Quilt University

Quilt University is almost here!! What is QU you may be asking?? The Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild puts on a Quilt University every 2 years (it alternates with a quilt show). I finally joined this enormous guild. I have been having a great time going to the meetings. They usually bring in a speaker, then there is show and tell with personal quilts and quilts people have made to donate to the groups charity, Safe House. (Abused women and children's shelter type thing) Check out their website for a list of the classes they are offering to see what fun we will be having this weekend.

I signed up for 3 classes and I got into all three! The first one is tomorrow and it is called Free Style Quiltmaking. The teacher is Mary Bajcz. I choose some fabrics last night and got them all pressed and ready for the class. I gathered all the things I *think* I will need too. It is really difficult to gather fabrics when you don't really know what we are making. This class and the one on Sun are technique classes. Here is the description from the registration packet:

"A simple idea with countless possibilities: stack up pieces of fabric, slash through the stacks, rearrange the pieces and sew them back together into units that can be combined into traditional, pictoral or abstract designs with curves 9or not). Think of this as drawing with your rotary cutter, but you don't have to know how to draw."

Sounds interesting, huh? She said to bring lots of fabric and things that read as solid. Pretty general, right? I have no idea, so I just pulled a LOT of stuff from my stash. (Maybe this will help reduce it, lol). I am taking the class with one of my best friends, Ellen. We were comiserating about fabric choices last night on the phone. It should be fun though.

On Sat I convinced Ellen to join Yuki and I for a lone star class. Not a traditional one though. It only has 16 pieces! It will be 50 X 50 and have a kaleidoscopic effect. From the book Easy and elegant Lone Star Quilts. I chose a Japanese dragon print (for DD#1, but don't tell her) It is purple, cream, black and orange. I found a fabulous dark purple to use for the background too. It should be an interesting Sat.

On sunday I will be taking a class by myself (no Ellen or Yuki: ( ) It is called Quick tricks for Slick Chicks with kathleen Campau. The booklet says, "Learn fast ways to make blocks, using techniques and shortcuts that will change your life. And ridiculously easy pieced curves will free you to express your inner weirdo. The wilder your fabric choices the better" Ellen talked me into taking this one and then she didn't get into the class! I guess I will go and learn for both of us.

I am charging my camera batteries and will try to take a lot of pictures to post as the weekend goes on. Wish me luck!!