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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Quilt Canada 2014

A quilter can really find out a lot about herself when she goes to a large quilting conference. There are so many decisions to make about how to spend your precious and limited time.
What do you like to do?
Attend classes? Which classes? What do you want to learn?
Do you hang out at the vendors mall? What do you need want to buy? Thread? Books? A new machine? Fabric? 
How about viewing quilt shows/displays? Which quilts do you gravitate to? Modern? Antiques? Minis? Landscapes? Applique?
Do you enjoy visiting with other quilters? 
All of the above choices tend to overwhelm me as I try to "do it all" and don't want to miss a thing. As I result I am exhausted and heading to bed early tonight.
But I did want to tell you about my class today with Pippa Moore. Here she is with her class sample called 
"African Sunshine".
It was an amazing day, and I learned a lot of tips that are going to make me an "expert" at piecing curved blocks. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but at least they won't make me cry anymore!
Pippa uses what she calls a "3 pin method" for piecing curves, but I call it "the no tears method"! I didn't cry or swear once! 
See the 3 pins?! And can you see all that excess fabric that somehow gets pieced into the seam?
Her method is like a magic act, and every time I tried it I felt nervous, and every time it worked perfectly, with no pleats (or tears) at all!


I even finished two complete blocks in the class! Here is one of the blocks ready for the curving step.
But I am brave and skilled now, so all is well :)




And here are all the blocks that the students finished in the class...great, right?!?!

I can see mine from here! It does stand out from the others a bit!
What a great class!
Tomorrow's class is with Cheryl Arkison of Dining Room Empire blog and author of A Month of Sundays. So exciting!

14 comments:

  1. Good luck with your next class. Love the block you made today. The quilts at CQA are spectacular!!!

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  2. I'd love to learn that method! That is a block I want to make someday.
    Very pretty fabrics--it is good to stand out in a crowd! : )

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  3. It all sounds like so much fun, maybe a bit overwhelming with so much to see and do though. Your block looks beautiful!

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  4. the class sounds great and to have come away with 2 blocks, you will be having a wall hanging made in no time. When I go to a quilt show I always head for the quilts first so much inspiration and take lots of photos

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  5. Congrats on conquering the Fear of Curves! Have a great day tomorrow!

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  6. Congratulations for becoming Expert Curves Piecing. :) Love the colour of your block. I bet you wish you could clone yourself and "do it all". I hear you! Have fun tomorrow.

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  7. So does this mean we might see "chomper" get finished some day soon. Curves really aren't that difficult once you conquer your fear and just "do it"
    Have fun at CQA!!

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  8. Love your block, wonderful. I can relate to your exhaustion after walking around up there for two days.

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  9. Yay for mastering curved piecing! Your block looks great!

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  10. I would love to learn to piece curves someday!

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  11. I LOVE that 3 pin method! It's the one that got me through all my curved piecing last year. Great for you to be getting in some quality quilty time.:)

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  12. Your square stands out because the colors are beautiful. Have fun and share what you learn in the other classes.

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  13. You sound tired, but happy. Looks like your first class was definitely a winner.

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  14. I'm really impressed with that curved block. I'm glad you aren't crying the blues over curves any more. I hope you like the class with Cheryl Arkinson just as much.

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