Those Australian quilters have got it going on!
They've got lovely quilts from great designers like Sarah Fielke who hails from Sydney Australia, and is here in the US on a 3 week tour from Mackinac Island to Los Angeles to Denver back to Detroit and on to quilt market in Pittsburgh ---and I thought *I* traveled a lot!
When you come this far, you have to make it worth your while and fit in as much as you can, all the while leaving the hubby home with 2 high school aged sons, a dog and half a flock of chickens.
I loved meeting Sarah and talking to her about many things, and hearing how she balances everything with a busy home and travel life. And still manages to fit in MUCH hand work. Here Sarah ((Cute blonde in the front!)) is explaining different thread choices to a couple of enraptured students.
When I first peeked in on Sarah’s class – they were all hand quilting.
Hooray!
Some were hand quilting the project they had pieced the day before in Sarah’s “Step Down Piecing” workshop, a class with fun partial seams leaving folks wondering “Just how did she piece that?” It looked like loads of fun.
Some brought their own projects to learn the ropes of hand quilting on.
It was a great day for relaxing with needle and thread!
I am honestly jealous! I really miss my hand quilting the busier and busier that life gets, and the more deadlines loom, oh to be feet up in my recliner, hoop in my lap, thimble on my finger – I’m going to have to find a way to get hand quilting back in my routine. That is all there is to it.
The morning I left the island, Sarah was teaching her last class, hand applique!
Students gather as Sarah gives them the run down of appliqueing the leaves in a Whirligig pattern.
Whirligigs in progress!
There were other projects you could choose – I loved this squashed Dresden fan – it looks like a cable. So interesting! And I apologize for not knowing the name of this pattern, my brain can’t contain it all this many days after the fact. Check out those colors….love it!
Another project under way
Cut shapes and applique them down in a spring bouquet!
I could tell that all of Sarah’s students were having a GRAND time. And I hope that my path crosses with Sarah’s again at some point in the not too distant future.
Best wishes, and happy stitches in your travels, my new friend!
Visit Sarah’s website HERE.
This morning I am out the door early to teach a Pfeffernusse workshop with the Great Lakes Heritage Quilters of Bloomfield, MI! It’s going to be a fun day of digging in the scraps ---and I know we are going to have a good time.
Photos of this day ahead to follow!
Have a great Friday, everyone ---
That was fun, looking at all the beautiful projects everyone was working on. I need to get back to some hand-quilting, too. It's nice to relax in the evening with a little hand-quilting on the front porch while the boys are playing in the yard. Have a super day!
ReplyDeleteSo exciting that my 2 favorite quilters were able to meet! I love your scrappy, use-every-piece methods and all you share with us! I also love that Sarah has really helped me to expand on my hand work including hand quilting now!!! I don't own many books but have most of what you have both published to date!
ReplyDeleteI too loved the projects and try to hand quilt a lot as well as make crazy quilts needing a lot of embroidery stitches - the stitching by hand soothes the soul, quiets you down, allows time to think or pray and according to the medical field lowers your blood pressure...so consider the hand with the needle method a little at a time! Love your posts - Mary in Texas
ReplyDeleteLovely projects--you look so thin Bonnie--have you lost weight? I am trying to maintain right now before our trip...dieting when you travel is tough!! hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed both of your posts regarding this Mackinac Island retreat.... It has been a real treat!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this Bonnie! I love Sarah's work and wasn't aware she was teaching in the states.
ReplyDeleteYou already get so much hand work done on your travels (I for one am in awe of all the hexie work you've accomplished), why not just switch up and instead do hand quilting from time to time in those time slots. Or I can just see you hand quilting on the porch at the cabin. You'll find a way!