Taking a Break from the Scroll to Focus on My Next Thread Sketching Class

Working on my next online class with Creative Spark

Lately, I’ve stepped away from the noise of social media to dive deep into what I love most Creating and Teaching. It’s been refreshing to trade scrolling for stitching, to let my creative thoughts wander while the hum of the sewing machine fills the studio. Sometimes, stepping back gives you the space to reconnect with the why behind what you do.

For me, that why has always been about exploring color, texture, and movement through thread. My next class focuses on Thread Sketching where drawing meets quilting. It’s about using your sewing machine like a pencil, layering lines of color to bring fabric to life.

I’m thrilled (and grateful!) to share that Marica Zottino and C&T Publishing have graciously given me permission to use artwork from Marica’s gorgeous coloring books as part of these upcoming classes. Her delicate line work and nature-inspired designs are a perfect springboard for quilters learning to see linked lines, shapes, and flowing stitch patterns in new ways.

What excites me most is showing students how to look outside the quilting world for inspiration to see art, illustration, and design as creative fuel for textile storytelling. Whether it’s a bird from a coloring page or a mandala turned motif, thread sketching allows us to translate those ideas into fabric art that feels both expressive and uniquely personal.

Ornament Appliqué – In my third Thread Sketching class, we’ll explore how to combine fabric and colorful threads to bring these little birds to life, adding movement and personality with every stitch.

If you’d like to explore Marica’s beautiful artwork yourself, here are the books I’ll be working from (affiliate links):

🕊️ My Bird Mandala Coloring Book

🐾 My Cat Mandala Coloring Book

Every page in these books is an invitation to play with line, texture, and form—just waiting to be reimagined in thread.

I can’t wait to share more sneak peeks as this new class takes shape. Until then, I’ll be here in my happy place stitching, sketching, and finding new ways to turn color and fabric into art.

Keep Creating,

Angela