Hello everyone. While I am taking a break from teaching a “workshop” this upcoming Artistic Alchemy Retreat, I really want to teach techniques in “breakout sessions” during the evenings. Here are some of our thoughts on them so far:
It looks like Jane will teach one (she’ll talk about it at some point), Sandra said not this year, and Heidi, possibly one a night starting Tuesday evening.
We have decided they will be about 1-1 1/2 hours long.
They will be hand work only (maybe some stitching by machine that can be done later).
Each session will come with a (mostly) complete kit to work with.
Basic sewing supplies as in, scissors, pins, thimble, etc. you would bring to the session.
10 kits for each session more than likely, a more doable size of class for all concerned.
Bring your favorite refreshment and sit, sip, and stitch!
Pricing/signups, all the little details will be posted probably in June maybe even July.
The following pictures are IDEAS that I am THINKING ABOUT. That’s all. Just IDEAS.
You can most certainly bring your latest knitting or crocheting project to do on your own time. I think this lady and/or gentleman got a little carried away with their project.Ha, ha. It’s really the cutest picture and I had to include it (found it on pinterest). Let’s make a really unique scarf? Fiber jewelry maybe. More fiber jewelry. Fiber jewelry with a mixture of WHAT??? Rubber tire innertubes.Ribbon yarn, ya gotta love it for fiber jewelry. Hmmm…Fiber jewelry with beads, wire, and ribbon yarn. This is a possibility, but wait those are machine stitched. Keeping it as a possible, thinking, I’m thinking. This is a possibility from my book. My book is called “Fashion Quilted Accessories” Hmmm…again, there is that machine stitching. Orrr….I can show you what I do with tiny fabric pieces. This one could really work!The colors are so vibrant in this picture, I just had to include it. These are all Kaffe Fassett stripes. Hmmm…I could include a piece of double needle stitched fabric in the kit and do some handwork on the little squares to hold in place. Thinking, thinking……I have a really super technique to create these fabric twisted pieces. These are bracelets.
Do you see my dilemma? Soooo MANY IDEAS. In the coming few months I will be testing them all out and others too. My motto in picking them out is: “Make it up, make it fun, and get it done! Hugs, Heidi
This is Jane. For my blog post this month I am reflecting on what I like about teaching my collage classes. I’ve been thinking about how I have survived 2020 by teaching online and enjoyed the experience. But now, although I am still teaching via Zoom, I’m excited and looking forward to our Artistic Alchemy retreat in September .
Ready to teach Hens and Roosters via Zoom
It seems a long time since I have gathered with quilters or traveled to visit a quilt guild. I have kept busy presenting and teaching classes to quilt guilds and taught at many online quilt shows. I think this platform is great for sharing information with students, demos are successful because students have the best front row seat and working from home they will not run short of supplies. Also I can set up the day before and be ready at my laptop 30 mins before class starts.
This may look like a crazy amount of fabric but its enough for this fabric collage of Ruby the Cow
I do miss cruising the classroom and chatting with my students, monitoring how their work is progressing and offering tips along the way. When I teach online its harder to see the progress they are making and with collage its tricky to pick the piece up to show on camera. But recently I have received photos via email of finished students work. It makes me feel happy that they have enjoyed the process and then spent their time working and completing the project.
Recent Student Work
When I am teaching I like to say to my students “Value = Contrast = Dimension” These words are especially important when making collage and other art practices. I encourage students to” look” at their photo. If you spend 5 minutes really looking at what is going on in a photo your brain will see things that you do not expect. Sometimes when we work we make things as we think they are. By showing what is really going will result in a better and more successful design!
Looking at contrast in a photo
In the photo above I see contrast between the color families of the two types of succulent. I see contrast when looking into the shadows between the leaves of the succulents and I see contrast between what is in focus in the foreground against the blurriness of the background.
Ruby 24″ x 34″
To achieve this I encourage students to exaggerate what they see for a successful piece of work. Where you see the shadows or the areas that are layered this would be where you need to add your dark or black fabrics. For those light reflections or highlights, use your lightest fabrics even going to white or off white. The rest of the time we can use the medium value or our fun fabrics.
