Meeting Didi

A special perk of conferences is meeting other teachers.  Didi Salvatierra and I learned we had much in common.  We grew up less than 60 miles apart and attended the same college for a while.

Didi is a talented and award-winning quilt artist.  I enjoyed seeing some of her beautiful work.  I also noted how well her wardrobe coordinated with her quilts!  Visit her website:  http://www.didiquilts.com/  to learn more.

Didi Salvatierra

Stars on the Susquehanna

Didi combined contemporary fabrics by Michael James and Kaffe Fasset with vintage soft blue star blocks in "Stars on the Susquehanna."  I love the resultant fresh look!   

Her hand quilting is beautiful.  Didi's clients include: The Mountain Mist company, Barbara Brakman, Mimi Dietrich, Carole A. Liebzeit and AQS quilt appraiser Mary W. Kerr.

Mats & Bowls & Coils, Oh My!

Didi shows samples for her class.  Her fabulous bag features a Jean Wells design.

Other teachers for the Blue Ridge Quilt Festival this year were: 

Featured artist Paula Golden http://www.paulagolden.com/ 

Susan Brittingham http://www.susanbrittingham.com/ 

Linda Fiedler and Kathy Sevebeck

Festival chair was the incredible Karin Tauber.  We all had a great time!

Thrifting Mondays

It's week two of Thrifting Mondays, inspired by Apron Thrift Girl (see right sidebar).  Travel teaching has kept me busy, so I didn't get to the thrift stores this week.  I was thrilled to find this Singer part -  in its original box - some time ago. I'm always on the hunt for anything sewing related - be it fabrics, machines or buttons and thread.

 

The attachment has three cams.

Too cool.

Until I found this Singer featherweight zig zag attachment I wasn't aware it existed.  Makes sense though.  The buttonholer makes the most perfect buttonholes ever and employs a zig zag motion.  I never use other machines for those, but that point is moot.  I no longer make my own clothes so have no need for buttonholes. 

It was a grand find, as I have a growing collection of featherweights.  My first belonged to an aunt.  It could have gone to any of my three sisters, but came to me because, at the time, I didn't have a good sewing machine.  Reason enough.  I'd never seen a featherweight and thought it was the cutest thing ever. There's a photo of me somewhere, taken the day before my son was born, making a Raggedy Andy doll on my Aunt Esther's machine.

I always wanted another and searched for years.  Suddenly, they began to fall in my lap, along with the card tables.  My BIG IDEA was to start a featherweight business with my DH.  That still hasn't happened.  But I am blessed to have three tables, five or six featherweights and many attachments.  When the market is right, most will be sold. 

If you're patient and persistent, almost everything can be found at a thrift store.  I'd love to hear about your "finds." Happy hunting!

Wacky Nines Saturday Class

Class Picture

Students in my Wacky Nines class last Saturday were so much fun.  I've reposted our class picture as I unfortunately did not get photos of everyone's blocks.  All were dynamite!  Thanks, everyone.  It was a joy having you in class. 

Below are the few shots I did manage to capture:   

Pam Perdue's colorful blocks coordinated well

with her sweater and cutting mat! 

      

Pam's work.

Christina Thomas

Some of her blocks give the illusion of long hallways.

I loved Christina's use of the black and white fabric. 

Betty Tyree used solids and large scale prints,

giving her blocks a sense of movement.  

See - it IS possible to finish nine blocks in one session.

Aren't these fun?

 

Betty Elkins' expression says it all!

More Talented Students

I love teaching my Gimme Shelter class.   It's especially fun to watch those used to doing exacting work to liberate themselves and have fun.  We all put the stresses of our lives away and just "let the fusing begin."  Here are more of the delightful results.`

Claudine's blocks have the definitive feel of her homeland - Germany.

Claudine Pleimling

Christina Oosthoek's blocks had a starry, starry night background

Brenda Kinney came the furthest for the BRQF

to join her friend from Australia!

Worker Bees

MaryBeth Baker's innovative blocks.

She's on the right in the above photo. 

Lois Hinkle

I later learned Lois had stunning wearables in the show.

Love the doggie with his bone.

Marilyn Spencer brought lots of cute whimsies

to add to her blocks.

Good buddies Suzette Hire and Ruth Bunt

ready to depart.

Look for more class photos tomorrow.

