Ruth McDowell Day 2

Again we started the day greeted by more of Ruth's absolutely gorgeous quilts. In person they are even nicer as you can see so much more detail. I had loved this one when I saw it in one of her books earlier.
I don't remember seeing this one before but probably did. I LOVE this one. It looks like there are vintage fabrics that make up the background. It is just incredible in person.


This is Ruth working with Cynthia on her drawing.
This is Theresa's finished drawing of the mountains from yesterday greatly simplified. Ruth's help in determining foreground and background piecing was fantastic and extremely helpful. I kind of do it intuitively but it is really good to understand the why's of it all. (Sometimes my intuition is not as good as other's to say the least!!)

Well, location, location, location!! The name of the shop where the class is being held is A Notion to Quilt and is located in Shelburne Mass just down the Mohawk Trail (route 2) from the Greenfield exit off the big interstate (the one from Springfield -- 91 I think). I know she has a web site so you can probably Google it. It is a lovely shop and worth a stop if you are anywhere near the area.

It was a picture perfect fall day and actually quite chilly when I left for class this morning but no frost at least!! I can always draw on so much energy when I first get to class but am dissipated by the time I leave at 4. The days are filled with focus on getting the pieces further along.

Let me first say that it seems a lot easier today to do this process than it did yesterday! The process is really pretty straightforward as long as you follow it!! I actually think I get breaking down the pictures which is a HUGE step for me -- even abstracting it a bit but still pretty pictoral as I am sure my fabric choices will be!

Today I moved into dividing my drawing into sections and numbering each template piece. Then it was on to transferring the images onto freezer paper and marking placement tic marks and again putting matching numbers onto these pieces which we will eventually iron onto our fabric choices. You must see Ruth's two new books on Design and Piecing to see the entire process. They are updated versions (in two books instead of one) of her earlier Piecing Beyond the Basics. She does things slightly differently now than she did in this earlier book. I own all her books and even have two copies of one (used to have multiple copies of a couple of them as I kept thinking I was missing one!).


There are many in the class who are already into sewing or at least has highly complex designs well along the way. About half the class is made up of repeat students. I can identify with that as I have taken Priscilla's jacket classes too many times!!

So here is where I am today! I have finished copying this numbered colored (with pencils) drawing onto freezer paper as well and unloaded two boxes of fabric from the trunk of my car. So tomorrow the really hard work begins!! Although I have brought every piece of grey, brown and black fabric I own for the pelican, inevitably there will be some piece of fabric from home that I wish I had!! I also brought along a bunch of my weird hand dyes (multicolors) and my specially done marbled fabrics which now all look too dark to me!! Hopefully I will find some place for one or two of them!

I have been working on a second drawing in my hotel room that is all curves as well -- the birds of paradise which I decided not to do in class as I was pretty sure I had that one nailed and wanted to try something new!


This is one of the "stars" in the class -- Ann Shaw. It is a little hard to see in the picture (double click to see the closeup) but it is two barn owls sitting in a darkened barn. It is a wonderful photograph and is shaping up into a stunning quilt.