More Of My Weekend

I put in my post last Friday that I felt like there was so much stuff I was taking for my weekend class with Diane Gaudynski. I wondered if I was taking too much. I took a photo of the luggage cart before I loaded up the car Monday morning. Yep, that is a lot of stuff for one gal for three days away from home. I believe I used most of what I took over the course of the weekend so I guess I packed well! Of course I took more home then I brought! I ended up with some wool and silk batting, fabric, and different types of thread that wanted to come home with me.

Diane's classes are always a treat. She is not one to evade you questions as to how she accomplishes her different designs or effects. She is very giving of her knowledge, and brings a lot of samples for her students to study. The first sample here is what I did in class. Just remember, these are class samples, not completed works. There is a lot of goofs mixed in. This photo shows another free form frond and what is called a Ripple Stipple. The Ripple Stipple is fun to do and adds a different texture to backgrounds.

Next is a free form feather. In the first class I took with Diane she showed us how to do free form feathers. I was horrible at it. My attempts were very discouraging. This time around Diane showed a different way to approach them and I was able to at least quilt something that looked like a feather! I have heard of and even participated in "Happy Dances" before, but I really wanted to get up and do a "Feather Dance" in class after I was able to quilt feathers. I was soooo excited. Of course they aren't perfected yet, but at least you can tell that they are feathers.
In my hotel room each night I set up my Featherweight and sewed away. I have been working on blocks for a Paducah Nine Patch quilt for years (made with 5" squares of fabrics that you cut, sew, slice and resew). It is a project that I took with me different places, but rarely worked on it at home. I had 18 blocks to finish and I did it! Now to get the blocks put together in a quilt top!

I worked on a couple more BB Bags and sewed some on one of my newest projects, My Piece Of Heaven blocks. I think I have mentioned before that I am doing a blue scrappy quilt. I found the pattern on Bonnie Hunter's web site I will show photos when I have more progress on it.

All in all, I had a wonderful quilting retreat! Now to find time to implement what I learned!