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I just love 5 day classes! Especially as I get to teach them in many wonderful locations. I spent last week at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, CA right on the beach. Another bonus was that the weather was perfect. My class was filled with 24 very enthusiastic students some working on projects  previously started in one of my other classes and others creating new projects. We started with a layered background and then designed the piece of there choice finishing with embellishment. Many new threads were explored along with new stitches.

It was a fabulous creative week all of us were  totally absorbed in the moment. I will be returning to Empty Spools next year to teach a ‘Small Studies’ class.

Creative Stitching

Sue

Cathy, kelly and I just visited Portland for Spring Quilt Market. Spring is my favorite market as there always seems to be a feeling of excitement and energy. It was a fabulous show in one of my favorite cities to visit. The market was buzzing with many enthusiastic shoppers as well as a few new fresh ideas. We picked up some new products that I will be using in my designs as well as featuring on the website in the next few months. We bought new fabrics from our favorite companies and look forward to featuring eclectic samplings on the website. I was able to visit with many of my friends from Australia and the US enjoying many lovely meals.

After market Wendy my sister and two of our friends from Toowomba in Australia, Lisa and Majella joined me to explore Portland. We had a fabulous day visiting the Japanese Gardens followed with days filled with shopping and exploring. Susan my friend taxied us to quilt and knitting stores, antique stores and many other fun places. We also sampled some of the best of Portland eateries along with great coffee from Stumptown and unbelievable Rhubarb ice cream from Salt and Straw.

Despite two days of continual rain much fun was had my all. As I always say it is impossible to go shopping with Wendy unless you start a few new knitting projects. This time was no different! I am sure Lisa and Majella will be knitting all the way home to AU.

Keep creating and stitching

Sue

I was travelling home from TX on Monday trying to upload my photos from the past week in TX when my IPhoto crashed. I was so worried I had lost all my images I think about 14000 of all my student work. Yesterday was our day to pack up for market so in between that I ran to the Apple Store. I was so relieved when one of those ‘Geniuses’ was able to solved my problem.

We celebrated Mothers Day last night Jason cooked a fabulous meal and both Aimee, Kingsley and Kelly were able to be there. Washed my clothes and packed for market. This morning thought I needed to blog before the week in Portland starts. It will be short and sweet as we have a flight in a couple of hours.

What a fun week was had by all. Anne and Angie own a lovely retreat center in Milford Texas where I taught two three day classes on my Journal Quilt about your own tree of life. From the pictures you can see what a creative group of ladies attended.

The weather was perfect, great company and delicious food. All round great Texas hospitality!

Looking forward to returning in 2014.

Off to market in Portland and hope to see many of you there.

Creative Stitching

Sue

Cathy and I drove to Bellaire last weekend to teach at Cousins Quilt Store which is owned by Carmen. I taught Leaf Play and also my new Firefly Needle Case. We had fun playing with velvets, wools and many lovely stitches. Carmen has 5 llamas and she brought 3 of them to visit us at class. They were darling and of cause we loved the idea of making pincushions with there wool so Carmen shared a large bag with us so we could make some to remember this visit. Cathy and I also had a couple of lovely meals at Lulu’s Bistro in Bellaire one was a Shorts Beer Dinner. It was wonderful a 5 course meal with each course accompanied by a brew beer. So much fun!

Creative Stitching

Sue

I spent a lovely weekend in Vancouver Canada teaching for Uschi and Kerry who own the company Wool Penny Rugs. The classes were filled with enthusiastic students. In the first class we started the floral applique for a journal cover using wool, cotton and velvet applique then learnt a few stitches that would enhance the piece. The second class was focused on Leaf Play. Layering and creating unique leaves. It was a busy few days but at the end of class Uschi gave me a whirlwind tour of Vancouver starting with a little bit of retail therapy in Granville Island. During my trip I was also treated to great seafood. It was a great trip and I look forward to returning in 2014.

Creative Stitching

Sue

It is always lovely to teach somewhere in the south in the early part of the year. I was fortunate enough last weekend to visit the Naples Guild in sunny Florida. I have not taught much in Florida and Ia m sure it is because i work mainly in wool. I think they were pleasantly surprised to see my classes are more about embellishment and the wool is only the fabulous textural medium I choose to work on. We had a full class of 25 students all working on my Flower Vase sampler. I love this class as we get to ply with all the elements that i like to embellish on my large quilts.

I taught applications of ribbons, layering with textural fabrics and embellishment of leaves, flowers and stems. Although everyone starts with the same base as you can see they all are starting to take on there own personality. I love the use of all the hand dyed fibers and  my little book ‘Creative Stitching’  was invaluable as each student started in on the embellishment.

Thanks to everyone for taking such good care of me.

Creative Stitching

Sue

This past weekend was our annual ‘Workt by Hand’ retreat. I teach this retreat with 3 of my friends Sally, Alice and Melissa. It was our 10th annual retreat and our theme was circles and texture. It was held in Tipp City, Ohio and the weather was lovely. Spring was in the air! We had 40 wonderful participants from all over the country. We taught a one day texture class then a 3 day design class. We open the retreat with a Cheese and Wine at the Hotel Gallery on Wednesday night. Our dinner at the Cold Water Cafe on Friday night was as delightful as always.

Creative Stitching

Sue

I have been in the mountains of Idaho teaching for four days. I designed a new bag for this class using my bird and branch applique design. The design incorporated the leaf, berry and bird elements which we layered and stitched. I had 2 classes of 25 students each. We started with a kit and then each student varied their layering and embellishments to make it their own. It was a very busy class with many stitches and fibers explored.

Lisa and Katie have a lovely store quilt store called Huckleberry Patches full of wonderful treats including a full array of wooly kits and fun fibers.

Next door to the quilting store is a knitting store called Keep me in Stitches owned by Lynda. It was full of amazing color and fibers. What a surprise I received when I entered her store and on the wall was a huge panel she had knitted for my visit inspired by my folk art designs including my bird.

I had a lovely time and many thanks Lisa and Katie for taking such good care of me.

Creative Stitching

Sue

Who could ask for more than a lovely sunny weekend in Seattle and fabulous students for 3 full days. I was delighted to teach at QuiltWorks Northwest last weekend to a full class of enthusiastic stitchers. They learnt many stitches as well as use of different hand dyed threads while working on layering leaves and berries. All doing many of the same stitches in there own style. I love teaching longer classes as it is much more satisfying for the students and myself as I am able to work through many more applications for stitches. Michelle brought many of her quilts to share with the class. They were lovely, embellished with fun stitches and fibers. Many thanks to Stacey and Laura Jo for taking good care of me. I am looking forward to returning in 2015.

Creative Stitching

Sue

I spent a lovely three days in Tulsa at the Green Country Quilt Guild. We embellished Flower Vases using many different stitches to attach ribbons as well as layering flowers, leaves and berries. Each student started with a similar base but as they progressed they each took on a path of there own. We played with many different textural fabrics as well as hand dyed fibers. I also had a couple of girls in class who were allergic to wool. I was happy they decided to attend and make a piece out of cotton fabric.

Judy shared her elephant quilt that she started in a class she took from me in TX. It is always wonderful to see finished pieces. I love all the embellishment she did on this quilt. Just amazing!

I was also fortunate to visit the Gilcrease Museum where they have some wonderful Indian beaded pieces as well as a Woody Crumbo exhibit.

Happy Easter

Sue