Enough of this lesson!
At the 2021 Artistic Alchemy retreat in Lake Tahoe, September 6-10th, I will be teaching collage quilting starting from a photo or you can use one of my patterns.
Little succulent designs in blue and white pots
We will spend time learning to make a pattern, choosing the right fabrics to use and then jumping into my technique for making fabric collage. If you are unfamiliar I don’t use pattern pieces or use fusible on the backs of the fabric but trace the shape onto the fabric and cut it out. It is a little more freeform with fewer rules. Resulting in a finished piece that is fun and unique. I don’t want students to stress over this process as its just “small bits of fabric!”
As well as the fabric collage in my workshop we will be spending the first day playing with surface design and mark making. I love to do this when the opportunity arises. What is better than using your own handmade textiles in your collage.
Lino Cutting and printmaking
I like to use textural print fabrics in my collage and if I’ve made them myself that is even better. I use paints, fabric or acrylic paints and a number of simple tools to create unique patterns and textures. For my workshop there will be a small fee for materials. I will provide paints, a gel plate, fabrics and other materials. You will have the opportunity to paint on fabric, make your own stamps, lino-cuts, cyanotype prints and monoprints.
Spring is on its way in my garden.
Now looking at this photo, and I am really looking, I’m thinking about mark-making and collage. I could paint some fabric to make those beautiful violet and lavender petals. Also the texture of the sepal leaves could be created using mono-prints and then there is the blurred background to consider!
So if you are considering attending our retreat this September the registration is already open. Go to the Workshop page on the blog and you will find out more info about the pricing etc if you click on the registration button. Remember priority for lake-front rooms is given to those who sign up first.
My latest recommendation
After my post back in November when I reviewed many of the books that I had read over 2020 this is one of my newest reads. I’m over half way through and am really enjoying the narrative and the rich descriptions in this book. I believe there are plans for a movie in the works.
Let’s hope as Spring arrives we are all more optimistic. We can savor the days when we will be able to socialize and have fun together at the retreat. Keep creative as Heidi, Sandra and myself continue to do.
Greetings, Sewists! Jane, Heidi and I are pleased to be going forward with our 2021 Artistic Alchemy Retreat at Zephyr Point on Lake Tahoe, September 6-10. If you go to the “Workshops” page on this site it will take you to the information. After a year “off” we’re hoping you will be eager to come to this beautiful place, to gather with other like-minded creatives…..to sew, create, laugh, renew and make new friendships. If you’re new to us, and unfamiliar with what we’re about, be sure to look at our past retreat photos. We always have a blast!
This was the view a couple of years back from my classroom, can’t beat it! I will be teaching Matrix, and will have returning students, I’m happy to say. I hope you’ll consider joining us!
Since we’re hoping you’ll go peek at the offerings for this year, I’ll keep my post short and sweet. What have I been up to? I’ve been asked to teach at Empty Spools in 2022 (March 25-30, Session 4) and I’ll be doing a 5-day Matrix workshop. I wanted to make a good project for the students to do in that time frame, so started an image I loved of a pelican. Alas, only a few hours into it I realized it really wasn’t the right amount of challenge for beginners, so I switched gears and the pelican became….a seagull! The photo: (I love his feet)
I’ve named him “Seamus”, and here’s the top pieced, still a WIP, his eye still needs to be added, and it still needs quilting and finishing, of course:
Because of the size, the eye needs to be painted in. It’ll be good to have a new creative addition to my teaching, I’ll show students how to add the eye. My next post I’ll show the finished piece. Here’s my painting, in progress.
