Nicole Neblett

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Nicole Neblett is the mama behind Mama Love Quilts. If you love modern quilts, bold colors and graphic designs, then you’ll feel right at home at Mama Love Quilts. If you’ve always wanted to make modern quilts or if you’re already a modern quilter looking for fresh inspiration and new ideas, then Nicole can help you get started or expand your ideas.

In 2012, Nicole started Mama Love Quilts to create a community of people who love modern quilting and who want to learn more about designing and creating modern quilts. She believes that we can all design and create quilts that we love. When we ask, “What if?” we start to wonder about the possibilities. As we explore new techniques, we take the first step to create something that will be cherished for years to come.

Lecture: Becoming a Modern Quilter
(Saturday morning)

Nicole’s lecture is an entertaining look at modern quilting and what that means. She demonstrates the points with a trunk show of her work.

Class: How to Make an Improvisational Quilt
(6 hours – Friday)

No patterns? No templates? No problem! In this workshop, you will practice free-piecing techniques used to make modern improvisational quilts. As we practice the different techniques, we’ll pay attention to the role that design elements and principles play in composition. Practicing these techniques and being aware of design elements and principles will give you a chance to be intentional and trust your instincts as you create with improvisation. You will leave the workshop with a sample of different improvisational techniques that can be used in a small project or as a springboard for a larger project.

Supply list

  • 3 yards of background fabric in a neutral color
    (e.g., white, beige, cream, gray)
  • 1 yard total of featured fabrics (this can be a mix of prints and solids, although I recommend solids)
  • 3 yards of fabric for backing
  • ½ yard of fabric for binding
  • 50” x 50” of batting for quilt sandwich
  • 45” x 45” of batting for design wall
  • Acrylic rulers (e.g., 6” x 24”; 12 ½” square)
  • Blue painter’s tape (1” wide)
  • Coordinating thread
  • Cutting mat
  • Rotary cutter
  • Straight pins
  • Seam ripper Sewing machine

Note:
*Fabric and batting supply amounts are estimates and will depend on the size of quilt you make. Choose fabrics in a range of values – lights, mediums, and darks – to maximize the contrast among the fabrics. This way you will see the fantastic shapes your improv piecing will create!

Prep work: If needed, be sure to iron fabrics to remove wrinkles

Class: How to Make a Modern Mystery Quilt
(6 hours – Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning)

In this workshop, we’ll use the brown paper bag technique made popular by Denyse Schmidt to construct a modern mystery quilt. Like traditional mystery quilts, you won’t know what the quilt will look like until you are finished! To make these improvisational quilts, we’ll practice using design elements of shape, lines, values, colors, and textures and various design principles, including balance, variety, and movement to make a one-of-a-kind improvisational modern quilt. You will leave the workshop with patchwork units that can be used to make a small project or as a springboard for a larger project.

Supply list

  • 2 yards of background fabric in a neutral color
    (e.g., white, beige, cream, gray)
  • 1½yards total of featured fabrics (this can be a mix of prints and solids, although I recommend solids)
  • 3 yards of fabric for backing
  • ½ yard of fabric for binding
  • 50” x 50” of batting for quilt sandwich
  • 45” x 45” of batting for design wall
  • Acrylic rulers (e.g., 6” x 24”; 12 ½” square)
  • Brown paper bags (at least 3 bags, no smaller than lunch bags)
  • Blue painter’s tape (1” wide)
  • Coordinating thread
  • Cutting mat
  • Rotary cutter
  • Straight pins
  • Seam ripper Sewing machine

Note:
*Fabric and batting supply amounts are estimates and will depend on the size of quilt you make. Choose fabrics in a range of values – lights, mediums, and darks – to maximize the contrast among the fabrics. This way you will see the fantastic shapes your improv piecing will create!