Dyeing and Quilting Classes

This past weekend I got to teach some great women how to do some dyeing and quilting.  On Saturday Claire, Pam and Barb joined me and learned the basics of low water immersion dyeing.  We dyed cotton fabric in solid colors, mottled colors, dip dyeing, wet and dry applications and most fun, I think, over-dyeing.  I had them each bring a piece of printed fabric they didn't like and we dyed it a new color.  It is kind of amazing to see the results.

On Sunday five women came for Quilting Outside the Lines.  They had to throw out the notion of perfect...no straight pieces of fabric or perfect points, no turned under applique.  There was a lot of cut, place and stitch.  I challenged them to never use the same color of embroidery floss twice and I think there was great success with that!
It was a fun filled weekend but I will say, today I am wiped out...but I am getting a blog post up!

Summer's End

Beautiful hydrangeas in Georgia

Here it is already the middle of August and summer is drawing to an end.  I have to say the temperatures in Wisconsin have been so cool it has felt like autumn for several weeks now.  Next week is supposed to be warmer and I am looking forward to that, unlike many of the native Wisconsinites around here.  I still haven't acclimated to the cooler climate and like to feel the heat way down in my bones.  

Rhubarb from my garden

This summer has been a really busy one with lots of adventures.  After we got back from our beach trip to Georgia I went out to South Dakota for a cousins family reunion which was great fun.  We spent the days talking, eating, talking, eating, visiting the family farm, more talking and eating.   Just a week and a half after returning from SD my sweetie and I went up to Duluth/Superior.  He was at a conference and I got to enjoy the sights of Lake Superior, a great knitting shop and a quilt shop.  

Amazing boots at the Hitching Post in South Dakota

Now that we are done with our travels for the summer I've been settling down and working in the studio.  I have a whole batch of new work that is taking a completely different turn.  I'm working on wall pieces using natural colored linens, silks and cottons with very minimal amounts of embroidery and hand work.  The best part is I'm loving what I'm making.  I don't have anything completed nor do I have any photos, but that will be coming soon.  For now I'll add some photos of the sights of my summer.

Have a happy day!

Sculpture by Patrick Dougherty in my own town!