In November, I went to Denyse Schmidt's workshop and it was an a amazing experience.  Denyse just wrote about the class on the Purl Bee the other day.  You can read about my experience here and see a quilt I made using the technique I learned here.  For Christmas, Fatty gave me a gift certificate for Denyse's Advanced Improv class so the two of us took a trip to New York last weekend so I could cash it in.

The whole idea behind the advanced improv class is to take an idea and to develop it into a plan for a quilt.  I struggled for many weeks about what to actually work on in this class. What it came down to in the end was what I had on hand.  And what I have is a HUGE stack of Heather Bailey fabrics to use for Jane.  I was planning to make her a zig zag quilt, but never started it.  So, I chose the one large-scale floral that her room colors are based on and started buying solids to go with it.  I want something suit a 9 year old and a 19 year old, something she won't outgrow before it's even finished.

The night I made the homework blocks, they didn't seem thatbad.  It was late, I was (over)tired and put them in pile, happy tohave that bit of business finished.  The next day, after I took thisphoto, I knew it was bad.  Really bad.  And the one block that I didn'tlike while I was piecing them, was the one I liked the best of all. When I say best, that is an exaggeration - it was like the least offending of all four.  I didn't have any spare time to do them over or even makeanother two.

At the studio on Saturday, I showed my blocks and inspiration fabric to Denyse, Richard (her teaching partner) and my two fellow classmates.  I explained why I chose these colors and who the quilt would be for.  I went through the laundry list of things I didn't like:  the proportion was off; the dark pink really, really bothered me (and everyone else!); the rest of the pink wasn't much better; I felt I needed more neutrals (maybe a brown?).  What I did like about these blocks was that there were "L" shapes made by strips of continuous colors in all of them.  The repetition of that pattern was really appealing to me.  The somewhat monochromatic blue/green/yellow block was the one I liked best and I wonder aloud if maybe I should take the pink out all together or separate it somehow. 

After some consultation, I started sketching a bit and playing with fabric.  Denyse and Richard pulled bolts of different solids and we compared them to the ones I had.  We picked a few more yellows to add in - a pale butter, a bright lemon and a mustard - along with a second lime green and a second ivory.  We talked about cutting up the floral fabric to use it as a solid.  Then I started sewing.

I liked my first block and used it as a starting point to make other blocks.  I made some blue blocks, some pink blocks, and per Denyse's suggestion, an ivory one.  I took Richard's suggestion and used the Heather Bailey fabric as a print in some places and as a solid in others.  I strategically cut it to get pieces that were mostly pink or green or yellow or just the background alone.  I repeated the "L" shape in all the blocks and used the ivory for continuity.  Five blocks into this project, I like where it is going.  I like the log cabin-ish centers and the small (well, small for me) scale of the blocks.  The muted yellows, especially the mustard, help ground all those easter egg pastels and tone down that dark pink.

I haven't worked on it any more since I have been home.  I have been letting the process and the ideas percolate a bit.  I am going to keep at it, though.  I think I will have to make at least four more blocks to see if I can make this quilt come together the way I want.  I will be pulling some other prints from my stash to see if I can add a few more bits of interest and texture. If it doesn't come together, that is ok, too.  I am learning so much about myself as an artist just through the process.  That alone is enough.

A big thank you to Denyse and Richard.  You guys are great inspiration and a lot of fun!  I appreciate your feedback and encouragement.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you come up with another class.  I'd love to come back!

I went to Baltimore this weekend.  I was excited when I boarded the plane on Friday morning.  To say it was fun and good is an understatement.  The women I met were incredible, their families friendly and welcoming.  I stayed with Emily, spent time at Molly's and had a visit from Jennifer.  There was lots of talking, great food, cameras clicking, more talking and then talking some more.  When I arrived, it was like meeting pen pals I had known for a long time.  When I departed, I left behind dear friends.  Thank you, silly old blog, for connecting me with them.  I feel lucky and blessed to have these people in my life.

I was going through some photos and found these that I took while in New York a couple of weekends ago.  These are the Anthropologie windows at Rockefeller Center.  Just a little eye candy to get your holiday decorating ideas percolating.

I think it might be a good weekend to have the girls start making paper chains or snowflakes.  I'll be making pie crusts and finalizing my Thanksgiving menu.  Bring on the holidays - I can't wait!

