Material Obsession

Minerva Books

Suffice to say that I have found the quilters in New Zealand to be very willing to try new things, open to new ideas, creative, resourceful and very kind.  I want to thank Sheryl Anicich for inviting me and making this past week such a rewarding experience.  She and her friends have made me feel most welcome at every turn.  They are part of the fabulous 7 Tworags...full of fun, mischief and laughs but not to mention great quilts.

This is us at Minerva Books for my book launch of Making Quilts...the promise of joy.  This book being my first solo effort is one I will treasure always.  I am proud that it has my voice and speaks to quilters...real quilters old and new that want the permission to be free with their work and to do what they love while being completely inspired by those around them.  The community of quilters, I am finding, that no matter where we are in the world is bound by the love of pattern and design and this fact holds us together.

Here we were gathering in a shop filled with delicious eye candy.  I could hardly speak to anyone until I had spent an hour pouring over the options on the walls as well as the funky array of treats for those that love crafts...of course there were books
but there was more...great happy helpful staff!

and more...

This cover of New Zealand quilter is magic!  Millefiori by Chris Kenna has a double pattern spider web done that is spectacular in a word.
These dolls were divine!  And these cards would make a beautiful quilt pattern don't you think?

Lots of shops have a lot of magazines but these are a nice concentrated mix of things we love.

And from idea to the start of something there was a nice display of embellishing threads.

Minerva was just another wonderful experience in Wellington! 

It is a nice place to find my book and Brigitte's as well sitting side by side at the front door. 

The next day it was back to "work".

 

This room was beginning to feel like home in a time warp kinda way.  We set up and sewed all day then before we knew it, the day was over...start again...wrap up...start again...wrap up and finally the last day of teaching with Capital Quilters arrived.  This time we did Red Centre which is a quilt that has a few tricks but generally, we made a lot of progress.  I missed the photo opportunity at the end to show all the variety in the room.    Anyway, we had fun and the quilts were great.

Today I had some time off and did a bit of damage on Cuba Street.  Yikes...so much to love.  I am taking myself to the movies tonight to see Dark Shadows.  Barnabus was my altime favourite hero when I was a kid.  Many an afternoon were spent watching Dark Shadows with Graham Crackers and milk.  Image my delight to find out Johnny Depp is playing his part...dashing off to savour the moment! enjoy...k

Capital Quilters

Well...Well...Wellington.  My husband always makes fun of me because everywhere I go I imagine that I could live there and Wellington is just one of those places.  I think they might get sick of me marveling about all the things that I love but really, I get this place.  The people are down to earth and resoundingly resourceful.  The streets are full of people on foot going to do normal things.  Traffic hasn't slowed once even in peak hour...there is a feeling in the air of creativity.  Having said that I have spent the last four days in quilt land with the Capital Quilters.  Saturday I attended their meeting, saw lots of their quilts and gave a bit of a talk.  I didn't see anyone leafing through library books while I talked so I assume they were entertained...it was fun to get to see some of their quilts and to hear the stories that went with them.

One thing is for sure, quilters are quilters all over the world.  There were comments about not looking too close, loosing a bit of the plot while sewing on a retreat and finally finishing quilts...

Change the names or change the faces and keep the names we are all made of the same stuff.  Check out the dog listening to the story of this quilt...next up to be quilted...or was that her next one?!

Foundation pieced New York Beauty...
A version of my Stash Buster...
Random bits of tangerine and sky...

What a great border treatmetn here.  I think se said the whole quilt started to use that bottom right hand corner fabric...
The Towrags shared their stories and quilts later in the day.  This is a special group of quilters.  They have a great sense of humour and adventure in their group and in their quilts.  I have been treated to a viewing of a video of an event they did last year for the Wellington Fringe festival which revealed a Calendar Girls approach to a quilt show.  71 Quilts were displayed and a story told linking all the quilts by their names.  It was clever, funny, personal and generally a very entertaining event that drew crowds.  I have to say I had quilt group envy.  I felt wide eyed listening to their stories of over a decade of friendship making quilts.
Irene and her husband made this one.  Yep, the dad quilted too!
These suffolk puffs were stuffed with a bit of wadding so this quilt has a bit of weight to it as well as the charm of puffs!
No two quilts looked a like which is another testament to the group that they remain individual in their styles.

