Classes, Classes and More Classes

I'm excited about my fall teaching schedule.  I'll highlight them here and post all the details on my classes page.

I teach sewing and quilting at the WonderFil Threaducation Centre in NE Calgary.  If you follow the tab marked CLASSES, MACHINE, the classes for domestic and longarm machines are listed there. The tab marked LONGARM STUDIO gives details about certification classes and rentals of these wonderful machines.

  

I've been invited to go up to Central Sewing Machines in Edmonton over the Thanksgiving weekend. I'll be teaching 3 days of classes.  Some are full day and some are half day. Check those classes here. My classes are listed on page 10.

As part of my duties at the WonderFil Threaducation Centre, I am invited to different quilt groups to share all about WonderFil Specialty Threads.  If you would like me to visit, contact me.  I can do a 1-3 hour presentation with lots of different samples to show and a 3-6 hour hands on workshop.

I am also doing some private and semi private longarm classes.  If you would like some longarm training on your own machine, I can visit and we can play and learn.  You are welcome to ask a friend to join us or keep things private.  If you would like to book some time, feel free to contact me.

Challenge Quilt Group

I'm interested in becoming a part of a group of local (Calgary) quilters who would like to get together on a regular basis to challenge each other.  Anyone else interested?

Here is what I propose

• we meet every 4-6 weeks
• each meeting is hosted by a different group member
• the host of each meeting will
• set the theme for the meeting (guide an exploration of a different quilting/stitching technique)
• determine the "challenge" for the coming time period. 
• provide refreshments (as required)
• chair the review of the challenge for each month

These are very simple "rules" but my idea is that the group would meet on a regular basis.  We would be challenged to make a quilt (something small, size to be agreed upon before we start) each time and bring the completed project for review.  We must be willing to give constructive comments on group member's projects and also willing to accept comments from other group members.

I feel that many times I am considered the "expert" in quilting and find that I want to take some time to be challenged to explore and learn something new.

Anyone interested in joining me?  I'll post on my facebook page and keep you informed.  meadow rose quilting

Happy Quilting 

Craftsy Classes are great!

I received an email last week about new classes (or new to me).   I checked them out and then treated my self.

Sketch it, Fuse it, Quilt it

Hand Stitched Collage Quilts

So, here are some images of what I have stitched in the past week.

This little quilt I had started a while ago.  The flower was made with sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol.  Then I hand stitched using WonderFil's Eleganza and Dazzle thread.

This was a fun project to work on, although I was using the wrong fusible web.  I had to go shopping to get something that I could hand sew.  I'll save the heavy fusible for machine stitching and try the new lighter fusible for hand stitching later.

I machine stitched the border using WonderFil's 8wt cotton Eleganza in my bobbin and a 50wt cotton (Konfetti) in the needle.  I increased the needle tension just a bit and set a 3mm stitch length.  I still need to spritz and get rid of the previously unsuccessful needle holes.

The centre purple of the flower was created using a pebble pattern over a washaway stabilizer.  The stabilizer was rinsed away and I used french knots to anchor the centre.

This morning I prepped 4 of these Applique Fun Flowers (my own design) with fusible and got one completely stitched using WonderFil's Splendor thread.  I'll use different weight threads to stitch the other 3 quilts.  I love Laura's method of fusible binding.

 I stitched her "curly fries and bananas" quilting design in the sky and grass in the lower half.

I need a new camera!!!!

I don't think I need to write anything more.  Just look at the following images!  I think I'm decided on getting myself a Canon DSLR , but I'm going to have to quilt a few more customer quilts before I have enough pennies saved.

I am using my old camera, a simple point and click Canon that I've had for years.  The flash doesn't work, so a lot of the time the pictures are not as clear as they should be.

I also like to take close-ups of my stitching and will need to get a macro lens.  Sometimes I can get a good shot, other times.....not so good.