My CourseCraft offerings have been doing well, I’m slowly adding new things. I have so many ideas in my head for new quilt patterns and projects that I want to execute and add. Right now, I have 3: my Material Matrix course which can be viewed here: https://coursecraft.net/courses/z93eK
Also, I pulled out the chapter on “How to Do a Matched Binding” from the Matrix course for those who are not interested in Matrix but would like to know how to make a matched binding, it’s a stand-alone quick course, and it can be viewed here: https://coursecraft.net/c/matchedbinding
Last but not least, a quilt pattern I made a while ago, called “Hugs and Kisses”, just in time for Valentine’s Day. It’s super simple and you could do a version of it even before February 14th, if you hop to it ;-). It can be viewed here:https://coursecraft.net/c/XXOO, and it looks like this:
Lastly, I wish you all love, hugs (and good chocolate) for the upcoming Valentine’s Day, and hope you will look at the offerings we have for this year’s retreat. We 3 are excited to be with the talented and fun ladies we always attract to our event!
Welcome everyone! First a quick update on Artistic Alchemy Retreat, September 6-10th, 2021. We are on track to have our retreat as scheduled. Wont it be so fabulous to see each other IN PERSON! So a reminder that we “GO LIVE” on February 5th where you will get all the latest, greatest information on what’s coming for ARTISTIC ALCHEMY RETREAT 2021!
In the meantime, this is my week to chat about Designs by Heidi and what I’m up to.
This is Jane. Happy New Year. 2021 is finally here, yeah!
Hoping everyone is well and staying healthy. Going forward we will need patience as we keep wearing our masks while waiting for the vaccine program to roll out and hopefully politics will take a backseat in our lives.
The start of a New Year
Leading into 2021 we have been in contact with Zephyr Point Conference Center and are planning our retreat, September 6-10th 2021. Finally here’s an event we can anticipate and get excited about after so much time sheltering at home. We should be able to gather, maybe still wearing our masks but share this beautiful and creative environment. As usual our retreat information and reservation forms will come out at the beginning of February. So be looking for that. We are all excited to make our announcement for the September retreat.
Playtime using my new Gelli plate
Christmas time rolls around and my family asks me “What would you like for Christmas?” I really don’t need anything but usually I will buy items that can be gifted to me! This year these included a knitted beanie, quilting books, and some art supplies. I was caught by surprise as my son James bought me a Gelli plate and two brayers for printing. The Gelli plate by Gel Press is the biggest one I have seen! Its 12″ x 14″
Getting to play with my new Gel Plate
After watching a few Youtube videos, I went outside gathered some leaves and weeds from my garden, organized my supplies and started printing. I used acrylic and fabric paints I already had. Tip: I did buy expensive Golden fluid acrylics but found they worked no differently than less expensive craft paints. I tore up some white muslin into 13″ x 15″ pieces, which I sprayed with Terial Magic to stiffen them. I also gathered some sketchbook paper and covered my table with newsprint in preparation.
With my daughter Lucy to help and all the supplies around, we ended up making about 10 panels of fabric and about the same on paper. Many of the prints have three layers using three different colors and a variety of leaf shapes. Some layers were made using the the paint off the plate and others came off the ghost print that was under the leaves after the initial print.
The question I ask myself and I am sure my family does too, is what will I do with them? They are all unique, some more successful than others but beautiful and unexpected art. I have a few favorites and some of these are on paper. I plan to copy these using my inkjet printer onto fabric sheets.
My workshop for the 2021 retreat will again be a combo class of mark-making and collage. So if you wish to play with fabrics, papers, printing supplies and paint then this could be the workshop for you. As I think about using these panels I could cut and piece them together for a great background for my collage.
Starting some fabric collage using succulent imagery
The two books I “bought myself” for Christmas were The Painted Quilt by Laura and Linda Kemshall and Botanicals by Uppercase. I have also been watching videos on DesignmattersTV which is fun and relaxing, inspiring all things surface design and quilting.