I noticed when Sheryl was showing me her quilts that they looked a bit familiar.  One of them, called Woodstock had been my favorite at the AQC show a few years back...Fancy coming over here to discover I was meeting a quitler I really admired!  She does a great job of appliqueing these flowers onto quilt tops!Sheryl organised my visit here and she has done a great job.

The three days of classes so far have been filled with fabulous, enthusiastic quilters.  They work really hard all day!  It is fun to note the similarities as well as the differences but I have to say I have really enjoyed the quilters and their work.  Each day passes so quickly it seems we are only setting up and then packing up and then setting up again!

We spent two days doing Soul Searching and at the end there were lots of blocks and lots of progress working through their stashes. Then we did a day of working with templates which was just as colourful!
Aren't they all gorgeous!!!! Oh yeah and the blocks are great too! 

 

And then, it is time to vanish without a trace until we meet again on Thursday!

Tomorrow is a bit of a rest day but we have managed to plan some shop visits and then a signing session at Minerva Books.  May I just say that after a bit of an inspection of Minerva Books last night I might suggest that it is the most engaging book store on the planet...I could hardly hold a conversation together as there were so many beautiful books catching my eye.  Planning on spending some serious time there tomorrow! 

Thank you to all of you that have been doing my workshops...each day has been a quilting treasure!  ta ta for now...k

New Zealand style....

Living in Australia means going overseas is generally a long trip.  We get used to 9,13, 15, 26 hour trips to visit loved ones or special places.  So yesterday, when after only about 2 hours I was landing in Wellington I could hardly wipe the smile off my face.  So easy.  Customs?  Easy.  What are you doing here Mrs Doughty? Teaching Patchwork!  Easy.  It was then just a few minutes and we were in the centre of Wellington...a thriving hotspot of creativity and fun!  I instantly caught the vibe that I remembered so well and thought, yes, this will be good. 

Meet Deb DeLorenzo, my hostess here for the first few days.  She sits irresistibly in front of a divine silk quilt that she made and which hangs near the dining room table in her house.  It shimmers it's way into eye line and worthily holds the gaze.  Deb's house if full of beautiful quilts.  Many are foundation or paper pieced but all of them are skillfully put together.

The house is filled with beautiful graphic wallpapers and quilts.  This is hanging in my guest room.  The silver wallpaper reflects a warm glow in this photo.  I am snuggled up in the warmth of this room silently reviewing the day which was full of quilty stuff!!!!

More about quilty stuff but I just looked up and had to show you this light fixture...

Yummy.  Can you guess what Deb does for a living? Yep.  She's an interior decorator and every corner of this house belies a secret, loving addiction to detail.  One thing I have noticed is the warmth created by big beautiful curtains!  Lush!  They are complimented by hand made textiles throughout.  Hmm.  Why doesn't my house look like this I have to wonder?  

The textiles are further enhanced by the aged features of the house which include the lovely ceiling work in the living room...not to mention the cool log cabin quilt hanging here!

did I just wake up in France????  I found myself today looking out the window of the car and admiring the fall colours of the trees on the hillsides that surround Wellington.  Funny, they look like Autumn colours, not spring, I thought and wondered why...Duh Dorothy! I'm not in Kansas anymore and it is AUTUMN!

Before I knew it we were at The Capital Quilters AGM.  Quilters that I have met before and many that were new faces in the crowd appeared with show and tell and afternoon tea.  It was business as usual as they discussed the agenda.  There were lots of nice quilts hanging around.  This one is by Sheryl Anicich .  Cheryl has a great style developed with these flowers on pieced backgrounds.

