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

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

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

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

Cynthia Moreland

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

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

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 … Stitching …

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

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

Flying Colors Poster

Much of my inspiration comes from my small quilting group, Designing Women, a group of local art quilters that I formed in 1994. Yesterday, we hung an exhibit of our work at the Esther Bone Library in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Many in the group made new quilts just for the exhibit, and they are wonderful! Flying Colors is also the title of my latest book, and is an apt metaphor for the way our design skills have taken flight. Here’s an image of the quilts hanging in the big room.

Wall of Quilts

And, here’s Cosmic Parade hanging in the friend’s room.

Cosmic Parade

Thanks to Michele Hymel, Twila Bastian and Ed Chappelle, for making the installation a piece of cake! The quilts will hang until August 31, so check it out if you are in the area.

Fabulous Freeform Fillers

It just arrived in my mailbox! The new issue of the American Quilter’s Society Magazine featuring my Fabulous Freeform Fillers article that includes 4 patterns. Patterns can be downloaded from their website here.

Freeform fillers are curvy shapes that can add drama to your quilt projects. Originally I used curvy flying geese, but now I use a variety of shapes – picket fence, pointy dudes, spirals. These filler strips can be an accent to your quilt design or they can be used to create an entire quilt.

If you enjoy the designs and techniques in the magazine article, you will want to get all the fillers and information featured in my book, Flying Colors – Design Quilts with Freeform Shapes and Flying Geese (C&T Publishing) which is available here on my website or from American Quilter.

I will be teaching the class on Fabulous Freeform Fillers at the International Quilt Festival in Houston in early November this year.

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

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

Mixed Flock

Fox Glacier - rock walls

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

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

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

Justine and Karen enjoyed the walk.

Franz Josef - Shirley

as did Shirley.

Fox Glacier - Lenelle, Mike, and Nancy

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

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

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

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

While this quilt is more traditional.

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

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

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 - 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

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

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

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

Some of the logs were massive.

Hokitika - Storm on the Tasman

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