  

 Can you see the bear?   It's that little black dot on the right hand side.  Couldn't get a closer shot,

I have the most beautiful grand daughter!  I want a camera that will allow me to take great shots.... not a few seconds after she has turned her head away!

 I want to be able to take photos that are bright, clean and clear.

 And get nicely composed shots.

There, its out in the open and now I have to work hard to get a new camera.  I would appreciate any pointers or suggestions for a new camera.  What would you recommend?

Foothills Sampler

I started this quilt back in the mid 1990s.  I was part of a Ladies Midweek ministry at Foothills Alliance Church in North West Calgary.  I taught a simple quilt pattern at the Mum's Morning Out and then was asked to teach more.  So, I came up with this sampler quilt.  The top was finished eons ago, but I just recently quilted it.

 I tried to quilt something similar in the alternate blocks, so used this feather design.  

Each of the blocks used a different piecing or applique technique, so i quilted each of them a bit differently.

 

All the dark brown sections were stitched with  the "heavy metal" design.

 

 Every time I quilt a quilt I try to a new element or technique that I have recently learned.  The border idea came from Adam Chenevert's Beautiful Borders DVD.

The quilt was quilted and the extra batting and backing were trimmed.  The quilt was folded and put aside until I found fabric for binding.  I went to the store last month to look for something that would look OK.  I opened up the folded quilt and low and behold the binding was there, ready to go.  I guess at some point I had found fabric, cut the strips, trimmed and pressed and folded it neatly till it got sewn on the quilt!

Now, it's officially finished (except for a label).

Fabric & Thread Lace Scarf

I've been spending some relaxing time just stitching lately.  I've been stitching thread lace scarves. Here are a few pictures of some of the scarves I've stitched.  They are an easy 2 hours of stitching.  Most recently I've spent a couple of hours happily stitching while watching episodes of NCIS....

The first one is strictly thread couched over heavy thread.

The second one is Fabric and thread.

This third one is a fabric and thread lace scarf that I've just finished stitching.  I just need to rinse out the water soluble stabilizer.

I'll be teaching both these scarves as classes at the WonderFil Threaducation Centre in August.

Handi Quilter Academy 2015

I didn't register this year for the Handi Quilter Academy in Salt Lake City....but I did get to go.  I went with WonderFil Specialty Threads and had such fun!  

Our booth under construction

The only downside of the trip was that I stepped off a speed bump (don't ask) and turned my ankle as I was leaving Calgary.  I then "dragged" my suitcase through two airports and a hotel with a very sore ankle.  I was quite worried about how I was going to function during the week.  My suitcase was filled with all our display quilts and was quite heavy.  It wasn't until I was setting up the booth that I realized why it hurt so much to walk and "drag" my suitcase along!  Guess I need to get a new suitcase before my next trip.

One of these wheels is not like the other!

I had some great times chatting with quilters from all over North America as well as putting some faces to names that I see in the groups I am in on Facebook. We talked about where we're from, what machine(s) we have and what classes we were registered for..and I helped to educated them about WonderFil threads.

One day at lunch every registrant received a lovely box of thread from WonderFil.  Andrew had an opportunity to share a little bit about the spools of thread in their boxes.

Aren't these the cutest boxes?

  

I slipped into a ProStitcher class the first afternoon and in 10 minutes got my biggest stumbling block cleared up!  I've already practiced and feeling so much more confident.  I learned that you have to do something 21 times before it becomes a habit...I have a lot of sewing to do!

I was able to slip into more classes during the week and sit at the back and observe and learn!  

Applique and Couching on a longarm.

Got hugs with a few old and newer friends

Debby Brown showing off her new thread FabuLux

We went on a tour of the new Handi Quilter headquarters and were allowed to walk around the offices and go into any office and look at the quilts on the walls. I saw a lot of inspirational quilts.  My favourite was the Lone Star that hung just at the front door.

 

The flights home were wonderful.  I had plenty of room and got a short nap on both flights.  I couldn't resist taking pictures of flying above and through the clouds!