Anyway, it wasn't long before it was my turn to address the group.  They were a great audience and before I knew it we were off again for pizza at Sheryl's house...handmade pizza in her out door oven.  Before we had dinner everyone showed me their quilts which I will show you in the morning.  At the minute I am being lulled off to sleep after a big day of wide eyed quilt viewing and quilt group chatter.  It will be interesting to watch these quilters in action during our four days of classes. I am looking forward to seeing what they can teach me about their style...until then, enjoy. k

how to measure up

There are days when one finds the mind wrapped in silence.   The brain slips into a space created by need for space alone.  I had one of those days and in a weird uncharacteristic move, I had to cancel my class and stay home to rest.  It was an uncommon state for one driven to be driven.

I keep finding my thoughts drifting back to a chain of thoughts about measuring up.  I wonder how we do it and really why?  It all started the other day as I listened to an interview with a rower trainging for the Olympics.  When asked how he mentally prepared for the Olympic challenge I found myself on the edge of the seat wondering what he would say.  Not that I am training for anything except the rat race but how does one control the need to be at one's best all the time?   His reply resonated through the car.  He said that the best advice for growth was to only measure progress against oneself.  He stated that if he took his eyes off the path ahead to look to the right or left he would surely fall behind. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Relief.  It isn't about the race itself at all but rather about each step.  Each step of preparation taken with care and focus.  Then of course what is there to worry about because it all matters.  It all makes sense.  Slow and steady...

Over the last few months we have been carefully packing and preparing for 7 different classes.  A variety of kits and concepts have been reviewed in preparation.  If at each step the care is taken then surely all will be well in the end.  When I find myself looking to the right or the left I just drag the eye back to the task at hand...even if it is looking at that promise of joy stack on my pushed aside in a box under the table...ugh.

At the moment the task is the suitcase.    Packing is such a strange and wonderful past time.  We imagine what we might need.  Gather it all, pack it neatly and then cross fingers that when we get to the airport it is all just under the weight limit and then further that when we get to our destination we have what we need!  The mind goes through continuous spot checks about power chords, lecture notes, images, papers, blah blah blah.  I have had to do this a few times lately and am hoping that when I review the piles it is against the right weight!  It's a bother to have too much stuff on a trip.  It's a bother to not have enough.  My mind categorises the items into possible activities, temperatures, and cultural conditions.    I NEVER get it right but I am getting better at it...I hope. 

For some reason the concept of only measuring myself against myself appeals at the moment.  Can I be better than I am?  Yes, I think so.   Like the colours we all love we vary depending on what surrounds us at any given moment.  However, it is our inner strength to be the best we can that is surely the strongest signal.  As Margaret Olley once said, enjoy your own signature because you are the only one that has it.  Nice.  Flipping through blog land there is so much to see, so much to do, so much that everyone does so incredibly well that it is hard not to compare...isn't it?!   Self worth is only improved from the inside out so with great effort I draw the eye back to home. 

So, away I go to enjoy some new people and to hope they enjoy what is put on the table.  I leave behind the boys again with a warning that there will NOT be any parties this time!!!  I leave behind a lot of other things waiting for a bit of time...

Yummy baskets of hand dyed wool in garden delicious colours.
Jungle beat handyed Africa fabric!!!! Very exciting for a new pattern due out at the craft show...

And stacks of ideas.  I have to wonder if some of my angst driven contemplations this week aren't the result of holding the measuring stick just a bit too high and that....just like so many of you working to pay the man the things that make us tick are just out of reach but that has to be ok sometimes.  When it all gets measured up at the end of the day it is all worth it if we let it be.  Enjoy! k

 

 

chicken soup

I am home recovering from the flu and just generally celebrating how life giving chicken soup can be!  After stating to a friend last week that I wouldn't consider getting a flu vaccine because I "never get the flu" I ended up in bed for the entire weekend.  We won't discuss how this weekend was set aside for other things...ahem.  As other family members fall to the woes of the curse I feel guilty that I brought the lurgy into the house in the first place.  It was nice to have my naughty dog recognise I was too weak to fight as she wrapped herself around my head on my pillow and gently licked my neck.  Normally this behaviour isn't allowed but there was just something nurturing and caring about it so...it happened.  It is amazing how much energy it takes when we are sick.  Even now although feeling better I can't stand for long and I need a nanna nap at 12 noon.   As a self professed busy person I couldn't afford the five days off my list of "important" things to do. 

