Sunday, April 8, 2012

Ruth McDowell Workshop

Our second week has come to an end at Asilomar, and tomorrow we fly home. I so enjoyed being in Ruth McDowell's class. Although it was my third class with her, I learned many things that had previously passed me by, especially as I watched other students around me work out various problems. I only got as far as making the line drawing from my photo - a shot taken in Namibia almost 20 years ago, of three of our children. They are sitting on the bench beside a watering hole in Etosha National Park, watching the elephants come down for a drink. I will keep you posted on how it develops. Meanwhile, here are some
photos of other students and their works in progress. First is my table-mate, Jan, with her brilliant Poppies. I love the fabrics she's chosen to work with, and can't wait to see it finished. Next is Ann's Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach. Aren't those stripes marvellous on the rock face? Ann will soon be teaching Ruth's method of designing and piecing, now that Ruth is retiring, should any of you be interested in having her to teach in your area. Next are Gayle's Hydrangeas. Gayle's fabrics - at The Back Porch shop in Pacific Grove - is a treasure house of fabrics, many of which showed up in the quilts being
designed. Next is Carole's Monterey Sea Wall. Actually, I don't think that's the exact name, but it's a wall that's been painted in almost sepia tones - two men bringing in a fishing boat. Great subject matter. And lastly there's my line drawing. Just a little taste for you of the class, and of the style of work I hope to be incorporting into more of my own work in the months to come.

2 comments:

  1. omg! are those itty bitty dark areas on your drawing where lots of individual fabric bits would come together?! I hope the result is spectacular so that the crazy-making process is worth it. That rave aside, I can see how a work can be broken down into sections to be sewn. That must have been very interesting to develop.

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  2. They are, Lee. The most difficult part of doing one of these designs, in my view, is the drafting of the pattern. The idea is to design it in such a way that you only have straight lines to sew. Then comes the choosing of the fabrics. NOT a quick and easy quilt!

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