Recovery from two tough weeks

It is one week after finishing two weeks of workshops with Nancy Crow - Sets & Variables I & II and Sets & Variables III – and I'm still in recovery mode.

My focus the past year was in making that quilt sandwiches and stitching those quilting lines. Though I can pat myself on the back and say, yes! to bringing a few quilt tops to their ready-to-hang state, these skills did not help me in the workshops.

The month before I'd struggled with finishing the ribbon quilt. How many times did I sew together something only look at it, blanch, then begin anew? So I left for the workshop feeling like I'd forgotten how to create. And I did.

I was unprepared. Despite slogging through those weeks, I got a lot out of them. I'll post more about the workshops later.

I've now spent in total five weeks in four of Nancy's workshops. I am still in awe of the woman – she's amazing and inspirational. Words alone cannot convey how fabulous a teacher she is. She teaches more than piecing, more than quilting, more than art. Much more.

I have a list of things to work on. I have exercises and ideas to develop. Projects to finish. I have direction and aspirations. I am now much more clearly focused. I intend to sustain this feeling this drive until I return to the Barn once again.

Refusé

We regret to inform you that your quilt Neutra House was not selected to be shown in the Tactile Architecture 2010 exhibit. We received many entries, all of them extraordinary. The jurors had to make many difficult decisions. Thirty-three quilts were ultimately selected for this exhibit.

Thank you very much for allowing us to consider your work. We greatly appreciate your willingness to share it with us.

Neutra House is not going to Houston for International Quilt Festival 2010.

Sticking with the program

It was my very last weekend before Ohio and workshops at the Crow Barn. I've shipped three boxes jammed with fabric. I've completed the top of the ribbon quilt. I've made more motifs.

The weekend was full of temptations. An errand brought me close to my favorite haunt - East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse - great finds but not so good use of time. Nearby was an even greater temptation: fried chicken sandwich from Bakesale Betty's. More so because it was early enough to avoid the usual half hour or more queue. Great eat but not so good for the weight's line. A narrow escape.

This week it's bed by 9 and rise and shine at 5. Moving into Ohio time. Saturday I'll be on that early morning plane to two terrific intensive weeks.