It is the last month of our 7 block of the month programs so how fitting it was this morning to recieve this beautiful photo from Scotland...

Finished and together this version of our Twisted Tradition looks beautiful hanging in the sun.  So that is it, we get a bit of a rest at the shop from packing up the hundreds of kits each month that whirl their way around the world taking little bits of Material Obsession colour with them. 

When one thing ends new things start.  We are amping up to introduce new block of the months for next year.  The focus will be on using colour to create dynamic effects while learning new skills again.  We will release the new quilts...samples all COMPLETE!!!! at the Quilt and Craft Show at Darling Harbour in June. 

In the meanwhile, Megan has nearly finished her Liberty Tulips.  The sashing fits perfectly and looks wonderful on this version of the ever popular tulip quilt.  As I am scrolling through all my photos I found this one which I am now calling Wooly Bundle as Bundle made it and it's wooly!

The wools are all of a sudden the flavour of the month!  Hand dyed, felt, pre-washed...whatever, we have it all either here or on the way.

On a completely different scale is Kim McLean's new quilt Pandemonium!  Full of colour and quirky applique this one is not for the weak hearted.  Interested in doing it as a workshop with others keen to take it on?   Could be a fun slow burner for the second half of the year and Kim might even drop by to check on everyone one day!

I have some more sneaky news but I'll have to wait as I just found myself snoozing on the sofa...wondering if I'll ever get back to normal energy levels.  I am off to New Zealand for 10 full days!  Yesterday I took myself up to the shops for some wooly pj's and tights for the trip as I have been warned that it is cold there.  Lists of things to do give me a thrill and there are plenty on it now.  The first few classes are with the Lower Hutt Quitlers Guild...looking forward to meeting all of you!

Then Wednesday evening join us at Minerva Books in Wellington for a book signing session!  Following that, the Handmade team has but together a really great weekend of classes and workshops.  I'll be doing signings there Saturday night as well. http://www.wellingtonnz.com/event/handmade_2012 Check it out and come along. 

And that is the up date for me now.  Get a flu shot now!  The alternative is not fun! k

Define friend...

I ponder this definition this morning after a visit from my friend Kate. By one definition... a familiar or helpful thing... she lived up to the written standard helping me get through the end of a really manic busy week.    Another listing states • a person who is not an enemy or who is on the same side.  As I think back to the weekend I think there are lots of things that  spelled friend to me... companion, chat master, laugh stimulator, and generally someone that makes us appreciate the little things in life. 

 

 Kate moved from Sydney to Singapore about 3 years ago much to our dismay at Material Obsession.  She was a fun co-worker while living here and now an occassional one.  Anyway, family brought Kate to Australia for a visit and when that was done she stayed with me for a couple of nights tucked under quilts in our living room.  That brings another part of  friendship to mind...one willing to settle for what is on offer be it of a great standard or not. 

Kate came to the shop with me on Friday and for 10 straight hours she helped sort out the shelves, move furniture and generally get the place in a bit of order while we hung quilts from the book around the place.

While we were at it, Kate discovered a range of fabrics she would like to use for Pheasantville..
Pheasantville is a quilt that was based on that gorgeous bird fabric which is no longer available.  This is a common dilemma  What to do?  Find another inspirational fabric to create a new and most interesting  story for the quilt!  That is what Kate did with this new Tradewinds range plus a few sweet complimentary items from the shelves.  Book in hand and the promise of joy stack of fabrics Kate was ready to go forth.

