Dorothy Ankeney

DOROTHY ANKENEY

Dotti Ankeney has been quilting for 20 years. She started teaching in 2020. Teaching and quilting are her happy places. She loves sharing the creativity of quilting with others. What some would think of as mistakes are just design changes. Dotti loves seeing quilters gain new skills through her classes. Using the rulers to quilt the tops allowed Dotti to get out of the ditch.

Learning to use Westalee rulers opens a whole new world of quilting your quilt tops. Dotti teaches the rulers in 4 classes with lots of hands on instructions. Class 1 is practice. Quilting with rulers is a whole new way of sewing and takes lots of practice. Class 2 is a quilt as you go three-square table runner. Class 3 is a placemat carryall for all your supplies, Class 4 is learning to do borders. This is a technic that allows you to have all 4 corners the same. Classes are every other week so you have time to practice at home and bring questions to class.

BEING CREATIVE WITH RULERS

These classes are practice time to learn how the rulers work and learn a different way of using your domestic machine.  You will work with 7 different rulers and learn a variety of different quilt designs. Once you get started the sky is the limit on the number of different designs you can create.

Class information

INSTRUCTOR: Dotti Ankeney, cell phone 937-781-6605
Class time: 4 to 6 hours for each class
Skills needed for classes: Some experience in piecing and machine quilting,
Goal: to give you more choices for machine quilting on your domestic machine

RULERS/ TEMPLATES NEEDED for all classes:

Westalee Design 12” Arc Template & Ruler Foot (low, medium, or high shank, depending on the machine you are using.)  Bernina has its own foot #72.

IT IS BEST TO PURCHASE RULER FOOT FROM QUILT STORE OR WESTALEE.

Westalee Design Sampler Template Set 1 (low, or high shank,)

Westalee Cross Hair Ruler (8.5 or 12.5 will work)

Straight Away Template (DMQuilting)

Janet’s Ruler Quilt Design Book by Janet Collins

Class 4: Westalee Border rulers, design circles

CLASS 1: Practice with rulers

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

*Practice how to measure and mark your quilts for precise ruler work.
*Practice machine quilting using the Westalee Starter Set, and Straight Away Template

CLASS 2: Table runner, quilt as you go project

Piece the 3 squares for the table runner at home, sandwich and bring to class ready to quilt.        

*Quilt 3 table runner squares using an assortment of rulers and designs.
*Learn how to join the 3 squares as a quilt as you go project.

CLASS 3: Placemat storage carrier for your rulers

Piece and sandwich the carrier at home: We will quilting and assembling it in class.
Experiment with additional designs.

CLASS 4: Corner to Corner Borders

Bring 6 sandwiches (12” x 18”) for practice, and a quilt that needs a border.

* Use design discs and plan the quilt pattern
*Practice with the border rulers and learn how to do 4 identical corners.

Looking forward to having a great time and getting new skills. Let’s have fun quilting.

A quote from Janet Collins, “Have you made a ‘mistake’, or as I like to call it a “Design Modification”?

This is where your design is different from mine.  Do you like it? Great! Keep it, love it . . .it is your own design.  Is your quilting not perfect? Well, guess what, nobody’s ever is.  If the quilting pleases your eye, leave it alone.  Can you live with it? Then leave it.

If you spend all your time reverse stitching (unpicking, ripping stitches out), you will never get a quilt done. You will however become an expert in reverse stitching.

Quilting a quilt is a personal journey. Your children, grandchildren, family or friends don’t care if the stitches are not perfectly straight or even.  THEY WILL LOVE IT BECAUSE YOU MADE IT FOR THEM.

Be proud of your work.  Practice makes progress (not Perfection).