Ingrid Whitcher

This last Saturday, I got to spend the day teaching one of my favorite classes: whole-cloth design. In this class the students put to practical use what they had been learning in Machine Quilting I and II and incorporating the designs they have been practicing into a quilt. I had 2 students and we had a really good time.

Each time I teach the class, the students become more creative and end up pushing me further. I do not call myself an artist in the sense that I have great drawing abilities – in fact it is quite the opposite. I feel much more comfortable “drawing” with my machine than with a pencil. These ladies both wanted more creative designs than what I had worked on in the past and it gave me the “opportunity to practice my drawing skills.

I can not wait to see what they looked like when they are done!

We had great fun last week in sewing class. The students each got to make a zippered pencil case. The week previous each of them marbled their fabric using a shaving cream technique. The inside of the bag was a piece that they had painted using the extra paint left in the shaving cream. We started with a 8×10 inch piece of fabric and they got to choose which way to fold the bag. I think they all turned out so cute.

We only have one more class left and then the 8 week summer class will end. I think that I learned as much as they did this summer. I am looking forward to working on a schedule for next summer and maybe some special Saturdays during the school year.

I sent my quilt, “In the Garden I”, off to Paducah. It is going to hang in the AQS Knoxville quilt show in July. This year I am able to actually go to the show.

New projects are in the works – hopefully pictures soon!

The past few weeks have been full of activities. I had my first kid’s sewing class and it was so much fun. The girls all made a needle case and started their quilts by making a four patch block. The ages range form 7 to 11 years old. They were so surprised that it is ok to sew on paper!

I also have been preparing for a lecture on curved piecing to give at the Flying Needles Quilt Guild in Niceville, Florida. My daughter is going to come along for the day. Mark and I have been working at a feverish pace in order to get four patterns ready to take. Scott, at Digital Now in Pensacola, was a huge help to me today and got all of the large patterns printed on their special printers. There was a little problem because the iron-on paper wanted to stick to the press. (Opps!) But despite the problems, he got them all printed for me. I was also able to make several kits for each pattern with fabric form the Quilting Station in Pace, Florida. Ellen was so sweet in helping me get the fabrics pulled and ready. I will pack the quilts tonight. The Fear-less Curves program is one of my favorites to give because I love piecing curves.

Here are pictures of the quilts that we got patterns ready for. Hopefully very soon in the future we will have the on-line store ready for the patterns and other fun stuff.

I also am getting quilts ready to send to the GSQA Quilt Show this weekend. I picked up my wholecloth quilt that had been hanging at Derrell’s in Pensacola and decided that the binding MUST be fixed. It is a large quilt! Last night Emilie and I got it all ripped off. I trimmed it and sewed it back on- now just the hand sewing part. At least have most of the day on Friday to get it done.

Sorry, such a long post. So much more to say- but so much more to do!!!

Sorry, no posts in a long time but it is spring. I wish I could say that it is because I have been busy with spring cleaning but it is really the opposite. The flowers are all starting to bud up and I would much rather be outside working in the garden. It has been this way since I was a girl. I would go outside and work in the garden instead of doing housework. Thankfully, I have a daughter that prefers inside work and would rather clean bathrooms than weeding.

I also have had the distraction of a wonderful camping trip with the family. I was afraid that I would not be able to sit still for 2 days – I did not take any projects with me – but I did it!

We also have a new addition to the family – a velveteen rabbit named Rabiseuraus Rex – Rex for short.

Baby Aaron’s quilt is finally ready to be shipped off. (He is my newest nephew.) Of course, he is already smiling and cooing – but late is better than never.

I also have been working on a new lecture on color. I will be presenting it to the Pensacola Quilter’s Guild in June and then again in July to the Santa Rosa Quilt Guild. I challenged myself to make a small quilt from each of the main color groupings. I was going to try to make the same quilt in at least 4 color ways but discovered I really only like the Analagous color way and had to change up the design for some of the others. I will post some pictures of them when they are done. I probably will only have the tops done for the first program but hopefully will have them all quilted later this summer.