Wonderful Class

This past week/weekend I attended the Extraordinary Quilter 2 day class with Becky Goldsmith put on by the Mahone Bay Quilters Guild.  I am still unloading everything so pictures will be delayed.  

Both days were ones of learning and fun.  Becky is an excellent teacher; she is positive,organized, creative in her methods and she runs a tight ship.  I cannot say I have taken any better course.  The improvisational day was much better than I anticipated.  Perhaps that is because my piece was turning out better than I imagined I could do.  I took masses of fabrics, uncertain of what would result.  

The second day was invisible applique.  I love applique.  I love the way quilting makes the applique comes alive on quilts.  But I have not settled on any one technique to do applique.  I have done hand applique on a quilt but was not happy with the smoothness of the method I used.  The way Becky teaches applique truly is invisible and so beautifully finished that in future I will use it when doing hand applique.  Not sure how much I will do but when I do it, it will look much more professional.

We had beautiful weather during the course time and that was nice because one always wants visitors to our province to see it at its loveliest.  Seeing it through Becky's eyes was fun. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to rain on their parade after the course but that is part of Nova Scotia.  Like Scotland for which it is named, just wait an hour in Nova Scotia and the weather changes.   Here is a link to her blog.  Becky's Blog  

It has been a week of Quilt meetings, show and tells and travelling. I belong to a local guild and to one which requires a 1.5 hour drive.  The nice thing is the drive is through beautiful country and I tell myself it beats the same amount of travel on intercity highways I used to do.  Coming back in the dark in spring one can hear the wonderful sound of the spring peepers.  Going in the light and sun, the waterways are sparkling ribbons of blue.  The trees are leafed out in the beautiful greens of spring.  By summer it is just green but now it is every possible shade.  It is a lesson is the use of colours in quilts.

So quilting is not just quilting but it is friends; learning; visual and tactile experiences and above all generosity of spirit and time.

Now to try to satisfy my golden retrievers for hugs and pets as they have been in the kennels.  This is my youngest dog with the Siamese who thinks he has a Mommy.  He is a bit mixed up in general.

Fabrics - the Love of

The more I create quilts and quilt them the more I get a feeling for the power of fabrics.  My quilting room has lots of small quilts on the wall, some big ones hanging (to hide working tools like thread and accessories) and one in particular that I enjoy regardless of the day or time.  It is a child's quilt The Hungry Caterpillar.  I guess I am a child at heart as I just love the colours.  I have posted the picture before but it is worth repeating some of the elements of the quilt.

 

I was a beginner when I did this quilt but it taught me a lot about how fabric dictates what you do with it when quilting.  The white background makes the center of the panel just pop out so to help that along I did dense quilting.  It provided texture as a background for the leaf and butterfly and some of the border elements such as the ice cream and pickle.  Then I allowed the pictures them selves to dictate where I put outlines to enhance the shape but not over power them.  This quilt is currently on loan as an illustration of what can be done with a panel.  It is lovely to know others will see it.

Is it colour that draws you to a piece of fabric?  Do you buy it regardless of it's quality?  I have to say quality does count.  In addition to the attractions of colours, there is a need to feel fabric.  If you are an internet shopper it is important you establish a relationship with your provider so you can rely on what is being sent.  How heart breaking if you buy or order something for a special quilt and find it is not the same quality as the rest of your fabrics.  It does show if it is not.  I know.  I just had to have a certain colour for a quilt and as I worked with the fabric it matched in colour but not in texture and more importantly in weight.  It was fragile.

I do use the internet but fortunately in spite of being in the country (900 people in town) we have a couple of fabric stores where quality fabrics are the watch word.  One in particular is a favourite.    It is Suttles and Seawinds in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.  Mahone Bay is the town with the 3 churches and the lovely bay if you have seen tourist adverts.  It is across the province  of Nova Scotia from me but a day spent there is fun.  The best fun of all is going to Suttles and Seawinds which has gorgeous fabrics.  I am a member of the Mahone Bay Quilters guild in addition to my local guild the Paradise Village Quilters  and whenever weather allows the trip to Mahone Bay  across the mountain is made.  The trip too can be so breath taking.  Forests with rock laden with moss of a beautiful light green, lakes, rivers, beautiful old houses are all part of it. It can inspire designs.  In winter provided it is sunny and the snow is off the road, it can be enchanting after a snow fall.  Stopping for pictures in not an option as the road has narrow shoulders.  Perhaps I need a dash cam.  But if you are not a local, do come and explore.

Paradise Village Quilters  Paradise Village Quilters
Mahone Bay Quilt Guild  Mahone Bay Quilt Guild

Suttles has a rich history in Nova Scotia and the shop is located in a house to die for.  Inside are all kinds of temptations including clothing and jewelry.  Upstairs which you access via a beautiful old, elegant staircase are fabrics and rugs.  The buyer for Suttles has an amazing talent for purchasing the right fabrics; colour and texture and what is called hand are all taken into account.  She also designs quilts which are hung on the walls for you to just absorb their design and the use of fabrics.  Here is a link to the store.  If you have not been to Suttles do some virtual touring.  Suttles and Seawinds, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada  They also have a talent for creating fat quarter packages that have the coordinating fabrics.  I have some I do not even want to cut into and they sit on my shelves as eye candy to be taken and enjoyed for a while before they are cut.

I mentioned the concept of 'hand' above in relation to fabrics.  There is nothing as good as your hand for feeling the weight and drape and texture of a fabric.  Fabric on a bolt or lying flat is different from when it is falling through your hand.  Remember your quilt will be looked at horizontally but also vertically.  A very heavy fabric which is not quilted densely might just sag and ruin the quilt.  A too light fabric will wear much more quickly.  And you need to consider the play of light on fabric.  It can make quite a difference in how the fabric is seen.  Some fabrics you want to play with light so you have to ensure that you place them appropriately and you have to see how they behave both vertically and flat.  Sometimes flat they are just dead.

Well enough for today.  As you can see I love fabrics.  Now to put one of my own quilts on the frame and have it talk to me about how it wants to be quilted.  Even the gorgeous day cannot draw me from designing an art quilt which has a due date and from starting to quilt.

Teaching Art Quilts

Ana Buzzalino was the Extraordinary Quilter at Mahone Bay Quilt Guild in Nova Scotia last week.  I was fortunate to be able to attend both her classes.  Being able to teach is an art in itself.  It takes patience, preparation and the ability to express your thoughts in a variety of ways depending on the listener.

Ana is a gentle and caring teacher.  I know because I am not a good pupil.  I keep wanting to forge ahead to the next step and that can be adventuresome but also leads to roads where it gets very rocky.  A good friend constantly reminds me that I march to a very different drummer.

But in spite of my short comings as a pupil, Ana made this a wonderful experience.  I love pieced quilts.  I love all types of quilting. To me as long as there is fabric and colour I am game.  But art quilts require some introspection and examination of your goals and how to get there in addition to skill at piecing and choosing colours.  Each piece is your piece, your curve, your expression in colour and texture.  Ana provided a road map that will serve me well in my making of art with fabric and thread.  She added knowledge of paints, transfers, beading, and numerous tools.  Ana gave me a road map to go down my own road.  That makes an excellent teacher.  And she quilts heavily which I enjoy doing.  Quilting gives the final kiss of life to quilts.

Ana graciously allowed pictures during the trunk show she gave at the Dessert Party which occurred the evening before the classes.  Here are a few I managed to capture over and around heads.

Ana gave permission for photos to be taken and displayed.   Enjoy these quilts.  I certainly did and so did the rest of the audience if facial expressions are anything to go by.