Louisa Smith class led to design wall (long)

I took my once-a-year piecing class this last week. What a blast!

Our quilt group decided we all wanted to take a class together, so after
evaluating all the classes our guild was having this year, we decided on
Louisa Smith's Strips and Curves class.
(http://www.quiltescapes.com/tools.htm , NAYY) I thought this would be a
good way to improve my curved piecing, as well as spend a day goofing off
with my buds. (You know one of them, Ragmop -- Bethe of Baseball Swap fame.
And you'll get to know another -- Venetia is backing the Giants this year.)

Before the class we had homework. We had to cut 1.5" full width strips of at
least 13 different fabrics and sew them together. Remember, during this time
all my fabric was in boxes, as were all my sewing supplies and sewing
machine. I managed to find 34 different fabrics that worked with my focus
fabric, cut all the strips, and get them sewn together. In fact, that's
about ALL the sewing I did for myself in January and February. But I did get
a lot of Baseball Swap squares cut at the same time, so you BBS'ers will be
seeing some of this quilt in your Big Ungainly Packages.

I was going to be a good girl (ha!) and get all my supplies together and in
the car on Monday night. Tuesday was guild, and Wednesday was the class. But
life happened, so after a late night out with the girls after guild, I was
frantically searching for my supplies very early Wednesday morning. Luckily,
the two things I couldn't find were available at the grocery store. Whew! I
even got to class early enough to save our group seats together.

We get to class and find out that the only thing we need our sewing machines
for is if we didn't finish our strata (those strips). We won't be piecing;
just cutting and designing. At first I was bummed, because I really wanted
to improve my curved piecing. But hey, a day just designing a quilt isn't
all bad, either. I was stunned to see how many people were still sewing
their strata, and even cutting the strips in the class. I can't imagine they
got as much out of the class as if they'd done the homework, but they seemed
to have a good time sitting and mindlessly sewing strips. Maybe I'm just too
much of an overachiever.

We started cutting into our strata and playing on our portable design walls.
I had been feeling pretty smug about having a strata of 34 different fabrics
(more than anyone else in our little group -- did I mention I'm an
overachiever?), but that hunk was gone before lunch. Which was actually
good, because I spent the entire afternoon playing with my design. Louisa
gave us a ton of really good design tips, and in the end I was glad we'd
focused on design. (And she did give me pointers on how to sew the block,
which produced the best curved seam I've ever done in my life. Yee haw!)

The bad news is that my quilt doesn't want to be small. All the other ladies
in my quilt group made very nice designs with 12 or 16 blocks (each block
finishes to 9"), but mine refused to cooperate. I talked to it sternly, I
begged, I pleaded, I threatened, but it still wants to be bigger. I think it
wants to be 3 or 4 times as large, which means sewing 3 or 4 more sets of at
least 34 strips. Plus all the curved seams. Plus the blocks. But I'm very
pleased with it so far.

Which is what led to the push to get my design wall done. This quiltlet is
27" x 36" right now and takes up the two 24" x 30" foam core boards I
brought to class. And you absolutely have to lay out the whole quilt before
sewing any pieces together on these things. Which means large design wall.
So it's all Louisa Smith's fault.

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply

What fun! I do adore Louisa, she is just fun and nice. I took her
class last summer and we had lots of ladies sewing and cutting strips
too. One lady in class was a genius and bought 1" wide striped fabric
so she didn't have to sew any strips together!

Someday I may even quilt that top.

Someday do we get to see pictures of yours?

marcella

In article ,
"Kathy Applebaum" wrote:

I took my once-a-year piecing class this last week. What a blast!

Our quilt group decided we all wanted to take a class together, so after
evaluating all the classes our guild was having this year, we decided on
Louisa Smith's Strips and Curves class.
(http://www.quiltescapes.com/tools.htm , NAYY) I thought this would be a
good way to improve my curved piecing, as well as spend a day goofing off
with my buds. (You know one of them, Ragmop -- Bethe of Baseball Swap fame.
And you'll get to know another -- Venetia is backing the Giants this year.)

Before the class we had homework. We had to cut 1.5" full width strips of at
least 13 different fabrics and sew them together. Remember, during this time
all my fabric was in boxes, as were all my sewing supplies and sewing
machine. I managed to find 34 different fabrics that worked with my focus
fabric, cut all the strips, and get them sewn together. In fact, that's
about ALL the sewing I did for myself in January and February. But I did get
a lot of Baseball Swap squares cut at the same time, so you BBS'ers will be
seeing some of this quilt in your Big Ungainly Packages.

I was going to be a good girl (ha!) and get all my supplies together and in
the car on Monday night. Tuesday was guild, and Wednesday was the class. But
life happened, so after a late night out with the girls after guild, I was
frantically searching for my supplies very early Wednesday morning. Luckily,
the two things I couldn't find were available at the grocery store. Whew! I
even got to class early enough to save our group seats together.

We get to class and find out that the only thing we need our sewing machines
for is if we didn't finish our strata (those strips). We won't be piecing;
just cutting and designing. At first I was bummed, because I really wanted
to improve my curved piecing. But hey, a day just designing a quilt isn't
all bad, either. I was stunned to see how many people were still sewing
their strata, and even cutting the strips in the class. I can't imagine they
got as much out of the class as if they'd done the homework, but they seemed
to have a good time sitting and mindlessly sewing strips. Maybe I'm just too
much of an overachiever.

We started cutting into our strata and playing on our portable design walls.
I had been feeling pretty smug about having a strata of 34 different fabrics
(more than anyone else in our little group -- did I mention I'm an
overachiever?), but that hunk was gone before lunch. Which was actually
good, because I spent the entire afternoon playing with my design. Louisa
gave us a ton of really good design tips, and in the end I was glad we'd
focused on design. (And she did give me pointers on how to sew the block,
which produced the best curved seam I've ever done in my life. Yee haw!)

The bad news is that my quilt doesn't want to be small. All the other ladies
in my quilt group made very nice designs with 12 or 16 blocks (each block
finishes to 9"), but mine refused to cooperate. I talked to it sternly, I
begged, I pleaded, I threatened, but it still wants to be bigger. I think it
wants to be 3 or 4 times as large, which means sewing 3 or 4 more sets of at
least 34 strips. Plus all the curved seams. Plus the blocks. But I'm very
pleased with it so far.

Which is what led to the push to get my design wall done. This quiltlet is
27" x 36" right now and takes up the two 24" x 30" foam core boards I
brought to class. And you absolutely have to lay out the whole quilt before
sewing any pieces together on these things. Which means large design wall.
So it's all Louisa Smith's fault.

"Marcella Peek" wrote in message
...

Someday do we get to see pictures of yours?

I have pictures in the camera of the design so far. If I get my act
together, I'll upload them. (I should live so long! LOL)

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply