Quilters on the edge

We are constantly told that change is good. We should step out of our comfort zone. Well - I don't like to step out! At least for some things. I arrived at spin class this morning to find someone setting up MY bike. How do I know it's MY bike? They all have numbers on them. I normally ride on number 51. Now what? I was totally lost in a sea of 70 bikes. Well, not exactly - I choose one in the row in front of number 51. I  managed to eek out 28 K on Number 38, but it wasn't the same!

I guess I'll try to reserve number 51 in the future. I hate the app on my phone because it won't allow me to reserve the bikes. Everyone else can, but not me. Does that surprise you?

The second thing that was different this morning is my pants. I finally broke down and bought a new pair of wind pants to wear over my bike shorts on the way to the gym. I was trying to avoid it by wearing my old wind pants. However, the waistband is a tad too big and they just won't stay up so I bite the bullet and bought new ones. They're just NOT the same. I'm sure after wearing them several times, I'll be OK but in the meantime........

Despite my reluctance to change -  I taught a class yesterday where I asked all the quilters to throw caution to the wind and just dig into their fabric. It was a creative class with improv being the topic of the day. Rotary cutters and rulers were allowed but patterns were not. The students had been given a list of materials to bring. Very hard to do when you don't really know what you're going to make. They all passed with flying colors. We started the class with a mini trunk show of some of the stuff that I've winged. Then it was their turn.

Wow - some pretty creative stuff showed up considering that they didn't have access to their stash. There was NO sample provided as they were all going to be different and everyone brought bits and pieces of stuff.

I seemed to be having a bad day as I swear I took some before pictures, but obviously, my finger wasn't hitting the screen in the right way. That happens sometimes. So in some cases, I only have an after picture.

Remember that the background and experience level of each student was quite different and they were free to do whatever they wanted. The idea was to create something in a small format so that they didn't go home with a huge UFO to complete. I think we accomplished that mission.

Let's have a look at what they created. I apologize about the names. As I was writing this, I realized that I did NOT even formally introduce myself and I didn't get the others to introduce themselves to me. ACK - that happens sometimes. I just dive right in and forgot about the formalities.

This piece belongs to Trixy. She had these partial circles in beautiful shades of beige and grey. The circles were not complete as they were from the edges of the fabric. She also had a piece of beige for the background that we think was faux suede. It was interesting. I LOVE what she did here to disguise the missing bits of those circles and a square.

See those missing edges on the circle

And now you don't

Then she found another piece of fabric with a rope design on it. In the EXACT same (or very darn close) colors and she toned down the black. She found some grey tulle and cut some squares to add to it. 

The black is toned down by layering another fabric on top

 She's not done and needed to take that beige home and give it a good (and VERY careful) press. Then she could proceed.


Janice had some scraps of black, cream, green and a green floral print with a smidgen of blue in it. She started by making small strata with the colored bits. Then it was secured to the blue background.

Strata bits on blue

 When the day was over, the piece was totally assembled and trimmed. We chatted about embellishments and the direction of the piece. Unfortunately, I did NOT get the picture of the final piece. However, something very interesting happened with this piece. Originally it was to be portrait orientation, but as we looked at it this way and that, we really felt that landscape orientation was better.  I can't wait to see what embellishments she puts on it. We even discussed the quilting which will be easy.

Kay was working on one project and then abandoned it for this. She had several color families to work with and we ended up putting together strata as well. She didn't really have a great fabric for the background, but the color of this one (a curtain fabric) was perfect. She is just going to quilt this one.

Browns on beige

I did not catch the name of the next student, but she was crazy!  She had this crazy combination of novelty prints, quilting cotton, and garment fabric. This is the work in progress. Of all of the pieces, this is the one that was slowly build upon as the day progressed. It required "stealing" fabric from her neighbor which was later abandoned. She struggled with the placement of the little minions (or whatever they are called).