Using my new iPhone to take a picture as I work
This year some of my goals include finishing some of the collage quilts I have made but not quilted or finished. Above I am working on finishing one such quilt which I need for an online class next week. I am teaching my class Little Frank Fabric Collage for Craft Napa Uncorked. Other goals include using my stash of fabric, drawing and painting in my sketchbook, being more experimental in my work and writing another online, on-demand workshop on Coursecraft. Check out more of my work and patterns etc I have for sale on my website
Another new product I have been using is called Applipops These are a variety of different sized metal rings, that you use in pairs, to make simple pressed circles of fabric. I have been using them in the hand stitched Japanese Rice Pouches I’ve been stitching. The pattern I use for the above bag is from KZStevens and is very simple to make. I’m on my sixth one! My current hand stitch, meditative stitching project is this floral panel that I stitch in the evening whilst watching Hinterland on Netflix. This panel will be number seven Rice Pouch!
Work in Progress hand stitched, embroidery panel
So now you know what I have been up to in 2021 and I hope you too have been inspired and creative. So lets get through these crazy times by staying busy and staying home. As Heid says try to get in 15 minutes a day of creativity.
As you may have read here in the recent past WordPress has totally changed the format for making a post, much to my frustration …my last post seemed easier, for some reason. All the photos I wanted to use popped up as you see below, but when I saw this configuration I kind of liked it and decided to leave them as they are and let you enjoy them as a “collage”. I went through my photos from the year and was determined to pick out photos that represented positive elements of my year. I must admit it wasn’t easy! But there were bright spots which will remain as good memories for me.
Please note, we are in the planning stages for our Fall Retreat at Zephyr Point, September 6-10, 2021. How wonderful it will be to be able to gather together for this event that will be our 8th year together as Artistic Alchemy. We’ll be making announcements soon regarding details.
My online Matrix course has been very successful and I hope it continues to be so. Here’s the link if you want to check it out:
I wish for each of you reading this blog, a happy and safe 2021, when we can put this year behind us. There is plenty to be thankful for, and reason for optimism. A truly new year is upon us, let’s make the most of it. (at the bottom of this post is a listing of the photos for those interested).
Left to right, top to bottom:
My outline for my online Matrix course, the intense but rewarding editing done on the computer, closeup of my Matrix entry for a SAQA exhibit “Wear Your Mask”, how it is possible to play Banangrams in the Covid times by each player using their own game tiles, first most-welcomed rain in November, my quilt of a trout made and given for a good deed done by a friend, enjoying my Featherweight, quilt pattern by Elizabeth Hartman made with Christmas fabrics, food in Israel January 2020, a student in my last Matrix in-person class February 2020, mask making makes you feel usefu!, my son Matteo is my mask tester, Zooming Zumba, social-distanced happy hour, a clean studio, watching “Hamilton” safely outside, enjoying being on the deck in the warm weather, perfecting my pizza making skills, working on a Matrix quilt, “Matteo in the Time of Covid”, Sardinia selfie 1993, fabric selecting for mask making.
Hello everyone. It has been a quiet teaching time these past months and months (as it has been for all of us in the teaching world) But many, Jane being the first of our group have been quietly creating a new niche market for themselves. Everything ONLINE! Classes, lectures, etc. Sandra has just finished creating her class too. Go to CourseCraft.com to see Jane and Sandra’s classes that are available NOW! Mine is started but you wont see the finished product until the first of the new year.
A quick word about Artistic Alchemy 2021. We on track for our Retreat at Lake Tahoe for September 6-10th, 2021. I have been in touch with Zephyr Point Conference Center and they want to be completely up and running in April, 2021. We will keep the faith.