Kate also has three boys at home so I think she gets a bit of a kick out of hanging around with my boys who are older (not wiser!) as a view to what is to come in her life.  The boys in response try to come up with answers to her many questions about their likes and dislikes in life.  It is truthfully hard not to chuckle when knowing her attempts at lengthy conversations are futile!  So we move on to things we do know will be conversational like going over the quilt she is making in our Marg George Fly Away with Me BOM program...

Here is Kate's Fly Away with me quilt as a work in progress.  She chose to do this program on a black with grey spot which creates a completely different looking quilt.  As we wrap up this program it would be interesting to note how many people have kept up with the blocks. While away on my whirlwind trip I did lots of hexagons.  I have often looked over the shoulder of quilters in classes here with lovely tins full of hexagons. While their tins may be colour coded or stacked neatly, mine looks like this...

The song lyrics in my head at this instant are "whatever gets you through the night...it's alright, its alright!" I'll get there in the end in my own chaotic way.  Here is my progress on the bom to date:

A bit of applique and many, many, many more hexagons to go but I'll get there, I'll get there in the end...oh yeah. 

Another friend that has recently occupied my life space is Brigitte Giblin.  We spent the week together in Nantes as mentioned and had a riot.  I am forever grateful to her for menu translations which in some cases were meal savers!  Her new book is arriving in shop today...

Feathering the Nest, Vintage inspired quilts is a composite story of years of quilts made in Brigitte's unique and wonderful colour story.  Brigitte has been a mainstay of the Australian quilting landscape for decades.  No one can deny her fabulous taste steadfastly sitting in traditional applique and hexagons.  This book is a collection of 20 of her quilts.
This book is printed in French as well as English and sets forth a path to peaceful piecing of masterpieces.  If you haven't ever done a class with Brigitte and you would like her to help you with the choices necessary to bring the pages of the book to life in a class we have a few seats in the first Thursday of the month that you can join.  Pop us an email if you are interested in finishing something started long ago or starting your own new quilt to feather your own nest!

So my friends,...• (often as a polite form of address or in ironic reference) an acquaintance or a stranger one comes across : my friends, let me introduce myself) that brings me to the end of the sitting time and to the start of my day.  Enjoy your friends and the promise of joy they bring you in life...k

Making Quilts...the promise of joy...TODAY

....its early in the morning and I am up with a full head.  After 4 years of planning, making quilts, writing, photographing and stealing moments to dream, Making Quilts...the promise of joy is arriving today.   What will you find inside?  Well, I think hard about what quilting means to me every day.  Since the first time I stacked a pile of fabric up for a quilt I have always thought the same thing...what a promise of joy!  What a wonderful sense of anticipation, expectation and engagement we experience as we plan a project.

Inside it you will find 22 patterns.  Each quilt is defined in three ways.  First, fabric choices because lets face it, the original fabrics are generally no longer available.  Second, construction advice for the variety of methods used to achieve the effect.  Third, the story of the quilt...where the inspiration came from in the first place.  I hope that in these pages you find some answers to the questions I get asked most frequently about choices.  In addition to the template sheet in the book we also have designed a series of popular acrylic templates to accompany the patterns and available in store or on our website. 

The other thing about the book I need to mention is the essense of Australia found in the pages.  As an immigrant to this country I am wide eyed about the effect that it has had on my vision.  As I travel the world teaching I become more and more aware of the influence of the light, the vast spaces and the unique environment in which we live....not to mention how lucky we are to be here!  I am proud to say that this book reveals a very personal attachment I have for this country as I celebrate the 22nd anniversary of my arrival here...22 quilt patterns...one for each year of my life in Australia...coincidence? Yes, but a happy one!  Made all the more happy by bringing the images to life with my husband the photographer!

No matter where we go he opens my eyes to what I can see and captures that image.  Making the book with him was rewarding to say the least.

And while I am waffling on I also have to say thanks to Carol Veillon and her team of wonders at Quilt Mania for taking on the book.  It is always a pleasure to work with confident, talented, energetic women and I am proud to be one of her authors!

