I love this time of year. The slate has been wiped clean by the tick of the clock to a new day, new month, new year and all the hope and promises that come with fresh starts. Although I have experienced the click over of time many many times before into a new year I still maintain the hope that all things new will be good. Being a Pisces...yes, I do believe, means that although I have hope I also have doubt. Swimming up and down stream at the same time has always been my thing. However, if you want change, and I always do, you have to bring it.
So what will this year bring? More crazy weather and politics aside but lets face it, I am a quilter so that is my focus. It keeps me from diving too deeply into the woes of the world and in some instances makes me feel productive and community minded. This year I am committed to lots of teaching. Teaching what? I often wonder what I have to teach but then (the Pisces thing again) I am reminded that I have a unique perspective based on my experiences at Material Obsession since 2003. Yes, that amounts to a lot of interaction with quilters, products, teachers, events, fabrics, styles and techniques. Although I haven't seen it all I have seen a lot and the repetitive nature of the experience has helped me to fine tune how I translate for new and old quilters alike.
The first big learning event this year will be with Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably. For the fifth time we are presenting workshops with Kaffe and Brandon in Sydeny. Two days os workshops and a lecture will start our quilting season at Material Obsession. What better way to start the season off than working with the best. I consider color my specialty. Its kind of scary to think of making quilts under the expert eye of the supreme colorist in the world. When we are talking about color we are talking about a lifetime of learning to see more deeply, efficiently, engagingly...diving deeper. Kaffe's focus is so clear that it always takes us further than we would go ourselves.
These are the two quilts he is teaching. What I love about the first one is the mix of colors using a simple shape so that we can concentrate on the flow of the color and the secondary patterns created...plus I love a big border. Picking the border is often one of my favourite parts.
This next one is also using a the simple diamond shape but the movement created by the placement is magic. I also love the pulled back impact of the color with special highlights that fit in without disturbing the overall flow of the pattern.
These two workshops are on Thursday 8 Feb for the first quilt and Saturday the 10 Feb at St Anne's at Top Ryde....particularly handy with lots of free all day parking. Sad that a good space for an event is first about the parking but so be it in Sydney! Here is the link if you are interested in signing up..Kaffe and Brandon workshops
What new perspective might that bring? One thing I know for sure is that following Kaffe and equally Brandon around is always an experience in learning to feel color. It isn't color theory, it is color practice and like with my yoga, practice adds insight and confidence. So, this time, for the first time, I am going to do the workshop myself. UGH. There, make it honest by saying it publicly. I am going to do one of the workshops and put myself out there under the eye of the person whose opinion I respect the most. I want to hear and learn about my choices. I want to be strong and courageous about who I am and to be confident enough to hear suggestions.
Another great colorist is Sue Ross. Sue is returning to Material Obsession to teach one Saturday a month. Sue is a teacher that I relate to in process and design. As a former quilt shop owner, Sue Ross has the same kind of learning experience that I have had. She worked with fabric and customers in a beautiful shop in the Southern Highlands fine tuning and honing her skills become a very original designer. Her quilts have structure and intrigue but are not technically difficult to produce. Making quilts based on the fabric itself is always a joyful experience and produces results that are unique to the maker. Each decision, each seam says something about the maker. Here, see what I mean!
These plaid backgrounds will be fantastic for creating a funky landscape with organic direction. Use spare blocks or design them on the spot exercising a variety of techniques in one project.
Play with structure adding elements of decoration with paper piecing or fussy cutting. Use up those bits of fabric that you collected knowing you loved it and would use it one day! This is your chance!!
Working with scale is also an option and one of my own personal favourites.
Join Sue Ross at Material Obsession in 2018 on the second Saturday of the month if you are looking for something to keep your mind and fingers entertained this year! Sue Ross sign ups here.
of course the other big thing on the horizon is just that...my new fabric range, Horizons! It will be arriving soon so...just saying...Hope to see you all soon getting busy being creative! So much good stuff!! Enjoy. k
