Saturday with Mary Ellen

I went to see Mary Ellen Hopkins on Saturday. Her trunk show/lecture was
sponsored by Patched Works, the shop in Elm Grove, WI. She's petite,
energetic, funny, and wise. She teaches design concepts, not
how-to-make-a-specific-quilt.

"If it's cute, keep going. If it's dumb, quit." (You can abandon a
project!)
"The simpler the block, the longer you can play with it."
"Make the fabric do the work."
"Don't match it up; you'll kill it."
"Solid black will get you out of all kinds of trouble. It will make your
quilt bright and sparkling."
No plain vanilla! Have backgrounds with interest in the
print--multidirectional lines (angles) (not necessarily stripes) are great.
"Buy long." (Long quarters rather than fat quarters, when cutting strips.)
If you get stuck or your project isn't turning out: "When something is
already done, it's too late. Give it a rest."

and, on getting too uptight: "It's a QUILT. It's not a ticket to heaven."

Great fun, and greater inspiration!

Nann

That sounds like so much fun. One of these days I would like to
see/hear MEH. G
I think that my teaching/quilting philosophy is very close to hers.
VBG Quilting should be fun; it doesn't have to be perfect to be
wonderful and allow yourself to control what you are doing, not let "it"
have control. If it works for you, it is "right".

Pati, in Phx

Nann Hilyard wrote:

I went to see Mary Ellen Hopkins on Saturday. Her trunk show/lecture was
sponsored by Patched Works, the shop in Elm Grove, WI. She's petite,
energetic, funny, and wise. She teaches design concepts, not
how-to-make-a-specific-quilt.

"If it's cute, keep going. If it's dumb, quit." (You can abandon a
project!)
"The simpler the block, the longer you can play with it."
"Make the fabric do the work."
"Don't match it up; you'll kill it."
"Solid black will get you out of all kinds of trouble. It will make your
quilt bright and sparkling."
No plain vanilla! Have backgrounds with interest in the
print--multidirectional lines (angles) (not necessarily stripes) are great.
"Buy long." (Long quarters rather than fat quarters, when cutting strips.)
If you get stuck or your project isn't turning out: "When something is
already done, it's too late. Give it a rest."

and, on getting too uptight: "It's a QUILT. It's not a ticket to heaven."

Great fun, and greater inspiration!

Nann

I've heard Mary Ellen on two occassions. Both times my face was hurting by
the time it was over. I had a continual smile for over an hour each time.
--
Kathyl (KJ)
remove "nospam" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz
"Pati Cook" wrote in message
hlink.net...
That sounds like so much fun. One of these days I would like to see/hear
MEH. G
I think that my teaching/quilting philosophy is very close to hers. VBG
Quilting should be fun; it doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful and
allow yourself to control what you are doing, not let "it" have control.
If it works for you, it is "right".

Pati, in Phx

Nann Hilyard wrote:

I went to see Mary Ellen Hopkins on Saturday. Her trunk show/lecture was
sponsored by Patched Works, the shop in Elm Grove, WI. She's petite,
energetic, funny, and wise. She teaches design concepts, not
how-to-make-a-specific-quilt.

"If it's cute, keep going. If it's dumb, quit." (You can abandon a
project!)
"The simpler the block, the longer you can play with it."
"Make the fabric do the work."
"Don't match it up; you'll kill it."
"Solid black will get you out of all kinds of trouble. It will make your
quilt bright and sparkling."
No plain vanilla! Have backgrounds with interest in the
print--multidirectional lines (angles) (not necessarily stripes) are
great.
"Buy long." (Long quarters rather than fat quarters, when cutting
strips.)
If you get stuck or your project isn't turning out: "When something is
already done, it's too late. Give it a rest."

and, on getting too uptight: "It's a QUILT. It's not a ticket to
heaven."

Great fun, and greater inspiration!

Nann

I have heard over and over of Mary Ellen Hopkins but can't find much
about what her technique involves. Can some of you tell me, what is a
connection or connector? And what is her method? I have read a lot of
interviews and articles, and I'm afraid to buy her books because of
bad reviews on Amazon.com of several. I understand she's a dynamic
speaker, but what is her quilting method?

Sunny

Sunny:
Mary Ellen's 'method' is to ENJOY quilting! She is a
mutilator, who strongly encourages patch workers to
improvise and play with blocks. She is NOT one to
provide strict project patterns. She does provide
suggestions and fantastic ideas.

Connectors are very simple blocks that ME uses to
separate more complex blocks, resulting in a unique
quilt setting. (Some quilters call these alternate
blocks.)

Funny you should mention the connectors ... a few days
ago I discovered I own two copies of her book
Connecting Up #4. So, Sunny, you don't have to buy a
book and not like it. If you send me your snail
address, I can send you a copy! If you like it, fine.
If not, please pass it along to another quilter.

I'll look for your email!
PAT in VA/USA

Sunny wrote:
I have heard over and over of Mary Ellen Hopkins but can't find much
about what her technique involves. Can some of you tell me, what is a
connection or connector? And what is her method? I have read a lot of
interviews and articles, and I'm afraid to buy her books because of
bad reviews on Amazon.com of several. I understand she's a dynamic
speaker, but what is her quilting method?

