Brian Haggard Crazy Quilting workshop

Well, I guess if we are talking crazy quilting, it is only appropriate that the picture of the book is sideways!  This past week I had the pleasure of taking a workshop with Brian Haggard at Threads of Time in Danville, IL!  I have started a small group with my local guild dedicated to crazy quilting (no comment as to the mental status of the quilters within the group!) so was eager to learn some more about this art form!

Brian is a delightful gentleman!  As you can see by his unique style of book signing, he is a larger than life character!  His love of the art of crazy quilting and for teaching was so evident throughout the two days of the workshop! 

Our first assignment was to email a family photo that we wanted to make into a project.  This is my favorite picture of my mom's mom and dad!  Grandma had had a stroke when she was in her late 40s.  Grandpa was a character, as you can tell by his Hawaiian shirt (I love Hawaiian shirts, and would wear them everyday if I could!). So I was a bit dismayed when I got to the workshop and found that they had not received my picture!!!  I would have to pick out a picture from their stash. Long face...until they discovered that my picture had ended up in their spam folder!!!  YEA!!!

Here's my project before I start the handwork and the embellishing!  Brian used his dyeing technique to add the keys to the border!  I sat at a table with some great ladies, two who are from my local guild.  One lady was from Chicago and was such a delight to chat with.  We all had a great time chatting as we worked on our hand stitching!

Here is Brian and I at the end of the workshop!  I got a lot done, but still had some stitching to do!  This picture was taken in Mae's Garden behind Threads of Time!  It is a delightful place to sit amongst nature and contemplate your next project!

Need a label for my project?  Nope!  Brian even signed the backing that was provided in our kit!  How's that for making a great memory!

Voila!  It is done!  I probably could have done more stitching in the crazy patchwork itself, but I am very pleased with the outcome!  I know Grandma and Grandpa are smiling down on me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hubby's Quilt

Last week I was not feeling the best, and elected to not take my embroidery machine to embroidery club at Threads of Time in Danville, IL.  I asked hubby if wanted to go with me, as he likes to talk with one of the owners and he agreed.  After I get my kit and talk with the group leader, I join hubby.  Hubby decided he is going to look around to see if he sees a quilt he would like for me to make for him.  This is the quilt that caught his eye.

Okay, I have been eyeing this top everytime I go to Threads.  I get the pattern and the required templates.  I was able to pull all the fabrics from my stash.  Including some fabric hubby had purchased a few years for me to make him a quilt (that quilt never got made, as he saw a small wallhanging, and wanted it made into a king size quilt.  Give me a break! SHEESH!)

I checked out her website, which had a great video on how to sew a Drunkard's Path block.  In all my years, I had never done one.  I think I was scared of those curves.  Getting fearless in my old age! Sewing a Drunkard's Path block  I found that using a stilletto on the smaller block was easier than using my finger to guide the fabric.

The templates made cutting out the blocks very easy.  By folding a fat quarter, I was able to cut out 4 blocks at a time.  I used a 5" by 22" strip folded in 4ths to cut the 3 1/2" templates.  And the revolving rotary mat, and an 18mm rotary cutter helped also.

So this is what I have laid out so far.  Hubby is helping with colour placement, and I think he is enjoying the process as much as I am!  I am adding another row all around, plus three borders.  Stayed tuned for further details!

December embroidery club project

This month's embroidery club project at Threads of Time in Danville was a cover for a neat recipe/photo album.  We got to choose our background fabric, and thread colours.  Our intrepid leader Ila created the pattern for us!

It was super easy to do.  I may get some more of the albums and change up a bit of the design for use as a photo album, rather than recipes.

Here's some more of the quilting on my disappearing nine patch.  I just need to get more of the black fabric for the binding.  I was going to make it scrappy, but it is speaking to me that it wants a black binding.  Gotta listen to the quilt when it talks!

Marti Michell

Last night my friend Bev and I headed over the Danville to Threads of Time for a lecture and trunk show by Marti Michell.  We had been looking forward to seeing one of the pioneers of quilting for a while.  We walked in the front door, and .... the lights were off!  Seems as if Danville had experienced a terrible storm (that missed Champaign-Urbana) that caused a power outage!  Oh my!  But thankfully, the power company workers were hard at work, and power was restored!

We all received lovely gift bags with candy, a small emery board, and a magnetic pin holder.  We also received some coupons for Marti products, and upcoming events.

Missy Gouty was our emcee for the evening.  She is a most gracious hostess.  She always greets everyone by name and makes you feel right at home when you come in the shop!

Marti gave a fun lecture and trunk show!  She had so many lovely quilts, and wonderful tales to tell about each one!

A trunk show at Threads is never complete without the quilt boys!  Bill Gouty, on the left, is Missy's husband and co-owner of the shop!  Rex, on the right, is the husband of one of the employees!  They both have a great sense of humor and hammed it up for the crowd!

This is a corner of one of my favorite quilts!  I love the use of the "spikey" triangles for the border!

Okay, it was hard to choose my favorite quilt.  But this one was right up there!  I love black and white quilts, and the splash of lime green, along with the dramtic point at the bottom, really spoke to me!

Yes, of course, I bought stuff!  I am currently in the dreaming/drafting stage of my next big quilt.  I am wanting to do medalions based on hexagon and 60degree angles.  So I was hoping this would help.

She showed some great quilts with six pointed stars.  I may have to make one!

It was a great, fun filled evening!  It is always to great to spend time with kindred spirits!