Gammill stand-up longarm machines on a stationary frame. These classes are on Monday 1014R Fun Feathers that Fit Anywhere
and Tuesday: 2014R Easy Background Fillers for Longarm Quilters
Kristin will also be teaching a class on Wednesday where Brother machines will be provided for each student’s use: 3016C Easy English Paper Piecing by Machine 
Then, on Wednesday evening, Kristin will be teaching a design class (no machine necessary) 3068C So I got it pieced, now what? 
A Lincoln, Nebraska native and former University of New Mexico nursing teacher, Kristin Vierra has also lived in California, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Iowa, D.C., Tennessee, and Louisiana before returning back to her roots in Lincoln about 10 years ago.
Kristin’s great-grandma taught her mom how to quilt and in turn, Kristin’s mom taught Kristin how to sew. As Kristin says, she has always sewn in one form or another, and even made an occasional baby blanket. Kristin tried hand quilting but thought hers “never looked right; instead of nice even stitching, I had Morse code. You know, dot, dot, dash, dash, dash.” She also felt that she never seemed “coordinated enough to quilt on a domestic.” Plus, it always made her shoulders ache on big projects. When Kristin moved back to Lincoln, she “was lucky enough to find a used Gammill Longarm. That was when I really actually started quilting. My longarm and I just clicked and the rest as they say is history.”
Kristin finds inspiration for her quilting literally “everywhere.” It drives her husband and kids nuts because she has been known to come out of a bathroom and ask for the camera because there was a particularly cool tile that she wanted to use as inspiration for a quilt. Architecture, carpets, nature, designs on people’s clothes— all are fair game to Kristin when it comes to quilting. 
While she uses many quilting tools, Kristin’s favorite is her design board. She had it custom made out of clear plexiglass with registration marks to help her divide up blocks. Kristin places it on top of a quilt and draws on it with dry erase markers. It makes it really easy to audition designs, without having to mark the quilt or even worse rip out stitches. She’ll be demonstrating this tool in her “So I got it pieced, now what?” class.
Her best quilting tip is “don’t be afraid to try.” Kristin admits that “some of my coolest creations have come from my biggest mistakes.”
Kristin’s favorite aspect of teaching is “that moment when you can see the ‘light bulb’ go on in someone’s head.” All of a sudden, “some concept or technique they have been struggling with becomes clear and they get so excited.” For Kristin, that’s the absolute best feeling to be a part of.
What does Kristin hope her student get out of her classes? “I want them to go away inspired and excited about whatever project they are going to work on next. It doesn’t matter if you are making cuddle quilts or the next BOS winner. All that matters is that you are enjoying yourself and having fun.”
To learn more about Kristin, please visit her website.]]>
Posts Tagged ‘English Paper Piecing’
Meet Road 2018 Teacher Kristin Vierra
Monday, August 28th, 2017Marcus Brothers Textiles Cares
Thursday, June 11th, 2015Did you see what Marcus Brothers Textiles was up to in their booth in the Market Place at Road 2015?
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
They were all about Lucy Boston Blocks – the latest trend in English paper piecing inspired by a quilt made in the 1950’s by Lucy Boston. Not only was Marcus Brothers Textiles demonstrating how to carefully fussy-cut striped fabrics & place them to create unique kaleidoscopic effects, they were also giving away kits for Road guests to try their hand at the design.
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
As an incentive to have the guests return their newly made Lucy Boston blocks, Marcus Brothers gave each person a fat quarter and the chance to win one of ten prize baskets. In addition, all blocks returned were considered to be made in to a quilt that Vicki Bellino of Bloom Creek, was putting together. That quilt is being donated to an auction being held this July, by Quilters Dream Batting. All proceeds from the auction go to benefit Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
Pati Violick, Director of Advertising and Marketing for Marcus Brothers Textiles, pointed out that they were more concerned with the Road guests getting to try their hand at something new than how the blocks turned out. “Winners of the prize packages were chosen randomly, not based on the beauty of their squares,” remarked Pati.
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
How was the response? Pati reported that over 120 blocks were returned – enough to make not only a quilt, but a lap quilt as well for the auction. Makers were given a label to sign their name and put on the back of their squares. Many of makers also dedicated their blocks to someone they knew who are suffering from and/or have passed away from ALS.
Two of the participants in the Lucy Boston Block activity were Donna Nordstrom of Rancho Cucamonga, CA and Joanne Larmore of Glendale, Utah. Friends for over 24 years, they having been meeting up at Road for a “girl’s week” for the past 17 years. After stopping by the Marcus Brothers Textiles booth and getting the fabric and pattern for the Lucy Boston block, they ran around the vendor floor getting the needles and thread needed for the English paper piecing technique and cut out their fabric at one of the booths selling rotary cutters!!!
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
“Then the fun began,” recalled Donna. “Joanne and I found a quiet spot to sit down at the Convention Center and began our blocks. After running around all morning, what better way to relax with your best friend than to piece a block for charity and visit.”
When their blocks were completed, they headed down the elevator to return their squares. Who should get on the elevator with them, but Carolyn Reese, owner of Road to California!! Donna said that Carolyn “was so friendly and we were happy to get to meet her and let her know how much we loved attending every year!”
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
A couple weeks later, after the show, both Joanne and Donna were ecstatic to receive a “big box” in the mail from Marcus Brothers Textiles as two of the ten winners chosen from the challenge.
Donna said she and Joanne “really enjoyed the whole experience and hopes that there are more challenges like this in future shows.”
Thank you Marcus Brothers Textiles for being in Road’s 2015 Marketplace, sharing and encouraging Lucy Boston Blocks English paper piecing. And especially thank you for caring about a cure for ALS.
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