English Paper Piecing Wlorkshop--Zoom and in Person

Some of the EPP samples

Saturday, May 6 via Zoom, I taught a three hour English Paper Piecing (EPP) workshop. To prepare for the class, I watched a number of You Tube videos which shared a variety of basting and stitching techniques. I brushed up on my knowledge of needles. I practiced the techniques that I watched on the You Tube videos. My friend, Rosanne, lent me a number of her finished EPP projects and books. Of course, I drooled over her finishes and thumbed through the books!

Mary Ellen working on her rosette

As I pieced blocks for my Temperature quilt, I practiced stitching and talking about the process. Talking while stitching is not easy for me to do! I practiced the techniques while I talked. About a week before the class, I used my cell phone to practice being on camera while I demonstrated. 

I found that my cell phone version wasn't new enough to enable the macro setting in the Zoom application. Not being to access the macro setting meant you couldn't see what I was doing. The stitches were too small to show up on camera. 

Sandy trying out the painter's tape tip

I thought about using You Tube videos to demonstrate a technique. No video, however; demonstrated the exact process I had planned to share. 

Claudia creating her own design

In the end, I photographed each step of the process and made a slide show. The slide show worked well. I did get some feedback that the photos seemed to be backwards. I'm left handed. My whole life, I generally flip whatever I'm seeing when I'm watching a teacher. I didn't even think about flipping the photos so that the right handed people didn't have to turn the visual around in their heads. Actually, it didn't occur to me that there would be an issue. 

Paula creating a sweet floral rosette

In the end, the flow went well and there were some great looking rosettes in the making from the twelve students who attended the workshop. They had fun and I hoped that some of them would become an EPP addict. Teaching an EPP class on Zoom was goal number six on my May list.

Thursday, May 17, I taught an in person EPP class in Stevenson, Washington. This was the first time that I've taught a class outside of my guild or small group. The Columbia River Gorge Quilters held a Quiltaplooza event. This three day event was held at the Skamania Fairgrounds. There were at least eight classes, a banquet, a huge trunk show and general lecture, vendors as well as mini lectures during lunch. It was a hot day; but, our room was air conditioned which was nice!

Classes began at 9:30am. We broke for lunch at noon. There was a lunch lecture from 12:15 to 12:50pm. The lecture on Thursday, was about paring down one's UFOs. (UnFinished Objects) It was a terrific lecture. I plan to employ some of the tips the speaker shared to pare down the UFOs that I have! Class ended at 4pm.

The six participants who attended the class had some experience with some sort of hand work like knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross stitch and appliqué. At least four of the participants were new to quilting. About half of the group were interested in the technique because they had future trips planned. They wanted a project that would travel. One person brought an in process EPP project to class.

Joan and her fussy cut shapes

The participants picked up the techniques of the process quickly. They also asked the best questions. What I love about an in person classes is the camaraderie that builds among the participants. There was sharing of materials, supplies and knowledge. There was plenty of wows and congratulations as people became adapt at the knicker
knot, the whip stitch and the flat back stitch.

There were conversations about how to attach the rosettes or the hexagon shapes to a background. The samples I shared provided examples of different methods. One participant planned a contemporary design of the hexagons. I sure hope that she will share her progress as I was intrigued with her idea.

Julia arranging
her rosette in alternating fabrics

We had conversations about how to stitch with other shapes. One person brought a project that incorporated diamond shapes and she wanted to know how to line up the points. I shared the technique of how to ease the sides together so that there can be a perfect point. Learning how to accomplish points was one of my highlights when I began EPP.

We talked about using striped fabrics. We touched on the subject of piecing fabrics to make our own striped fabric. We briefly talked about how turning the shape slightly could create a myriad of design possibilities.

In the end, it was as great a day as the Zoom day! Teaching an in person EPP class was goal number seven on my May list.

Because we all used scraps, I'm linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap/Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework.

Teaching a Saturday Workshop

One participant's scraps

Last Saturday was the Clark County Quilters guild Saturday Workshop day. This is the day members teach members. There was a fabric painting class, a mile a minute piecing class, a how to create realistic doll faces class, a how to create lace with thread class, a how to make a quilted tote bag class, a how to stitch sashiko class, two different paper piecing classes, a how to make a jelly roll rug class, a gifts to make with fat quarters class, a how to make fabric twine class and my bust your stash class.

