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The Very Special QBL Class

Nancy Sporn

Nancy Sporn displays her work in progress


It isn’t often that the chemistry among a class rises to this level. It ranks among the most fun class ever! Students were skilled, creative, and mischievous. We bonded almost immediately. Of course, the SuperGlue helped the bonding process.

Joanne Williamson

Joanne Williamson


Joanne Williamson created a sawtooth border effect through careful selection of background fabrics.

Linda Santana

Linda Santana


Linda Santana used rainbow geese to surround her star.

Charles Johns

Charles Johns


Charles Johns’ star features intricate edging to highlight each star point.

Sue Colwell

Sue Colwell


Sue Colwell’s design is growing beyond the circular design.

Drafting the Design
Drafting the design.

Paul Leger

Paul Leger


Paul Leger and his star featuring rainbow colors. This is part of a larger project focusing on a community celebration in his home town.

Sally Ickes

Sally Ickes


Sally Ickes got the prize for bringing the most fabric to class.

Amy Quinn Star

Amy Quinn


Amy Quinn and her star.

Kitsee Demeree

Kitsee Demeree


Kitsee Demeree took classes from me many years ago. It is thanks to her lobbying efforts that I was invited to teach at QBL this year. Thank you, Kitsee!

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QBL – Accomodations

Libby and hairdryer

Libby and hairdryer


QBL is held at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, where the dorms are brand new and the rooms are arranged in suites. No traipsing down the hall to the communal bathroom. My Suite-mate was one of my favorite teachers, Libby Lehman. We had not been at a venue together for a long time — so many words, so little time. Libby has special travel accessories, like this Baby Bird blow dryer, so small it would fit into a nest.

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Quilting by the Lake – A Very Special Conference!

Jeannette Rossi

Jeannette Rossi and her star and Pointy Dude border

The first class was a two-day Sensational Stars and Circular Borders class, followed by the three-day Flying Colors class. Almost everyone signed up for both classes so it was more like one five-day class, my favorite thing to teach.

Irene Dietlin

Irene Dietlin

They got a lot done too. Here Irene Dietlin shows off her star with the Flying Diamonds border.

 

Doris Prol

Doris Prol

Doris Prol got the prize for the fastest sewer in the class. She moved at light speed and it was all I could do to stay ahead of her, demonstration-wise.

 

Doris and her goose strip

Doris and her goose strip

Here, she shows off an entire goose strip, replete with Flying Fishies.

 

Cynthia Moreland

Cynthia Moreland

Cynthia Moreland opted to surround her star with a Flying Goose border. It was the mostest fun with totally great students.

 

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Quilting by the Lake – The Auction

Apron - raw

Apron - raw

My first year teaching at Quilting by the Lake in Syracuse, NY. Hosted by the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, they ask faculty members to decorate an apron to be auctioned off on the final night to raise funds for scholarships. This is what my apron looked like when it arrived. Pretty ordinary!

 

Apron Parts

Apron Parts

I thought black and white graphic prints might just do the trick. And, I found a couple of rainbow goose strips to go along with the B/W fabrics.

 

Stitching the Apron

Stitching the Apron

Stitching … Stitching …

 

Apron finished

Apron finished

All done! Now, for the auction part! We, the teachers, collectively decided on a beach theme. A field trip to Walmart yielded beach towels, a beach ball, little balls (100 of them), and a cute little bucket. Libby downloaded beach boy music. Jane Dunnewold stuffed the beach ball under her apron! Imagine that! Then …

 

Dancing on Stage

Dancing on Stage

We got to dance on stage as our apron was auctioned off. In all, they raised $5,000 for scholarships! Way to go QBL!

 

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The Bathrooms, er, Toilets

Continuing my trip to the South Island of New Zealand . . .

Rams

Rams

Did I mention that sheep are big business in New Zealand, with 4 million people and 40 million sheep? And, that Kiwis have a good sense of humor!

