The supply list for this class calls for a fat quarter (18"x22") of a focal fabric plus four long quarters (9"x44") of coordinating fabrics. We start out by arranging the fabrics in order: focus fabric, first border (just a plain old straight border using first coordinating fabric), second border ("crumb catcher" -- a folded strip placed between two borders -- using second fabric) and final border (third fabric) with cornerstones (fourth fabric). Once the fabrics were laid out and the order decided upon, then we were ready to start cutting and sewing.
Sherlene started with a focus fabric that combined turquoise, orange and green in an abstract print. Her coordinating fabrics were turquoises; she told me that these really weren't her colors, but that she needed something in those colors. And now I'm thinking -- why? For a gift? For a room? For a ? I'm sure she told me and one of those random senior moments has occurred.
She raced through the piecing and was the first one finished, then patiently waited as everyone else caught up and I did my "end of day" lecture. End of day consists of an explanation on how to do multiple borders and miter them, how to do a prairie point finish and a demonstration (meaning that I actually SEW instead of just talk) of double fold bias binding and scalloped bias binding.
When I first saw Sharon's fabrics, I went "Holey moley, that's a whole lot of orange!" Orange seems to be a color that a lot of quilters don't even want to approach, but Sharon combined it with purples, did it all in batiks, and came up with a winner.
If you look WAY down in the lower right hand corner, you can see the project that Bette is working on. She started with a bird panel print and had chosen some browns and a bright apple green to go with it, but wasn't sure she liked what she had. Bette wandered out into the shop and chose a very cool harlequin print that picked up all of the panel colors and, by using that fabric as her final border, made the piece work for her. Since there are 1000's of bolts of fabrics at Quiltique, we weren't at all surprised that she found one that was perfect.
I got so excited about this variegated fabric that shaded from very pale purple at one selvage edge to very dark purple at the other that I didn't even get a picture of Patti with her class project. Just stopped by her work space and shot a pic of the fabric.....oops!
Anita's focus fabric was spools of thread in bright colors on a black background. She chose some solids to do her borders and they really worked well to "cool down" the action of what some might consider a busy print.
Bobbie brought the cutest comic-book-style Halloween panel describing all kinds of funny sayings about cats. (Halloween bonus points alert -- teacher's quilting and pattern business is called Batts in the Attic!) Bobbie had already put on the first small white border at home and then continued with her seasonal colors once she got to class. Another picture of the project without the person who brought it -- double oops!
Renie also got bonus points for choosing Halloween fabric; to coordinate with her focus fabric, she chose an orange print, a solid black "crumb catcher" and you can barely see the very cool green/orange/black check at the left of the photo that she used for her outer border.
Renie's good friend Linda chose pastels in shades of purple, green and blue on a cream background -- had that beautiful, soft watercolor look. I could tell they were good friends because they bickered just like me and my best friends do -- all in a loving way, of course!
Tomorrow is a technique class rather than a project class. It's called "Free Motion Boot Camp with Trapunto Training". It was named by Robin, the Bernina dealer in Asheville NC. Robin and her husband Chip own the Asheville Cotton Company, a very cool shop to visit if you get to North Carolina. The name is so fun that I think I'll use it forever!
No comments:
Post a Comment