Judy Simmons

Posted on

Judy always had the desire to create and was surrounded by people who fostered her creative outlets. She loved fabric and this love led to a degree in Home Economics and a career in teaching.

Over the years, Judy’s artistic journey has led her from seamstress to teacher to fiber artist. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, featured in books and magazines and held in public and private collections. She is the author of two books.

Judy creates her art quilts through a variety of techniques including layering, digital imagery and stitch. She starts with white and working with dyes will incorporate a number of processes including image transfers, screening, dye and paint to bring the fabric to life.

Website: Judy Simmons – Fiber Artist

Lecture: Creative Inkjet Printing on Fabric
(Saturday morning)

Have you ever been curious how to transfer photos to fabric and THEN… what to do with them? This lecture will cover everything you need and want to know for transferring photos to fabric, creative ways to use photos and digital imagery, creating fabric from imagery for piecing and incorporating other fabrics from your stash.

Class: Layered Naturescapes
(6 hours – Friday)

Students will start a small piece using bright nature colored fabrics, sheers and layering techniques. A bright colored background with fused nature designs on top, painting silk organza for the next layer and finishing with more design elements. It’s a sheer-opaque mixing of fabric and placement to create incredible dimension in the finished piece.

Materials and Supplies

  • Sewing machine with regular and darning foot.
  • ¼ to ½ yard mottled, hand-dyed or bright nature-colored fabric for background (blue, green, brown)
  • ¼ to ½ yard of batting and backing for quilt
  • Fat quarters of mottled solids that work with background fabric to equal 2 yards.
  • Small amounts of sheers and tulle to equal 1 yard- solid colors that work with other fabrics.
  • Decorative rayon threads to match fabrics, including some metallic and/or mylars.
  • Patterns for leaves, flowers (instructor will have some)
  • 1 spool mono-filament thread
  • ½ yard white silk organza (must be silk, not synthetic) 
    * Instructor will have silk organza for sale.
  • 2-3 inexpensive paint brushes 1 inch in diameter
  • 2 yards fusible web
  • 7” embroidery hoop
  • 2 dry cleaner or white trash bags to cover your spot for painting
  • Apron or wear old clothes.

Class: Birds, Butterflies and Bobbin Work – (cancelled)
(6 hours – Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning)

Students will start a small piece of either birds or butterflies while learning bobbin work techniques. Working with fusible web and a simple machine applique stitch along with bobbin techniques such as bobbin stumpwork, bobbin stippling, curls and bobbin beading to complete the piece.

Materials and Supplies

  • Sewing machine with regular foot, darning foot and feed dogs that drop – a machine with removable bobbin case works best for bobbin work
  • Extra bobbins
  • 1/2 yard “sky” colored or mottled neutral for background – hand dyes also work well
  • Fat quarter black cotton (if doing butterfly)
  • Fat quarter mottled bird colored fabric
  • Fat eights or smaller of bright fabric for butterfly, bird, flowers, leaves and branches
  • 1 yd. fusible web in sewing weight
  • Decorative rayon threads to match fabric colors (including black for bobbin beading)
  • 1 spool of Candlelight by YLI for bobbin work or Glamour by Madeira – should coordinate with other threads color wise (instructor will have some for sale)
  • 1 spool mono-filament thread
  • 1 spool white sewing thread
  • 1 pkg. Schmetz machine embroidery needles – size 11 or 14
  • 7” spring loaded hoop (chain sewing stores)
  • Extra bobbin case (and screwdriver to adjust tension)