This week is all about quilting. This past weekend I taught the NACQJ Two-Day Judging Seminar to a group of seven students. Marilyn Bevan was one of them. By way of introduction, she said she was 90 years old, had just bought a new sewing machine and planned to learn how to use every feature and stitch. After class was over, I was humbled when she told me she was amazed by the things she had learned and would take the information back to her studio where she teaches. This is the kind of woman I love and one after my own heart, one who pursues a lifelong love of learning. And Marilyn’s attitude certainly dispels the idea that after years of practicing and teaching a skill, such as quilting, there’s nothing left to learn. I had planned to take photos of my students at work mock-judging and in fact, reminded myself several times before the workshop began. Yet I forgot anyway. I get too wrapped up in teaching. I’m still kicking myself as I have no photos to post.
Tomorrow I’m taking a class through Northwest Quilters Guild with Jacquie Gering on quilting with your walking foot. Yes, I already know how to and have been quilting like this for years, but to piggyback onto Marilyn’s philosophy above, there’s always something new to learn. I know when I take a class, which I don’t do often anymore, I always pick up new ideas and techniques.
Then on Thursday, I’m going to moderate a Stitch Chat on hand stitching for Studio Art Quilt Associates‘ new program called SAQA Seminar. I volunteered earlier this summer to collate the tips and techniques for hand stitching, along with adding a number of my own. You can find the information under Unit 1–Articles along with other articles related to stitching. A call was put out looking for a moderator for the Stitch Chats on the topic of stitching. I thought since I had put the hand stitch information together, I’ve been hand stitching since I was in my late teens–early twenties, and I’ve completed London City and Guilds coursework on design and embroidery, that surely that was an area where I was confident and comfortable. Where I’m not feeling so much comfort is with the Chats themselves. I’ve never done anything on-line like this before. Zoom is the video conference meeting platform. I’ve practiced it a bit, but I’m sure the real thing will feel quite different. This will be a learning opportunity for sure. You must be a member of SAQA to participate. If you are not a member yet, please explore the organization. You may well discover it’s what you’ve been looking for given the wealth of information, resources, and opportunities available to quilters/fiber artists.
Finally, this coming weekend I’m judging at Northwest Quilting Expo. Can’t wait to see the wonderful work submitted.