This is one of the activities that I look forward to attending each year. The cost of the class covers the rent for the facility and the teachers volunteer their time. A half day class is $10 and a full day class is $20. If the teacher has a kit for the class, the participants pay the fee to the teacher.

It is an affordable day, an opportunity to learn new techniques or to practice/perfect those techniques and a chance to make new friendships.

Making nine patches out of batik scraps

Five ladies attended my class. Of those five, I only knew one so I made four new friends! I decided to teach the workshop to support those people who were stuck doing the bust your stash guild challenge which I'm in charge of this year.  It is always interesting to learn why people register for a particular class!

I thought that people would be stuck in the quilting phase or how to attach a binding or a sleeve; but, I learned it was more of a "am I on the right track," "do my fabrics work with what I'm thinking" and "does this sashing work for these blocks" need for support instead. I learned that more people would have signed up for this class had I offered a specific pattern that they could sew. Hmmm perhaps, I will do that next year!!

I loved seeing all the beautiful scraps, two inch squares and fabric options that arrived. One participant said that her husband used to eat a lot of ice cream and that she used the clean and empty plastic tubs to sort her scraps by color.

Getting to work on the projects

One participant had sewn a number of kaleidoscope quilts over the last 20 years. She was ready to sew the bits into a useable project. She said she was able to cut one two inch square from each of her kaleidoscope leftovers. She was excited to use the yardage that she had accumulated and petted over those years.

She brought a small plastic rectangular organizer container with two layers.The top section contained a tray of her sewing supplies.  Her fabric squares were in the bottom section. She had named this section the "randomizer." She would "stir" the pieces a bit and then select five mediums for her nine patch block. She would sew the block and repeat the process. Her nine patches were beautifully sewn.

I recognized many of her fabrics and couldn't believe some of them were the age she said. Time moves quickly! She was making a pattern from one of Bonnie Hunter's books. Her quilt is going to be stunning when it is finished. She plans to hang it on a wall in her home.

Leftovers becoming a plan

A second lady shared her story about the first quilt that she had machine pieced. She said once she had the top together, she took it to a fabric store to learn how to put the "stuffing" in it. She laughs now. . .realizing it was batting and backing that she needed; but, at the time she thought quilters pushed the fiber in the middle of the layers somehow.

She ended up taking her top to a longarm quilter and the longarmer commented how her quilt wasn't square and wasn't flat which the quilt creator had no idea that square or flat mattered! The lady said she finished the quilt and even made a second quilt for a grandchild.

I loved her story. I admired her can do and see what happens attitude. She spent part of her time cutting  squares and parts for blocks. Then she sewed the pieces together intuitively. She said she couldn't follow a pattern and that she was more of a painter or potter. She said she that one of her friends told her to come to class to get ideas on what to do with her scraps. I so want to see what her project becomes!

The third participant brought samples of scrap quilts that she had made which gave us a great opportunity to talk about how to choose fabrics that work well together and to see different designs. She is a machine embroiderer and she brought samples of stitch outs that she was picking scrap fabrics to use as sashing. I sure want to see those quilt/quilts finished! I'm thinking that I might invest in some of those embroidery designs. . .

The fourth participant had participated in a 52 week block challenge with a friend last year. The participant completed all of the blocks. Her friend dropped out after a few weeks.

One nine patch finished

This participant used fabric that she had loved a number of years ago and which she had moved several times. The block challenge was a way for her to finally use the fabric she loved. She decided that the guild challenge was the way to get the blocks set and the quilt finished! She designed sashing using two inch squares. Her blocks were shades of blue and yellow which were so pretty and so beautifully made.

She made some choices regarding fabric so that her block setting would be more modern. She made a sample sashing and then decided to adjust it a bit. She was at the point to stitch a coping strip around her blocks when class ended. She too is creating a beautiful project.

The fifth participant had left over HST triangles from different projects. She stitched them together in a couple of sizes. She too made nine patches with her two inch squares. Her plan was to set the some of the nine patch blocks in the center and then follow up with larger squares. She is planning to gift the quilt to a great niece arriving in the spring.

