How Rude!!

Look what I found pinned to my design wall!!!! 

What could this possibly have to do with me???? Hmmm....

Speaking of things pinned to the design wall....Ripple Effect II has been accepted into the Modern Quilt Challenge!!! Yippee!!!!!!

Now, to make a hanging sleeve and ship it off.

 

Meanwhile, I'm still working on Autumn's Quilt.

Also, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to answer my questionnaire on quilting classes....you have no idea how helpful I'm finding this. I'm letting the info simmer and will be back with a follow up post in the near future.

Thanks again...you are the best!! 

Let's Talk Quilting Classes, Workshops.....etc.

So how does a girl who rarely takes classes...has never been on a quilting retreat, actually teach??
 
Yup, that pretty much sums up the situation. 

 

Let the teaching prep begin....and yes, I thought I would begin, by talking to you. Many of you have taken several classes, been to numerous workshops and retreats etc. So, who better to ask than you. 

 

I've come up with a few questions.....and would be ever so grateful for your answers and any other comments or suggestions you might come up with. 

1. What is your greatest annoyance? (May as well address the negatives right up front.)
2. Do you prefer a looser, more concept based class or a more structured pattern based class?
3. Do you want to be able to leave with a smaller finished project or are you quite happy to finish a larger project on your own later?
4. Do you like room for discussion and interaction between fellow quilters?
5. Do you prefer a group project or an individual project? Or perhaps both?
6. Are handouts important to you?
7. Are you wanting to hear about the instructor's personal quilting journey or would you rather they just stick to the technique at hand? Or perhaps you want both?
8. Are you looking for inspiration or just technique or again perhaps both.
9. What has been, in your experience, the most helpful or inspirational time when taking a quilting class?

 I'm more of an improvisational, concept type quilter but I'm also a bit of a technique junkie....driven by the desire to find the easiest and simplest way to do anything (that's my lazy gene kicking in). My desire in teaching is to share my quilting journey, inspire creativity in others and show you techniques to make the quilts you dream a reality.

 

Hopefully, I can teach the way I blog....your wonderfully, positive, encouragement every time I write a tutorial or design a new quilt means more than you can imagine. Thank you for that, so yes...I'm all about interaction as well.

 

Marianne

 P.S......and, yes there must be crazy laughter!!!!

NOTE: This is a "Let's Talk" post and in order to promote discussion I will be responding directly on the blog rather than with individual email as I usually do.

Leaving My Options Open.....Aura I Complete

I made up my mind, table runner it is.....or so I thought. 

 

 

That lasted all of one day....
Table runners get all sorts of things put on them...making me just a little extremely nervous!!
 

I put binding on the other panel and was planning to hang it in the hallway....the perfect spot, which turned out to be not so perfect. So, just what is my problem, anyway? When hung, these pieces need to be viewed from a distance, for the most impact and the hallway just wasn't doing it.

 

My other problem...they are more dynamic together, than they are individually. You might have noticed, I'm just a wee bit fussy, okay a lot fussy....I admit it.

 

So from table runner to diptych....... or triptych perhaps. I really do intend to make more of these. If I make enough of them, surely one will end up, as a table runner, spills and all (I'm just not quite there yet).

 

I think, I might just have the perfect spot to hang these back in Alberta....but then again, you've heard me say that before. 

 

Well, if that doesn't work...I still have the table runner plan.

Modern Quilt Guild Victoria....at Fibrations

On my way to St. Ann's Academy, I couldn't resist a shot of these lovely flowers. 

 

And here we are at Victoria's Modern Quilt Guild's booth. So many fabulous quilts on display. 

Aren't they beautiful!!

I even got to bring a couple of my own....you might recognize the unfinished Aura I and My Not So Negative Quilt.

I had a wonderful time meeting and hanging out with Brenda, Nicole and Jo-Anne. These girls put on a wonderful display.

As you can see, the booth generated lots of interest....what an exciting way to introduce the guild.

 I even got the opportunity to show off Ripple Effect II 

 

Fran & Gail

Such an enjoyable afternoon.....nothing beats spending time chatting with fellow quilters!
Thanks for a wonderful time, ladies!!!

Come and Meet Victoria's Modern Quilt Guild

So EXCITING .... there is a Modern Quilt Guild  starting up in Victoria. Several of you expressed some interest.

 

Here is the link: Modern Quilt Guild Victoria

Come meet them....there will be a table at Fibrations Victoria 

Location: St Ann's Academy, in the orchard

When: August 18th 10am-4pm.

Be sure to stop by, I know I will 

 

Hopefully I'll see some of you there.

 

St Ann's Academy

 

West Coast Studio Tour

 Company's coming.....so my studio is actually clean.

 If you happen to remember, I have rearranged this room several times. I think I finally have it functioning the way I like or should I say love.  Let me take you on a little tour....

Let me start by saying that the studio occupies the master bedroom. My reasoning being, the room has such a lovely view and is also right off the kitchen, making it a little noisy for sleeping....it makes so much more sense for us to sleep in the back bedroom(maybe just a little rationalizing going on here).

We still keep our clothing in the master bedroom closets and use the large en suite. Since this Night Owl is married to an Early Bird (isn't that always the way), it works perfectly for us. My late night sewing doesn't disturb my husband and his very, very early morning coffee making, showering, etc. etc. doesn't wake me up in the morning.

