Fibrefest Follow Up and Studio Clean up

Catching up on my blogging after a week of recovering and cleaning up from Fibrefest. After teaching a Hand-dyed Threads class, we set up my booth on Friday. I'm sharing a few photos before the crowds came. Yes, we had crowds! It was a successful weekend. Here's a view of my entire booth. I purchased some grid racks for the back so I could hang some work and samples of patterns made into quilts, along with patterns. There is a shelf along the back displaying the hand-dyed kits that go with the patterns.

In laying out my booth I decided to organize things in terms of colour. Right at the front I set up an autumn theme. I can't tell you how many people stopped just to pet the velvet!

I'd say the top sellers of the weekend were velvets and Textile Temptation packs. The visitors to Fibrefest are a more diverse crowd than just quilters and so I found it was the non-cottons that really attracted customers.

However, a lot of my past customers (many of them quilters) came out to purchase the cottons too.

 

Whew ... I was tired on Sunday night! Ended up taking Monday and Tuesday off. Standing and walking on those concrete floors all weekend caused a lot of leg, knee, and lower back pain. I was ever so glad I had a massage booked for Tuesday. 

In the past few days I did a major studio clean up. The tables are cleared to begin work on the sunflower commission next week. My sewing machines have been sent for servicing.

In cleaning up I even managed to excavate the chair in my studio, which has not been seen in two years ;-)

The fabrics that resided on the chair were put away so I can easily find them, in a cleaned out cabinet.

I straightened out the closet and moved some of the seldom-used teaching bins to the basement. Now I have a better idea where everything is, and some space to work in.

But of course I am back in the dye pots too. Trying to plan ahead for upcoming classes in the Maritimes at the end of October and early November. I'm not concerned if I dye too many kits because I need some for my booth at Quilt Canada next year. I just don't like to work in a last minute panic.

Looking forward to making some progress in the studio this week.

May Update

Last Saturday I had a lovely day teaching my Intro Dyeing class. It was hosted by the Out of the Box Fibre Artists group. I was so engrossed in the class that I completely forgot to take photos, so this earthy colourwheel will have to do.

Seventeen years ago when I was a new member to this group, I was stricken with my passion for dyeing fabric after a presentation by Hilary Perrot, another member of the group. I hope that I can inspire someone else and continue the circle.

I am sad to tell you that my "design your own" class this weekend at Inspired Getaways was cancelled. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to hold it on Mother's Day Weekend, and also the same weekend as the local quilt show by the Common Thread Quilt Guild? 

Because I had four classes scheduled at the upcoming Salon 2018, Quebec's provincial Quilt Show, I had started playing with hand-dyed threads again. I was preparing to give a class there. Unfortunately there have been a number of class cancellations there, including three of the four classes I was scheduled to teach. I will still be teaching an Intro to Fabric Dyeing, but my Hand-dyed Threads class is cancelled. This is a shame really because dyeing thread is so much fun, but a difficult class to fill. I plan to have fun with it anyway, and as I go through the process I will take photos to share on this blog.

Here's an example of what these threads look like. More information to follow.

If I have been quiet here, it is because I have been occupied. I spent considerable time in the last weeks altering some of my favorite clothes. Due to a lifestyle change and commitment to my health I have dropped some pounds, and needed to adjust some clothing. I've been learning how to knit, and finally achieved even tension by learning how to hold the yarn. I haven't knit anything yet, just practicing until it becomes automatic. I'm also taking an on-line Sketchbook course with Sketchbook Skool. I must be doing something right because I seem to have enough time in my schedule to do some stuff for me :-)

The studio is cleaned up and ready to work in after the alterations.

My sketchbook supplies

One needs pretty knitting needles, right?

The appearance of better weather, including more sunlight, made me really appreciate the garlic bulbs that have been sitting on the kitchen windowsill. Yes I am in love with garlic bulbs! Just look at the lines and shapes, and the shadows and hi-lights!!!    All these photos were taken using the HDR setting on my Smart Phone.

I've already dyed 12 meters of fabric, in a variety of values, that will hopefully be useful in the quilt inspired by garlic. I am about to dig through my stash and see what else I might find there.

I'm also replenishing the blue fabrics in my store. I was almost completely out. I have 35 new meters waiting to be ironed.

Nicer weather, means more time spent outdoors. Nice to get out to Mer Bleue Conservation area and take a walk on the boardwalk.

I am in discussions about doing a commission quilt. The timing is very good as I've lost a significant chunk of my year's income with so many classes cancelled. I am at the "entertaining ideas" stage. Work will begin in June, and I hope for it to be finished by the end of the year. Stay tuned. I can't say more than that for now.

Enjoy the beautiful weather!

Scrumptious Threads Coming Up!