 
There are many people that go into making a book.  In this case we have translators who I suspect tore their hair out trying to figure out what I was doing.  I was lucky to meet Elizabeth and Sylvia and to thank them for making the patterns come to life in the book!  And it would also be fun for you to imagine Sandy, the graphic designer of the book.  Poor Sandy was new to Quilt Mania and had no idea what she was in for dealing with me so I thank her for her patience and persistence and the beautiful result!

It is with my sincere and heartfelt appreciation that I thank all of you planning to purchase this book.  We have all of your orders in a pile, shipping boxes are arriving this afternoon and soon the books will be winging their way around Australia and the world. I hope you find joy in the pages...k

Searching....

Recognise this fabric?  It is one of my all time fabrics.  The plum background is a nice value for making a strong statement and the soft yellow and blue, greens and magenta colours tie in with other colours to make a nice composite piece.  It was long time a staple in the shop but now, alas, it appears to be all used up.  This sad statement is made even worse given that one of our quilting friends needs 10cm of it.

Anyone have a strip they can spare or swap?

I searched my stash last night in a state of certainty that it would be there.  I started in the colour blocks and then spread to anything and before I knew it, the entire stash was in a state of disarray and my mind was exploding with questions.  How did I get this obscene stash of fabrics?  How could I have so many fabircs that I love but have never used?  Will I ever have enough time to use up all the treasures that time has allowed me to accumulate.

Further to that I was listening this morning to an interview on the radio with a musician from a band called Passion Pit.  He was talking about his latest album release and the process he had to go through to get where he is now...releasing the album.  One of the things he talked about was the single they were about to play.  He said how could one song be singled out to represent an entire album?  I thought about that and compared it to one of my quilts.  What makes my style me and if I look at one single quilt is it representative of me as a whole or only a small part of me? Can I be judged by this single piece of work or do I need to present the entire collection? 

Then he went on to talk about the production of the album.  Between albums he works with other musicians producing their work.  This satisfying work meant that when he sat down to do his own thing his creative space was cluttered with the ideas of many others and he found himself in a state of confusion...sound familiar?   When I sit down to actually make a quilt it takes a while to filter through all the colours, shapes and patterns I have collected both from my own vision and that of those that I admire. 

I was caught up in his confusion and relating to it 100%.  The single that they ended up playing was called Take a Walk.  In an attempt to get his head cleared from the confusion of the studio scene he took a walk to try to remember the sound of his own voice both figuratively and literally.  There is comfort in hearing his story and knowing that all of us that feed spirits with the process of creativity suffer and enjoy the same process.

 

Expectations of how things should end up often interfer with the process of creating.  We need to constantly remember to break away from our expectations and to work through them.  To see what is actually before us rather than only what we thought we would see.  The result of taking a walk and gaining a bit broader perspective is often satisfaction.

Having said all that it reminds me a bit of this rag rug that Wendy brought in yesterday...

Its a swirling dirvish of delightfully intertwined scraps of fabric that have found new life and a useful purpose.  Wendy demonstrated her toe hold process for making these quilts and a few tips...it will be fun to see the Domestic Bliss Workshop take this process on board and hopefully I will too as I have a big whole on the floor in my living room that would be well suited with this colourful rug!  

I am determined to use my fabric.  That doesn't mean I won't add to it or change the look of it with new fabrics.  I feel like I found some old friends last night that I once loved and still do.  My stash is a mess, just like the laundry and the wardrobe which all seem to have the common thread of chaos.  I wonder if that is my voice?   k

 

mixed bag

Where am I?  I woke up on the sofa wondering yesterday.  There is a time of day when my eyelids are so heavy I can hardly hold them open.  Unlike the other days this past week I wasn't driving home from work wondering how I could cope with traffic in such a state of jet lag.  Each red light was a challenge.  I found myself holding my eyes open with my fingers, singing loudly and moving my attention around the outside of the car to stay focused.  Hunger, sleep and alertness are all happeing at weird times.  It made me realise that I arrived home thinking I was invincable and that I would hit the ground running...and not just because I have to but because, well, going at a serious pace is me.  Unlike this dog.