As you know, I am the “Art to Wear” instructor for Artistic Alchemy. I want to get right to it this week. My Zephyr Jacket “Art to Wear” sewing pattern is the perfect topper for where YOU live.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! my newest Zephyr Jacket. I finally got with the program and have pulled out my “Kantha” cloth. It was time to cut them up. This was an inexpensive “printed” not pieced, bed topper.A close up of a section of this “kantha” cloth. Kantha cloth is usually made in India. Know in advance that it is made of thinner cottons, two pieces and then hand stitched together with a thicker cotton thread (short staple cotton that shreds).This is the back side of this particular Kantha cloth. It is a solid black.I like the wool (yes, I mix cotton and wool often) flat trim on the shoulders with a small piping that I added on either side of the plain wool trim.I added pockets on this Zephyr Jacket. you can barely see them as the fabric is a little busy.A better view of what the Kantha cloth looks like. Whoops, uhh…my pocket is NOT straight. I looked at it and asked myself if it would be worth taking it apart and re-make it. Nope. It would take too much time and I put it on the jacket and voila’ it blends right in. Crisis averted.I wanted BIG pockets! To make these I put the Kantha and a lining right sides together, stitched all the way around leaving about a 2″ opening. Turn inside out, stitched opening closed and topstitched onto the jacket.My Zephyr Jacket pattern. Contact me at my email: hmemmett@gmail.com and hear about purchasing directly from me. ORRR….go to my Etsy shop and see all “Art To Wear” patterns. Etsy shop name: DesignsbyHeidiEmmettPurchase my patterns from me by contacting me at hmemmett@gmail.com OR from my Etsy shop: DesignsbyHeidiEmmettZephyr Jacket can be layered (like a Bell sleeved sweater underneath), or made in a heavier weight fabric for added warmth. Yep, an older picture with me in braces! Glad I did it, but EXTRA GLAD it’s over. Ha, ha.I like how it flutters to a longer length in back. This is the jacket pictured on the pattern back (that picture is really soft in color). The main body is a Kaffe Fassett fabric called “Turkish Delight.” They just brought it back and in some new colorways. Check your local quilt shop. The front pieces are made from a silk piece (o.k., o.k., I found a brand new pair of silk pants at the Thrift shop).The quilting cotton weight is perfect for warmer days and evenings.Shoulder work on the Kaffe Zephyr Jacket. I explain it all in the instruction section.The body of this Zephyr Jacket is a heavier cotton/linen blend. An unusual netted “scuba fabric” was placed over the top of a turquoise green cotton and treated as one piece of fabric.I added length to this Zephyr Jacket by splitting the tissue pattern pieces across horizontally and added the same amount on each piece.Check out all the stitching I did on the back (and some on the front too). I used orange quilting thread. It is a running stitch BUT I cheated! I used my Sashiko machine. More about it below.The Sashiko Machine is a very COOL TOOL! It is made by Baby Lock. It makes the BEST “Shashiko” stitch (running stitch that looks hand done) and you can use different weights of thread. Sadly, it is a big and bulky machine (weighs close to 35 pounds).On the left side I added little tied pieces of floss on top of the scuba netting.The body of this Zephyr Jacket is another Kaffe Fassett fabric. I like how the fronts fold back just a little to reveal a different parasol fabric.I mixed silk and cotton and a rayon (the black background parasols) for a unique late summer top The solid aqua green silk came from a silk skirt . On the upper postion of the Zephyr jacket front I have a dragonfly pin.This dragonfly pin was a really fun find. I tried and tried to find a company name for you all but to no avail. My pin landed on a beautiful hand embroidered fiber/bead necklace. This necklace was my very first purchase on Etsy some 10 years ago from a shop in Australia. I’d give you her shop name in a flash but she took it down. Sooo sad.I leave you with this quote. Let’s all follow it. Hugs and much creative energy to you, Heidi
This is Jane. A year ago (to the day) I was on Rhode Island visiting Newport and taking a tour of The Breakers. I was hosted by the Narragansett Bay Quilters Guild and taught two different one-day workshops. I keep thinking about all the unique opportunities that being a quilt teacher has given me. But now in our new Covid/Zoom world I am getting new but different opportunities.
Views to the mansions on the Cliff Walk
What a beautiful day, it was so unexpected. I will say my next three days were not so perfect as it rained, a lot!
The Cliff Walk at Newport, RI
Before my visit to Rhode Island I knew nothing of “The Mansions” and The Cliff Walk but was highly recommended by my host from the quilt guild. The Breakers is a Vanderbilt mansion built between 1893-95 and is worth $12.8 million today. The footprint of the building covers 1 acre and stands overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. During my visit it was decorated for the holidays and was just exquisite.
