Throw me a CURVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was an AWESOME day. I taught a class on curved piecing to the Mississauga Guild.

We were in a fabulous room with windows on two sides, a kitchen and washrooms right beside us!  (Not that I need to run to the washroom, but we didn't have to hunt for it!!!)

What I wouldn't give to have a  room WITH windows. However I am of two schools of thought on that one - while I would LOVE to have the windows to bring the light in, the light is BAD for fabric and where would one put the design wall, shelves, etc. So as much as I would love windows - I think I will pass on them. NOW if I won the lottery and I could BUILD a studio somewhere - I would have loads of storage space (in a back room in the dark) and then I could have a sewing studio with windows on two sides OR I would have LOTS of skylights. But I digress.................


I have taught the curved piecing workshop a number of times and there are three techniques that I incorporate into the class. A traditional curved seam, an inset circle and free form curves. At first I would ask the class to bring in scraps so we could make samples of each of the three. Then I noticed that students were making a small abstract wall hanging with the three techniques and so this piece was created (inspired by the students!!)

Curved piecing class sample

It was a full class and I know I did not get pictures of everyone's work - I tried!  Well I think they all had fun as they learned or perfected some of the techniques. And I have to say that they all passed with flying colours. Many were asked to do stuff that they don't normally do. While we used rulers, cutters and 1/4" seams - there were NO guides given to the placement or size of the shapes that they added and subtracted from their pieces. They should all be very proud of themselves for a job WELL DONE.  And the best thing about this class - most of the participants went home with the "top" DONE DONE DONE!!!!!   I gave them some tips on how to practice quilting the heck out of it and I wonder how many will come to the show n tell next month??????


Oh yes - I have to laugh because someone checked out my piece at the beginning of the class to see where the seams were to add those circles. AHA - there are NO SEAMS (at least not through the background - ALL THOSE CIRCLES are sewn with inset seams. NO APPLIQUE allowed on this one.

(NOTE - curved piecing is the ultimate in "wrinkled" end products. That will go away with a good steam press and trimming (which they will do once the piece is quilted) and all that fullness will quilt out - honestly it will in these cases!!!!)

Have a look at what they created!!!!!

Barb - there is a zen like feeling about this one

Pat - I see she was creative and making half circles as well. Nice job. 

Ruth - gorgeous choice of fabric

Cathy - very bravely cut her piece RIGHT IN HALF to add the wonky strip. Looks like the milky way!!!!

Jane - LOVE the contrast in this one and that wonky piece in the top left is awesome. 

Janice - again - I LOVE that lightening bolt shape on the bottom right and she was getting creative in her quarter circles

Nancy  (OH this is so cute - with those recessed circles - it is like we are looking through a window)

Elaine (can you not see an entire quilt made from this kind of block!!!!)

Another of Elaine's experiments. LOVE those HOT colours. 

Linda - beautiful range of colours and very celestial looking

Jane who had to improvise as her pink strip was NOT long enough so she added some green. She still has to cut and insert that pink strip. Brilliant use of technique. I might have to steal that from her. 

Diane - go big or go home!!!!   I love this piece and we had a chat about how to quilt this. Any idea what we thought might be appropriate?????

Marianne (and I think I incorrectly called her something else the entire day!!!!!)  Sorry about that. But this is gorgeous - nice job!!!!   I am torn between the free form piece - I really like both the parallel cuts (like mine) and the offset one like above

Paul (NOT Paula, but Paul!) We have one man in our guild and although he is "new" - he's been quilting for three years and he does amazing work!!!!!!    (Notice how he matched up that turquoise print!!!!   Oh yes - he is soon going to quilting circles around most of us!!!!

Hmmm - that seems to be all the pictures I took of the pieces - shoot because there were some other beautiful ones. Well I will get them at the guild meeting when the pieces are brought in for show n tell - right?????

And of course there is one in every crowd!!!!!

Heather having fun with her piece!!!!!   I LOVE IT!!!!!

Quilters  (can't say ladies!) - I had a blast yesterday. Thanks for all the laughs - it was great fun.



Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!