Debby Kratovil's Quilt Workshops

I love teaching about quilts. As a former high school math and English teacher I have created hundreds of instructional articles about quilts with my one simple rule: make it easy to understand and help every quilter be confident that he/she can make that same project, too! Math is not a dirty word, because I do alot of it for you. All workshops are based on projects, but I cover a LOT of tips, tricks and sewing techniques during the workshop time. All quilts on these pages were made by me and belong to me. This is copyrighted material.

Watch this fun slide show of all the workshops I currently offer!

Click the links below to see each Project Workshop

Six Hour Workshops (all day):

Casablanca Sunrise - This fantastic traditional block has been streamlined for foundation piecing. I’ve eliminated the curved base and replaced it with a simple triangle. Students will work with pre-cut strips and patches to make their sewing time very productive. The option of a second quilt (Milady's Fans) with multiple blocks is available for students. Click here for a detailed description of the class.
Circle of Geese - Wow!! Such a big block and so easy to piece. The circle of geese is foundation pieced. One full circle (Quilt #1, Quilt #2) comprises of 8 separate units of 3 geese each. These quilts (Quilt #3, Quilt #4) split the circle for more manageable sections. The quarter circles and the outer background pieces are sewn with the geese rings - gentle and easy curves (because they are so big.)
Sassy Mariner's Compass - Forget traditional colors and fabrics! Pull out your stash of wild and crazy prints and take a dive into the world of paper piecing a LARGE block. Sharp points, gentle curves, even a halo of little triangles make this a block with a lot of punch! If you can sew a straight line and a true 1/4" seam, you can make this. Nothing to fear, everything to learn for a 22" block and a 38" quilt! Supply List here
Beginner's Mariner's Compass - Learn how to paper piece a BIG block (16"), streamlined for even a beginner. No-fear curves made easy with my no-fail techniques. Master one block - and you may just want to make a BIG quilt of several blocks! Supply list shows larger quilt, but click here for making just one block.
ONE DAY Lone Star - (Lone Star pic 2) Honest! - All rotary cut, strip pieced. You can finish the star in a 6 hour workshop. Learn how to set in the setting squares and triangles without sweating bullets. My Magical Mitering Lesson for the border print is part of this FANTASTIC class. SUPPLY LIST with pics of two quilts and a planning sheet.
Snow Crystals -Take one block - one very BIG block - and eliminate the traditional set in seams. Paper piece it AND have fun in the process. One of 22 quilts taken from my book, Supersize 'Em Quilts.
Metropolitan Home Star - This is a "cover girl" quilt, gracing the cover of my book, Supersize 'Em Quilts. The large 21" block is a standard 9 patch with four 7" paper pieced units. Perfect for showcasing those large-scale prints you have been saving. Pre-cutting the strips for the foundations makes easy work of the spikey units. Supply List here.
Dogwood Blossoms - Learn easy paper piecing, working with curved blocks with no tears and hair-pulling. Conquer those otherwise unattainable pointy-points that stay sharp with foundation piecing. Sew those curves with ease and learn a neat trick for adding that small quarter circle to the base. Couldn't be simpler!
Facets of Color Quilt (Facets Table Runner) - (from my book, Supersize 'Em Quilts) Wow! A great big block to use with those great big floral prints. So much is packed into this quilt. You will learn several techniques (click the link to read the descriptive). And you'll discover how much fun it is to make BIG blocks. Supply List here.
MAGIC STAX© - the following 2 quilts are part of this series, using ONLY stacks of 10-1/2" squares!
- Sugarloaf: Measure, mark, slice and shuffle. A stack of 10-1/2" squares with NO WASTE and a lot of fun. No bias edges on the outside. Couldn't be easier. See Supply List here.
- Washington's Puzzle: No special ruler needed here. No bias edges. No waste. Just stacks of 10-1/2" squares and then a quick slice, shuffle, swap & sew. Click here for the supply list.

Three Hour Workshops (half day):

Kaleidoscope - How can two simple triangles create the illusion of curves? With careful arrangement of fabrics and triangles in two different sizes, the quilt center magically produces a star with a radiating halo of color. Students will pre-cut their strips for the two triangles used (for either the 10” or 12” block) and will be able to complete most of the blocks in class. An easy quilt for the confident quilter; not recommended for the novice.
Stained Glass Pickup Sticks: Another quick stack and slice project. Perfect for those batiks you've been hoarding. Other fabrics work perfectly, too. SUPPLY LIST with pics of two sizes of quilts.
Coffee Filter Fans - No kidding! You really can paper piece on large coffee filters. It's fun, innovative, and I share my other coffee filters quilting secrets that will surely elicit a loud "Aha!" I bring all coffee filters for students.
The Good Luck Quilt - (from my book, Supersize 'Em Quilts) Each block is made from two strips and is a very quick way to sew a traditional block that has always been sewn with templates. This is a NO-TEMPLATE quilt and a great way to use some of those large scale prints.
Hearts on Fire & Cookie Cutter Bonanza - Pick one of 11 simple, cookie cutter shapes. Cut basic rectangles from fat quarters. As the blocks take shape you finally discover the clever little secret to how these blocks appear to be so difficult - and they are SO EASY!
Yikes! Those Stripes- Stripping and slicing fabric creates new blocks with geometric appeal. Of course, florals, solids and any other fabrics of your choosing work very well with this quickly satisfying technique. Here are two more quilts: Yikes 1 and Yikes 4