Opposites Attract

I have a new finish for a class I am teaching this winter:

It's called "Opposites Attract" and features two colors opposite each other on the color wheel.  It's part of my "Color College" series of classes, using Becky Goldsmith's great book:  The Quilter's Practical Guide to Color.  This is my first complete machine quilting finish on the Bernina Q20--it's not the best quilting ever done but sometimes "finished is better than perfect".

In Houston I took two excellent classes on free-motion quilting.  One with Sue Nickels using a Bernina 770--great practice for using the BSR system.  The other was with Helen Godden using the Handi-Quilter Sweet 16--great practice with the sit-down longarm machine.  When I get back from the retreat I am headed to tomorrow, my plan is to find 3-5 border designs I love and master those.  Then 3-5 block motifs I love and master those.  It will be good to have a "toolbox" with my "go-to" designs at the ready.

In the meantime, I'm working away on the Stars in a Time Warp blocks--there are only 3 weeks left with new blocks coming.  Then it will be time to decide on a layout.  Each week I've made 2 blocks so the stack has grown to about 90.  I am enjoying this project quite a bit.  Here are the latest, as close as I can find in my stash:

These are Provincial prints and Sprigged Muslins, with Indiennes.

These are early Roller prints and cloud prints, more or less, probably less.


I've packed way more projects to work on at the week-long retreat than I will probably complete but it just wouldn't do to run out of projects.  Someone is bringing a Featherweight so I can do some machine work, here is string piecing:

And there must be handwork:

I started this years ago and need some help with it.  One of the Hexie Queens will be at retreat so I'm going to "Ask the Expert".

And hand applique':

The Blue Collection, by Maggie Walker.  I started this so many years ago and haven't touched it in years.  One of my applique' heroines will be at retreat and I am incredibly eager to sit by her side and learn from her.  I've packed up the 7 blocks that are done and taken the next four--way more than I can get done this week but it pays to be prepared, right?  This was one of those Block of the Month kit deals, with all the fabrics and the patterns.

I hope to be able to share some photos of the week ahead with you.  Stay tuned.

Let's quilt!

Barbara