So, on Saturday, I went to Denyse Schmidt's studio for a workshop.  Yes, I did.  That was really my birthday present, the rest of the trip was like icing on the cake.  I took the train from NYC to Fairfield, CT, where my friend Cynthia (hi Cynthia!) picked me up.   We had a quick hour or so to visit before she drove me to Bridgeport where Denyse's studio and business are located.  I arrived a few minutes early, set out my cutting mat, rotary cutter, scissors and thread and chatted with the other ladies who were there for the class.  It was an amazing group of woman - all but one of the eleven had traveled to be there.  And after quick introductions all the way around, Denyse explained to us what we were going to do.  It was all about improvisational piecing, the fabrics being chosen by chance.  If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you know that I like to have control.  I think and over-think when I am sewing far too often.  This was just the type of exercise I needed.

My first block started with a peach colored, small scale polka dot and a burgundy solid.  Not really my colors, but I was going with the flow.  I then drew out a small bit of orange followed by a gold batik.  I was happy with it - they were all in the same color family - until I that blue, black and white print came out of the bag.  I did not like it, not one bit.  But I used it because I had to.  There was not throwing anything back.

This is what I ended up with.  Not too bad for the first go-round.  I would have added more of the blue and black print had there been enough time.

This shows everyone's first round squares.  When I saw them up on the flannel wall, I was amazed at how they looked together.  What I noticed looking at my square on the wall and not flat in front of me was that it was very, very log cabin-ish.  There isn't anything wrong with that - I like making log cabins.  But the problem was that I like making log cabins.  I was there to challenge myself and to learn something new.

My second square was not log cabin in style at all. (It's the one over on the left, all by itself).  I didn't realize it until it was finished, but the first fabric I pulled was on one end of the block and not in the middle.  I liked this square a lot.  It was very different from what I did on the first round.

We then set out to make four to six blocks with the fabric we brought as a constant.  I brought the green/white/brown print.  It was interesting to see how everything changed when choice was added to the process.  I had never thought about this before.  That extra decision made a big difference.  It was a bit freeing for me - I knew that all the blocks I made would be cohesive in some way.  At the same time, however, I found myself starting to over-think a bit, worrying that the prints I was pulling would take away from the entire piece.  I realized that if I went with my first instinct and kept moving at a fast pace, the over-thinking fell to the side and I just focused on creating.  And in the end, I was very happy with what I created.  With my six blocks, I have the beginnings of something bigger.  I'm pumped up to put it all together and keep sewing.

I left there completely inspired.  Denyse is an talented artist and a wonderful teacher.  Her insight into the finished blocks was poignant and she was so enthusiastic about our work.  Her friend, Richard, who helped out the entire day, was great, too.  I really enjoyed meeting the other women in the class, talking to them and seeing what they made.  It was remarkable to see eleven different blocks, made by eleven different people, each with its own point of view, that looked so cohesive when grouped together.

Denyse has workshops a few times a year.  If you are in the area, or can get yourself there, go.  It was amazing for me.  I left feeling inspired and invigorated, ready to create.  I can't imagine that you all wouldn't like it, too.

This past weekend, we traveled to Wisconsin for my cousin Dallas's wedding.  On the way there, we made a pit stop in Madison to see Tracy and Nate.

The two hours went by super fast - we had such a great time.  Tracy and I are total dorks - in the best way.  If you don't believe me, look here and here.

Saturday, before the wedding, we went and toured the Leinenkugel Brewery in Chippewa Falls.  Lucky us, we had a private tour from none other than Jake Leinenkugel himself.  I guess it pays to have friends in the beer business. (Thanks Dad!)

Yes, that pretzel was just as good as it looks.  Of course, the Fireside Nut Brown was even better.

We had a great time at the wedding - the bride was beautiful and we danced a ton.  Sunday morning, we drove 10 hours home.  I managed to screw up my tangled yoke in the car, but made a recovery after not allowing any one in my family to speak to me while I untangled it.  I'm past the cable, ready to start the short rows.  Cross your fingers for me.  I really need to be finished with this.

Have a great day, everyone.

Saturday night was magical.

It was breakfast for the kids' dinner, old signs, local brews, pretty skies, a new-to-us biergarten, party lights and serendipitously meeting friends for dinner.

The best kind of unexpected and simply wonderful.

I can see why people like Portland.

It might have something to do with the beer.

Or the food.

Maybe it's the sea.

For me it's the people. Seven very fun ladies, to be exact.

To say that Fatty and I enjoyed ourselves would be an understatement.  You guys rock.  Thank you for making the effort to come hang out with us.

Good times, people.  Good times.

This pretty much sums up what we've been doing.  Today it'll be more of the same.