Archive for March, 2009

Merrily We Quilt Along

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

class1I just returned from teaching in a lovely shop in Springfield, Missouri. I’ll do anything to get just the right bolt of fabric…..even climb to the top of several shelves.

storefrontThe shop is located in a large building and not only contains the large shop, but a long arm quilting room and an amazing Tea room.

carolmerrilyThe first day I taught the Bright Stars workshop from the Simply Sensational 9-Patch Stars book. Here, Merrily, the owner is introducing me to the class. LOL, I think they knew who I was.

michelleMichelle is showing off the sections of her first star block for the wall quilt. She is sporting a name tag badge for the Carol Doak Yahoo Group. When members where their badge to a class, then I know they are a member of the group.

tearoomEach day when we broke for lunch, we walked through the shop, through the long arm quilting room and into the most wonderful Tea room for the best ever lunch and to die for desserts.

oldbatYou just never know who you are going to run into along the way. This “old bat” was right at home.

kaymerrilyOn the second day, I taught the Perfect Points class from the 300 Paper-Pieced Quilt Blocks book. Kay Turner and Merrily sat side-by-side in the class. I had to keep an eye on those too…they were constantly giggling.

miteredThe third day was the Sunrise Quilt from the Mariner’s Compass Stars book. Everyone did a super job with their quilts. Vicki Crow is showing off her quilt top featuring just the perfect print border.

inclassI do love to teach and having the opportunity to spend the weekend at Merrily We Quilt Along with such delightful students was a gift.

merrily-holly-and-heatherGetting to know Merrily (center) and her two charming daughters, Heather (left) and Holly (right) was such a pleasure. I did feel as if I was saying goodbye to good friends when I left because they do make you feel so welcome in their lovely shop and Tea Room. If you are ever in the Springfield, Missouri area, this is a must stop for any quilter. BTW, ask Merrily where I signed the wall with my special message.

Until next time,

Carol

Big Decisions and So Little Time…

Sunday, March 22nd, 2009

flush1

When I traveled to New Zealand in January, one of the things that I noticed quickly was the different flush options available when using the toilet. This knob went either way, so it wasn’t apparent at first exactly what I was selecting. I thought the little circles were decorations.

flush2

When I arrived at this flush options, the light went on and I realized I had the opportunity to select a half flush or a full flush. Ooooh, options…But, what constitutes a half flush and what warrants a full flush?

flush3

OK, so I am thinking someone stole the knobs off this toilet…perhaps they are collector items???

flush4

This one clearly marked my options, but the full was on the left and the half was on the right. I think there should be some consistency as to where they are located.

flush5

Now see what I mean…no markings on these buttons…which  is half and which is full?

flush6

This was a smart flush, but they weren’t smart enough to mark the buttons!

flush7

This was the first toilet flush that really confused me. Did they have the options and if so how did it work?flush8

I am now back on track, clearly marked and quite stylish.flush9

These buttons were huge!!! Were they handicap flush buttons?flush10

I liked this one, it is rather stylish. By now I had the full flush and half flush down to a science…but the buttons still fascinated me.

When I arrived back in the USA, I felt cheated…I no longer had the option to select half flush or full flush as the flush was automatic which caused me not to linger once my task was complete.

fun1

I have to admit, when I am  visiting a new place, I tend to note the signs everyone. This one caught my eye and just made me laugh out loud! Look at the faces on those guys. I wonder if they are know as the “Big Nuts” guys.

fun2The New Zealand humor was everywhere. This was a sign on the door of a restaurant in Queenstown. I bet it got  everyone’s attention.

