Friday, August 5, 2016

WIP and a Crafty Sale

Its been one of those weird weeks, where I feel like I have been super productive, but don't actually have a whole lot to show for it.  But I promise I have been busy.  Cleaning has taken up a portion of my week.  I need to make some space for a somewhat large addition that will be coming in the next few weeks.  I'm happy to report I only had one sobbing melt down, in which I exclaimed, "What have I done??"


In between moving things around and purging, I found time to prep my Snowflake Shimmer QAL fabric.  It feels super good to see all those shinny prints all chopped up and ready to sew.  As you can see from the picture, I'm hoping to get the Meadow Mystery fabric under control and start on a super cute Christmas Wall Hanging I am pattern testing this weekend.  Oh yeah, and more cleaning.


This little note book as also held my attention this week.  It is the secret vault of Dave the Quilt Engineer's designs.  This book of graph paper is part of the reason he decided to take up quilting.  Bringing his ideas to life.  We work as a team and my portion of the show is pattern writing.  I'm the math and graphics girl.  Our goal is to have our first for sale pattern ready before the end of the year and I've spent time this week making graphics and working out numbers.   He spent some time while he's been away searching for just the right fabrics.  So for now all I can show you is this closed book of graph paper.

For the rest of this post...I thought I would do my duty as your Craftsy enabler and talk a little bit about the sale they have going on this weekend (today through Sunday at midnight).


For this weekend they are offering some of their class favorites for 50% off.  I love these sales.  It's usually when I try to grab one.  It allows me to invite some of the best quilting instructors into my life and learn from them whenever I want.  In my pajamas in bed, even!  On my schedule!  So I thought I would take an opportunity to talk about some of the classes I've purchased and watched.

When I first discovered the Craftsy platform, I could not watch enough Angela Walters videos.  I have learned so much from this wonderful gal.  She introduced me to the idea of Dot-to-Dot Quilting and from that point I have not looked back.  It appears in most of my quilts.  This type of visual quilting has allowed me to put that marking pen down and just quilt.  It's a great class for beginners wanting to give free motion a go.  In the class you can create a 40" wall hanging and follow along with Angela as she quilts hers.



This isn't the only class of Angela's that has got me out of a tight spot or stopped me from bruising my head banging it on the wall.


Small Changes Big Variety shows you how you don't have to know how to do 20 million fancy smancy quilting motifs.  Even just knowing how to do a few, but make small modifications to them can take your quilting to the next level.  You don't have to be an expert to look like one.


I can't tell you how many times I've let a quilt set because I didn't know what the heck to do with the border.  It's like when you are talking and you don't know what to do with your hands.  But in Borders & Backgrounds, Angela will help you figure out how to fill those spaces and never have that awkward, what do I do feeling again.


Help!  How do I Quilt It?  I think it's safe to say we have all been there and yelled that?  This is another great class that proves you don't have to be able to stitch everything under the sun to produce a quilt with spectacular quilting.  She breaks different types of quilts down (such as paper pieced, small area, medallions) and different types of quilting that work with each.  

Now how about a little chat on feathers.  Ah, the feather.  It's like that dragon one is always chasing.  They are beautiful.  They can be super fancy or over the top whimsical and can live in just about any space on a quilt.  The problem with feathers is you have to learn to stitch them.  They are not born over night.  I have purchased three different classes on feathers and each have so much information.  But between knowledge gained in each class, I know find myself trying to stick them where ever I can put them


Patsy Thompson's Ultimate Free-Motion Feathers, I'm not sure what took me so long to purchase this class.  Patsy breaks feathers down into several different categories.  It wasn't until I watched this class that a light bulb went off.  I like to stitch my feathers without spines.  I guess it had never occurred to me that I could stitch without a clearly marked spine.


Angela's Free Motion Quilting with Feathers, truly shows that every spaces was meant for a feather.  She talks about the feather meander, feathers in borders and even adding a modern twist.  


Beyond Basic Machine Quilting by Ann Peterson.  I' not sure where to start with this one, because it contains A LOT of quilty goodness.  In the class, she walks you through making a whole cloth quilt with pretty flowers, a cute little dragon fly and lots of feathery goodness.  She covers several different methods for marking your quilt, that made me go, duh, why didn't I think of that.  I'll admit I haven't made the whole cloth (though I still want to) because I took the tools I learned from her and worked on quilts I had going.


Ann also has a class, Small Machine, Big Quilts, Better Results, perfect for us domestic machine quilters, trying to tame a large quilt on our machine.  Ann outlines different techniques for getting that queen or king sized quilt finished without causing bodily harm to others or ourselves.

Now on to negative space.  Negative space does not have to be an object to fear like a black hole that you will never climb out of.  It space that can allow your quilt to shine, by breaking it down and filling it with goodness.


Angela Walter's Negative Space, is a great class for dealing with all that emptiness.  She walks you though breaking up the space using techniques like changing design scale, echoing and combining designs to create interest. 


