3 Day Seminars with me!

I’m writing this at the last minute; that usually means there will be some edits that I missed. My jury duty was dismissed early so I started the week with a clear schedule – HAH! That did not last long.

I am prepping this week for next week’s 3-day seminar at Cali Quilts. The shop is huuuuge, with a great selection of fabrics and a mind-boggling inventory of Cuddle. I’m contacting my students now, asking what they will be working on as well as discovering their interests, skills and experience. I have designed the seminar to be tailored to each student and I am getting so. excited. as I talk with them! It will be a challenge for sure to meet the needs of each one, as their experience and focus is varied.

THIS is what I have longed to do, have my students for an extended period of time! This will be my first seminar and I hope many more will follow. Just talking and writing some of my students, I am already thinking I wish it were 5 days.

Already several students expressed interest in learning to combine free motion quilting designs, so I created this small sampler:

I had a blast creating it! The best color for the binding happened to come from my considerable silk stash; I love silk. I used flaming green Glide for the quilting, deliberately choosing that color as an example of choosing an unexpected color.

Detail shots:

Aaaaand, I did it again. I decided to change bobbin cases mid-stream and did not think to check the tension. Duh:

This is a great example of good and bad tension, side-by-side. To the left is the “new” bobbin case, with much tighter bobbin tension. See how the stitches are not well defined, as though the thread was stretched tightly across the backing? Yup, that’s bad tension.

To the right is excellent tension. The thread to the left appears to be a different color because the tight tension is pulling the green thread to the back, making the back thread look green. Ugh. Don’t do this! BTW, the correction for this would be to increase the top tension.

Next week’s seminar is filled, but good news, I do have another 3 day seminar coming up at Santa Barbara Quilting Retreats, Feb 27 – March 2. That is another Beyond Bucket List Moment! I took a fabulous retreat from Betty Busby in 2020, just as the shutdown was looming. It was a wonderful class and I loved the setting. Cathe Hendrick puts on the SBQR and she brings in some great teachers – Sue Benner, Jean Wells, Freddy Moran, Sue Spargo… As you can imagine, I feel honored to be teaching at SBQR.

The retreat setting is the auditorium of a church, with a lovely courtyard, close to great dining. The work space allows each student to have their own 6′ table, adjacent to the courtyard in a cavernous room with very high churchy ceilings. Cathe has negotiated preferred rates at a nearby local newer hotel, which includes breakfast. As of today’s conditions, we will be masked and Cathe is very attentive to the safety and comfort of students.

And the beach is a short walk away from the hotel – sweeping views, glorious cliffs, you can catch the sunrise before class. Ahhhh. And Cathe brings in lunch from various local restaurants – just know that Santa Barbara is known for it’s dining. It doesn’t hurt that the superbuzzy quilt shop is nearby, a quirky shop with fabrics you won’t find elsewhere.

I will structure the class to accommodate the focus of each student. You get so much from being in that setting – away from home, near the mid-coast beach, spacious work space, lovely lunches in the court yard, a pilgrimage to superbuzzy and 3 days to work on whatever you choose to focus on. I will bring a huge pile of resources as well as my little shop of notions and tons of great panels.

I will have 2 lessons each day, with the rest of the day available to focus as you choose. I will be constantly circulating throughout the room offering guidance, opinions, instruction and encouragement.

It’s a little hard to describe the unique nature of SBQR. It’s more chill than most and it is one class, one teacher per session so there’s not that extra drama that can come from larger retreats. Cathe is there the entire time, attentive to the needs of the class beyond the instruction. And Cathe’s newer canine companion, Luggy, will be there for emotional support. It truly is a lovely setting, an excellent retreat and an opportunity for you to get my attention and input. I hope you’ll join me.

I’ll link up with:

Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday
and
Finished or Not Friday