Sunny

does ME MUTILATE quilts?? and people *like* her?? amazing!

--
Jessamy
Queen of Chocolate Squishies (and Occasional Liquorice Ones)
In The Netherlands
Take out: _I love the colour_ to reply.
www.geocities.com/jessamy_thompson
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jes...pson/my_photos
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunny:
Mary Ellen's 'method' is to ENJOY quilting! She is a
mutilator, who strongly encourages patch workers to
improvise and play with blocks. She is NOT one to
provide strict project patterns. She does provide
suggestions and fantastic ideas.

Connectors are very simple blocks that ME uses to
separate more complex blocks, resulting in a unique
quilt setting. (Some quilters call these alternate
blocks.)

Funny you should mention the connectors ... a few days
ago I discovered I own two copies of her book
Connecting Up #4. So, Sunny, you don't have to buy a
book and not like it. If you send me your snail
address, I can send you a copy! If you like it, fine.
If not, please pass it along to another quilter.

I'll look for your email!
PAT in VA/USA

Sunny:
Mary Ellen's 'method' is to ENJOY quilting! She is a
dynamic motivator, who strongly encourages patch
workers to improvise and play with blocks. She is NOT
one to provide strict project patterns. She does
provide suggestions and fantastic ideas.

Connectors are very simple blocks that ME uses to
separate more complex blocks, resulting in a unique
quilt setting. (Some quilters call these alternate blocks.)

Funny you should mention the connectors ... a few days
ago I discovered I own two copies of her book
Connecting Up #4. So, Sunny, you don't have to buy a
book and not like it. If you send me your snail
address, I can send you a copy! If you like it, fine.
If not, please pass it along to another quilter.

I'll look for your email!
PAT in VA/USA

Sunny wrote:

I have heard over and over of Mary Ellen Hopkins but can't find much
about what her technique involves. Can some of you tell me, what is a
connection or connector? And what is her method? I have read a lot of
interviews and articles, and I'm afraid to buy her books because of
bad reviews on Amazon.com of several. I understand she's a dynamic
speaker, but what is her quilting method?

Sunny

Oh man ... I soon noticed the typo and canceled the
message ... but not soon enough I see!!
See the correct version .... ME is a MOTIVATOR!!!!
That dang spell check does not like that work though!
LOL, PAT

Jessamy wrote:

does ME MUTILATE quilts?? and people *like* her?? amazing!

In article ,
"Nann Hilyard" wrote:

I went to see Mary Ellen Hopkins on Saturday. Her trunk show/lecture was
sponsored by Patched Works, the shop in Elm Grove, WI. She's petite,
energetic, funny, and wise. She teaches design concepts, not
how-to-make-a-specific-quilt.

"If it's cute, keep going. If it's dumb, quit." (You can abandon a
project!)
"The simpler the block, the longer you can play with it."
"Make the fabric do the work."
"Don't match it up; you'll kill it."
"Solid black will get you out of all kinds of trouble. It will make your
quilt bright and sparkling."
No plain vanilla! Have backgrounds with interest in the
print--multidirectional lines (angles) (not necessarily stripes) are great.
"Buy long." (Long quarters rather than fat quarters, when cutting strips.)
If you get stuck or your project isn't turning out: "When something is
already done, it's too late. Give it a rest."

and, on getting too uptight: "It's a QUILT. It's not a ticket to heaven."

Great fun, and greater inspiration!

Nann


What wonderful concepts, Nann! I saw her on TV some time ago (Simply
Quilts?), and she seems like a fun person to be around.

--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
sfoster 1 (at) embarqmail (dot) com (remove/change the obvious)
http://www.sandymike.net

Another thing she recommends is taking your own PPM (personal private
measurement). You stich the more complex part of the block, then take its
PPM and make the other sizes fit! The think I like about her books is that
she looks at complex blocks and tries to figure out an easier way to piece
them, using less pieces. I have simplified several projects by using her
point of view!

--
Susan in Kingston ON
back to quilting, as usual
http://community.webshots.com/user/sbtinkingston
"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
Sunny:
Mary Ellen's 'method' is to ENJOY quilting! She is a
dynamic motivator, who strongly encourages patch
workers to improvise and play with blocks. She is NOT
one to provide strict project patterns. She does
provide suggestions and fantastic ideas.

Connectors are very simple blocks that ME uses to
separate more complex blocks, resulting in a unique
quilt setting. (Some quilters call these alternate blocks.)

Funny you should mention the connectors ... a few days
ago I discovered I own two copies of her book
Connecting Up #4. So, Sunny, you don't have to buy a
book and not like it. If you send me your snail
address, I can send you a copy! If you like it, fine.
If not, please pass it along to another quilter.

I'll look for your email!
PAT in VA/USA

Sunny wrote:

I have heard over and over of Mary Ellen Hopkins but can't find much
about what her technique involves. Can some of you tell me, what is a
connection or connector? And what is her method? I have read a lot of
interviews and articles, and I'm afraid to buy her books because of
bad reviews on Amazon.com of several. I understand she's a dynamic
speaker, but what is her quilting method?

Sunny