All in all, it was a good day. I sure look forward to seeing their projects hang in the show in April!

End of the Month

A couple heart blocks

Tomorrow is the final day of February. Where the time goes. . .I don't know!!!

I finished four projects this month. One project was an online mystery quilt that I started in 2015! If you missed that post, you can read it here. I have a pop up and a bag ready for gifting. I'm again practicing regularly with my machine embroidery software.

I stitched two quilt blocks. One block was supposed to be a heart in bright fabrics including some purple that measured 6 1/2 inches square. The other block could be any design that measured 8 1/2 inches square using browns/earth tone fabrics. I looked at Pinterest for inspiration for the blocks. I found several and decided to give one pattern a try.

Star Patch--layered and pin basted

It is interesting that these are the same blocks, with sashing added to the top block. I like both blocks. Miss K has talked about making a heart quilt so she might like this block pattern. If you want to make a block, the directions are here.

Last week, I layered and pin basted Star Patch. I'm not sure when I'll begin quilting it; but, it is waiting for me!! First, I plan to stitch in the ditch ESS (every stinking seam)! After that, I hope I have heard what the quilt is wanting so I'll know where to start stitching!

Fill stitch manipulation exercise example

The embroidery software lesson this month was about manipulating fill stitches. I enjoyed working through the lesson. Miss J thought that it was interesting as she provided input on which manipulations looked the best to her. The end stitch sample may become a quilt label. I think it would be great for a youth quilt.

I also embroidered the word for the dog wall hanging. I'll save more information regarding that process for a later post. Of course, during the process, the project wanted a different approach. I am having fun playing with different options. Miss J offers her opinions too which has made this project extra special. While it felt great to see progress, I will be a little sad when we finish it!

Laundered faces drying for the next class

In February, I trained: 9 in Lay Rescuer CPRs; 6 as Lifeguards; 9 as Lifeguard Instructor/Trainers; 27 in Basic Life Support CPRs for a total of 51 people. (Year to date, I've trained 160 people.) When I teach classes at the community center, I get to clean the faces and the pocket masks too. I'm including a photo of the supplies drying. I suppose some may find the view creepy; but, I wanted to share the amount of supplies it takes for a class. This class had nine participants attend with 11 participants enrolled. It is funny looking laundry!

We did postpone the community center class because the day before I was to teach, about four inches of snow fell on top of a thin layer of ice. It is rare for Mother Nature to provide us with snow that sticks so late in the year.

This week, she even provided us with a couple days of either no school or late starts because of snow and ice! Because snow/ice is rare for our area, people aren't prepared to drive in it. When they venture out, accidents that clog the roadways happen. Basically, it is a mess! It is smarter and safer to stay home and quilt!

In a few days, I will be speaking to a small guild--My topic is "Finding Your Artist." I'll be showing my challenge and book club quilts as I talk about the how I was inspired to create each one.  This will be a first for me. I'm nervous; but, in a good way!

Also next month, I plan to continue working through my list of projects for the quarter. I am using my
bullet journal. I still find it helpful to review my monthly goals daily. I completed all but two goals that I had listed. I haven't done as well with my habit tracker; but, I plan to do better in March!  All in all, February was a great month.

First of the Month

Orange cat

Happy Fourth! Where did June go???

Last month I trained:
3 Water Safety Instructors (3 YTD); 11 students in swim lessons (YTD 34); 17 lifeguards (25 YTD), 7 lay rescuers in CPR--pediatric and adult/AED/First Aid, (7 YTD), 29 Basic Life Support CPR (160 YTD)-- This is a total of 67 for June (total 295 YTD)!! I'm glad I'm tracking how many people I'm teaching this year as I had no idea how many people I reach!

Finished cat block

I also completed a block for our guild's outgoing president. The rules were to make a cat or a chicken; use orange fabric and then coordinate it with a purple or a blue fabric so there would be some cohesiveness between the blocks. The size was to finish at 10 inches or less.

I found a paper pieced block on Pinterest which will finish to six inches. It is a Kim Nobolin pattern called the V-Neck Kitty. Originally, I had planned for my cat to be facing into the quilt; but, then I decided that I would embroider a few details to the face.

I'm glad I added the details as I like the personality the face gives the block! The outgoing president has a dry sense of humor. She received many blocks. She will have fun putting them together in a quilt.

