Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Hazy, lazy summer days.....

Ah, the joys of summer in Canada - the days that we dream of all winter long - well, at least I do. Being able to roll out of bed and step right outside and feel the sun warming my face.....ah, heaven!!

It's also the time that classes tend to slow down as everyone else is also engaged in outdoor summer activities - golfing, gardening, camping, cottaging, walking and just generally being outside and soaking up as much sunshine and fresh air as we can. The slow down in classes opens up a window of 'free time' to devote to samples and trying out new patterns for the fall and winter classes. So while I do enjoy my outside time I do have to devote a certain amount of time to inside sewing.....a part of teaching quilting that many people don't realize. I'm not complaining just stating a fact.

This is the same with show promoters, magazines, stores - anybody who works in any of the industries that deal with seasons. In the magazines they work about 6 months ahead - so while we are basking in the sun they are thinking of Christmas.....I personally am busy getting basic samples and prep work done for the The Creative Festival in October - www.csnf.com - and have been thinking about the fall show since the spring one ended. I also have some long term work in the preparation stages - or idea stages for the spring 2007 show. Sometimes it's hard to think that far ahead - to know what students will want to see and do. On the other hand it does give you enough lead time to re-think a design or process in case it doesn't go the way you think it will. And believe me that happens more than I'd like sometimes - although with practice it happens less often.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Inspiration - Where does it come from??

I often get asked how I decide what quilt I'd like to do and how I chose my colors. Sometimes I don't really have as many choices as you'd think - students ask for very specific classes so I do quilts to fit the requests. Same thing with colorways - if the quilt is for a class then I will chose colors that are most likely to appeal to a variety of people.

BUT when I am choosing for myself - an entirely different set of 'rules' take over. Unfortunately I don't always have a lot of time left over after class samples to make things specifically for me. That is the reality of being a quilting teacher - what you want to do for yourself takes a back seat to what needs to be done first. This is not a complaint because I love what I do and I get so much pleasure from teaching that it is a small trade off. When I get to the point that I no longer enjoy teaching then I will stay home and sew just for me!!

Surprisingly having to sew for others tastes has actually made me a better quilter. It has forced me to use colors that I wouldn't have used - pastels - I love bold contrasts - and it has made me look at patterns not the colors that were used in a quilt or project. It has also made me re-evaluate patterns and the ways in which we sew our quilts together. There is nothing like the challenge of a student to ask why you are doing something this way to make you think about just why you do sew in the way that you do...... are you doing it this way because it's the only way you know or is it truly the best way to do it??


If you are feeling very comfortable and haven't done anything challenging in a while - get out of that comfort zone and tackle something new - a new colorway - a new quilt pattern - take a class - anything and you'll be surprised at what it does for your creative juices......

Tuesday, July 04, 2006


Flying High!!

When I started this blog I thought it would be so easy to post something every day or so - well, it wasn't as easy as I thought. Between life committments and then being tongue tied or is it keyboard tied these days? I just haven't posted but I am starting again and hope to do better....starting now.

I just got back from attending a great quilt festival better known as the Vermont Quilt Festival - to find out more about it visit their website at www.vqf.org. I have been attending this festival annually since 1991 - this is my girls version of the guys going off to a hunting or fishing camp. Only I think this one is a lot more fun!!
When I first attended I was in total awe of the quilts that were entered in the contest portion of their show and felt that I would never be good enough to enter a quilt myself. To this day I am still in awe as I walk the show and see the caliber of quilt that is entered into this non-juried show.

Two years ago I plucked up my courage and shushed the little voices that said that I was over stepping my bounds and entered a quilt in the competition. I took a second place ribbon and I was one very happy quilter! Last year I had nothing to enter as the quilt I had thought of entering was elsewhere. But in checking the criteria I saw that I could enter it this year and did so . Drum roll please - not only did I get a first place ribbon but I was also awarded the prize for the entry with the most points from outside the US AND I received a Judges Choice award from Libby Lehman. I am still 10 feet off of the ground.

I have included the photo above of Libby and I standing in front of my prize winning quilt - I'm the one on the left. So to all of you creative people out there who think that you'll never be good enough - keep plugging away and remember you'll never know if you're good enough unless you enter the contests.
I sure never thought that this could be me!! ;-)