our post, A Floral Wreath, The Secret Garden, and a new website! but we thought we would show you the blocks again, along with the class descriptions. 

The kit for the Floral Wreath class includes everything you will need, including your background!

Floral Wreath class with be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 28 - March 1, 2017.

A walk through the garden is the perfect inspiration for this lovely wreath of flowers. Lilies, pansies, roses, and jasmine welcome warm thoughts of springtime. Silk ribbon and embroidery add dimension, making these blooms come to life. In this class, we will explore a number of techniques, including back-basting appliqué, gathered ribbon flowers, ribbon boat leaves, and the ribbon stitch. You’ll learn the embroidery stitches—using a variety of fibers—that will add realism to your flora. Inking techniques will be demonstrated for those who wish to inscribe the center of the finished wreath. Come join us for some flower arranging!

All you need for our Secret Garden block is your background, as all the ribbon, threads, and appliqué fabric are included in the kit.

The Secret Garden is our main conference class, held Thursday-Saturday, March 2-4, 2017.

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 classic, The Secret Garden, is the inspiration for this block. As we follow the robin—and stitch one too!—we will create our own secret gardens (sans weeds), using a variety of techniques and fibers. Back-basting appliqué will build the garden walls; embroidery and ribbon work will fill it with blooms; a creative use of sari silk will give our gnarled wisteria trunk dimension; and gathered ribbon flowers will frame the it all. Inking techniques will be taught for the block’s finishing touches. Come discover how to cultivate a garden with your needle, and leave your shovel at home!

Hopefully you have all the information needed to register on Monday. If you have any questions about the process, Barbara Blanton and her team of representatives are just a phone call away at 757-565-5299, or you can email her at barbara@academyofapplique.com. 

We hope you will be able to join us in Williamsburg. It's going to be an amazing experience!