Design Wall Monday - 5/16/16

Sew....I got to go on a little adventure this weekend and I got to meet a blog friend as well!!

Sit tight - there are lotsa pictures!

Last spring Sharon Vrooman of Vrooman's Quilts asked me to come to her guild, the Schoharie Valley Piecemakers, to teach a class on English Paper Piecing and give a trunk show! My first travel teaching experience and I had a grand time!

Sharon and I were so excited to meet up at her house on Friday that we both forgot to take pictures. Oopsies! When I first got to Sharon's house, her black cat Moe was outside. I called him and he immediately came running for some scritches. He probably wondered how this complete stranger knew his name but he and his sister Bella were later rewarded with catnip toys sent by Zorro and Squeaky so all was well. Sharon gave me the full tour of her quilting space, stash and their quilt store and class area. I kept thinking I've seen that in pictures and that and that and that.

Sharon gifted me this clothesline and thread caddy, both made by her dad. She also gifted me the darling basket quilt with the flower buttons. I think this might be the time to finally make something with 1/4" hexies so I won't have to worry about taking out the papers and just hang it "on the line."

Our class and trunk show were held in this lovely church on Main Street in Middleburgh. You can see one of the town's murals on the building to the right. You can also get an idea of the overcast skies... I drove east to Schoharie in the rain and I drove back west in the rain.

Across the street was the library where Sharon has done several programs and then blogged about them. The Library boasted just one of the many barn quilt squares from the area.

Sharon introduced me to the group - you can see their guild banners in the background - we had a good laugh about pronouncing last names. It's hard to see but I mended my poor blue jeans with a chrysanthemum rosette. It was fun to wait and see if anyone spotted the rosette - which they did!

Our class had 13 students (including one guy!!) where only 3 students had done hexies before. One student said she struggled just a bit at the beginning but once she got the technique down, she really enjoyed it.

Some of the ladies had their rosettes done before the trunk show started!!

I think everyone was pleased with the class and there just might be some new converts!

Does this look familiar to anyone? Look at my "giraffe" project, which was based on an antique quilt.
Everything old is new again!
This quilt was made by basting each hexie through the papers.
She said she was glad to learn the "right" way to make hexies - no more removing basting stitches

These hexies were all stitched with a sewing machine. Y seams!!
Next decision? Sashing between the rosettes or not?

We even had a quick show-n-tell for the students that had made hexies before.

Mom let me borrow several of her smaller trunks and,
of course, the doll cat bed came along as well

Some of the ladies were not familiar with a trunk show nor a bed turning.

I think they really enjoyed looking at my quilts and UFOs - seeing how different shapes and sizes play together, and then adding in fussy cutting or pieced hexies. I've encouraged them to send me pictures of their projects - maybe they will join in for HeLP tomorrow. Hint! Hint!

Before I hit the road again we finally posed for a selfie. Yes, the 2 gals who don't like to be in front of the camera...

The farm tracts run from the side of one mountain across the valley to the side of the next
mountain with the main road running through the middle of the valley.
The valley that had something like 6 FEET of water during a recent hurricane!

My trip home ended up being just a bit different than planned. I crossed the creek to catch a glimpse of Vrooman's Nose Mountain and then the GPS was going to send me the long way to the thruway.

If I zoom in, Martha's house is on the left.

At some point I realized I was up over the Schoharie Valley and could see Martha's farm house were I spent Friday night. We won't discuss the middle of the night footsteps on the stairs in an otherwise empty house!

B&W fabrics for my Salt & Pepper project
Blue and yellow fabrics for my pieced hexie projects

As I continued towards the expressway, I realized that I was near Cobleskill, home of The Yardstick. Hmm...might better stop in while I can...

Then the GPS took me on a lot of fun, twisting back roads until I eventually got to the thruway. It was nice to see more of the valley and mountains, the Victorian houses in the small towns. I will not tell you how much I laughed at the set up for "runaway trucks" on a 2 mile downgrade near Cherry Valley.

The color was much more vibrant in person

I was eventually rewarded with a fantastic sunset as I reached home.

Yesterday was a do nothing day while it snowed.
YES #1 - it was snowing on May 15th
YES #2 -  I spent the day on the couch doing HEXIES and I'll share those for Hexie Linky Party tomorrow...

I best get this posted as I know that Sharon is chomping at the bit to publish her post.
Hugs and Kisses Sharon - I had a fantastic time and maybe we can get together again some time!!!