Almost four weeks since I last wrote, I didn’t mean to leave it that long. Oh well, the sun is shining, it’s a good day, let’s do it!
I spent a lovely day with the Salt Creek Quilters learning embroidery stitches and adding beads. We had a great turn out and everyone worked hard.
No time to sit around, I got straight to packing my bags for a trip down to Texas. I originally booked to visit the Fort Worth Modern Quilt Guild and then got an email from the Trinity Valley Quilt Guild, also meeting in Fort Worth asking me to add them on… I could make that work BUT I also had a Zoom lecture on the schedule with the First Duchess Quilters in New York… Isn’t technology great? I flew in to Dallas on the Wednesday, checked in to my hotel, took a Trip Around the World via Zoom lecture from Dana’s home and then was ready for a Thursday workshop, no problem!
I’ve been doing a lot of three hour classes at shows. It was a pleasure to have a full day to teach wool appliqué basics to a full class of Trinity Valley Quilters. We worked on the contemporary style square. Everyone finished their appliqué and most started on the embroidery. Some people were absolute beginners but others just came for a fun day with friends 😀
Not the first piece of wool work from this maker!
My good friend Tina Hilton of Turtle Hand Batiks lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and was a great student! We finished class and it was too early for dinner so a little adventure was in order…
We set off for the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. It looked like rain but we parked up and went inside. Tina decided I needed to pose for a picture…
Not sure I make a very good angel?
There were lots of interesting pieces to look at but this one by Elias Sime caught my eye.
Here’s the artist’s statement.
It set me thinking…
Meanwhile outside, the weather was rolling across the area…
And the tornado warning siren sounded. We looked out the window! It was very dark. The museum is built like a concrete bunker. We felt very safe and stayed for a while longer. We shopped. The tornado passed north.
Dinner time. Tex-mex and margaritas. So good.
It was still looking ominous on the way back to the hotel.
But all’s well that ends well. This little rabbit was waiting for me in my room.
A good day. Friday morning found me back with the Trinity Valley Quilters for a Trip Around the World. They meet in the University Christian Church and it was a very homey space…
Comfy chairs, seats at tables, everyone got their choice.They were a good crowd and we had an excellent time. The screen was BIG! Larger than life Catherine looked over the show and tell…
She was still there, looking over this Bonnie Hunter designed quilt.
Really!
Time for lunch. I was wearing my Birkenstock sneakers and a young couple had commented on them in the hotel elevator and then told me there was a Birkenstock store in town. Yes, we managed to fit in lunch and a shopping trip. I didn’t actually but any new shoes but my hostess did and I am on the hunt for a certain style… I’m waiting for the perfect color…
I had a couple of hours to regroup before being picked up for my evening commitment with the Fort Worth Modern Quilt Guild. They had also booked me to take a Trip Around the World. I was rehearsed. It was a smaller group but everyone was ready to participate and win thread!
We enjoyed some modern show and tell.
That jacket was a practice piece… apparently the “real” one is yet to come!
A good looking sampler.
Just one last event. I was up bright and early(ish) on Saturday for our Dimensional Embroidery Stitch class.
A full day with everyone learning something, although this piece was obviously not stitched by a beginner.
All done and ready to go home. I was returned to Love Field in plenty of time for my flight to Midway where Steve was waiting for me. Another good trip. The Texan quilters looked after me very well!
We had a change of pace the next weekend. Family time in Wisconsin. Joanne’s family and James’s crew were already at the hotel when we arrived in time for dinner. Here’s a few pictures to give you an idea of the fun to be had when there are five, five and under cousins in the same space…
Officially it was a celebration of Emily and Christopher’s birthdays. The quilts came from Sheila (NOT me!!) Fortunately the hotel was full of children so we were not the only noisy party.
There was a very vivid sun set one night while we were away. It was followed by 6″ of snow overnight 🙁
I was ready to spend a few days at home. That was well timed because I brought home a cold which has knocked me out of action for much of last week.
I was recovered enough for three Zoom classes with STITCHES this last weekend. I definitely could not have done them in person! I had prepared three new classes.
We started with embroidered buttons, small scale geometric designs, flowers and bugs mounted and ready for use using Dritz covered button kits.
Then there were Yorkshire buttons, made on 60mm looms.
And finally we stitched Dorset Feather Embroidery stitched bands, six traditional embroidery stitches in a repeating design.
Good work everyone. I will be repeating the Yorkshire buttons and Dorset stitchery in June, along with the beading on fabric (2 hour version). You can find the details and register for my classes on the STITCHES website. Details for in person classes in Minneapolis in August are there too.
Remember that art piece in Fort Worth? I have been stitching. I don’t know if I’m going anywhere with it but here’s where I’m at.
Abstract shapes filled in with remnants of perle cotton… we’ll see.
My cold is nearly all better. We are gearing up for visitors this Easter weekend and then I’m off to Akron Ohio for the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo. I have five classes and a lecture. The classes are all full. There are seats left in the Trip Around the World lecture. You know I am well practiced so if you are in the area perhaps you might want to drop in and check it out? I’ll let you know how I get on.
