Making Good Use of My Time

Life has been busy this year. While I am enjoying teaching and lecturing at guilds, symposiums and festivals it has played major havoc with my blogging time, as well as my creating time. I'm hoping to get to my blog at least once a week from now on.

I couldn't sleep last night so I decided rather than lie in bed,wishing I could go to sleep, I'd get up and write on my blog. My iPad wouldn't post all the photos I wanted to post, so I saved it last night, and am now trying to get it out.

Our local guild show is this week and I have spent two full enjoyable days working there. This is our signature car quilt. More on the show later.



The week before I spent a wonderful week at John C. Campbell Folk School teach a variation on the "Drunkard's Path" and "Fair Play" patterns.

This is my sample where I used a lot of left-over blocks from old projects. Obviously these are not yet sewn together.

My class was small this year, only four students, but four very devoted and experienced quilters. We began by making a host block.

After the host blocks were sewn together we used the block to cut out the Drunkards Path blocks. I know why would you cut up good material in the first place, but to  cut it out and make a block, then use that block to cut out another block? Well, it just makes a super way to get a creative design.

It's not every class where you can enjoy live music while you sew. One never knows what is going to happen at J. C. Campbell.
Trish is one of my students and she wanted to practice playing in front of an audience. She is going to be playing at a Retreat this month.

These ladies were so devoted and sewed there hearts out all week. Our little display at Show and Tell.







These are the projects almost finished. You would never know these four students were taking the same class. I love this technique for that reason.
This piece was created by Trish.

This piece is Joyce's creation.

This piece by Miriam. She finished her top but I didn't get a photo of it after it was sewn together. I don't think this was her final design.

This piece is Betsy's and she wanted to make it larger. She ordered more fabric and will continue working on it at home.

This is a sample that I continued to change during the class to show the many designs that can be created using this technique. This one is created by a more controlled use of fabric, than the students used. I like for them to create their first piece without my influence. I find that it helps them see the future possibilities.

This piece was created with the "Fair Play" template. Lots and lots of sewing and fun with designs.



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