Straits of Mackinac, the California Way!

Aqua to Turquoise – our color theme of the day!

I fell in love the moment I walked into the classroom – not only were many of us playing with this gorgeous color range, but some came all decked out wearing our “color of the day” and even SEWING on a machine of this beautiful color.

And it doesn’t stop there.  Check out the sippy cup behind.  Oh beautiful!

Straits of Mackinac from String Frenzy.. SO much fun and creativity packed into a 6 hour workshop day – could they do it?  Could they get even ONE BLOCK made?

With 35 students in class, I was hopping between two rooms watching folks tackle one unit at a time, breaking the room into 3 smaller groups for hands on demo time.

My plates were spinning – but we got it done with smiles and laughter!

Starting with the string piecing!

Though the book comes with printable pages of foundations showing “suggested” string placement for those who love to paper piece ON THE LINE – we are not limited to those lines, and I love to show options by first string piecing a panel – trimming it to height, and then using the Tri Recs tools to cut the background pyramid and star points to make the units without any paper piecing at all.

Cutting the LAST one from the strip set!

From the “off-cuts” -

Use a different line to cut the baby ones needed for the sashing!

NOTHING goes to waste!

Stack of Big Ones – and a baby one for good measure!

Adding the star points!

Star points are joined to a Square in a Square center -

And some half-square triangle corners!

Everyone was amazed with the accuracy of the Essential Triangle Tool for doing the corner triangle units – Minimal trimming required, usually just a dog ear and a few threads here and there.  I think we have converted those who love to go BIGGER and then spend all of that time trimming down units.  Yipppeee!

I love seeing matched pairs of triangles ready to feed through the machine!

This block is well on its way!

Not all blocks are aqua!

I loved these green and orange versions – and I can’t wait to see them reach full quilt status.  As this book was just released in December, I know it is going to be some time before FULL quilt photos start popping up, but I can’t wait to see what other colors Straits of Mackinac shows up in. 

I may need to make another one!

End of day block lay down!

There are some sashing units visible on the outside – not many got far enough to complete a sashing piece – but my suggestion is to cut the sashing pieces ahead of time and use those little baby pyramids and star points as Leaders & Enders while assembling the rest of the quilt – if you use those (All more than 500 of them!) in between the lines of making everything else, you’ll have most of them done by the time it is time to put the quilt together.

For the rest of our Straits of Mackinac day – Click to Play:

What a great class to end our 5 day workshop week!

Congrats to these five quilters!
Each of my 5 classes in Atascadero California received a 6 spool gift pack of wonderful Signature 60 wt 3-ply and drawn for each day as door prizes! Each has a $60 value, making our winners more than excited to get this thread in their machines and sew!

Ask for Signature 60 wt at your local shop. Also available at redrockthreads.com

Signature thread is part of American & Efird threads, Mt. Holly, North Carolina USA where they have been manufacturing thread for the sewing industry for more than 125 years.
Gutermann is also an A&E brand!

Enjoy your thread ladies – and thanks for coming to spend the week with me.

Quiltville Inn housewarming gifts from Rori and her hubby Paul!

She had me in tears with this beautiful and thoughtful gift.  Her hubby is a cabinet maker, and made these boards from scraps of wood, the same way we string piece – build a section big enough,  and trim to size!  I am so flabbergasted and grateful – Thank you thank you thank you!

She writes:  Paul and I hope you enjoy using the boards and think of us as you use them. Paul can be found on Instagram as @paul_jensen and @3twentyonefurniture and I am @rori.jensen and @rojendesigns Safe travels home and our paths WILL cross again!

Since they won’t fit my luggage, they have offered to ship them home to me.  I can’t wait to get them into the kitchen at the inn – and I am thinking of all of YOUR hands that will be using them as you prepare your meals, slice your breads and fruits, making memories.

Before I forget.  Today is the LAST DAY for you to enter our Quilty Box Gift-away for June ‘19.  I’ll be drawing in the morning.  (Airport pick-up time is 5:30am. Eeks. But I’ll get it done!)  Enter to win ON THAT POST.

My hotel in Atascadero has been fabulous! You've got to love California - they have a yogurt machine dispensing fresh yogurt in the breakfast area - and you can layer in add-ins like craisins, granola, nuts, jam - yummy! I've been so spoiled, I'm going to miss having a yogurt machine at my disposal!

As I wait for yesterday's photos to download to my laptop so I can write today's post I am nearly giddy - Today - NO TEACHING! NO LECTURE! I get to attend the Seven Sisters Quilt Show in San Luis Obispo just like everyone else - enjoying the quilts and the vendors mall and even the food truck outside for lunch. I am so happy to have this extra day to just be with the quilters and see the show.

Will I see you there??

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

I believe in right turns, left turns, and u-turns!

If you don't like where your road is heading, change direction or build a new road!

have a wonderful Saturday, everyone!