Stripes stripes and more stripes!!!!!

The class on stripes was amazing!!!    The students were amazing and were NOT afraid to try anything!   They each brought several different striped fabrics - some woven, some symmetrical, some not, some with straight lines, and some not. There were border prints and eye-popping colours. Most stripes were printed straight while a couple were on the diagonal.

 It was so much fun to see what they brought.  I gave them a VERY LOOSE description of what to bring.  I believe it was "bring a striped fabric!!"     Oh - one of these days - I am going to get a mutiny on my hands!!!!

Anyway - let's have a look at what they did (and YES - before I left - I did find everything I was looking for!!!)

Nancy brought this little bundle to whet my appetite even before the class started!!!!

They are woven stripes and I LOVE them.   She did NOT work on these - she did practice blocks in the class.  

Barrie also had a nice collection of woven fabrics.  Oh boy - they look so nice. Makes you want to just cut them up.  But I refrained and did NOT steal any of those wovens!

Jane also brought a couple of woven stripes and she very bravely cut them up and made these mitered half square triangles.  I JUST LOVE them.   

And the GOOD NEWS is that I found MY WOVEN stripes.  Alas I had visions of a bundle of fat quarters and was disappointed when I  found there were only TWO woven fabrics.  Oh shoot - I must have imagined that bundle!!   But I also found a pattern with it and I located my Kaffe Fassett book.  I am going to make the quilt on the front of the book - BUT I need to visit a store and get a bigger selection. 

If you want those woven stripes - you can get them at Greenwood Quiltery in Guelph - I think they have eight different ones on the bolt. They also have the solid colours (shot cottons) which are equally beautiful if you want some solids in the quilt. Hyggeligt Fabrics in London, Ontario has 24 different ones on the bolt. Both I am sure would be happy to do business over the internet.  Hyggeligt will be at the Creative Festival so I will get my woven fabrics in person!


OK - back to the rest of the class.

Sue had this GORGEOUS striped fabric and from it she got these two blocks.  She bought it at Ruti's Needlebed. However when I stopped in on my way home - it was gone!!!!   I guess she must have purchased it all????   She didn't say that when I said I was going to go to Ruti's on the way home. 

Matter of fact - there was some discussion as to who was going to get to Ruti's first????   I did not see anyone else there when I was there.  Their rationale brains must have prevailed and said "You do not need any more fabric"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy made three different blocks - I think the one on the left drove her crazy as she tried to match up those lines.  No need for all that fussiness, but it was important to her!

Anna had EYE POPPING stripes.  The batik one in the center is a bit calming!!!!   But awesome that all three looks can come from stripes!!!!

Cathy made these great stripes blocks.  OK - I confess - I bought the remainder of that blue stripe.  I saw it on the bolt the day before and it is a gorgeous fabric.  Don't worry - Cathy did NOT leave me much!!!!

Jean was working with this fabulous striped fabric and I LOVE - absolutely love those little blocks.   The lines are not supposed to match up and there is just enough offset to not make your brain go whacky!

 Hmmm - seems that I did NOT get a picture of Shirley's blocks.   How did that happen?  I didn't get Joyce's either, but she did leave a bit early.

Cathy had fun with her blocks.  She was marking them - ones she did not like and ones that she did.  So she marked right on the back - how they had been cut so she won't repeat her "mistakes!"    Great idea Cathy!!!

Paula was playing around with scraps of stripes that she had at home. Amazing how some (like the one on the left) - you think is symmetrical and then you really look at it - NOPE - that is NOT symmetrical!!!    

Elizabeth made these fabulous blocks however she had the same issue as Paula.  We were CERTAIN that her stripe was symmetrical however when we did the test - NOPE - those stripes were not symmetrical either!   The blocks still look awesome!

Virginia had a border print and it looks fabulous in this block on the left.  The one on the right look neat as well. 

This started out as a diagonal striped print and interesting enough - the end result looks the same as the NON diagonal stripes.  Nice job Virginia

Barrie made quick work of a small quilt.  She put her blocks together in a different orientation from the others.  So many possibilities!!!!!

Barrie also made TWO different samples using another one of her stripes. 

Jane made these gorgeous batik squares from a striped batik fabric.   YEP - all four are from the SAME  fabric!!!!

She also had a wonderful block that she extensively fussy cut from Christmas fabric.  Love it!!!!!

This is the strip that Elizabeth was working with

And her blocks.   Pretty neat!!!!   

Before I get to the rest of the blocks - I have to tell you about my discovery.  I thought it would be neat to try different shapes for the blocks - not just squares.  What about a 60 degree triangle with the striped fabric?  However - I had no template so I was going to have to use a freezer paper template.  Yesterday morning when I was cutting out the template - DUH!!!!!   It was a light bulb moment when I realized that I was FOLLOWING the 30 degrees on the ruler!!!!!!!!

Seriously????    It was as simple as that????   Oh boy - I use the 60 degree and 45 all the time, but had never really done anything with the 30.  

Here is my sample block!!!!!!!!!!!

Elizabeth used the technique to make some 60 degree triangles

And Paul, being Paul - just went crazy!!!!

Here is his "finished" piece.  Not bad considering he just randomly brought three stripes. I wonder what he is going to bring for show n tell at the guild meeting?????

Anyway - there you have it - the class was awesome and I was inspired by what the students did and I hope they went home inspired!   It was a perfect way to spend a rainy day.

I spent a couple of hours this morning putting stuff away.   There is still loads that has to be dealt with, but all the quilts are back in their location.

On that note - got another busy day ahead.

Have an awesome day!!!!


Ciao!!!!!