Dogs were everywhere in France.  Restaurants, department stores, trains, hotels, homes and as you can see very much at home resting in the middle of the road.  I yelled for John to stop so I could snap the photo but there was no rush.  This dog didn't move even when we had to squeeze our car around him to pass by where he rested.  It is an image that stays with me.  The assurance that resting in one spot is ok.  No matter how much of the world rushes past it is ok to be confidently stationary.  I am fighting an erge to step out of the race and lie in the road.

Returning home puts one in a place of worlds colliding.  The head is full of stories, the camera images and the heart memories.  However, there is only a small window for these things as life, work and family merge into the conscious state.

One of the family issues is about these guys.  While attending an AFL game in Melbourne while we were away they ended up in an incident not unfamiliar in the newspapers these days.  Oscar and two mates separated from their group and headed out for a burger before returning to their hotel.  In an unfamiliar city they were surrounded by 7 guys taunting them.  Not surprisingly, taunts led to fists and they were overpowered.    Oscar turned to see his good friend on the ground with his head in some blokes hands being smashed into the pavement.  He hit the attacker and ended up with a broken hand, his friend a broken face just as the police arrived and the assailants ran off. As the story revealed itself I was caught in a state of terror and real anger. So now he is unable to work, attend university or play rugby.   In an instant everything changes.  You can simply never stop worrying about your kids...Here they are having moved the furniture out to the verandah to plan future trips abroad so that I can worry from a distance.

What else is happening?

Thinking, planning and assembling materials for Sue Spargo who will be teaching with us in August.  At this point we have piles of ideas in sweet anticipation.  Books, wool and embellishing threads, ribbons and beads are all on the way.  The ideas is that the applique is finished leaving the workshops for embellishing techniques so the mind whirls with ideas...unfinished projects suitable for this time of year are coming out of the woodwork.

I am also preparing for my next trip overseas to New Zealand.  At the end of this month I am teaching 3 classes in Wellington, New Zealand for the Capital Quilters Lower Hutt.  Then visit Minerva books on Wednesday 30th for a book signing session!  Can't wait for that!!!!

The Queen's Birthday weekend I'll be teaching at HANDMADE again in the beautiful space of the Te Papa Museum  It’s the place for people who want to learn the skills and crafts of previous generations but with modern style and flair...  sound good?  This is the second year of a great concept event so if you are in the mood for some handwork sessions check out their website and come along for what is guaranteed to be a weekend of creative inspiration.  The workshops cover a variety of areas from food and garden to quilting, knitting and the rest...http://www.handmade2011.co.nz so hope to see you there.  Classes are filling up so check it out.

That reminded me to show what we did in the workshops at L'Amour du Fils.  Mostly we talk about using fabrics to create impact with colour.  There is a lot of hesitation to mix and match so we work concepts on creating interest while having FUN.

The Sunburst Templates is a great way to work texture, graphics, colour and desing into a dynamic block pattern.  Everyone has bits in their stash that work up to make this block.

Of course, Garden Party works the fabric like nobody's business!  Fun fun fun with so many options for contemporary or traditional work!

Layering, mixing and twisting...this was loads of fun.

 

 

Things are happening in the shop even though I am not casting a watchful eye over everything. Kelly brought this quilt in to show us now that it is finished.  She bagged it which means it has no wadding and is simply backed.  The thing is that these hexagons have a lot of weight in them and in this climate this is a perfect weight.  My elbow aches just looking at all these hexagons.  I did them for 24 hours straight on the plane and have not been able to open the box since returning!  That isn't so much a statement about hexagons as it is about the state of hectic that I am in.  I found the hexagons a great way to while away the time on the plane.  Having said that I admire these quilts when finished as they are real heirlooms!