Working through the design

This is more or less what the piece looked like at the end of the day. There are some very cool lines happening in this piece and I think there's a lot of fun to be had with that lattice fabric. 

A wild piece!

 Susan had a lot of Mary Engelbreit fabric with her. After some discussion, she started with a log cabin style block. I only offered suggestions and the students were free to do as they pleased. As this piece went along, it became the top of an apron. How cool is that!!!!

Log cabin block that becomes the top of an apron

Cindy was working with her blue scraps. The original intention was to make two separate strata (light and dark) and then cut them up and sew the lights between the dark. However, when she laid it on the table (my favorite tool!) we discovered that it looked cool going from the light to the dark as one piece. So she's going to sew them together. Then cut it apart and add that dark blue (which she didn't have enough with her). Then she can play with the direction of the gradation and the height of the strips. That's going to be fun!!!  Depending on the size - she could really have fun with this. By separating some of those strata, shifting them and well - loads of fun! I see a VERY modern quilt in this.

Light to dark blue strata

I think this next piece was by Joanne?  She came with bits and pieces of stuff. She had a bunch of half square triangles that were very close in value and didn't read as half square triangles. She sewed some of them together to get a square. Then the square was cut up and she inserted the dark fabrics between. It looks amazing and was a great way to use up some of those HST. 

Half square triangles repurposed

Trixy pulled out some bits that were actually cutoffs from a project. Not her project, but someone gave them to her. So she started to mess around with them. This layout reminds me of a braid and looks like she intentionally pieced it that way. And it was someone else's SCRAPS!!!!  You have to love that.

Scraps being made into braids

Janet also worked on a piece and it's pretty creative but I'm not going to share it with you. Janet was working on her TrendTex Challenge for Quilt Canada 2019. That's why I'm not going to show it to you, but it was pretty cool.

Fabrics for the TrendTex challenge

 I'll tell you more about that challenge in a minute. 

I brought all my bags of embellishments and let the class have a go if they needed a piece of something for their piece. Oh my - it was fun to get reacquainted with all that stuff. There is some pretty cool stuff in there and it only twinged a little to have someone rooting in my stuff and taking it off my hands. It's hard to let go!!! Even of those little bits. But they say the first step is the hardest. The next time should be easier.

Bags of bits sorted by color

Will they be a next time? Well, I did go on a rant the other day about workshops. I received a beautiful note from one of the participants in the class. Thanks so much for the feedback. I love to hear that students.

Yesterday, I also managed to get that other workshop arranged and even offered up this improv/creative on to another guild. So despite what I said - I'm going to persevere. However as someone mentioned the other day - this is the class. We're NOT deviating from the proforma. If the guild doesn't bite - No workshop. Simple as that!


Two more things before I go - the Trendtex Challenge. This is a challenge that is hosted by Quilt Canada. The next show will be in Ottawa in June 2019. Challenges are a super way to learn. If anyone is interested (in my area of course) - I'd be happy to lead a session where you can brainstorm how to tackle a challenge. The theme for this challenge is Trending which could be a wee bit challenging. But the fabrics are amazing. They go together, they are beautiful and I can't wait to get started on mine. You can order your kit from that link above. The quilts are donated to Canadian Quilters Association and they are auctioned off as a fundraiser for CQA.  It's super fun - I own quite a few of them. I'll have to dig them out and share with you.

The second thing before I go is this. We all know that the five designers of Cotton + Steel left that company a while back. Their followers were devastated and there's been much discussion as to what the girls are going to do. They have MANY Instagram followers. Well - Quilt Market is fast approaching and we were thrown a wee tidbit yesterday. Check out this website.  Keep the name - Ruby Star Society in the back of your head.  I LOVE that name and think it's super trendy for these designers. Can't wait to see what they're up to.

Now I'm really really late and I have to trim a quilt for a customer this morning and then hit the sewing machine/long arm all day. I hope to have that quilt in a box by the end of the day. Wish me luck!!!!

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!