Week 43: EBHQ PoppyPrint Workshops and Lecture

Maybe I am looking at different years when I'm looking up what week of the year it is.  So not even two weeks from my last post it seems to have jumped from Week 40 to Week 43???

This week was full of EBHQ and PoppyPrint Workshops! Krista Hennebury was well organized and provided good supply lists so we were able to at least start getting ready for the workshops.

The first class was Courthouse ColourPlay.  I really like the way the blocks started looking once we were sewing.  

During the class I finished these six areas...

In two places there is not enough contrast via a photo between my color bars and the center, but in person it looks more different.  She has a different way to get the blocks joined - build out instead of cutting to size - that will be fun to work on later once I have a few more areas finished.

I did have trouble though understanding the handout for how much fabric to prepare for Courtyard Colourplay - and that would be one suggestion to her for the workshops.  In the handout she mentions different sizes of strips and blocks, but is not really clear on what we need for the workshop.  In the end she was suggesting 1-12inch WOF strip to start for each color.  So far I'm having a lot of leftover fabric from these cuts.  Some people find it easy to cut into their fabric, for me it's difficult. The patterned fabric in the lower right I'm pretty sure was the third piece of fabric I purchased for quilting when I first tried my hand at it in 1990 or 1991!

The next class was Speed Date With Improv

She teaches it in a very smart way as she made videos to show the procedures ahead of time - so she did not have to repeat everything each time she teaches the class.  Instead she can concentrate on the questions people may have. (She has taught the class to over a thousand students since the pandemic hit - so I guess around 33-50 classes.) Her handouts were clear, and the videos were very helpful.

Here is what I was able to finish in the class:

I just have a few more of the cross blocks to finish to be done with what she was hoping we'd have finished.  Put together it would be around the size of a fat quarter memory wall hanging.

I like the way she had us pick only three fabrics for the project.  Much like the Pam Rocchio class I took having fewer colors really lets one see the design, the piecing.

I want to practice and write up a job aid for myself on how to make the long strip with the triangles that were sewn together on their short sides. This is something I was trying to do way back when I was making the first Liberated Round Robin project. (still a WIP)

I'm thinking instead of just making more of these blocks (especially since I have so many unused charm squares in these colors) to make the project larger I may change things up and add other samples of blocks in the mix too.

What she emphasized in the classes and lecture:

- make small projects to learn the step, or make large ones, but be sure to keep making things - I need to increase my time on this

- and branch out to other than quilting projects to help you grow your skills - I very rarely do anything other than quilting, so I'm weak in this area for sure!

- find help on YouTube as well as in person classes and local guild offerings - I will share a list of my favorite YouTube and blog offerings

- make an effort to make friends - believe it or not I actually work on this in almost every class I attend.  Using chat in zoom to write little notes to people and have shared my email address - but so far no one has written back...)

- participate in sewing activities hosted by community members. - I did the embroidery on the large piece after the Boston Bombing, have participated in online challenges, challenges with EBHQ, and have made charity quilts.

- take photos and organize them for inspiration.  I still regret not taking the photo of the art work in the lobby of the Jamaica airport and I only remember it was white and had a swirl in it now.  Sometimes I am successful with putting photos in online album on my phone - but sometimes they seem to disappear...

- design own stuff - I do this a lot actually - the next step would be make the items and to share and get connected with potential friends that way

- enjoy everything about the quilt - have fun.  I think I'm too serious about learning the craft, need to let go more and finish things and get more relaxed about what people say about my work.

- take time each week just for yourself - to grow, to learn, to practice, to create.  Even in these pandemic times I am very weak in this area.  It seems always something comes up to block what I had planned to do!

The lecture "How to Develop Your Signature Style" was very well organized around six areas, but I think better to not just list them here as she is selling a graphic that lists them.

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I've now missed three of the Lauren classes.  First she was ill, then I had something come up and had to miss the class, then last week the link to enter wasn't working for me...  I hope I can get in tomorrow!

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When sewing (leader and ender style) I have been putting together the triangles Pam Rocchio gave me at the end of her workshop.  I've got a nice little collection of 2 inch HST now.  I was trying to put a light with a dark fabric, but in the end to save time just sewed together the next two in the little stack I put by the machine.  I trimmed them all using my Strip Tube Ruler from Cozy quilts, then pressed them open.  Played around with some of them on my table... 

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Buffy is still doing well, although she has started barking for some unknown reason during the mornings or the afternoons.  We try covering her, holding her, taking her outside, walking her, the hide and treat game, the water bottle game, new carrot chips, new water and food.  She still is barking.  She is eating and sleeping as normal so it's a mystery on what she wants/needs.

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Week 40!!!!! - Reindeer Dash and a Little Road Trip

Hmm - I'm writing this on the Thursday of week 41 in 2021, but it seems I mislabeled previous weeks.  Oh well.

No sewing going on.

Lauren in the Studio class was cancelled as she wasn't feeling tip top.  Hope she is better.

DH had planned on selling some ham radio/short wave listening stuff at an event that was cancelled due to covid out breaks of some of the planners and paid vendors, so instead we went on the Reindeer Dash - 6 quilt shops open their doors with displays and some with sales.  We get a passport and have it stamped at each store and they give us a fat quarter.  Beautiful winter/Christmas theme fabric.

https://reindeerdashquiltrun.com/index.html

We visited the first four shops, then stayed over at the Palm Springs Hilton.  Very nice set up.