Workshop photo from my Travel Journal Quilt class.
See I really was working!
So now we are settled into our Covid/Zoom lifestyle I will catch you up on some of the things that I have doing and share some new opportunities open to us all. This morning at 7am I was the guest teacher for a quilt group in Massachusetts who usually host a Cape Cod retreat. I was honored to be asked and will be up bright and early again tomorrow, to continue my workshop.
My on demand workshop has had a steady stream of new students sign up and I am planning on putting together a new course in the New Year. I know Sandra has just released her workshop called Material Matrix and she must be feeling happy and relieved after all the effort putting it together. Her link is https://coursecraft.net/courses/z93eK I know Heidi is also working on one too. We know this does not replace an event like the Artistic Alchemy Retreat but it means our teaching is available to people who probably could never have attended an in-person event. Next years retreat will be Sept 6-10th 2021.
For those of you looking for online classes that you can sign up for independently of a quilt guild, look up Global Quilt Connections. It’s a great resource, put together by Sue Bleiweiss and Lyric Kinard. Here you can see quilt teachers from around the world presenting via 3 minute videos online classes they have available. Yesterday I presented my Coursecraft Pet Portrait workshop. Its hard making your own videos about yourself but I guess this is one of those new experiences I’ve had to get used to!
This is my fabric sketchbook
Through social media I found out about a November sketchbook challenge presented by Laura Kemshall on a website called Design Matters. It contains a wealth of videos and tutorials on surface design, crafts and quilting too. Laura and her mother Linda have been making online art and craft classes for over 15 years and are from Herefordshire, England. The workshops are very reasonably priced and given the time I would love to try more of these. I did join the sketchbook challenge!.
Sketchbook Challenge by Laura Kemshall
My Covid 19 mini quilts
As a full time quilter and teacher my days are filled with either making custom t-shirt or necktie quilts, collage quilts, or prepping materials for new online classes. Over the last few months I have managed to squeeze in time to make these quilts to memorialize this time.
6” Rice pouch hand stitched.
Another small project I’ve been work on in the evenings is making these Asian inspired bags, postcards and wall hanging (in progress). I find hand stitching calming and keeps me awake!
Boro-type stitching
These pieces are made using the stabilizer from neckties, craft felt, linen, Asian fabrics and sashiko cotton threads in blue, navy and cream. My stitches are simple and repetitive. The Japanese rice bag is a pattern from Kzstevens
Sheltering in Place
Even during lockdown I have stayed involved with my local quilt guild, Foothill Quilters Guild who switched to a Zoom format in July. I am co-ordinating a group effort to make these house blocks for their opportunity quilt 2022. The pattern is Villages by Pat Sloan and if you search online the free pattern is available.
Daisey
This is my latest custom quilt order of a dog called Daisey. I’m not sure of her breed but my customer told me how she is known for lying in this pose with her paws crossed. I have since quilted it which gives a different look as it helps to blend the fabrics.
Pinnacles National Park
After no summer vacation I did get a short getaway with two of my children, James and Lucy during Fall Break in October. Pinnacles National Park has been on my radar for a few years after I read about it in Sunset magazine. From my home it was an easy 4 hour drive to Central California. It is an amazing, small National Park that has incredible vistas of beautiful colored boulders and rock formations at every turn. The weather was incredible for October. At the end of our 4 hr hike up to the Pinnacles, around and over the boulders, down the ‘high and narrows trail’, it was 92′. We even got to see Condors! I highly recommend a visit and during weekdays camping reservations were easy to secure.
My crazy family!
Finally, it seems covid lockdown is taking an effect on us! My families bi-weekly chat has grown quite hilarious as we try out the special effects on the messenger app!
From Heidi, Sandra and I best wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. I’m sure many of us will be celebrating via Zoom. Hang in there as it won’t last forever. Stay creative till we can safely gather together again.
Oh, my! WordPress has a whole new layout….can I do this? On top of learning CourseCraft?
