Typical But Not

 A typical shot of the workshop with tables padded and wrapped with plastic, then surrrounded by screens, rubbings, sketches, fabric. It may look like chaos, but it really does work out famously. We had twelve people ringing the room, a good middle open for discussion and a demo table. QBL made it happen.

And We Got Happy

More great prints from the week at Quilting By the Lake and Laurie's wall with some examples of her work. We had enough room, a decent sink, and lots of ideas to share and bounce from. This was an unusual workshop as it had "independent" in the title, so agendas were encouraged. 
 

The Apron Wraps the Night

The closing banquet for QBL (Quilting By the Lake) has several events like a basket raffle, quilt raffle, lovely dinner and Apron Auction. Each of the four instructors made smashing aprons, mine was bid embarrisling high, and Lisa, one of my indepentend students for the week bid highest. I love that it's hers!
 

All In a Day

By Thursday the studio mates are in the routine, and happy to work on their own prints and compositions. We've figured out spacing, tools, where to place wet prints, and how to pace through several pieces. The only thing we can't control is the weather (hot at times) and the humidity (pretty high = no dry). 

Which to Choose

Tuesday night at Quilting by the Lake is vendor night and it was difficult to choose, so sometimes you have to buy the bunch. Aside from the eveing's gathering, I also talked to Crafty Monkies via Zoom, taught a day at the independent studio set up, and came home to a gutted kitchen (work started!).
 

Monday is Go Day

Lisa wasted no time getting to print, and this dress will be ready to wear tomorrow, if only we had a washer on hand. It was a day to do EVERYTHING all at once. So I was on my toes getting the materials out, but not always as quick as I wanted. And some fine stuff is cooking, and looking good. Independence!
 

Toss 'Em In

The day started with a 'kamikaze' run to weed my old garden, then clean up to get to Quilting by the Lake, organize and set the classroom, then dinner and lecture. After driving home, a bit of hunting for missing items we'll need -- glue sticks, table risers, duct tape and containers. All tossed in the rolling suitcase. 

 

Pick One

At the mini-mall diversion at Quilting By the Lake I asked the crowd to pick one they liked, and mug for this shot. It's the goofy kind of fun one can have whilst 'on vacation' at the retreat. My dinner mate said she needed to get away (husband didn't want to travel) so she was thrilled. This is the fun we have. 
 

Fabric for Quilting by the Lake

I've one more week before leading a surface design independent study at Quilting by the Lake, the retreat sponsored by The Schweinfurth Art Center in Geneva, New York. It's started its first week, but Tuesday night I'm a 'vendor' with a pile of printed fabrics. So, amid the chaos of the studio, I'm ironing. Come see!
 

Independent Studio in Surface Design

 

Independent Studio! In Surface Design, no less, so that means you do your own work, but with needed technical and design guidence when you need that, for a week in July 27 - 31. We'll meet for discussions, motifs, and motives. All in a great space and a solid retreat with Quiltng by the Lake. Come on aboard.

Beginner's Luck

Alegre Retreat was not so very long ago. While I'm thinking about the QBL 2026 class -- Independent Studio for Surface Design -- I thought about those in  my class as newbies. Imagine a week of independent work, no assignments, but a chance to flesh out an idea or sink into a series. Even garments may show up.

QBL 2026 Indepent Print Studio

I'll be at Quilting By the Lake THIS summer from July 25 to August 1!  Independent Studio workspace is an opportunity to stretch and work in depth with students for the week. The class is not yet up on the website for the Schweinfurth, but you can call and register. Wow! I'm so excited. 
 

QBL Visits Schweinfurth

I got the chance to return to the Schweinfurth Art Center and see the exhibit that featured my work alongside three other surface designers -- Petra Fallaux, Margaret Boys Wolf, and Karen Schulz. The Quilting By the Lake students (all astute, kind, fun) were there as the treat for the night. 

Mid Week Art Center Visit

QBL makes sure that our plate is full. We've classes, banquets, auctions, lectures, demonstrations, a quilt show, raffles, and yes, an evening dedicated to seeing the exhibition now on view at the Schweinfurth Art Center. It's all about fiber, so very timely. Go visit, it's a thought provoking show.
 

Yes, It Was That Much Fun

It was 5 days with 9 spunky women in 3 rooms and 8 colors (along with 20 lbs. of print paste) to make 100s of yards of printed fabric. In between all was fun, questioned looks, a few questionable lunches, and a mess of great printing. Thanks QBL class, may you print on!

 

Works in Progress

It goes without saying that printing is a layered process. One set of marks evokes a response from another, until that point is reached when the work says "I'm finished!". Only the maker knows. And if we could read behind that mask, we might have a good guess too.
 

Aprons Away

It took way longer than I would have liked, but I did enjoy getting on the sewing machine to make this apron for the Quilting By the Lake Friday auction. Hard to see, but there are FOUR pockets, enough to make you look a lot for what you thought you had in your pocket. 
 

On the Pin Board

Every Quilting By the Lake conference holds an Apron Auction. The aprons are sent out ahead, and faculty makes them to their liking. As this apron has a stain repellant coating, I can't print on it with my dyes, so I'll be piecing. I've got a week or so to get it done. Wish me luck!
 

Always the Right Glove

Getting ready to head over to Pro Chemical and Dye tomorrow means packing. And from this line-up, I need the left hands. You can find me in two more spots this summer on the East Coast. One is Quilting By the Lake in July, and the other Hudson River Valley Workshops in August. Both printing.
 

Jane's Garden

Now that I'm home for a bit, I'm chaffing for a good weeding session in my garden. Wouldn't it be nice to have a Jane Sassaman Garden? Her work on exhibit last week at QBL is weed free, all upright and neat, full of color and punch. Well done garden, Jane.