Workshop - Broken Ladder: Creating Improv Stripes

£65.00

DATE & TIME: Fri 21 Nov 2025, 18:00–20:30 GMT

Learn how to create bold, improvised stripes and combine them into the popular Broken Ladder block, first developed for my book Modern Quilting. This sewing-machine-based workshop explores freedom in strip piecing, colour play, and constructing your own quilt block with energy and rhythm.

Full Description

This workshop introduces you to improvisational strip piecing and the Broken Ladder block—a striking, flexible design made by combining irregular stripes with layered composition. Using your sewing machine, you’ll be shown how to cut, stitch, and reassemble fabric to create striped sections that move away from rigid uniformity and instead embrace character, variation, and spontaneity.

We’ll explore how colour, proportion, and placement affect visual rhythm, and how these striped blocks come together to create a larger broken ladder quilt top. Rather than working from a rigid pattern, the workshop focuses on improvisation and decision-making, offering you the tools to create your own version of this dynamic design.

By the end of the session, you’ll have made at least one Broken Ladder block, with the knowledge and confidence to continue building towards a larger quilt or wall hanging.

How to Join

After booking, you’ll receive an email with a link to submit attendee details. Zoom links will be sent to registered attendees before the workshop. A recording will be available for 14 days after the session.

Key Information

  • Date & Time: [Insert date and time]

  • Duration: 2.5 hours

  • Format: Live Zoom workshop with moderated chat

  • Skill Level: Beginner-friendly (basic knowledge of a sewing machine recommended)

  • Recording Access: Yes, available for 14 days

Before We Begin – Your Workshop Checklist

  • A quiet space to work

  • Good lighting and a comfortable seat

  • Your selected materials (see list below)

  • Notebook or space to jot down ideas

  • Zoom installed and tested

  • Headphones or speakers

  • A warm drink or glass of water

Materials & Tools You'll Need

  • Fabric scraps or strips: Gather a selection of fabric in colours you enjoy—cotton and linen work best. Aim for a mix of widths and tones for variety.

  • Sewing machine & thread: A standard domestic sewing machine threaded and ready to use. Neutral thread works well, as we are working with different coloured fabrics, threads that match or compliment will work fine.

  • Fabric scissors or rotary cutter: For cutting strips and trimming edges. A rotary cutter is advised.

  • Cutting mat

  • Quilting ruler: Helpful for squaring blocks, though not essential if you prefer to cut freely.

  • Iron & ironing board: To press seams as you go, keeping blocks neat.

  • Pins or clips: For holding pieces in place before stitching.

Who the Workshop is For

This session is perfect for anyone who wants to explore improvisation through strip piecing. It’s accessible to beginners with basic machine sewing knowledge, but also offers new perspectives for more experienced quilters. If you’re curious about colour, texture, and intuitive making, this is a space to experiment and develop your own dynamic quilt blocks.

About Your Teacher: Julius Arthur

Julius Arthur is a textile artist, designer, and author of Modern Quilting: A Contemporary Guide to Quilting by Hand. He founded House of Quinn in 2014 as a space for making, process, and exploration—where traditional craft techniques meet contemporary design.
Working across textiles, collage, and objects, Julius creates works rooted in materiality, memory, and form. He holds an MDes in Fashion Design and Business, with a background in textile and 3D design.

Copyright Notice

All House of Quinn workshops and materials are protected under copyright. The content shared—whether visual, verbal, written, or conceptual—is intended for personal use only. It may not be reproduced, taught, adapted, or used for commercial purposes without express written permission. By joining this workshop, you agree not to replicate or teach its content in any form.

©HouseofQuinn2025 All rights reserved.

After booking, you’ll receive an email with a link to complete a short registration form. Please make sure to fill this out to confirm your place and receive your Zoom link and workshop details.

DATE & TIME: Fri 21 Nov 2025, 18:00–20:30 GMT

Learn how to create bold, improvised stripes and combine them into the popular Broken Ladder block, first developed for my book Modern Quilting. This sewing-machine-based workshop explores freedom in strip piecing, colour play, and constructing your own quilt block with energy and rhythm.

Full Description

This workshop introduces you to improvisational strip piecing and the Broken Ladder block—a striking, flexible design made by combining irregular stripes with layered composition. Using your sewing machine, you’ll be shown how to cut, stitch, and reassemble fabric to create striped sections that move away from rigid uniformity and instead embrace character, variation, and spontaneity.

We’ll explore how colour, proportion, and placement affect visual rhythm, and how these striped blocks come together to create a larger broken ladder quilt top. Rather than working from a rigid pattern, the workshop focuses on improvisation and decision-making, offering you the tools to create your own version of this dynamic design.

By the end of the session, you’ll have made at least one Broken Ladder block, with the knowledge and confidence to continue building towards a larger quilt or wall hanging.

How to Join

After booking, you’ll receive an email with a link to submit attendee details. Zoom links will be sent to registered attendees before the workshop. A recording will be available for 14 days after the session.

