International Quilt Festival - Long Beach, CA

I just returned from a lovely week teaching at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA.  This was my first trip to this Festival and I was very pleased with every aspect.

The Convention facility was spacious and the weather was gorgeous every day. I could not have asked for better classroom space.

The students were happy and successful!

Even had the opportunity to meet some members of the Carol Doak Yahoo Group.

I knew Flo was a member because she was wearing her Carol Doak Yahoo Group Name badge….Is that embroidery cute or what?

I often see students wearing clothing that matches their fabric, but this was a first! Judy Wallace had nails that matched her fabric!

The Convention center and hotel were right in the middle of a wonderful area of Long Beach offering great restaurants etc.  Where else could you see purple trees?

Perhaps the aliens I saw walking around the convention floor had something to do with it.

They really seemed to go all out for the quilters. Even this carpet was an inspiration every day.

The vendors were super, the quilts lovely and the classes fun. What more could a girl ask for?

All the best,

Carol

Happiness Is Quilting in McKinney, TX

I just returned from a teaching trip to Texas. My first stop was in McKinney, Texas at a delightful shop called, Happiness Is Quilting. First off, McKinney is a charming little town with charming little shops and restaurants.

When you step in the door of the shop, the tin ceiling brings you back to another era. The high walls are the perfect place to display lots of quilts.

Plan to spend some time here poking about as the shop has cute items at every turn.

Laura Kay, owner of the shop, treated herself to the first day of workshops. Laura was having a good time….but then Laura always seems to be smiling.

I taught the Perfect Points class on Sunday and everyone enjoyed seeing their Perfect Points appear just like magic!

On Monday I taught the Sunrise Quilt. This student is admiring her sections before assembling them. Great colors!

Then I was off to Bryan/College Station, Texas to present a lecture for the Blue Bonnett Quilt Guild. We had a record crowd show up that night.

I also taught the Sunrise workshop here. Now, I started to notice a familiar trend….the students seem to be wearing the same colors they brought for their blocks…red…

Teal anyone?

Some even matched their hair…

A happy student who likes green. A great time was had by all and lots of super quilts were nearly completed.

Until next, time

Carol

Mary's 5000 Member Block

When I teach classes, I often cover the topic of choosing fabrics for a project. Most quilters are timid and unsure in this area of patchwork. Recently I uploaded a new block design for the Carol Doak Yahoo Group. It was in honor of our group reaching 5,000 members. Lots of members have been making the block and uploading pictures. Mary used a white background with red and blue to produce a very patriotic block.

Linda's colorful block made into a small wall quilt.

Linda chose a black background and a variety of bright colors. She also found the perfect multi-color setting fabric. This wall quilt has a contemporary feel.

Kathi in Georgia gets our attention

Blue and orange create a very strong contrast and this one has great attention getting appeal.

Bonitahounds

This block has a graphic appeal and a variety of fabrics and colors to keep our interest.

Cathy in Maryland

Cathy in Maryland chose her colors from the border fabric she used to frame her four blocks. Wonder if Cathy would have chosen the colors without the border fabric? Perhaps yes but perhaps it was the comfort of seeing them work together in the border that inspired her.

Patti's block

When I first saw this block, I noticed that great print fabric used in the rays. It almost gives a lacy appearance to the block.

Carol, Cathy's Mom

Now Carol may be related to Cathy, but she definitely marches to a different drummer. The simplicity of the shades of black and red are wonderfully graphic.

Barb's block

Doesn’t Barb’s block just make you think of early spring with the purple and yellow flowers decorating the earth?

Anita D.'s block was turned into a Trivet

Anita’s colors against the solid black are very graphic. My question is the chicken and the egg…did Anita have the border fabric and choose her colors from it, or did she choose her colors and found the perfect border fabric?

Merilyn from Australia

Most of the fabrics in this block read solid against the white background. Using that very dark maroon for those spikes really make them stand out and give this block a delicate look.

Chris in Oregon

Chris has a graphic block too, but she chose more pastel colors to give it a soft look as well.

Lida in MA

Lida’s block just celebrates color!

Barbara in TX

Many quilters do love the combination of blue and yellow. Barbara did it well with plenty of contrast and interest in the textures of her fabrics.

Pat F

Pat used blue and yellow also, but went for a neutral white background and added an accent of green in the four corners.

Carole D

The batik style fabric that Carole used in her block gives it a tropical personality.

Janice in TN

The floral print Janice used was a great jumping off place to combine the colors she used. I really like the darker red triangles in between because they add a bit of spice to this block.

Suzanne's block

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Suzanne’s Christmas fabrics definitely define the purpose for this graphic block.

Patty C wanted to play

Patty C wanted to play with the possibility of using this block to create a medallion style quilt. She limited her color selection, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be expanded to include more colors later.

As I looked through the blocks that were posted and noted the different approaches members took to make their blocks, it brought home that choosing the perfect colors is simply a matter of choosing the colors that achieve your goal.

All the best,

Carol

Leslie's Mystery Quilt

Recently I began uploading the steps for a new Mystery Quilt to the Carol Doak Yahoo Group. The last time I did a Mystery quilt for the group, it was very successful so I thought it was time to do another.

Julie's Mystery Quilt

First the fabric criteria (light, medium, dark, warm and cool colors) were given along with yardage and cutting lists. It always amazes me how quilters love to participate in a Mystery, not having a clue where it will take them.

Lee's Mystery

Perhaps as a designer, I need that control…lol. As members uploaded their fabric selections, I began uploading the first step. This quilt used only three 4″ blocks, but different color placement and settings for the blocks offered variety.

Mary H's Mystery Quilt

Some members followed the graphic color’s that I used in the illustrations and others went down a completely different color road. Perhaps those are the adventurous quilters.

Linda's Mystery

In the end, one member, Mona, did figure out the Mystery solution. However, I think I kept most of them guessing. I discovered I loved designing Mysteries and creating something interesting from very simple foundations.

Mona's Mystery

Anita, decided to use the foundations in a smaller size and create a Miniature Mystery Quilt.

Anita's Miniature Mystery

The photos of the completed Mysteries are still coming in. Each time one is uploaded, I enjoy seeing a new fabric combination and seeing how it impacts on the overall design.

Enjoy the show…

Mary's Mystery

Karen's Mystery

Joan's Mystery

Carole D's Mystery

Nancy's Mystery Quilt

The completed tops are still coming in and still creating the mystery of how the same design can yield so many different looking amazing quilts.

All the best,

Carol