Go Mini or Go Home

It started here.
Continued here.
But truthfully it all started here.  Really it did start there but it’s just blossomed to become this.  I knew when Janie (my BERNINA 780) arrived she’d be something special.  Oh yes.  She’s the first machine that’s ever had a name, and that’s special to me anyway.
A month or so ago I added a new workshop to the list based entirely on my experience with Janie.  I’m going to add the class to the list at Hartsdale Fabrics where I work and I’m going to teach it in Minnesota at their big quilt show in June.  Did I tell you yet that I’m going there?

Well in part because I’m teaching in Minnesota and in part because I needed a cool picture for the lecture/workshop page I had to get this quilt top done.  I finished the set in piecing last night and thought I’d share part of the process.

After piecing that first miniature log cabin block with 3/4″ strips I thought hey, this is fun and was a little giddy.  So of course I have to go from something fairly straightforward to something a wee bit more complex, deciding to do a lone star or an 8 pointed star if you like.  I started making strip set after strip set with 2 color runs of these beautiful Cherrywood hand dyes.  The strips are cut at 1 1/4″, a full 1/2 wider than the strips for Rainy Days and Mondays.
As I’m making the blocks I’m writing down what’s working, what’s not working and taking photos so the handouts to for the students are coherent. *if you’re interested in this class, students will need to cut 1 1/4″ strips prior to class.*
Over the weekend one of the blocks gave me a bit of a fit and when I showed the progress of the quilt I noticed 2 things:

1) the wonky block and
2) I didn’t like the color of the setting squares and triangles.
Don’t get me wrong I love that bronze/rust color. It’s gorgeous.  It’s nice with the hand dyes but, eh.

Because I had the seam ripper out to take off that wonky block I thought I’d take off the Radiance at the same time.  The new block I put onto a hand dyed pink that I’d thought about the first time around and, well I just like it!

I know the photo to the right really does not do the pink justice, it’s rather washed out, that’s what happens at 11 PM, with indirect lighting, in a hallway, 3 feet away from the piece.

As this is a piecing class I won’t be quilting it before sending the photos to Minnesota Quilts or adding it to the lectures/workshop page.  It will get quilted sometime after the new year.

I showed my boss and one of my coworkers the progress yesterday just confirming for me my level of nuttiness.

As I write this morning this quilt does not have a name. I’ll give that a bit of a think.  Tonight I’m going to see Jennie Rayment in Bronxville:

Quilting Lecture by Jennie Rayment

October 23rd at 7.15pm. Copenhaven Room, Reformed Church, Bronxville.

Tickets are $25 – cash at the door is preferred. Doors open at 7pm. (There is limited space – please reserve by e-mail to Rachael_dorr@yahoo.com )

Jennie Rayment is one of the best known names in quilting in the United Kingdom. She has taught all over America and the rest of the world– but this will be her first lecture in the state of New York!

Jennie has published numerous books, patterns & DVD’s and is a regular on British TV.

Come and meet the Mistress of Muslin and support the Reformed Church Quilting Group and Quilting a Memory.

After the lecture there will be an opportunity to meet Jennie – she will be happy to sign or personalize any books etc.

Happy Quilting!

Teri