Search This Blog

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Taking classes and finishing things


To my dismay the first time I finished this quilt and hung it on the wall the sides were like the ocean waves going up and down . It was definitely not flat against the wall and I thought that I had conquered this problem a long time ago. One must not take things for granted after all.

I had come home from a class with Anna Hergert in Kingston and was so excited to start a new project that I finished this one in a hurry.You know the little voice in your head that tells you to finish a few things before starting down the next path. I learned my lesson. It took me one whole day to take out the sides, add more free motion stitching to bring it flat ( I cut out a whole inch from the facing fabric, no wonder it was wonky) and below is the finished result hanging in my living room.
I am now loving living with this piece.
Now for Anna's class. I had forgotten my camera but I can show you the end result of my time spent with her.
It has been quite awhile since a workshop took me to so many new places .I often have pieces in my head which I can't make because my technical ability has not yet caught up with the creative process. I just don't know how to make it happen,YET.
Anna is an amazing teacher, warm, supportive,giving of her expertise in a way that you know that you can do it. Below is a detail of my first little sample.
Hand stitching, I never thought that I would be embracing embroidery again! It is fab, especially when you use those lovely hand dyed yarn. Then using a craft heat tool to cut the sheer after you have stitched it on. Brilliant!. I don't know how much fabric I have wasted in the past trying to cut it just so. Oh , of course and using Shiva sticks to get those sheer shapes.
This works so well.

I roomed with my friend Pat and started second small piece in our spare time. I am not a late night sewer but we were up until 1 a.m. to work on this project.
The biggest compliment to Anna is that I went home and finished them both. I must also tell you that her work is sublime. You can check it out on her website.www.annahergert.com
She is also an amazing teacher. To take a class would be a treat .

When I came home my idea that I couldn't make work is now possible. I pulled out these fabrics to look at while I pulled it all together. The wheels are turning and I will keep you posted.
Fabrics by Elaine Quehl and me.

No comments: