Geez, I am wasted!! What an amazing, exhilarating, innovative but mind-blowing 5 days! I am mentally and physically exhausted... that's not hard I know. The quilts I've seen, and the experience was absolutely fantastic. I had two classes Norma Ewart's Quilt as You Go was so amazing. Now I can make a quilt in pieces, quilt them and then sew them all together.. I found a book about it too so I'm really keen to get started. I was an Angel for Shirley Goodwin in her dying and painting class (an Angel in a Dying Class!!!) Shirley let me have a go at dying fabric - so I did this red piece - I put a few folds in the fabric and then laid matchsticks and sprinkled rock salt before putting it in the sun to dry. 
This piece was going to be bright turqoise. lime green and yellow. I had rubber bands, matchsticks and a plastic peg basket laid on it. Ready to take it outside and 'the fallen angel' knocked a mug of pink dye all over it (and the floor!!) ..... so I had to start again and it's a tad darker. 
I will have to have another go at it sometime... this was my first experience at dying and sundrying, but I did try painting on fabric however it was a disaster!!and then on Monday I was in June Nixey's class on Stitching outside the Square. This was one of about 40 quilts she showed us. What a wonderful tutor she was... and gave us heaps of patterns and ideas. 
How to make scrappy quilts .. nine-patches, diagonals, stars simply and quickly. The Exhibitions were huge.. most quilts beautiful but some of the arty ones were a little weird but hey, I am not an expert and don't profess to be a judge.
This piece was going to be bright turqoise. lime green and yellow. I had rubber bands, matchsticks and a plastic peg basket laid on it. Ready to take it outside and 'the fallen angel' knocked a mug of pink dye all over it (and the floor!!) ..... so I had to start again and it's a tad darker. I will have to have another go at it sometime... this was my first experience at dying and sundrying, but I did try painting on fabric however it was a disaster!!and then on Monday I was in June Nixey's class on Stitching outside the Square. This was one of about 40 quilts she showed us. What a wonderful tutor she was... and gave us heaps of patterns and ideas. How to make scrappy quilts .. nine-patches, diagonals, stars simply and quickly. The Exhibitions were huge.. most quilts beautiful but some of the arty ones were a little weird but hey, I am not an expert and don't profess to be a judge.I bought batiks from Wright Fabrics - Milton Wright's are so reasonable at $12 metre.
Cottons I bought from a little shop from Johnsonville but they are imported from WA.
Beautiful fabrics from Toad Hall in Otaki. SusanClare had marked her fat quarters down to $4.00 each.. and some were out of her bargain basket 10 for $20. Her patterns are great value too at $6... laminated so I can't lose them.
I'll post some photos soon. So no more spending for me for a few months. I should have lost 30 kgs to get all this fabric I've bought, books and cottons.. eeek. (I only lost .2 kg last week but I have tried to be good over the weekend.) I hope to get a head start next week on the pre choly 'diet' over the next few days. Have to load up the bathroom with puzzle books and magazines!!! Hehe
3 comments:
Awesome~! I want to learn the different ways to 'quilt as you go' too!
I am going to the next Symposium, it's in Queenstown! 2 years to wait.... *sigh*.
I love your dyeing... you must tell me how to do it!
Great to hear that you enjoyed symposium...wish I could have been there but as Im living in singapore that would be a bit difficult. I would love to see your photos!
regards
Marianne (ex wellingtonian)
Hi Karen,
Glad that you enjoyed the Symposium and what a lot of fun, you must have had.
I actually heard an article on the radio about it which was interesting.
Your dye work is neat and reminded me of the tie dying we used to do.
Have a good weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
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