Until next time,

All the best,

Carol

The Quilt Show

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

audience

I just returned from La Veta, Colorado where I taped a segment for the online community, The Quilt Show. It was a fast and furious trip, but I was delighted that I accepted the invitation to tape a segment to be aired in the fall. I flew to Colorado Springs and then drove to the charming little town of La Veta. There, I met up with Ricky, Alex and the crew for dinner at the La Veta Inn. The next morning the guests began arriving to view the taping. Justin addresses the audience and entertains them during the prep time.

preppingfordemo

The taping doesn’t happen without a good deal of preparation by everyone involved. Here Alex and I are going over the steps to be covered so the camera men will know where to aim the cameras.

prep

I demonstrated the steps for making the France block from the Mariner’s Compass Stars book to make the Sunrise Quilt. Alex and I are getting all the step-by-steps in order before the taping begins.

demo

We are ready to begin the demonstration so Ricky plays a bit of piano and introduces the demonstration segment. The set was decorated with several quilts from the Mariner’s Compass Stars book.

demo2

I think Alex is asking a question here during the demonstration. Do I look confused?

demo3

Actually, the demo went very well and we are ready to move on to the fireside chat.

chat

During the chat portion, obviously Alex and I thought something was very funny and Ricky isn’t laughing…lol. I described several of the quilts decorating the set and answered a few audience questions.

afterdemo

After the segment taping, Ricky, Alex and I posed for pictures. It was a great experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat! It was also fun to catch up and visit with Ricky and Alex.

judith1

One surprise was seeing Judith Baker Montano at the afternoon filming session. Judith lives in La Veta and she graciously invited me to her studio and home after the show.

judith2

Judith is famous for her exquisite use of thread and ribbon to create spectacular pieces. I loved seeing how she stored her threads.

 

judith3After visiting La Veta, it is easy to see where she gets her inspiration. This piece displayed in her studio looks just like the La Veta area.

Now, one of the perks of taping a segment was receiving a gift certificate to join The Quilt Show that I was instructed to give away.  I am going to give it away to one of the members of the Carol Doak Yahoo Group in a random drawing. To be in the drawing, visit the group site to read how to enter.

All the best,

Carol

Quilting Adventures

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

classroom

Last week I had the pleasure of traveling to New Braunfels, TX to teach at a five-day Seminar for Quilting Adventures. I do love a multi-day format because not only do I get to spend more time getting to know my students, I have the pleasure of seeing the finished project. Each day, the learning builds on the day before and I see the students become comfortable with the process. We began the class with a discussion about color and the students selected their fabrics.

auditionAs the blocks were made they were put up on the design wall to audition different fabric choices. 

oopsThe students learned to baste their sections to check for a good match. Nancy Ament was thrilled that she was in the basting stage when she opened her block to see she had added two of the same sections…we did have a chuckle over that one. The setting was wonderful and we all bonded as a group throughout the week. Lots of fun, laughs and learning took place. 

As the quilts were completed, I took pictures. I am so proud of all my students and loved seeing the results of their creativity and learning.

 

A potential table runner

A potential table runner

As the sections were being added, this portion was admired as a potential design for a future table runner.

 

I used the Royal Medallion Quilt from the Mariner’s Compass Stars book as the basis for the skills in the class. Wait until you see what everyone accomplished!

Let the quilt show begin.

Rex and Chris McCaskill

Rex and Chris McCaskill

 Rex and Chris Mc Caskill are a husband and wife team who worked on this stunning quilt. Rex was a good sport and let me use his fabrics to describe how to choose fabrics to get the result you want. Rex and Chris had this fabric that had stripes of blue, yellow and green stripes that flowed from one to the other. He liked that fabric, so that was the basis for their quilt. I thought the end result was stunning. It appears the center compass is radiating light.

Martha Zimmerman

Martha Zimmerman

Martha began with a wonderful multi-color batik border and I heard her say more than once, “I love red”. So taking her lead, I suggested putting red triangles in the corners of the center. It really made the center pop!

Linda Neal

Linda Neal

Linda was one of the quickest students and not only finished her quilt, but began working on a miniature “My Little Town” quilt. The Autumn multi-color inner border fabric was the jumping off place for Linda’s fabric combination. It was so striking.

Linda Kager

Linda Kager

 Linda Kager came to the class with her Mom, who is a new quilter. Not only did Linda complete her quilt, but she was always there to lend a hand to her mom. The multi-color check in the center of this quilt gives it a contemporary look and the vivid colors just make you want to study the quilt.

