What's Up? What's Coming Up?

I cleaned up my studio, cleared the decks, and got back to work quilting the pieces I made this past winter!

But then I learned that my website had been hacked! What ensued was a frustrating week of fumbling in unfamiliar territory, a lot of calls to my web hosting company, and learning things I never hoped or expected to learn. The end result is that the problem seems finally to be resolved.

I've also been experimenting with brown dyes. My favorite Chino brown dye colour from G&S Dye has changed so much that I had to go shopping for something that might be similar. I ordered 6 different browns from Dharma, expecting that Brazil Nut would be just the ticket (stack on left), but it turns out that Bronze is very close to my old Chino. You can see it in the fabrics in centre and on right. I'm a happy camper to find such a good likeness of Chino on only my second try.

My main reason for writing today is to share details of some workshops I have coming up this fall.

I will be giving a lecture and workshop to the Region of York Quilters' Guild in Newmarket, Ontario  on October 25 and 26.

In addition, I'll be teaching two workshops for The Quilt Store in Newmarket, Ontario:

On October 31 I'll be teaching Liberated Radial Piecing. You will learn how to create a radial design similar to mine while using improv cutting and piecing methods.

On November I will be teaching an Introduction to Fabric Dyeing. In this class you will learn about colour by dyeing a 12 step colourwheel using only three dye colours. You will have a choice between a bright colourwheel

or an earthy colourwheel.

In addition, you will learn how I dye my multi-coloured fabrics.

If you've always wanted to learn how to dye fabric, or if you are curious about how I obtain my saturated colours, this is a great opportunity for those of you who live in or near the Greater Toronto Area.

On the weekend of December 1- 3 I will be teaching my "In Full Bloom" class in a retreat format at Inspired Getaways in Arnprior, Ontario. You will have a choice of either my peony pattern or my poppy pattern. You can bring your own fabric or purchase a kit of hand-dyed fabrics from me. Treat yourself to a fun and productive weekend with all meals provided.

Kits available for the peony in pink.

Kits available for the poppy in either red or blue.

If designing your own botanical art quilt appeals to you, I'll be offering my "Inspired by Nature, Designed by You" class in a retreat format the weekend of May 10-13, 2018. Check out some of the amazing quilts some of my students have created in previous classes here or here.

Christine Earl designed this lovely trillium quilt in the class I taught in London, Ontario.