You can see what I did with the blocks guild members gave me when I was president here.

Because I taught so many programs/classes, I wasn't able to stitch the borders on my truck project. My plan is to work on that project soon. I'm feeling fortunate, however, that I had gift projects and clothing projects on my Finish-A-Long list. Sunday, I posted my list for this quarter. You can read it here.

When I only had 10 minutes or so to stitch, being able to sew a seam or two was great. Following a pattern and reading what the next step is does have its benefits! In the coming weeks, I'll be posting about my progress. I'm actually finishing items on my list that I worked on last quarter. What a great feeling completing a project brings to my heart! (I also like seeing my project tote become less full!)

I've been participating in the Finish-A-Along group for a couple years. Anyone can participate. Click here if you want to learn more. Right now, it is the time to link up your finishes. I've been enjoying the "eye candy" of many finishes and marveling at the ingenuity of the projects.

Teaching Free Motion Fillers

Front of sample

Each year the Clark County Quilters (CCQ) guild hosts a day called Saturday Workshops. Members volunteer their time to teach the classes. Some classes are all day (six hours); some are held in the morning and some are held in the afternoon (three hours). I offered to teach a free motion filler class. The workshop chair asked me to teach an afternoon or three hour class. Three years ago, I taught a full day class that was more of a design class. The front and back of the sample was the example I sent to the chair to promote the Free Motion Filler class.

This year six brave souls brought themselves and their machines to my free motion class. This was the sample that the workshop chair used to promote the class. I spent time selecting my samples, preparing my class handout and selecting a special gifts so each participant walked away with something to add to their tool box.

Back of sample

My class handout was 11 pages with an additional page as a class evaluation. I covered information like thread, needles, batting, quilting resources as well as the filler designs. Most of the information in the handout was what I have learned over the years; but, some information I researched through the Internet.

Google is a wonderful tool! The reason that I included the background information is that those choices can affect the stitch tension. If you don't understand the relationship, you will be frustrated!

My goal was to share information in-between practice sessions. I had planned to stitch all of the designs in front of the participants; but, I found that drawing the design and letting them try it on their own was more efficient and more effective for them.

Top Layer:
Practice sample, finished sample, sit upon

I also brought a few of my favorite threads and needles that we drew for during the class. I would do this drawing again, because it gave me the opportunity to talk about that particular product when it was drawn.

The mini breaks, gave their bodies a break too. The set up for quilting practice wasn't ergonomic so I didn't want people to feel pain and frustration. Instead, I wanted them to have fun and to understand that their motif quilting was just as personal as their own handwriting. My "leaf" shape would look a bit different from their "leaf" shape. If they liked what they were doing, they should keep doing it!

Lower Layer:
Threads, batting, marking tools, needles
 & more

My plan was to take lots of photos of the participants and to post their progress. I started teaching, the class started rolling and then it was over! These photos are what I took as I was unpacking! I'm posting about the class and my experience because I want to document it. It is the second time that I have taught a quilting class. It is the first time, that participants brought their machines. Unfortunately, one machine wouldn't stitch and it had just returned from its tune up. That participant drew the designs. I offered my machine for use; but, she wasn't comfortable to accept my offer.

Improving machine quilting takes time and practice. I hope that these participants will stick with the practice and that they too will enjoy the quilting process. The one constructive comment that I received was that the participant would have liked the three hour class more had she stitched more and I talked less about thread. All the participants commented that they liked the class format, that they had fun, that they plan to continue practicing and that my samples gave them inspiration. That feedback is a win in my book!

One sample of filler stitches

I was asked where I taught so that they could enroll in a class and they were surprised to learn that this was my second class! I figured I had done well enough as a newbie teacher! I have asked them to bring their practice sandwiches to the guild general meeting in a few weeks so other members can see what happened in the class. I also invited them to get together in about three months to check in and to share what they are stitching. I've had one response so far and it would be nice if we could form a group that met a few times a year as a way to keep inspired!

On an entirely different topic, it is the end of the month so I'm posting my teaching numbers:
20 in Basic Life Support CPR (50YTD); 6 in preschool swimming lessons; 6 in quilting class for a Toal of 32 people (104YTD)!