Class with Kate Themel Part II

After the post from our first session in Kate Themel's class, I thought I'd share some pictures from yesterday's workshop. We all improved our free-motion quilting skills. In fact, it was a new skill to some.

Kate explaining the process for the day.

 Kate demonstrating the method.

 MaryLyn doing her first free-motion quilting.

Very impressive indeed.

 Diane totally engrossed in her work.

 Carol hard at work stitching.

 Alice working on a practice piece in order to hone her skills.

 Barb contemplating the next step.

 Betty Warner doing a smaller piece before tackling a large one with many magnolias.

 Gina, Janine, and Robin.

Ruth Anne trying to work around the tension issues of her machine.

It was fun to be working together on a lovely project. We all jumped at the chance to take a class with Kate. 

2011 Sisters' Extravaganza

As you may remember, the Sisters' annually host a day of all things 'art-quilty'. This year in a departure from our norm we shifted from the comfy hospitality of our Yvette Howard's home to a commercial venue. No surprise here: it was a quilt shop(!) Vivian Lazich, owner of Sew Inspired in Simsbury CT invited us to her studio-classroom space. Granted, it was a huge hardship on us all to HAVE to relocate to a quilt shop. LOL.

Vivian went further. Having just returned from Spring Quilt Market she was a fount of information about the newest techniques, books, fabric lines etc. Whetting our appetite. She also demonstrated several really interesting products and techniques...decolourant, paints, adhesives...boggling some brains I can tell you. Thank goodness for note taking, otherwise it would have been a total sensory overload by the end of the day.

Of course, none of our gatherings is complete without Show and Tell. Always a feature! This year was no exception.

The first photo, with it's maker and frequent Sisters' guest Betty Warner hiding behind it, is her piece about the Liberty Bell which is soon to be shipped to an exhibit in Philadelphia. It honors the 9 slaves of George Washington who were not recognized during their lifetime.

Second photo is Sister in Cloth member Ruth Anne Olson with her most recent piece...still under development..featuring some of her beautiful hand painted fabric.

The whole day was a happy mixture of old friends, inspiring work, interesting new ideas and techniques, tasty food from neighboring restaurant AND piles of new fabrics. AND the sun shown for the first time in days. Gosh, life is good...especially for an art quilter.

And to add icing to the cake Vivian asked us to repeat the event next year! Really makes a girl smile.

Extravaganza 2010

Sisters in Cloth annually hosts a day of all things "quilty" that we have dubbed an Extravaganza. This year Betty Warner (www.bwarnerdesigns.blogspot.com) who is a very talented, knowledgeable and amusing teacher agreed to corral the independent, high-spirited group and demonstrated several hands-on techniques.

I think the jury is still out on whether she'll agree to return. Let's just say it was a lot like herding cats to get us all "attending" to the task at hand. It was just that kind of joyful day.

Of course there is always Show and Tell. Again, more high jinx with wonderful, artful pieces shared by all.

Here's Janine showing us her results of our class with Melanie Testa (melanietesta.com).

Two treats at the Show and Tell were the work of guests Rosalind Spann and Toni Torres. Below is Toni telling about her Black Mermaid piece (her second quilt!). Both she and Rosalind are among the artists whose work will be exhibited at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival (piccolospoleto.com and northcharleston.org) through June 13.

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Pictured below is Linda Zimmerman

(zimmermandezigns.com), Marie Shepherd along with guest Judy Ross who are admiring the work of artist and vendor Karen Loprete (karenloprete.com). Also vending were our own Ruth Anne Olson (fiberartbyruthanne.blogspot.com) and Carol Ludingtion with her scrumptious hand dyed threads. Jan of Delectable Mountain Cloth (delectablemountain.com) in Brattleboro Vermont had driven down for the day with a carful of gorgeous silks/buttons/laces/velvets...yummm.

Other vendors who sent hand dyed fabric were Laura Wasilowski (artfabrik.com), and Malka Dombrowski (stitchindye.blogspot.com). Needless to say by afternoon we were all a bit giddy from being overstimulated: good food, good friends, good fabric...excellent show and tell.

Our last Show and Tell was the group's presentation of our Farewell Quilt to our Sister Linda Sexton-Patrick (lindasextonpatrick.com) who is in the throes of relocating from her home in New London to North Carolina. It's not quilted YET (it will be shortly) but we didn't want to miss the occasion with all her Sisters and friends to say good-bye.

Thank you to Yvette Howard AKA Incredible Hostess, Barb Adams who organized the delicious lunch and all who help invite, organize, set up, vend, clean-up. It was very much a team effort. Well done, Sisters!