Linda Hahn class

First day class was with Linda Hahn from Florida.

We had a choice between backgrounds, light or dark.
We were going to embroidery and add beads to our designs.

That is Linda explaining what we were going to be doing.

Here is the start of mine.

By lunch here are what several students had done.
They had much more imagination then I was coming up with.

Some were really going to town.

I am impressed.

After lunch, I when to check out the other class rooms to see what was
going on.  I think this was a quilt that Karen Combs was teaching.

In the one class room were the challenge blocks.
They were to have an Alaskan theme.
Whales seem to be the main topic.
There were some wonderful interpretations. 

Here is another of the classes.
Gloria Loughman was the teacher.

Her classes look like they would be interesting.

Here are  closeups of some of the blocks.

Some were truly imaginative.

There was a great selection.

After lunch Linda was showing us some of the other classes she
would be teaching.

Welcome to our Pad is one of the classes I will be taking.

This class is using the same block.
It changes with color placement.

I think this is another class she was going to teach as well.

One more in the works.
I think we had a great variety of classes this time.
It is always fun to try new things. Even though I know
about working on hexagons, doing embroidery and adding beads
is out of my comfort zone.
So much fun.

Mary

Other classes and work in progress

I have found a great place locally to take a couple of fun classes.  Harvest House Quilting, in Plainfield,  has offered  two classes recently that I thought would be fun to take.
Sometimes you see something that just looks like a fun idea.  This prairie point Christmas tree was one of them.
I have made or decorated a couple of trees for my Christmas display.  Small works very nicely in my house.
This tree has now been added.
Colleen classes are only a couple of hours long and because there is room for only a small number, you get great one on one help.
Colleen can provide the "kit" or you can bring your own supplies.  She even had the kit made up in two color ways, Christmas green and red, or blue and white to make a winter tree.
There is a Styrofoam base.  She walks you through the whole process, then makes suggestions for adding embellishments.
Our two hours were a lot of fun and productive.
I love going home with a finished project.

Here we are with our trees.  Each is the same, but different.

Here is Charlie, helping me hold my pattern down while I pin and cut for a new nightgown.
He loves to help out. 

Fall was very pretty in our own backyard.
Don't you just love all that red.  

While the weather was good, I thought it would be a neat time to showcase a couple of the things I have or am working on,. Told you about making those fabric baskets while at quilt retreats, so felt it was time to make another, bigger one.
This one was in time for Halloween.
It was a perfect container to hold our treats. I tried using an even bigger square.
Oh the ideas I have for these cuties.

This is what I started out with for the making of my clock which I showcased in my last post.
You know me.  I do enjoy handwork!

I did finish up one more Halloween cross stitch envelope.
Now starting to work on a couple of Christmas gifts and maybe an envelope or two.

Here is another class from Harvest House Quilting.
I have had the pattern, and this fabric to make The "Diva Frame Wallet" by Sew Many Creations.
I have had the pattern and fame for a couple years, and obviously had not made it.
When Colleen offered a class in using this pattern, I was all in.

It looked complicated, but again when you are in a small class, with one on one teaching, it does not sound so bad.
I do have a hard time reading patterns and trying to figure out what they mean.
I had this all done within the two hour class. This was the first time I have put a set in zipper.
I think I did not do too bad.  Had to purchase another frame to make another one!

I keep telling you that I have cross stitched a lot, but just have not make them all up yet.
Yep! I have.   I enjoy the process.  So many patterns, not enough time!
This has become so addicting.

I, also, have told you about the quilt I am making using a color range by Kona Cottons.
This is what I have so far.  The blocks are finishing at 8 inches.  One I got the hang of using the special ruler that
Gyleen X. Fitzgerald designed, for her "Trash to Treasure Pineapple Quilts".
I decided to make it a bit bigger.  Another row longer and wider. before I work on the borers.
My son is loving how this quilt is turning out.
I am too!

Just a touch of Fall.
American Gold Finch.

The squirrels are hard at working, burying nuts for the winter.
If you  ever get the chance to watch them, do so. They are so interesting.
How do they remember where they buried them!

That it for today.
Thursday Sew Days, I am busy working on more Row by Row patterns.
The other day I did sort them out to see what seasons I had kits and patterns for.
Looks like there is going to be a quilt for Fall. It has been so much fun working on this past years rows.  Again, I enjoy the process. More on this later.

Have a great week.
Enjoy your sewing.
Mary