We had a lot of fun at our March meeting when quilt designer and teacher Michelle de Groot came to visit. She started as a hand piecer and hand quilter, then bought a sewing machine, then a bigger one and a bigger one and she is now a long arm quilter. Her business based in rural Victoria is Michelle’s Patchwork.
Her artistic ambitions started when she was very young but she was discouraged by one of her teachers. Instead she studied floristry and had her own business for many years until the time commitment was too much with a young family. This was when she discovered quilting as a creative outlet.
Tiny Dancer is based on an original painting by Janet Knight is the culmination of her creative dreams. The quilt is painted then enhanced with trapunto quilting and it is going to be on The Quilt Show with Ricky Tims – a very exciting prospect for Michelle.
Michelle is teaching at Waverley on the first weekend in May. Here class on Sunday May 5 is machine trapunto which she has developed into a very easy technique with no cutting needed.
Art quilts are now a focus of Michelle’s work and she enjoys exploring lots of machine embellishing techniques.
Those enrolled in Michelle’s workshops are sure to have a wonderful time.