Since my last post (and even before) I’ve been working on an online course on how to do Material Matrix. It will not, of course, be quite the same as teaching in person, but it’s definitely the next best thing. I don’t feel like I can teach on Zoom, but doing it this way I can really control what people see and do it with the detail I want to show. CourseCraft is the platform I chose to use….Jane used it for her online class and I liked how it looked. It’s pretty easy to use and the templates are simple.
I made a very specific “outline” of what I wanted in the videos, of which I knew there would be plenty…with thumbnails to show Gary (my trusty camera person) where the camera would need to be.
As it turned out my iPhone took good video and we decided to use it instead of a camera. In hindsight….there were limitations. The iPhone did get hot and had to be stopped after a long bit of filming. And since the mic connection was coming out of it instead of the charger it did run out of juice. Oh….and we had to put it so high up in order to see everything it needed o see that Gary couldn’t see what was being filmed. So we set up a TV to use as a monitor to view what was being filmed. That worked well. We had to configure a strange looking setup in my studio. Ironing board to the rescue!
Nice lighting was a must.
I can’t believe I did it but I had to make another sample of my “Wake Up Cup” piece, as that is the project I chose to demo in the course. I have made so many, and taught it so many times, which turned out to be a good thing, in terms of getting my cookies in a row to prep for filming.
The picture below is a lousy one but you can see what a problem it was trying to put my self-portrait behind me for the video…2 big eyes staring around my head! We switched to my Color Dance quilt, just for the opening sequence. Most of the video is shot from overhead so it worked out.
I wondered how to handle the script. I didn’t want to sound like I was reading it, but needed to to keep on track and not forget anything. In the picture below I tried draping the paper script in front of me….didn’t work. My son informed me that there are apps that turn written word into a teleprompter on an iPad…..voila! It worked like a charm. I went off script plenty of times but I had it when I needed it. This is one of the million pictures we took to find the right background and right thing for me to wear.
There was a lot of list making to keep everything straight. I made 10 “chapters” plus a “bonus”, and 9 of them contain video.
When it came time for “Show and Tell” we had to schlep everything downstairs to the living room to have the space to spread out the quilts on a rack with good light. Gary had to climb onto our roof to cover skylights with blankets to control the light sources.
We uploaded videos daily to my computer and reviewed them for boo-boos.
Editing in iMovie is not too difficult, and you can add captions and all kinds of fun tricks to make a video look professional. We did add a few captions, and used the fade feature.
I made a fun logo since there is a space on CourseCraft for it.
At this point we are uploading the videos and will be done soon! When it’s time I will be announcing on social media that it is ready to go. The way it will work is a url will get you to CourseCraft where you can purchase the course and have it to view whenever you are ready! In the course I cover a lot, including (but not limited to): how to do my technique, how to grid your own photo, what makes a good photo to use in this technique, Show and Tell of my quilts and shots of quilts made by my students for your enjoyment. There’s also a bonus feature on how to make a matching binding. Over 2 hours of video in all. If you are interested in a heads-up on the availability of the course, I have started a list (over 100 already on it!) of email addresses of people who are interested in knowing…..send me an email if you want to be on the list. My email is: sandrabruce@pacbell.net. My past students (guilds and retreats) will get a discount on the course if they would like to have it to finish their project that didn’t quite get done, or they wan to go on and make another one using their own photo.
I am motivated to be done so I can start another Matrix quilt, so stay tuned, it won’t be long!
Acckk.. I wouldn’t have to hear the bang, bang, beep , beep, beep(equipment going backwards. Don’t they EVER go forward?), the LOUD (and sometimes quite vulgar)talking and noise (they call it rap), and the smells (toxic paint products, instant headache, asphalt). For 32 years we have enjoyed an empty field on one whole side of our property. Well, not anymore. Of course the home being built “feels” like it is right on our property line, but it is very large. I needed to get away! NOW!
With the shutdowns here in CA we ventured to our favorite place (that’s only 2 hours away), Zephyr Point, Lake Tahoe, Nevada side. Nevada has lifted or at least really softened their restrictions. O.K. enough of all that, let’s go relax.