Ewes

Ewes

Mixed Flock

Mixed Flock

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The Glaciers — Fox and Franz Josef

Fox Glacier - rock walls

Fox Glacier - rock walls

Geology on a massive scale! Imagine the power that carved these steep glacial valleys.

Fox Glacier - rocks

Fox Glacier - rocks

And, on a more detailed level, the glacial ice carved the rounded, intricately patterns rocks that litter the valley floors.

Fox Glacier - Mike and Madeline

Fox Glacier - Mike and Madeline

Mike and Madeline scampered right up to the base of the now retreating Fox Glacier.

Gail at Fox Glacier

Gail at Fox Glacier

While at Franz Joseph, the current glacier is a fair trek up the valley. We lacked the time necessary to fully explore this one.

Fraz Josef - Justine and Karen

Fraz Josef - Justine and Karen

Justine and Karen enjoyed the walk.

Franz Josef - Shirley

Franz Josef - Shirley

as did Shirley.

Fox Glacier - Lenelle, Mike, and Nancy

Fox Glacier - Lenelle, Mike, and Nancy

We were left with a sense of awe and insignificance at the power of ice.

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Donna Stewart, The Wool Patch

Donna Stewart and Hubby

Donna Stewart and Hubby

At Harihari, we visited Donna Stewart and her husband in their home, a tea with outstanding scones, and more surprises

Visiting Donna Stewart - Hand-dyed Wool

Visiting Donna Stewart - Hand-dyed Wool

Donna works exclusively in wool, and had a small basket of hand-dyed wool for sale. Her business, the Wool Patch, will be undergoing changes soon. Donna is pursuing her dream, and after eight years of trading and meeting some wonderful people, she will be studying art and design full time at Christchurch Polytech.

Visiting Donna Stewart - Wool Quilt with Birds

Visiting Donna Stewart - Wool Quilt with Birds

Donna’s work is unique and all of her quilts are wool. This one features many of New Zealand’s rarest birds.

Visiting Donna Stewart - Traditional Wool Quilt

Visiting Donna Stewart - Traditional Wool Quilt

While this quilt is more traditional.

Visiting Donna Stewart - Jane Reames

Visiting Donna Stewart - Jane Reames

Everyone, especially Jane, really enjoyed the show and tell, but the biggest surprise was ahead – –

Visiting Donna Stewart  - Sleeping Puppies

Visiting Donna Stewart - Sleeping Puppies

PUPPIES! Their Jack Russell terriers had produced six little pups one month earlier.

Visiting Donna Stewart - Justine,  John and puppy

Visiting Donna Stewart - Justine, John and puppy

Justine holds up one of the pups so it can get a smooch from our driver, John.

Visiting Donna Stewart - Betty with puppy

Visiting Donna Stewart - Betty with puppy


Betty was instantly in love. I suspect there will be a puppy in her near future.

Visiting Donna Stewart - Judy with Puppy

Visiting Donna Stewart - Judy with Puppy

It’s a good thing that we would all have to get on a trans-Pacific flight. Otherwise, we might have had to scrap over who got to take one home. Here, Judy bonds with another pup.

Visiting Donna Stewart - Mama Jack Russell Terrier

Visiting Donna Stewart - Mama Jack Russell Terrier

While we were acting like besotted fools, Mama Dog just took it all in stride. Thank you, Donna, for sharing your home with us.

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Hokitika

Hokitika - Black Driftwood

Hokitika - Black Driftwood

At Hokitika, on the west coast, a storm was brewing on the Tasman Sea. The west coast of New Zealand is rugged with mountains that plunge down to the sea. Consequently, there is an abundance of driftwood on the black sand beaches.

Hokitika - White Driftwood

Hokitika - White Driftwood

This coast captures the flavor of wild nature as these huge trees, or remainder of what had once been, rolled onto the beach.

Hokitika - Large Driftwood

Hokitika - Large Driftwood

Some of the logs were massive.

Hokitika - Storm on the Tasman

Hokitika - Storm on the Tasman

Storm on the Tasman. It was a privilege to be there.

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