Still here…

Seven months at home, other than the three days in Ohio last month!! Not what I had planned for 2020.

Oh well, there could absolutely be worse places to spend seven months so I’m staying strong, and being safe. Steve is still working hard. He’s a bit bored with tomato soup for lunch and every so often branches out and tries something different 🙂

I have been working some. I finished a three part English Paper Piecing extravaganza for STITCHES on Saturday afternoon. We tried hexagons and diamonds, fussy cutting and half shapes before launching into the wonderful world of modern free form EPP.

“What is she talking about?”

Thanks for asking! We drew our own design onto card stock and set about making our own templates and piecing it…

This was my little 6″ square demo piece. So accurate when you have all the tips and tricks up your sleeve! Not everyone’s cup of tea (sorry, it is English paper piecing…).

The class posed very happily for a screen shot photo before we all went our separate ways.

Three two hour sessions was just right, with time for homework and practice. I already have my next STITCHES event on my calendar… details coming very soon!

In between the two weekends I taught a three hour wool appliqué class with the Original Sewing and Quilting EXPO. It’s the first time I’ve worked with them. I selected a new backdrop and set up my teaching table.

Students came from right across the country. OSQExpo do record the classes so not everyone attended the live session but everyone who did stitched along quite happily and posed for the pic!

I did kits with everything included, apart from basting thread, pins and scissors. USPS delivered them safely and it was good to know that everyone had all the right threads and needles at hand. Yes, I even wound mini bobbins of appropriate wool Ellana thread to put in the packets. I worry about adding the $5 shipping cost into the price but I think it’s worth it! I am sure I will be teaching with OSQExpo again. I’ll let you know.

I love hearing from students, especially when they send pictures of finished projects.

Kristine was in my September STITCHES class, Explorations in Folk Art Stitches. She used the new bird design I drew especially for the class and finished her piece with Kantha style stitching and beads. She told me she didn’t really like variegated thread but it was in her kit so she used it anyway… I think she has changed her mind!

WOW! I’m going to be trying that stitch she used on the back of the bird.

Mary took my Intro to Folk Art Embroidery I did with Vermont Quilt Festival @ Home. Everyone received a mini batik panel from Turtle Hand to use in class. Mary stitched a toucan.Don’t you love it?

It’s so encouraging to see what people stitch. Sitting in front of the webcam can be decidedly weird sometimes but it works!

I didn’t post any pictures from my in person class down at Thimbles in Lockport so I need to put that right now.

We were allowed a few more students than last time but we were still spaced out, masks at the ready and hand sanitizer in use!

We finished the class with a spiral demo. Regina got it!A full day of Walking Foot Quilting. It went well enough that I am booked for a repeat performance on December 8th, just in time to learn something new to get your Holiday gifts finished?

Now that I’m earning again I don’t feel so bad about going shopping. There is absolutely no logic in my thinking but I’m not known for being logical… so I bought the fat quarter stack of Lesley Tucker Jenison’s latest line, Warehouse District from my friends at Artistic Artifacts. I had been watching out for them for a while, nobody locally seemed to be getting them in, so when I saw them in the  Artistic Artifacts newsletter I swooped in and made my purchase.

I have an idea. I will need to add some solids but I do have some of those in my stash…

However, this week is going to be busy. Tomorrow evening I will be meeting with the Burlington Carousel Quilters of North Carolina to give a lecture. I’ll be teaching for the Pacific International Quilt Festival Online on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Saturday morning it’s the turn of the New Braunfels Area Quilt Guild in Texas to enjoy a lecture and then late afternoon (5.30 CST) I will be back at PIQF for a studio tour. I wouldn’t be able to do all that if I had to fly between cities!

It’s going to be next week before I get to cutting up those fabrics?

BTW: Today is a big day in the Redford family… we are waiting for news of an eighth grandchild… no pressure Sarah… just keep breathing….