Gimme Shelter - My Friday Class at BRQF

The views were awesome from the Blue Ridge Quilt Festival venue.

Check the huge windows!

Friday I taught "Gimme Shelter."  I'm always amazed at how much of each student's personality ends up in their work.  Each one was different from all the rest.  Each one was wonderful.  I was so lucky to be surrounded by talent and fun each day. 

Here is some of their work:

"I'm the Man"

by Elaine Myers

Here are four more from her.

Fun and quirky, Elaine is a professional longarm quilter.

Contact:  quirkyquilter@pemtel.net  540.626.6767

"Sugar Shack"

by Linda B. Smith

Note the cookies and candies. 

Linda is a gifted artist. http://www.lindasartstudio.com/

Susan Donkers 

Her cute blocks went so well with her outfit!

Check back tomorrow for more photos from "Gimme Shelter." 

Blue Ridge Quilt Festival Class

My fabulous students!
Photo by Betty Tyree

Betty E.

My Saturday class was "Wacky Nines."  Students were encouraged to liberate themselves and not follow "quilt police" rules.  Each one did an amazing job - combining colors and fabrics in innovative ways.  The results were fun; the students even more so.  Things got a little wild near the end of the day, when the gang composed a "fight song."  I'm sure it was all due to chocolate withdrawal.

Each is holding one block from the many they made.   There were some real stunners. I'll be posting student work tomorrow.

Dorothy - A Breath of Fresh Air!

I'm on the left with the amazing Dorothy.

While teaching for the Blue Ridge Quilt Festival I had the great good fortune to stay with an incredible woman.  Dorothy was so welcoming and caring and so much FUN!   I liked her instantly. And she

REALLY knows how to drive in the mountains.

In her Subaru she drove me  to the top of Clover Meadow, where her beef cattle graze.  As we neared what seemed like the fast approaching edge of a cliff, I began laughing  and was a little "white knuckled" as I asked her, "Am I Thelma or Louise?" 

Dorothy introduced me to a new way (to me) of cooking/eating/thinking. I'm anxious to learn much more about this ancient diet.  Although I consumed fewer  calories than normal, I was totally satisfied and never hungry.  I even lost 3 pounds over my four day stay!  The book "Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners" by Amadea Morningstar is highly recommended. 

Dorothy adds minced garlic and ginger to a stir-fry of asparagus and spinach.

Coconut milk was added along with Eastern spices.

The dish was served over a mixture of rice and mashed mung beans.

Dessert was freshly picked blueberries.  YUM!

What a glorious view!

I loved being in VA.  Every minute was wonderful.

Thrifting Monday

Indonesian Batik

I have a very small collection of wax batiks - all blues.  This authentic Indonesian batik is a recent addition - spotted from halfway across a thrift store.  It still bears its original paper label and of course has never been washed.  

Finding it was pure luck.  I'd gone to Mary Jo's (the famous fabric store in Gastonia NC (1-800-MARYJOS) and was searching for Hobby Lobby when I found the shop.  How cool is that?

Safely Home

Mist on the Blue Ridge

This photo was taken at dawn -my first morning in Newport VA.

I'm safely home from a glorious trip to the Blue Ridge Quilt Festival.  So much to tell and show, so little time tonight.  I'll be posting photos all week - so please visit again soon.

Father's Day

My father as a young man.

After 28 years, I still miss my father. 

YUM!!!!

Divine!!!

Blueberries  have been outstanding this year.  My DH buys at least two pints. and a quart of strawberries. from the farmer's market at the bottom of our street at least twice a week.   We're stocking up while the fruit is primo!

To freeze:  Line an edged pan with waxed or parchment paper, place a single layer of washed and dried berries in pan, freeze for 2-3 hours.  Pour into freezer bag, removing as much air from bag as possible.  We love to eat these frozen - for a sweet but very healthy snack!      

Thrifting Monday

Bernina Feet - my best thrifting find ever!

I sold the walking foot on ebay.

I just learned one of my favorite bloggers, Selena Cate of Apron Thrift Girl posts a recent thrifting find each Monday. Since I just happened to have written about my latest item earlier today, I've decided to adopt/adapt this idea.  Some things shared will be recent finds; others will be from my collections.

                                                     

The lovely frock above was purchased because my DIL wamted it for Halloween.  Turns out, the waist is probably sized for an 8-year old!  Don't you just love it on the Best Buy NASCAR driver?