Also, when overnight guests come, we give them the back bedroom that has a full bathroom right next to it (giving our guests a fair bit of privacy) and we sleep in the studio....see why I had to clean it. There's a Murphy Bed in the Studio and since all our personal stuff is in there as well, it's an easy transition.

Well onward....

 

Here is my massive design wall...

 So wonderful to work from...

and so fabulous to display finished quilts on.  

There sits my beloved Janome, sunk into it's lovely little table ( made by Janome as well).

 

The design wall takes up the entire wall....in the far right hand corner is my current project.

The little cupboard, to the right of the door is perfect for holding several of my quilting books (in the interest of full disclosure it doesn't even hold half of them).

 

On the other side of the room is my beloved Murphy Bed...sooo comfortable...I kid you not.

We chose cork floors for this room, which I love!!

 

 The table I use for cutting is actually a small dinning room table (bar stool height). It actually folds down to half that size....the stools slide underneath.

We had a much smaller apartment, when we first bought property out here and that's all we had room for. We've moved twice since then and now have a regular sized table. I was so happy to re-purpose this table, as it is the exact right height for cutting...so much easier on the back.

Last spring I found this handy dandy clip on ironing board....it also adjusts to different heights.

I believe it's meant to clip onto your sewing desk so that you can sew and press without standing up each time. A marvelous idea, but doesn't work on my particular sewing desk.

I then came up with the brilliant idea (well, I think it's brilliant) of attaching it to my cutting table....no more stubbing my toes on that darn ironing board which didn't quite fit into the space.

I created a sit down ironing spot on the adjacent desk.....such a nice little L-shaped work space.

 I have a Pfaf out here as well, which can sit on the desk when needed, but I seem to be using the Janome as my go to machine. I do have sewing friends that come and stay with me now and again so an extra machine is always a bonus (also very helpful if one machine is on the fritz). 

From the window there is a fabulous view that I love to drink in, as I'm working.

What can I say...this prairie girl can never get enough of the ocean.

This is the balcony just off the studio. Below are some shots of the stunning views.

 

 

 

This room is smaller than the space I have in Alberta, but it just seems to work so well and that ocean....what more can I say. 

And there you have it....my west coast studio, let's just hope it stays this way for awhile.

 

The Case of Solid Versus Variegated Thread

 

Since I have a lovely selection of variegated thread, my first thought was to go to that way, but as I quilted a small section, the doubts started creeping in. As much as I love this beautiful Valdani thread, I'm afraid it will compete with the simplicity of the overall design. I do like the calmer version on the right.

 

Of course this meant an expensive trip to the store.....aren't they lovely.

 

My first inclination was to buy some Aurifil thread, as it is really nice to work with, but alas not all the colours I needed were in stock (I tried two separate locations). So I decided to give the Mettler poly sheen a try...gasp...I know, I know it's not cotton, but but but they had a huge selection of glorious colors and it really has a lovely sheen.

 

So there you have it....I will be using both threads in the same quilt! I'm really living on the edge, aren't I!!!!

 

 

And would you look at that lovely fabric on the back.....It was on the sale table, how could I resist?

While on my outing, I ran into fellow Quilter/Blogger Nicole...at the car wash, of all places and she shared some wonderful news. VICTORIA....is starting a Modern Quilt Guild and if it could get any better, they will be meeting within walking distance of my place!!!

One more thing....just how do I manage to create such a mess in such a short time, I've only been here a few days???? Some things never change.

 

 

Well, back at it.....

Follow Directions....Moi????

I THINK NOT....no surprise there, right? 

 

I'm finally getting around to making a quilt for my little Autumn Claire, who by the way will be one in September. Hmm...me thinks this Grandma is slowing down. In all fairness it did take my daughter a little while to decide what she wanted me to make, but seriously this is the third time I've brought the fabric with me, to the coast, to work on while I'm out here, I kid you not. This time, I plan to go back  home with a quilt for our darling baby. She's a little doll...brown eyes and dimples, sigh, I miss her already, but I digress. 

My daughter fell in love with Jacquie's Quilt Think Big on the cover of We Love Color, as did I. So what's stopping me?? Well....I sort of loose interest if I have to follow a pattern and know exactly what the finished quilt will look like, again, no surprise there. 

 

So...I decided to adapt Jacquie's wonderful pattern to a Quilt As You Go project. Since the long arm is back in Alberta and I want to quilt fairly heavily, QAYG fits the bill. I'm also making the quilt a little smaller than Jacquie's. A few minor calculations and I was on my way.

 

What is it about having a bit of a challenge that gets me going?  

At the last minute, I decided to use gray instead of the white because my daughter and her husband just finished putting in some lovely gray toned floors and did some painting....they even have a feature wall, in the kitchen the same green as the green fabric. I love when everything works together.
 

 

Sorry, the lighting in the photo is rather poor....it's starting to get dark so much earlier again. I think the QAYG thing might just work and my little Autumn Claire will have her quilt just before her first birthday...As long as I don't get distracted, which is a highly likely occurrence.

On A Mission

 I was on a mission to get Rachel's quilt finished, photographed and delivered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see....I wasn't the only one on a mission.
My adorable granddaughters are a force to be reckoned with.
A trip to the Zoo was in the cards as well.

Here they are taking turns howling with the white wolf.....good times!!!