Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Thank you GLHQ! On to Asilomar....


I just returned from a wonderful trip to the Detroit, MI area where I taught classes and gave a lecture to the Great Lakes Heritage Quilters.  The weather was summery, food amazing, scenery lovely.  Special thanks to Diane and Joyce for taking such great care of me, and Linda for chauffeuring me in a pinch, and for sharing their time so generously. 

We had fun, we talked, laughed, quilted.  Everyone worked so hard in class, and the results were terrific.  Keep on quilting, work on those tops or make tops to quilt and perfect your free motion skills.  Remember to take breaks too.

Loved seeing all the cousins, uncles, aunts and other relations to my amazing Buick on the roads there too.

I returned to Wisconsin to find spring has finally arrived, the trees are blooming and the warm days are here.  I had a few hours rest and relaxation, some time to assure Oliver it really was me back again, but he knows I am not even stowing the luggage in the hidden room.  I must be going somewhere again, and he is right.

Next week is my last session at Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar in California.  I am busy shipping things and hoping they get there in time.  My silk thread cones arrived on Monday and I shipped off a box of them for class, but I am also bringing some with me in case these don't arrive in time.  When I dumped them all out on the kitchen table they were so pretty, like jewels in all the colors and shine.  Yum.

Those of you in class next week should keep in mind:
  •  Prepare the project to quilt in class ahead of time.  You may layer it, and even stitch in the ditches first, with fine weight thread of your choice.  If you decide on marking something in the squares or border, that can be done in class after we get started and discuss options.  I will have some stencils for you in class.
  • Be sure and have good markers - you need to see the marks.
  • The on-site shop will have wonderful wool batt, Pellon Legacy, in case you'd like to try it. 
  • Sew EZ tables are a great thing to have if you are driving.  There is plenty of room in our classroom.
  • The chairs could use a small cushion if you are short. 
  • Please do not wear strong perfumes, essential oils, or insect repellent to class as many of us are allergic to them....thanks from me, and all of us.
I look forward to spending this time with all of you.  I hope the class will have something for everyone so your quilting will improve and you will leave with new excitement about this amazing art.  Please email me if you have specific questions.

Back to packing, but do keep quilting!  Your work gets better every day.
Diane


     


14 comments:

Joan said...

Love those beauriful silk cones. Every time I read one of your posts and read of you teaching - I really wish I lived closer :)

Kay Lynne said...

I'm with Joan--wish I lived closer so I could meet you in person. I really do appreciate your Quilt Savy book--it has changed the way I free motion :) Have a wonderful week.

Diane Gaudynski said...

I wish I could travel and teach more too, because when I do I certainly enjoy it. It's great to see everyone's progress, sometimes within a few hours. Hope to do another book; we'll see!

Jocelyn said...

Wow a new book! That would be awesome. I just purchased your Machine Quilting book in Paducah last month. And I posted a little machine quilting on my blog today. I'm still learning and trying to practice. Thanks for all of your encouragement and enthusiasm for machine quilting on the Domestic sewing machine ;-)

annieQ said...

What a wonderful bowl of thread salad

FrancesB said...

Surely you don't mean your last EVER session at Asilomar!?? Please say you will be returning to Empty Spools in the future. PLEASE.
I see that you will not be there in 2012, but perhaps 2013?? I would love the opportunity of taking your workshop at Asilomar.

Diane Gaudynski said...

Thread salad indeed! No calories!

FrancesB, I am not sure if I'll be able to do the strenuous travel it takes to go to Asilomar. I am taking a sabbatical from teaching for awhile, but I never say never, especially for Empty Spools. We shall see.

FrancesB said...

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. And I wish you increasingly good health and contentment. You have seriously enriched the world of quilting. Thank you.

Diane Gaudynski said...

Thanks Frances! I really appreciate it, and hope I can still contribute to quilting.

California Fiber artist and composer said...

I love the calorie free thread salad! The bowl looks quite yummie. It makes me want to dip in----especially the luscious red!

Anonymous said...

I think the coast will bring you much better weather this time, though Hwy 1 is still closed from Big Sur to Ragged Point. I'm starting a whole cloth white quilt using the new lavendar YLI silk thread. I think it will look great as I've seen others using pale thread on white. Just finished a Peace & Love quilt for grandson 21 b'day. Peace stenciled in 40 different languages, 5 large Peace signs, quilted with hearts and loops. Thanks for all your inspiration. I know your class will have a great time. Sorta wish I was going to be there. Happy quilting all, Jan Ostermann

Kd Brown said...

Diane, I see the picture of your first book (pictured to the right) is spiral bound. Can you tell me where I can buy a spiral bound edition of Guide to Machine Quilting? Thank you!

SewCalGal said...

I'm looking forward to your class at Asilomar next week, very much. I just wish you could bring sweet Oliver with you.

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

Diane Gaudynski said...

Jan, I too like the look of a very pale colored silk thread on light fabric for a whole cloth quilt. Lavender sounds beautiful. Looks like the weather should be good next week for our class, as long as my plane can get there I'm fine.

The book with the spiral binding I had done at the office store for about $3. It's my own copy and I wanted the binding to open and to last. My editor said it is too pricey and difficult to do more of the Quilt Savvy books with the included spiral binding, so no more of those.

SewCalGal, it will be great to meet you and I do wish I could sneak Oliver in too. He would LOVE it there, oh my. Cat heaven. I can picture him curled up in my charming little historical room at night on the bed, keeping me company, looking out the windows at the wildlife and the ocean. He has never seen the ocean....