Key Information

  • Date & Time: [Insert date and time]

  • Duration: 2.5 hours

  • Format: Live Zoom workshop with moderated chat

  • Skill Level: Beginner-friendly (basic knowledge of a sewing machine recommended)

  • Recording Access: Yes, available for 14 days

Before We Begin – Your Workshop Checklist

  • A quiet space to work

  • Good lighting and a comfortable seat

  • Your selected materials (see list below)

  • Notebook or space to jot down ideas

  • Zoom installed and tested

  • Headphones or speakers

  • A warm drink or glass of water

Materials & Tools You'll Need

  • Fabric scraps or strips: Gather a selection of fabric in colours you enjoy—cotton and linen work best. Aim for a mix of widths and tones for variety.

  • Sewing machine & thread: A standard domestic sewing machine threaded and ready to use. Neutral thread works well, as we are working with different coloured fabrics, threads that match or compliment will work fine.

  • Fabric scissors or rotary cutter: For cutting strips and trimming edges. A rotary cutter is advised.

  • Cutting mat

  • Quilting ruler: Helpful for squaring blocks, though not essential if you prefer to cut freely.

  • Iron & ironing board: To press seams as you go, keeping blocks neat.

  • Pins or clips: For holding pieces in place before stitching.

Who the Workshop is For

This session is perfect for anyone who wants to explore improvisation through strip piecing. It’s accessible to beginners with basic machine sewing knowledge, but also offers new perspectives for more experienced quilters. If you’re curious about colour, texture, and intuitive making, this is a space to experiment and develop your own dynamic quilt blocks.

About Your Teacher: Julius Arthur

Julius Arthur is a textile artist, designer, and author of Modern Quilting: A Contemporary Guide to Quilting by Hand. He founded House of Quinn in 2014 as a space for making, process, and exploration—where traditional craft techniques meet contemporary design.
Working across textiles, collage, and objects, Julius creates works rooted in materiality, memory, and form. He holds an MDes in Fashion Design and Business, with a background in textile and 3D design.

Copyright Notice

All House of Quinn workshops and materials are protected under copyright. The content shared—whether visual, verbal, written, or conceptual—is intended for personal use only. It may not be reproduced, taught, adapted, or used for commercial purposes without express written permission. By joining this workshop, you agree not to replicate or teach its content in any form.

©HouseofQuinn2025 All rights reserved.

After booking, you’ll receive an email with a link to complete a short registration form. Please make sure to fill this out to confirm your place and receive your Zoom link and workshop details.

Workshop Terms & Conditions

We’re so pleased you’ll be joining a House of Quinn workshop. These sessions are created to be thoughtful, engaging, and inspiring spaces to make and learn together. To help everything run smoothly, please take a moment to read through the details below before booking.

 

1. Booking & Payments

  • All bookings are final. Once a place has been purchased, it’s not possible to offer refunds, transfers, or exchanges for another date.

  • Full payment is required at the time of booking to secure your place, and places are limited — they’re filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

2. Attendee Details & Workshop Access

  • When you book, you’ll be asked to complete an attendee form as part of the checkout process.

  • Please make sure all names and email addresses are entered accurately — these details are used to send your Zoom link and workshop information.

  • If you’re booking for someone else, include their details on the form so the access link reaches them directly.

  • We’re unable to amend attendee information once checkout is complete, so double-check before placing your order.

  • Zoom access and joining details will only be sent to the registered attendee email submitted at checkout.

3. Cancellations & No Refund Policy

  • Workshop bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you can’t make the live session, your place can’t be moved to another date or refunded. However, a recording link will be provided after the workshop, so you’ll still be able to watch the session and follow along in your own time.

  • If, for any reason, a workshop needs to be cancelled by House of Quinn, you’ll be offered a full refund or a place on a rescheduled date.

4. Changing Attendee Details

  • We do not accommodate attendee name changes after details have been submitted. Please ensure the correct names and emails are provided at the time of submission.

  • If an attendee can no longer join, the booking remains non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another person.

5. Workshop Content & Recording Access

  • Workshops are live and interactive — everyone is encouraged to join in and take part.

  • If a recording is made available, it will be shared for a limited time (details confirmed per session) and is for personal use only. Please don’t share, record, or redistribute any part of the workshop.

6. Technology & Participation

  • Please ensure you have a reliable internet connection and access to Zoom before the workshop begins.

  • House of Quinn isn’t responsible for technical issues on your end, and missed sessions due to connection problems can’t be refunded.

  • If a technical issue occurs on our end, we’ll do our best to offer a suitable solution, such as a recording or reschedule.

7. House of Quinn Rights

  • Occasionally, changes to workshops may be necessary. If a session needs to be modified or cancelled, participants will be contacted directly, and refunds or reschedules will only be offered in the event of full cancellation.

  • We also reserve the right to remove any attendee from a workshop if behaviour is disruptive, without refund.

    By booking, you confirm that you’ve read and agreed to these terms. If you have any questions before booking, please feel free to get in touch — we’re happy to help.