Hilton Palm Springs Carpet

We had lunch at the Original Pancake House in Norco, stopped at Hadley's for a date shake, then by the time we got to Palm Springs were knackered so just walked to Sherman's Deli for dinner.  I had a cabbage roll, DH had a pastrami sandwich.  It was good, but the eating area itself wasn't as clean as it should have been.  We think we have been there before for breakfast.  The next day, for breakfast we stopped at Shield's Date Farm and for the first time ate in their cafe. Bernie had a wonderful omelet with feta, dates, ham, bacon and I can't remember.  It was called something with the word Date in it.  I had oatmeal with apples, dates, raisins, brown sugar and milk - and a date pancake instead of the toast or English muffin that were offered.  Next time I hope to remember to get one date pancake and a piece of ham! That would be a nice meal. Oh, on our way out we got a date shake and decided the one from Hadley's was better (and less expensive too).

Before our little two-day trip I was working on losing weight, but didn't keep to that on the trip - nor since returning home....

Week 30: Starting to Spark

Intake of Ideas for Quilting

1. Attended a very nice zoom EBHQ Lecture last Monday.
Finding My Voice in Modern Quilting by Audrey Esarey
Gallery: https://www.cottonandbourbon.com/quilt-gallery
Audrey took art classes before high school, is a project manager now, but really embraced making quilts. It was enjoyable to watch.

2. Thursday was the third in the
In the Studio with Lauren (Kingsland) Eventbrite Series Sponsored
by The Georgetown Lombardi Arts and Humanities Program

I figured out what the second assignment was, and may work on the three of them instead of going thru more boxes this week.  I might be able to get caught up with the Color class assignments now that my sewing room is straightened up!

3. I attended an interesting two-days of YouTube presentations hosted by the Global Quilt Connection. Teachers pay a fee to join the group, then they prepare short presentations. A technique they want to share, or how to do a simplified version of one of their other patterns. After paying the membership fee the teachers apply to be on the list to give a presentation. Presentation is given (not recorded) but a handout is prepared that is supposed to guide viewers so they can recreate the project. The handout includes lists to their websites and contact information to make it easy for guilds or individuals to sign up for further, more detailed, instruction. This is a great way for new teachers, or teachers just trying out a new way to market themselves to get their names out. Yes, it was a marketing event, but most of the presentations were well-done and I learned something I will try out once I am sewing again.

The highlights for me were:

• Brandy Maslowski Fibre Art Frenzy Wine Bottle Bag
• Candy Grisham Perfect Mitered Corners on Borders - Every Time
• Daisy Aschehoug Simple Basting Tricks for Sewing Quarter Circle Squares
• Jane Hauprich Free Motion Frolic
• Tori McElwain - Quilting Motifs: Design with Confidence
• Jenny Kae Parks How Quilters Can Use the Color Wheel
• Susie Monday Design Fabrics with Pattern Apps
• Tina Craig Improv English Paper Pieced Mug Mat
• Julia McLeod Ties to Quilting - Using Neckties in your Quilts
• Sarah Goer Cutting Tips for Improv Piecing
• Lisa Walton Further Fusion Adventures

Go to Global Quilt Connection to see the entire list of teachers and to see either the same presentations I did or previous or future ones.  I can't tell if they charge guilds for this, but the webpages I link to are public so I'm sharing with you.  They are having a scavenger hunt with opportunity to win a basket of items for your guild - see the website. 

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It's been nice to have a cleaner sewing room, but I have just been going in it to impress myself so far.

Buffy is doing a lot better, but she is sleeping so much.  From what I have read, dogs do sleep alot.  I guess I didn't notice as much before as she was moving around anywhere she wanted in the house to get to the sun, or get away from it - all on her own.  We have blocked off the living room as there are so many boxes in there now, and although she does a great job of getting up to the second floor (11 steps) on her own, she goes down way too quickly.  I'm afraid she could crash and hurt herself, so only have had her to that on a leash.  We are still noting her food intake and outtake, when she goes outside in backyard or for walks.

I have waited so long to record our family food intake and shopping that I'm not sure if I can keep up that recording.  I haven't been walking much, and have only done a few planks or leg exercises on my own.

Yesterday my husband and I went to an open air restaurant and had a real meal together. 

Point Loma Seafood:  https://pointlomaseafoods.com/

We each had a scallop plate with coleslaw.  We ate inside as the upper deck was crowded with people and the inside did not have many people.  We were able to look out over the boats while we ate.  Very nice.  I brought my Mom there a few times, and even went by for an iced tea by myself once they built the second story.  So nice to be outside and to see the seals, boats and people.

We could see a new business for renting paddle boats, and there were seals who would come up every once in a while too.  The seals used to enjoy that area at the foot of the ramp that now has boats on it, so they were farther out than before.

Woke up this morning to find out about the oil spill in Orange County.  That is about 2 hours by car from us.  I hope they are able to control the spill and save the wildlife areas.  As DH and I were driving yesterday we talked about (or maybe it was just me talking) how it was important for cities to keep some of the old, open area or special businesses to retain the character of their areas.  

It is still hot and the ants are having a field day finding different paths into and out of the kitchen and bathrooms.  To trick them we are doing what we always have done with Buffy's food - move it to different areas.  So her smelling is really getting a workout.  She lifts the blankets and crawls under - it was fun to see her little tail sticking out the other day.