O Canada – The Real Deal
June 4th, 2014
I’ve been looking forward to this trip for a long time! I found myself in the Ottawa, Ontario airport where my buddy, Ruth Oblinski should have been waiting for me. But, in her place, as I walked through the doors of customs was none other than Paul Leger! He’s my buddy that I met back at Quilt Festival in Houston many years ago! What a surprise! The two had cooked up the switcheroo plan and I fell easily into their plot! I got to spend a lovely hour with Paul as he drove me south to Perth, Ontario, home of Ruth! I was here to teach workshops, and Perth was my first stop where I taught the two-day Goose is Loose Workshop!
I love it when students bring show and tell to class. This abstract art piece by Cathy Price features a Blue Jay. The detail and quilting in this piece are incredible.
Valetta Hudson drove down from Ottawa to take the class. Prior to that, she made “Little House of Geese from my pattern published in American Quilter Magazine in early 2013.
The Goose is Loose class begins with a series of class exercises where students learn to draft the various fillers that are used in their designs. Working from a workbook, this sample is not meant to be pieced, but rather a sampler to take home to refer to later.
Being older myself and not always able to remember a whole bunch of new things presented all in a series, I teach “things of three”. That is, I demonstrate three things, then they return to their tables to draw those three things. And so it goes until we work our way through the workbook.
After lunch, everyone begins working on their original design. This is a simple design that I drew for a demonstration.
On day two, students learn freezer paper foundation piecing. Above, Valetta Hudson works on her design that features this gorgeous piece of fabric featuring an oriental woman in glorious colors.
The Goose is Loose Class is all about design and although students learn much, they don’t always have a lot to show at at the end of second day. It is a two day class! I hope to see you in class one day! What fun I had! Stay tuned for more from O Canada!
Im so sorry I wasn’t close enough to Perth to take your class. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Canada.
I’ve been following your blog since hosting a class with you for the AQG in Mesa, AZ last year. This class looks awesome and I just love the blue jay quilt!! What an awesome design! I love that you share the classes you teach, along with everything else you do!