SAQA Pt. 2

 At our SAQA meeting, we also had our show and tell - always inspiring. Kathie Briggs showed us a piece (left) which was a corroboration with 8 people....everyone used Kathie's fabric to create a small section of the quilt below and then put together. Of course, everyone had the same chance of others in the group making a section for their piece...such a fun project. Kathie on right has also been making table runners and matching bowls. My bowl picture was blurry but it was a lovely piece and so functional.

Lynn DellaPosta created this piece out of a clean up cloth - they always make into the best pieces. She extended the lines of her scribbles into the border which made it so interesting.

I also love the way the piece is not perfectly centered on the border fabric...kinda of catti-wampus! Love it.

Mary and I are in a little group - Fiber Junkies where we learn different surface design techniques. We often work on small pieces and then what to do with them. Mary created these beautiful little book covers for small size books to carry in your purse. She actually created quite a few to bring as gifts to her family in California but you can also see them in her booth at Woolworth, downtown Asheville (booth 235 downstairs)

We had a guest artist - Ellen Lindner who is a fiber arts teacher and here visiting. I thought it was interesting how she did exercises on 5 x 8 cards...randomly and then used portions of it to create a larger piece. The piece on the right is part of the design on the card (on left)...very clever and fun way to work.

 

Ellen also showed us more of her dye experiments...

Shirley showed us a piece in the works created in a workshop with Gloria Loughman. It is beautiful in person and I can't wait to see it done...The "tile" background is all individual pieces - amazing! Such a wonderful group of gals and so much inspiration...I always go home fired up!

SAQA - Two for One

The Mountain Art Quilters - a regional pod of SAQA recently met for a private showing of the SAQA traveling show. SAQA (Studio Art Quilts Association) sponsors many shows each year for members, many of which travel. This particular show, because of its large amount of entries,  is dividied into sections. We received section A which had 58 wonderful pieces to drool over.

After our regular meeting of business and show and tell, we had the opportunity to go around to different tables to see each piece.

Linda, our group leader who started the ball rolling...

We were trying to decide the best way to showcase each piece. Since each one is mounted on black foamcore and then inserted and sealed into a plastic bag, we felt it safe to lay them on a table.

This way people could go round, pick up each piece and read the information on the back without having to worry about harming the piece.  This is a lovely way to present a piece; the clear bags did not inhibit the beauty and uniqueness of each piece and viewers were able to get really up close and personal. I have to say, I had my favorites but enjoyed seeing every one and the creativity behind each. We even had a few critique groups going on.

We also had a refreshment table which is always fun and a place for people to gather.

Some yummy homemade and purchased food items.

This is not a good picture of one of the pieces but thought I would try it. The plastic reflects too much but you can go to their website - www.SAQA.com to see them all....OR you can come downtown Asheville on March 29 to see them in person (info below)

Our group which grew from 3 members to many, many today. A great group of very talented, sharing and lovely ladies. They are fun and inspiring to be with.
Here is some information on the SAQA trunk show coming to Asheville on this Friday, March 29.

It is so worth seeing...and if that wasn't enough, our group has a show going on upstairs in the Church Street Gallery, you don't even have to leave the building - a two for one.

After you see the SAQA show, wander upstairs to see our "Seasons of Green" show...Another plus, refreshments will be served...So hope to see you there. Our whole group will be going and staying and making sure you're having fun!

PTA Retreat Pt. 2

 Some more wonderful things going on at our retreat...Leigh Anne brought a wall hanging made for her home in Florida (where she lives full time). How perfect the colors are. She wanted to add beads and Mary helped her out, giving her a lesson and also doing some beading on the piece. It added so much.

Here's the piece Barbara is working on...further along.

The black and white prints make such a wonderful background.

Kate finished her quilt #1 for the NC Hurricane Quilt project. Marene started another very colorful quilt to challenge herself in working with bright colors.

She had the blocks made already; she had to put them together and do the border.....

Mighty pretty....

And Leigh Anne's quilt even further along. I love the addition of gold fabric and maroon strips...sometimes the colors you think will never work together are dynamite.!

Barbara had also been working on a wonky log cabin. The fun thing about this quilt is that all size strips are going to work as long as the outside measurement of each block is the same. What a great scrap quilt.

Mary is also making a quilt for the NC Hurricane Quilt project. The blues are beautiful and will make a stunning quilt.

Georgia has started another Trip Around the World. I'm always intrigued in the way she plans her fabrics and then lays them out and stitches them in the order they will be used. It will be fun to see the finished piece...In closing, I must say, it was a great 3 days as always. These gals add so much to my life; I value their friendship and just enjoy being with them.

PTA Annual Retreat # 11

I cannot believe we are in our eleventh year of retreat...and it's already come and gone. We all look forward to it each year and like creatures of habit, we take our same place in the community work room as the year before - maybe a comfort zone for us.

Janice and Leigh Anne ready to get to playing.

We have a big table down the middle of the room which serves as a great place to share techniques or work on larger things.

As each year passes, the dynamics of the group change....still the same people loving the same thing but we are 11 years older so not quite as peppy as we used to be....but still loving every minute.

Leigh always brings several things to work on. These are old blocks she came upon, finished up and changed some and putting together in a really pretty arrangement....You'll see more finished tomorrow.

This is a quilt Lynne is working on using greens...somewhat of a modern quilt feel to it - very nice.

Here's my mess of strips which I'm still working on to make a quilt for the NC Hurricane Quilt Project. I will have more on that later as it's a great cause and one every quilter can get involved in as there are so many options.

Georgia teaches at a retreat every year at a Dude ranch in Montana. She and Charlotte Warr Anderson are the only 2 instructors and have been doing this for over 30 years. Enthusiastic quilters love to take the workshop but they also have access to horseback riding and other outdoor activities. This is the project for this years workshop. It's darling and very do-able in the time frame allowed.

Barbara is working on a piece from Ruth McDowell's book (on left). The most intriguing part of this is the wonderful background of black and white prints. Linda likes to bring her knitting and visit and chit chat...Her socks are always amazing.

Marene has several projects in the works including blocks for Georgia who is making quilts for the Quilts of Valor project.

I love this block.

Georgia just came out with a new book - Scrap Happy Quilts. It has wonderful new patterns and quilts but also some wonderful, heart warming stories. She read us the passage she wrote regarding our PTA group. It was heartfelt and lovely. She also received a nice bottle of wine from her publisher which she brought to share with us.

At our retreat each year, we eat in the dining hall. In order to do this, there has to be 10 people present or more that one group that will add up to 10. This year, we were the only group and 9 of us, so for the first time, we did our own meals...

So after our traditional happy hour....

We had a feast...which was delicious.

A wonderful spinach and zucchini salad and Mexican chicken roll up with yummy sauce.

We all had our assigned meals or dessert (mary is always the dessert person) and it worked out beautifully.

Some great conversation, games and

door prizes. Lynne won this adorable tape measure earrings...More fun to come so ....Stay tuned for pt. 2