Margaret Sedlak

Margaret Sedlak

 Margaret, oh I have a fun story for you all about Margaret’s quilt. Margaret struggled so with the suggestion that she use a batik stripe with the blue batik fabric she had for the center. Then she was struggling with her border choice so we went downstairs to the onsite quilt shop and look what we picked out for the border!!! This gorgeous large floral and bold pink stripe. The cornerstones featured a fussy-cut flower from the border print. The quilt was such a “Wow” quilt. We joked that she was going to call it “Blue Stripe”. I guess you had to be there to appreciate the 180 Margaret took. It was such fun!

Georgia Roth

Georgia Roth

 Georgia had this wonderful collection of beautiful batik fabrics with different textures that were all tied together with the stunning stripe used in the center border. The playful red border tied it all together, but Georgia wanted a paper-pieced accent in the four outer corners. At first she was going to make quarter blocks and then after finishing the A section, we decided to just use 1/8th of a section. They were placed so they looked like they were swirling around the quilt.

Nancy Lowe

Nancy Lowe

When we discussed color, I suggested that the setting triangles could be a different color for a different look. Nancy took this approach and found just the right fabric that contained all the colors of her quilt to provide a wonderful ground for her center portion.

Beverly Wilson

Beverly Wilson

OK, so Beverly saw her friends go shopping for new fabrics and decided she wasn’t happy with the fabric she brought for her inner and outer borders….so you guessed it…we went shopping. Beverly was very pleased with the final result.

Nancy Ament

Nancy Ament

Nancy had completed her blocks and decided she wanted a more colorful outer border….off shopping we went. The end result was stunning. The dark ground in the center really made her colors pop.

Marty Becht

Marty Becht

The combination of the greens, purples and peach in this quilt was just gorgeous. The bits of yellow against the center ground was like rays of sunlight. Marty was very happy with her finished quilt.

Marge Russo

Marge Russo

Marge had come to the seminar with her daughter Linda. At first she was a little timid amount her skills, but boy, her confidence built each day. By the end of the seminar she was confident and thrilled with her first completed quilt.

Dorothy Johnstone

Dorothy Johnstone

Dorothy chose fall colors for her quilt. The outside border was her jumping off place. Dorothy is going to use this as the basis for a bed side quilt for her grandson. We brainstormed how she could add blocks and borders to make it larger.

Lynda Thompson

Lynda Thompson

Lynda had a gorgeous collection of batik fabrics for her quilt. She was encouraged to use the gold and when she completed the quilt, I think she was thrilled that she did.

Sherry Hughes

Sherry Hughes

 Sherry is not afraid of color and her rainbow colored quilt turned out beautifully. She decided on the light blue outer border, but unfortunately there was none to be had in the store so her quilt will be completed when she gets that fabric. She is smiling because she only has the outer border to add to complete her lovely quilt.

I thoroughly enjoyed my week with my students and hope you enjoyed seeing their gorgeous quilt tops.

All the best,

Carol

I Am Humbled…

Friday, March 6th, 2009

current_issue_09 When the February/March issue of Quilter’s Newsletter magazine arrived, I was humbled to see that I was selected in the Readers’ Choice Awards as the Favorite Paper Piecing Teacher. To be in the company of favorites like, Karey Bresenhan, Ricky Tims, Alex Anderson, Ami Simms, Ele Sienkiewicz, Diane Gaudynski and other giants in the quilting industry was very humbling. Many thanks for your vote of confidence, for your support and friendship.

Jessie paper piecing

Jessie paper piecing

For several years now I have been using my teaching skills to teach my perfect granddaughter to paper piece.

Ironing fabric is cool, but not clothes

Ironing fabric is cool, but not clothes

She began by choosing fabrics and gradually over the past couple of years has graduated to ironing too.

Learning in a supervised setting

Learning in a supervised setting

Jessie is learning all the steps, but she is always supervised with me standing right next to her when she picks up that rotary cutter.

Placing the fabric correctly is the next step.

Placing the fabric correctly is the next step.

Jessie knows to take the step of placing her next fabric seriously.

Little sister looks on..

Little sister looks on..