So, now it is time to get moving into the week.  Monday morning signals the end of naps in the afternoon just because you need them...the end of snacking at whim, loud music, football games and sharing cars as the week looms ahead.  There are so many exciting things coming up that we are planning...New Zealand, The Quilt and Craft Show at Darling Harbor as The NSW Guild celebrates 30 years!!!! and more more more!

That reminds me, have you encouraged someone under 35 to take up quilting this year for the How Does Your Garden Grow competition???? Well, have you?  Quilters Companion and the NSW Quilters Guild and Brother sewing machines have organised a great competition for those under 35's to win great prizes.  Details of the competition are in The Template and in Quilters Companion.  We have sign up sheets in the shop and are happy to help with any part of the process.  If you have started, send us some photos so we can inspire others to get involved!  Is there a better gift to a young person than the gift of quilting for a lifetime????  Well, is there? No. k

 

 

International Connections

Ah the joy of one's own bed!  I smiled as I drifted off last night knowing I would wake up in my bed and make my coffee exactly the way I like it before hitting the day.  My head spins with images of places and people far away as my arms embrace the ones I love here.  Our travel home was a blur that started with an 11 hour stint in the Paris airport, a missed connection in London due to bad weather and a hotel stay. 

The thrills of Heathrow Airport customs are big news as the lines are long and slow.  Upon arrival we waited two hours in line which was ok as we were pumped up for the trip...however, the two hours at 11pm having been unceremoniously bumped off our flight by British Airways was not fun.  Tired and exhausted we searched the hallowed, cavernous halls of Heathrow looking for a human to help us.  No signs...no attendants and not even a help desk in the arrivals area.  It made me wonder a lot about being human.  Where most of my trip is the echo of boots on cobblestones the sound of our echoing footsteps at midnight in the airport created a different kind of reverberation.  More than once I wondered if we would join those sleeping on the benches. 

We did eventually find a British Airways employee who rebooked us for the next day and put us up at the beautiful Sofitel Hotel which was thankfully on site at the airport.  A nice breakfast and we once again faced our 25 hours of travel back to the homeland. We were redirected to Cathay Pacific  which I have to say was a very comfortable airline.  Nice big seats with leg room and a long list of movies to enjoy.  Hexagons and 7 movies entertained me all the way home! 

Hong Kong airport was not on our original route but it was a thrill flying in there.  Just like the pictures, we saw the beautiful city skyline up against the wild mountain landscape.  Quite a thrill and a lovey open area with large window views in all directions.  Lots of surprises on the way home but we got here in the end.
New friends like Petra and the ladies from the Den Haan Wagenmakers crew have been gathered along the way. 
I learned a new appreciation for what it means to be a quilter in France.  Finger worn antique items and fabrics were everywhere.
Shapes, colour and design delighted the eye at every turn in soft and pretty or colour blocks.

The familiar quilts of home blended in beautifully with those of other lands...

Contemporary and traditional directions blended into a landscape of colour fascination.

Teaching quilt concepts is a challenge I accept with vigor but with a translater it was interesting. There is so much about language that we take for granted bu Elizabeth was incredible.  I got so fascinated with her rapid and concise repetition of what I said that I forgot what I was saying but we got past that in a few short sentences and buckled down with the templates and colour concepts.

I don't know how many streets we walked down or how many divine towns we visited.  John likes photos of alleys so we have lots.  I also thank Kate for my wooly poncho that kept me warm everywhere we went!

From the small details of the gardens

 

to the magnificent accomplishments of man this was a trip that filled the heart and mind.

We arrived home to stories about our boys adventures.  Of course there was a party,a hospital incident, a few food situations including on 24 hour starvation day as well as completely empty cupboards and a full to overflowing laundry complete with many mystery items! 

I look forward to re-entering life at full pace now with a much relaxed head and enlivened spirit.  Hopefully I still feel this way at the end of the day! The washer just beeped through the fourth load already this am so I am off.

Thanks for sharing the experience with me and although I rarely replied to comments due to limited time on the computer I appreciate all the heartfelt messages from so many.  It is lovely to be so connected on so many levels...enjoy. k