Our first full day, we drove up to Sand Harbor ( the most pristine and building free shoreline is the entire Eastern shore which is all in Nevada) and walked the new trail that stretches from Sand Harbor, 3 miles to Incline Village.I am not faking the color of the water! I take all my pictures now on my “Google Pixel” phone. Best camera on the market right now.This trail is wide and mostly level. We saw bicycles, people jogging, walking, and of course lots of “puppskies!” It was a doggie fashion show. We lost track of the different breeds. Wish we could have brought Mr. Riley. Believe me, he was “Living the life of Riley” at doggie day/night care. BUT, we have plans to do a day trip back to this trail (before the snow starts to fly) so we can show off our dog too.Every vista is a treasure.There is a spot on the trail that goes under the highway and goes up and up so the vistas become higher and broader.A gust of wind across the water adds sparkling diamonds to the view.All to soon the trail was reaching its end with the docks coming into view (this is the beginning of Incline Village). 3 miles one way. But WAIT. It’s all good because we just turned around and saw new vistas as we made our way back to Sand Harbor. 2 hours it took us to walk almost 6 miles. There were many many stops along the way.Look closely. That’s my husband on board “The Professor.” And Captain Andy is at the helm. Robert’s going fishing! They are zipping along to find the Minnow traps that Andrew uses for bait. Live bait to a depth of 200+ feet. Robert texted me later that he caught the first fish. It was his only fish. 18″+ and a Mackinaw (native to Lake Tahoe). Captain Andy said the deep water fish and the clear water make for very tasty fish. There were a total of 5 people fishing + the captain.After Robert went flying by the lower deck of our cabin I grabbed my “handwork” and went to the upstairs deck for some sunshine. First time EVER that I didn’t bring a machine of some type (sewing, felting, Serger,etc.). And not the usual 5 bags of paraphernalia to go with the machines. I brought one small bag of books/magazines and one bag of handwork projects. Perfect.I almost took this scarf back to the Thriftshop (in a bag with other stuff to go to the TS). How boring I thought, it’s off white. J.Crew, super soft wool (no tag, but thinking baby Alpaca) and I like the crinkly look. Perfect for using some of my expensive threads that are ombre’ dyed. The running stitch was the “mindless” choice. And the crinkly fabric just adds to my wonky stitch work.I am also using a tapestry needle for ease of going through the wool and the giant eye (for ease of threading). Ha, ha.Check out this super old poster that hangs on the back of a door in our Cabin #8. Now scroll down one picture to see the same view today.O.K. I really need to move to the right a bit. But if I did that I would be on a giant boulder that is now surrounded by shrubs and a couple of shorter deciduous trees and would I wouldn’t get the shot. Isn’t this a great Fall look? A couple of Aspens add the finishing touch.On one of the 3+ walks a day. We’re on the dock at the private beach at Zephyr Point. Very few were braving the water (as in no one on this day). Brrrrr….Can you even believe the color of this water? It’s about 8 feet deep and I took it on the other side of the same dock . There are only rocks and sand at the bottom.Walking up “Robin’s flight.” Only a gazillion steps (or so it seems at 6,300ft.) Blue salvia? Maybe?This one I know, California Poppy.Project # 2. I wanted to make another pair of fingerless mitts(just like the ones I’m wearing). I chose yarn by Plymouth Yarns called, “Gina.” It is 100% wool. Lovely to work with. I chose to crochet (again, a mindless, project) using single crochet throughout. Ombre’ yarn is my favorite (ombre’ yarn in the mitts above (that yarn is by Noro). I guess it’s the lazy way to change colors. No make that the SMART way.Awww….sitting outside on the deck with glorious weather and doing my mindless crocheting and listening to the gentle lapping of the water against the rocks.It just doesn’t get any better than this. So happy, happy, happy. I will trust that you will have a chance to get away from it all even if it’s only a walk. Breathe deeply, the clean air, and take the time to count your blessings. Hugs, Heidi
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