Christina Cameli's Wild Quilting I love this class so much and go back and watch it all the time.  It's that wonderful style of wild quilting that when you see it filling negative space you wonder how in the world did they do that.  The motifs flow together and you can't tell where they started and where they stopped.  Wonder no more, I say.  Christina breaks this style down in a simple format that anyone can understand.  If you started quilting yesterday or have been quilting for years, everyone can take something away from these techniques.  Here is an example of my first attempt at this type of quilting after watching this class.

Read more about my flow quilting piece here

And if you are still with me, how about a few more free motion quilting classes.  The next three are by a wonderful lady name Debby Brown who blogs at Highered Hands.  I first came across Debbie when I participated in Pat Sloan's 2014 BOM and Debbie offered a QAL with the blocks.  She was the first person to introduce me to The HQ Sweet Sixteen.  My dream machine.  She got me up and stitching.  Last year, Debbie release her first Craftsy Classes.


Free-Motion Quilting with lines, curves and loops is a great intro class for beginners breaking down most free motion designs with letters of the alphabet.  It's almost like writing your way into quilting.


You Can Quilt It! was actually a class designed to help those who participated in Craftsy's 2015 BOM trouble shoot quilting (a rather large) quilt on your domestic machine.  I did not participate in the BOM but took away several great strategies for dealing with a large quilt on a machine and ideas for filling blocks. 


Stunning Free-Motion Machine Quilting Using Simple Shapes is Debbie's brand spanking new class.  Like just came out this week I think.  I was so excited to see she had another class, I bought it on Monday, so I actually have't watched this one yet.  But I have no doubt I'm going to love it.



Next, Design it, Quilt It by Cindy Needham.  I would love to take a class from her in real life.  This class is packed full of great information.  She talks about using stencils, designs basics, and creating beautiful intricate whole cloths.  She touches on a little bit of everything.  In was in her class I learned about my favorite dense filler, scribbling.  A FMQ design anyone can do, though you wouldn't want to put it everywhere.


And last but definitely not least, Color Play For Quilters by Joen Wolfrom.  This class also comes with a copy of Joen's book Color Play in PDF form.  Joen gives us a wonderful lesson on the color wheel and how exactly it works.  She talks about color value and depth and how these play into our fabrics.  She covers different color schemes and how to make them work in your quilts.  I am 100% over simplifying this class because there is so much information.  But it is well worth any quilter's time.  It's not a class you can set down and binge watch.  It needs to be watched in sections, but the nice thing about Craftsy is you can take notes and bookmark important sections right within the class itself.    

Okay, if you are still with me, I thank you.  That was an extreme overload of information.  My point, is Craftsy has something for everyone.  And not just quilters.  There are literally classes for everything.  So if you have some time feel free to click on one of the links and head over and check Craftsy out.  I will mention links on my blog are affiliate links, meaning I do get a small percent if you decide to purchase something.  But I say these things about Craftsy because I believe in their platform and have been loving their classes for quite sometime, not because of the small kickback.  I take my job of being a Craftsy dealer enabler guinea pig affiliate seriously.  If you ever have a question about a class please ask me.  I have several more classes than just these.  They just happen to be some of my favorites.  Also, I did notice not all of these classes are on sale, but most are.   

Now I need to get back to cleaning and figuring what I'm going to throw out of the house to make room for my new purchase.  Wish me luck!

 

Today I'm linking up with Snowflake Shimmer AQL and Can I Get A Whoop! Whoop!
  

11 comments:

helenjean@midgetgemquilts said...

The problem is making the time to watch the classes! I keep watching the beginning and never progressing . Your collaboration with Dave may well corner the market , you're a great combination and I look forward to seeing your first sale pattern

Janice Holton said...

Every time you post something it's just one more thing we have in common! I have watched many of the classes you mentioned and you told me about a few I haven't seen yet. Thanks for the great info! These classes really are helpful and Ultimate Free Motion Feathers is the one that got me inspired to just jump in and try it. Good luck with the rearranging!! :)

Stitchin At Home said...

I'm fairly sure I know what you bought, if you don't have enough room just send it on up I can make room.

Lisa J. said...

I'm looking forward to what you and Dave come up with...also interested in the big purchase. Thanks for the info on the Craftsy classes although I'm like Helen I find it hard to find the time to owrk my way trough them.

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

I'm so excited to see your fabric cut for Snowflake Shimmer! And I hear you about second guessing big changes; that is definitely part of human nature and life. <3

Paige said...

Did Dave buy you a LA? He's a keeper!

Deanna Bishop said...

I Love your fabric choices for the Snowflake Shimmer. I had all the intentions of making this but I am in the middle of another quilt long at the moment and I was worried about falling behind in one or both so I bowed out of the Snowflake Shimmer. I do hope to be able to make it at a later date.

Puppilalla said...

Your little pad of graph paper very much holds my attention =) I am looking forwward to see the outcome of your joint colaboration at the end of the year. And you are right Craftsy classes rock. It is brilliant to sit on your sofa and be able to join an online class.

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

Hope you and Dave are having fun with your pattern. Can't wait to see it.

Sarah Craig said...

Cleaning and purging definitely deserves a whoop whoop! No, it doesn't show much, but it is ultimately so productive!! Whoop whoop!

Cheryl said...

I am excited to see your and David's collaboration! You know that I am available to review the pattern :)

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