Jessie loves taking part in this grown-up activity. Little sister looks on with envy.

Oh, I see how that works...

Oh, I see how that works...

She is learning…

Ooooh scisssors....

Ooooh scisssors....

Not yet my little one…

But I feel ready to paper piece!

But I feel ready to paper piece!

Not yet little grasshopper…

Look at that smile and sense of accomplishment.

Look at that smile and sense of accomplishment.

Although I do love to travel and teach, perhaps my most important job is to share the love of quilting with my perfect granddaughters.

Until next time,

Carol

On the Road Again

Friday, March 6th, 2009

 

Ginny Carroll

Ginny Carroll

I recently returned from a 11-day trip to Florida to teach and lecture for three different quilt guilds. Since if live in New Hampshire, heading south in the winter months to a lovely warm climate is an added bonus. My first stop on this trip was to Leesburg where I taught for the Quilting Sister Quilt Guild. The first day I presented the Fire and Ice Quilt from the Mariner’s Compass Stars book. The students jumped right in, with most getting a good start on their quilt. On the second day, I taught an introductory class to this book. Ginny Carroll has already completed one section with just three pieces. I could tell Ginny was a member of my Carol Doak Yahoo Group because she was wearing her group name tag.

Denise in Leesburg

Denise in Leesburg

Denise Mohler also is a member of our Carol Doak Group and attended both workshops. It is such fun to meet our members in real life!

Kitty Gonzalez at dinner

Kitty Gonzalez at dinner

Kitty took the Fire & Ice class and brought the center section of her quilt to dinner that evening.

Shopping on the way to the retreat

Shopping on the way to the retreat

Next I was off to teach at a quilt retreat for the Southwest Quilters Guild. Of course on our way to the retreat locations, a couple of stops at quilt shops along the way were a must!

Heather Phillips from Nova Scotia

Heather Phillips from Nova Scotia

You just never know who you are going to run into in a quilt shop. This is Heather from Nova Scotia and she is also a member of the Carol Doak Yahoo Group.

Retreat students counting blocks

Retreat students counting blocks

 The Retreat was held at a lovely facility. One large room with lots of students working on their paper-pieced projects. These students are counting their blocks to see if they have made all the blocks for the Fire & Ice quilt.

Retreat quilt

Retreat quilt

 I also taught a class from the Simply Sensational 9-Patch Star book. One of the activities was for the groups in each cabin to make quilts from “ugly” fat quarters for a charitable project. The groups would then compete for a prize. Who knew one of the 9-Patch Stars was going to be the centerpiece for a lovely quilt?

Patchwork Pig Quilt Shop stop

Patchwork Pig Quilt Shop stop

Then I was on to Lakeland, Florida. No shortage of quilt shops here. We visited the lovely downtown shop called the Patchwork Pig. Here Jolene Welcher, Marion Pugh (owner) and Elsabeth Harris are ready to assist. Trust me, you could get in really serious trouble here. The fabric selection was amazing!!!

Happy Student with her Florida Star

Happy Student with her Florida Star

I taught the Florida Star from the 50 Fabulous Paper-Pieced Stars book at the Ladies of the Lakes Quilt Guild. This looks like one happy student and look at those perfect points!

Melody and Holly at the Fabric Warehouse, Lakeland, FL

Melody and Holly at the Fabric Warehouse, Lakeland, FL

Melody and Holly of the Fabric Warehouse in Lakeland c0-hosted both the workshop and evening program for the guild in their lovely shop.

Log Cabin Garden Mini quilt and maker

Log Cabin Garden Mini quilt and maker

I do love the Show and Tell portion of a meeting. Here I had the opportunity to see one members lovely Log Cabin Garden quilt.

Treble Metamorphoses by Marian Sparks

Treble Metamorphoses by Marian Sparks

I recently received an email from Marian Sparks regarding a quilt that she made using the Day and Night Star Flower pattern available as a free pattern on my web site. Marian then sent me a picture of a quilt she made using the block. This is one of those thought provoking quilts. As I study the quilt and take into account the name, it does draw me in.

Until next time, 

All the best,

Carol