Quilt University July Newsletter
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June 26, 2009
When I first started gardening, I wanted instant gratification so I planted annuals. The bigger the flower, the
happier I was. I wanted all the colors of the rainbow. I planted everything that appealed to me until the space was
filled. The garden stretched out along the fence and the back of the house, about 2-3 feet deep, everything nicely
corralled behind a single row of neatly sunken bricks. It filled the space, but it had no soul. Of course, the following
spring I had it all to do over again.
Eventually, I discovered there was a lot more to a real garden. I developed some patience and learned to cultivate
perennials. Now, when spring comes, my garden is filled with old friends, ready to perform again and asking only a
little care in return. I began to appreciate plants for their foliage and for the subtle color and texture
differences those leaves provided. I still prefer a wide variety of plants, rather than massed plantings that are all
the same, and I like the wild abandon of the crowded English-style garden.
Over time, I realized that my approach to quilting was a lot like my early gardens. I sewed my first projects in a
rush, hurrying through each step so I could see how they looked. I wanted shortcuts and patterns that would get me to
the finish line faster. The result was that I turned what should have been a pleasure into just another chore. My
enthusiasm to make all the different varieties of quilts in the world was taking the joy out of it.
I still like a good shortcut, but I have grown to appreciate the process. I enjoy planning my quilts, going through
my stash to find the perfect fabrics, ironing, cutting and sewing. I try different combinations even if that means
sewing something that will never end up in my quilt.
While the ultimate goal is to make a beautiful quilt, it isn't a race anymore. I have also discovered lateral
learning. Educators will tell you this is learning more about the same subject, exploring it to the very last kernel
of information, rather than grabbing the gist of it and moving on to the next step up the ladder. Think of a baker
who makes one loaf of white bread and then moves to cakes. In lateral learning, she will try every possible
combination of ingredients, flavors, sizes and shapes until she has totally exhausted the subject of bread. Each new
recipe will give rise to another variation.
This is why quilting continues to hold my interest after more than 30 years. It is the nuances of our craft that hold
the power to bewitch.
NEW CLASS
Leslie Lacika brings us Reversible Quilts. You begin with a batting square and add fabric carefully placed on both
sides to construct blocks which have a pattern on both sides. The two sides may be the same pattern or may be
different. The construction seams often act as the quilting, so the blocks are already quilted when you assemble them. Leslie uses small units, so you are able to complete a wall quilt during class. Reversible Quilts
begins July 24.
REGISTRATION CALENDAR
Patchwork & Piecing
Border Workshop with Carol Miller - includes design work
** Combing Through Your Scraps with Karen Combs
Crazy Quilt Piecing with Cindy Thury Smith
More Patchwork Illusions with Karen Combs - includes design work
Appliqué
Arabesque with Martine House - includes trapunto
Hand Appliqué Basics with Nyla Morrison
Stained Glass Bouquet with Nyla Morrison
** Upside-Down Appliqué with Susan Brittingham
Quilting, Surface Embellishment
Filament Fantasy with Linda Schmidt
Fireworks with Helen Marshall - includes piecing
Machine Quilting with Carol Miller
Printing on Fabric with Ruth Blanchet - includes thread painting
Pictorial Quilts
Artists Revisited with Marilyn Belford
Day in the Country with Ruth Blanchet - includes piecing and appliqué
Foundation and Paper Piecing
Paper Pieced Paradise with Daphne Greig
Strip Mine with Patti Anderson
Embroidery Modules
Embroidery on Patchwork with Joanne Winn
Dyeing and Painting
** Batik It with Marjie McWilliams
Fabric Painting with Marjie McWilliams
Playing with Paint with Lyric Kinard
Silk Dyeing with Marjie McWilliams
Design & Color
** Crazy and Sane with Cindy Thury Smith
Designer Pinwheels with Dena Crain
** Gradations and Transparencies with Carol Miller
Journal Quilts with Lily Kerns
Playing with Lines and Shapes with Lily Kerns
** Structured Fabrics with Dena Crain
Using Fusing to Express Yourself with Michele Scott
Viewpoints with Susan Brittingham
Watercolor Wizardry with Carol Miller
Computer-Aided Quilt Design
EQ6 Advanced Layouts with Fran Gonzalez
Other
Getting Started Online with Julie Neu
Math for Quilters with Dena Crain
** Classes marked with a double asterisk start this weekend. Registration remains open until Sunday evening.
Learn more
NINTH ANNUAL VIRTUAL QUILT SHOW
You have until June 30 to cast your vote in the Virtual Quilt Show. Please vote only once. Duplicate
votes are discarded. Results will be announced on our Web site on July 1.
EXHIBIT FOR JULY - COOL ME OFF!
You have until June 29 to send your photographs for this exhibit. We want to see quilts in cool colors or with cool
themes, like water or snow. Include the pattern designer, if your piece is not original, quilt dimensions, your
name and where you are from, as well as any stories or details about the techniques. Exhibit opens July 1.
STUDENT TIPS
Have you visited the Library at Quilt U? Not only it contains quilt terms and tutorials, but it has a resource list
for supplies around the globe, information on metric conversion, a computer terms glossary, supply list glossary and
answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Visiting the Gallery can show you how students have interpreted class projects. I've been revamping all those
galleries with new photos over the last six months, so if you have not visited in a while, you are in for a treat. You can read student comments about classes at What Students Are Saying About Quilt U Classes or you can ask for
opinions in the Student Lounge.
Carol Miller
www.QuiltUniversity.com
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