Interested in learning how to dye and use beautiful, variegated, multi-coloured thread to use in your quilts and textile work? I'm renting the dye studio at Wabi Sabi for a one day class on JULY 11, 2014. It's been a couple of years since I taught this class in Ottawa ... don't miss it! Email me at equehl@hotmail.com for information and to register.

Lighter-weight ones can be stitched through a Topstitch needle;

Heavier threads can be couched or used for bobbin work 

or textured hand-stitching. 

We will also be spending a day dyeing thread at my week-long "Uncommon & Unforgettable Threads" class at Haliburton School of the Arts, July 28 - August 1, 2014. Other topics to be covered there are: thread painting, thread sketching, hand-stitching, couching, bobbin work, when to use a stabilizer, what needles to use, and how to be successful with any thread. Click here for the course description and registration information. To see blog postings, with photos, from my previous Threads classes, click on the "THREADS" label in the right-hand bar of this blog. Come join us!

Back in the Classroom

After returning from Toronto, I had a few days to get my life back in order and prep for the two classes I taught in Ottawa Friday and Saturday. I am now doing several weeks of laundry, and nursing a cold I picked up in my travels. I am happy to be staying home for Easter, and look forward to my trip to Nova Scotia to teach for two groups on April 4. I will share more details when I return. Lobster sandwiches here I come!

Friday I taught Part 3 of my Uncommon and Unforgettable Threads class. Students brought in their hand-dyed threads from the previous class. I believe these are Judith's.

These are Ruth's luscious threads, on top of some stunning fabric that Lois dyed with some of the left over dye solution.

Friday's class focused on stand-alone thread paintings, these on water soluble stabilizer for those times when you want some sheer aspects to the design. This method works well for wings, as in bug wings, dragonfly wings, angel wings, etc. Mary's piece is looking pretty gorgeous.

Ruth nearly finished her piece in class.

Lois finished her dragonfly in turquoise and chartreuse (my favorite colour).

Saturday I taught my advanced machine quilting class, Beyond Stippling, Part 2. This class focuses on more complex motifs, combining motifs and free-motion feathers. I love contemporary feathers, although I am unable to use them in my own nature-themed work, that calls for more organic designs.

Machine quilting with threads that contrast in colour with your fabric become about the thread and stitching.

However, a thread colour that blends with the fabric, becomes more about the texture.  As I always say, using a thread colour that blends will always make you happier with your machine quilting at the end of the day, and if you are happy with it, you'll feel encouraged and want to continue working at it.

Barb brought some samples of free-motion quilting she had practiced on in order to quilt the poppy she made in my class.  I love her organic lines.

In my next blog post I'll be sharing what I did in my class, Drawing Fundamentals, Part 2, this winter.

Teaching and Travel, Back in Full Swing!

The last few days have been very busy with teaching and travel.  On Friday I taught Part 2 of my Uncommon and Unforgettable Threads class here in Ottawa at Dragonfly Fabrics.  We had lots of fun dyeing thread!

A couple of students brought their thread sketches from last class.  Ruth did a great job with the three chairs, although she found that because her stitching was fairly dense she could have used an extra layer of stabilizer on the back.

Not quite finished yet, but well on its way, is Sylvia's leaf.  You can see near the bottom left where she has started adding in the finer veins.  These are really more like thread paintings than thread sketches.

Ruth sent photos after washing out her threads.  Lovely colours!  

Friday night I drove to Kingston to teach at the Stitch by Stitch quilt shop for two days.  They have a wonderfully large classroom that is well-lit by natural light.  On Saturday I taught my Collage Tree class.  You can see the class busy cutting tree bark.

On Sunday I taught my Liberated Strip Piecing class.

Two students actually finished their quilt tops during the class.  This is Allison and her work; I love the movement and wonkiness in the central portion, and I really think this piece would work no matter which way it is turned.

Kiley put her piece, featuring the complementary colours of orange and purple, together quite quickly.  I love that the work is predominantly purple with only small bits of orange, and I like the small light strips she has inserted here and there.

My weekend included cats!  While staying with Betty, I got to schmooze with PITA (whose name stands for "pain in the ass" since he is always there wanting love).  When I came through the door at the end of Saturday, he threw himself at my feet.

He's a handsome young cat

who loves to snuggle, and snuggle we did!  Betty has a second cat, a beautiful white female who is a recent feral rescue, but she was too shy for me to get a good picture of.

Back home my kitties were waiting.  Here's my new Peekaboo.

After some play time she snuggled in the crook of my arm for a nap.

Kissabelle and Peekaboo are getting along fine now, for the most part.  There are occasional spats but most of the time they tolerate each other well.

Yesterday morning it was off to art class, and then during the afternoon I crashed in bed for a while.  This coming Friday I am off again for a teaching trip to Orangeville and the Greater Toronto Area.