January Jump Start!

January seems to be off to a  great start and I feel as though  I’ve accomplished so much in a  short period of time. But as  usual, as one thing gets  checked off my list, two more  get added onto the bottom. This  may seem like an exercise in  self-defeatism, but I just can’t  help the way my mind works,  constantly coming up with  more creative ideas than I can  put into action. The trick is to  keep writing them down and go  with the  flow. If I’m forced to be realistic I have to admit that I’ll never get them all done… but I’ll certainly have a great time trying!

One of the major projects on my list for 2013 was forming a club to teach workshops to fellow quilters right here in my own community. As much as I enjoy travelling for teaching and lecturing, it’s sometimes nice to stay close to home, especially in the winter. So I formed the Plenty Piecemakers Quilt Club and we held our first meeting this past Sunday, January 27th. I am pleased to report that we have nine enthusiastic members who are all incredibly talented, and as diverse as an absolute beginner to someone who as been quilting for “a hundred years”.

As part of the club, I am publishing a newsletter that contains a 12″ block of the month pattern and this month featured the ‘Posy Basket’. In the photo above you can see that I’ve made four of the blocks and set them together to create a center medallion effect. I am using fabric from my stash and have dug into my 1930’s reproduction collection that has been sitting for quite some time. I’m designing blocks that have a Great  Depression look about them and I’m also trying to incorporate techniques that were true to the era. By carefully selecting the right blocks, I will be able to introduce the club members to various new techniques such as the hand appliqued handle on the basket. I did a brief demo at the meeting, just to show everyone how easy it is to applique a bias strip, and even those who were most intimidated had to admit that it really isn’t all that scary. I love the beginning of this quilt and will probably keep adding little extras along the way… so stay tuned for more exciting developments.

 

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One Response to January Jump Start!

  1. Joyce Nicholson says:

    Hello Carol,
    I came to your gallery with Charlotte Campbell one day and was intrigued by your work! I have been doing lots of thinking about creativity during this long, snowy winter and thought of you. I particularly remember the piece of weaving work on the old window frame. Do you teach weaving? I have several old window frames above my garage and would like to attempt something with them.
    Do you have any suggestions? Looking forward to getting out to see your work again!
    Regards,
    Joyce

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