The Best Way to Figure It Out

The best way is to make it along with the class. So, here is my last exercise (about 43 x 43). I won't reveal the slight of hand here -- you'd have to be in the class -- but it sure was fun to resurrect a 'dud' and give it new life. Thanks to the group from the Dairy Barn for being my workshop. Loved it!
 

It's What We Do

Design is a language that, even if you speak it, is still hard to speak clearly. So, today's workshop started to take on those big concepts. And try out some sketches so we had concrete examples to talk about. I can't wait for tomorrow. 

 

They're Here Somewhere

The great part of virtual teaching is that I don't have to pack my quilts ahead of time. But the hard part is that I don't find them ahead of time. Well, tomorrow we start a Dozen Ways. Start looking!
 

A Dozen Ways

Getting ready for Tuesday's class "A Dozen Ways: Design for Art Quilts" means splitting out the dozen into folders with supporting material. If only I had a table for each set, then I'd have enough room.
 

Quilt National Gives You a Dozen Ways

I've a piece in this year's Quilt National, an exhibition that opens late May. In August I'll be virtually teaching through Quilt National's website. The three day class is called "A Dozen Ways: Design for Art Quilts" and we learn more than dozen ways to start composition works.  August 17 to 19.

 

Slight of Hand

Often I suggest to photograph your work, print your photo and rearrange. Not on photoshop, or on a computer app, but physically -- printed out paper glued back again to a new design. So, after hitting a roadblock, that's what I did.

Time to Reflect?

The Craft Napa class was a day long exercise in making sketches and designs that become prompts for larger works, that's for sure. But they also gave us images to critique for strong composition, or weak. Happy to see loads of strong works.

Stealing is Easy

As I am heading to Craft Napa next week, I'll give a workshop Dozen Ways: Design for Art Quilts. One of the prompts is to use an image, object, or group from which too steal a color palette. This pile of leaves is full of color range as well as line and shape ideas. File it.

Traveling Boots

Mid January will find me in Napa, California to teach. But this boots mola will take the US mail first and wait for me there. The packing is underway to get materials packed and shipped out.

Second Day with Queensland Quilters

My Brisbane area workshop went pretty well, but in the corner was the renegade who blew through the exercise to start a larger work. Can't stop creatives! We'll stay tuned to see what she comes up with, and wish her to do the same with each class -- go past the goal post.

Two Days to Design

Some of the folks at my "Dozen Ways: Design for Art Quilts" hadn't ever tackled working abstractly, and took on that challenge well. I had a great time in Brisbane with the Queensland Quilters. A lovely group as well as generous.

Do Your Excercise

A simple four patch is part of the class I'll be teaching in Brisbane, Australia later this month. So, here's the start. Just ideas for starting compositions, this is one in the class "Dozen Ways: Design for Art Quilts." The packing has begun!

Who Needs Pat?

Two quilters in my SAQA Oregon class took over teaching my lesson. They saw my DVD a while back, did the exercise, and excelled! What a treat to see the work they had done, and enjoy this group of sharp and talented artists.

Starter Kit

With just one yard, albeit a wildly printed yard, I've decided to make a piece. I've got an idea for the layout, just need to cut it apart and start the design. I'll take it with me for a talk in Eugene, Oregon in two weeks. I like the challenge of using one yard.

With Me Till the End

Karol and Kathy finish the last assignment for the two day Florida workshop, where we designed, discussed, and discovered more than a dozen ways to start abstract works. Great group to work with.

Small is Wonderful

20 hard-working and dedicated art quilters went through all I could fit in a day of working on design exercises. The sketches, at times made quickly and with little advance plans, went under scrutiny, as evidenced above. Day two unfolds tomorrow.

Spread Your Wings

I've flown to Florida for a workshop with the SAQA group here. We'll start tomorrow, and top of the list is to tackle how to design abstractly, and how good design makes for good art quilts. Time to stretch, I'd say.