Workshop Number THREE

The third class I took recently was a one-day workshop with my friend, Elaine Quehl, sponsored by the Victoria Quilters' Guild.  I took a fabric dying workshop with Elaine at Quilt Canada a few years ago and enjoyed her relaxed and informative style of teaching.  

I signed up for Liberated Strip Piecing, gathered a scrap bag of hand-dyed fabric by Ricky Tims and some of my own, my sewing machine and tools and off I went. We were in the gym so each student had an entire table to work at - it was wonderful to have all that space!

I had no plan in mind and with the guidelines that Elaine showed us I was soon making units. It was a wonderful day of playing with fabric and arranging the pieces I made on my design wall.  

This is my piece so far....

I have ideas about the composition but it will have to wait for a month or so. I've been 'drawn away' to work on preparations for my Alaska Cruise and making a new pattern quilt to display at International Quilt Market. I leave next week to teach on the Alaska Cruise and my quilt must be finished and shipped before I leave! 

I definitely like this way of working. I have done other 'improvisational' work. It is a nice change from the precision required for the quilts I design for patterns.  Here are a couple of examples of other pieces I've made:

Miyagi Tsunami, 2013

Birches, 2007

I will definitely finish the piece I started in Elaine's workshop. I have set my portable design wall near my sewing machine so I can think about ways to adjust/improve the composition as I work on other projects. I'll share it when it is finished.