How do you spell F U N?

(ooops for yesterday - I got tied up with things with visitng the Monday girls, then pulled right into a meeting at work, follow up from the meeting and well before I knew it - the day was DONE!!!!!



Oh my god - take a workshop with Al Cote and lunch prepared by his wife Debbie!!!!!   Yes - if you want a FUN FUN FUN day - you MUST MUST MUST take a workshop from Al Cote.  When I saw Al at our guild meeting last month, I recognized his face, but not who he was.  AHA - he used to own the quilt shop in Niagara Falls.  I think it was called Back Porch Quilts or something to that effect.   Anyway - they sold the shop - that's a whole story in itself and now they do trunks shows, retreats, workshops, etc.

Some of us were not able to take the quilted rug workshop when it was held through the guild so we booked our own date and six of us were off to spend a day with Al and Debbie.

First - I want to move to his neighbourhood.  It is gorgeous, the house is stunning and perfectly located.  Oh yes - I'm packing up!!!!   The commute to work would kill me so I better wait until I retire.  HA - that's so funny, I'm practically rolling on the floor.

My new philosophy about workshops - I used to want everything to be perfect and barely got anything done.  That attitude is now out the door.  Nope - I don't care if my fabrics aren't perfect - I don't care if my stitching isn't the best - I am there to learn the basic technique.  Then if I am interested - I can go home and perfect the technique - choose different colors or whatever.    Maybe that is also partly why I had so much fun.  Normally in a workshop - I get very little done.

I'm not going into details here - nope - you have to take the class yourself.  Why would I spoil your fun????

Here is Maria - making the first cut!!!!!    AH...............................

Maria - making the first cut

Well - that looks easy.  I can do that.  So I started cutting on my rug. Everyone else used 5 fabrics -I used three and I was wishing I had one more - well two more - just gives a bit more variety - however I am very happy with my rug.

My dragon rug!!!!!   

But wait  - it's not done yet.............

Cutting is done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know -- that big green blob sticks out - I may do something on that.  No time to think about that at the moment.   I think most of us finished the cutting in class.  Then the quilting and we are pretty much finished.


Claudette cheated and used a gorgeous print on top.  You would think that the print is like that - nope - she has added background, purple leaves and some nice little white highlights!!!!!!    Oh yes - this one is stunning.

Claudette's flower garden in the tropics

Maria  came with a very specific idea in mind - well so did Claudette by using that print.  Maria had an elephant in mind. Al got her to mix up the desing of the elephant and she used a very stylized elephant as a guide.  I love it!!!!!   And hers was smaller than the rest of us and on point!!!!   Oh yes - we can be very creative when we want.

Maria's elephant

Maria got the prize for being the neatest. On her free motion stitching, on her cutting, on everything!!!!!  No time for that I say - off with those pieces!!!!!   When Al said that you can't see the stitching nor the neatness of the edges when it has been washed - that was enough encouragment for me - Just go for it!!!!!

Maria's neat stitching and cutting

Obviously I would fail cutting 101 in kindergarten!!!!!    Notice there is no close up of my stitching or cutting.

Vivenda went for a total abstract and I love this.  The colors, particularily of that multi color batik add some very interesting pops of color.  And that hot pink on top - wow!!!!!!

Vivenda's hot abstract

Sacha went for a very art deco style.  Lots of squiggles and then that straight line through it.  Love that style.  And she has kept a lot more background than any of the rest of us did.   Amazing how each turned out!!!!!!

Sacha's art deco

And then there was Jan.  I think we should have put Jan and Maria together. Jan came with a very specific design.  No abstract squiggles for her.  Nope - she went with a Christmas theme.   She just has a bit more cutting to do - to make the green background turn beige and she is done.  It's gorgeous and so well thought out.    Who has time for that kind of planning??????
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Jan's Christmas rug

Well - there you have it - if every you get a chance to take a class from Al - just sign up.  Don't even ask what he is teaching - you are guaranteed to have a riot.   I'm going to book him again for our guild next year.    Want to sign up now??????


On that note - it's going to be a nutso day and I had better get started or I'll be late.


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


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