The day after a painting class you probably won't remember how many times the blow drier's popped the breaker... or if the air conditioner didn't work, or how much you wanted a glass of water after three hours of stretching tape and squinting to see pencil lines...   But when it's happening it gets frustrating. Like many people say, half way through a bad round of golf..., "This is a stupid game!" Let's look ahead to this weekend and the Barn Quilt painting class you just registered for.  It can go a lot smoother if you keep a few things in mind. A) Arrive on time!  10:00 AM does not mean "whenever I get there."  We usually have 12 people in class,  so being 10 (... 30?!) minutes late means the instructions need to spoken again and again.  Then someone wonders why 2 hours ends at 12:30 instead of noon. B) Read the advance instructions in advance!  I send out the suggestions in advance to give you a chance to anticipate what you are going to be d

 Lots of exciting things getting started this spring! Here are details of a class at Plantscape in Herrin!    https://docs.google.com/document/d/16IuM9FyRAI6xNuFVRaU-HylFSaQ6gsB3WrjX8UYAnis/edit?usp=sharing Register at Plantscape or online at  https://forms.gle/vNW7fn82YbJzJnnR8 See you in class!    Jeff

  Tips for better painting:                                                                     Jeff Kurtz   8/14/22  Paint can start to dry (skin over) in as little as 8 seconds.  If you feel your brush start to “drag” when painting over a previous stroke, you should stop, put more paint on the brush, and move to an adjacent area to continue painting.  Brushing over a “skinned” area can leave deep brush marks.  Once the design is laid out, start by erasing the lines before you apply tape.  Pencil marks can bleed and show through several layers of paint. Special tip!  This helps avoid paint bleeding under the tape.  Use a thin coat of clear finish to coat the edges of new tape areas.  Bleeds are practically eliminated.  Seem like an extra step?  Thank me later… Let a thin line of the paint you are taping over show before pressing the tape into place. This helps eliminate thin unpainted strips from occurring. Use thin coats of paint!  You will get uniform coverage without paint layer be

Where are Barn Quilt painting classes in Southern Illinois? I teach monthly at several locations.  Scroll through the blog. Where can I buy barn quilts in southern Illinois (Carterville) Custom and finished BQ's are available here. How do I paint a Barn Quilt? It is not difficult, but a class will teach you many shortcuts!