CLASS WITH KAREN K. STONE!

Off we went, 

Judy, Dorothy, and I

to the StitchinPost 

http://www.stitchinpost.com/ 

in Sisters, OR

for two days with Karen K. Stone!

I have had her book for years

and google her every once in a while 

to see if she's coming close.

The stars were aligned when Dorothy 

happily agreed to go

and we were able to twist Judy's arm

since she "hates" to paper piece! 

There were lots of crazy cloud formations!

We stopped at The Quilt Nest in castle Rock, WA

which doesn't look like much from the outside 

but has lots of yummy fabric on the inside!

Despite my sons' nickname for me

of "first snowflake freak out lady"

I drove the six hour drive without incident! 

It's always worth the ride as 

The Stichenpost

is 

spectacularly 

filled 

with

samples, patterns, and of course lots (LOTS!) of fabric!

They had a whole cabinet of Marcia Derse by Troy.

The ladies were oohing and ahhing of her

rich, lush, and  sophisticated fabrics...

I couldn't resist picking up a few pieces...

and this book 

that has a cute pattern for a fabric book!

Karen is on the right in the cute black and white dress.

She is so cute, funny, and very easy going.

These are a few of the quilts she shared.

Here's her Wild Women Don't Get the Blues

which is the class I took.

Ladies brought out their STASH...

and Karen helped you create a palette.

Here she is with Dorothy 

helping to work some palette creating magic! 

Voila!

You know how you take a class,

and you hope you leave with at least one take away

that you can tuck into your tool box?

Well,

here's what's in my quilting tool box from this class...

Start with a main fabric 

(Dorothy had the batik on the right).

Pull lots (a hundred?!) of peices,

fold them neatly, and visually test 

to make sure they "are friends"with your main fabric.

Organize these friends into groups.

Ask your self, "What groups do I have?"

Do I need all these groups?

Can I live without anything?

Spend as much time as you need

days, weeks, hopefully not years, 

but maybe,

adding and removing

until you are satisfied.

How do you know you are satisfied?

You feel it.

The collection makes you happy!

Here's mine at Sisters.

My main fabric is the bottom one going across.

I have darks, purples, green/blues, and coral/reds.

She said I could use some more, 

so here's my latest additions now that I'm home.

I added some yellows for some pop.

I see that I still need some more lights.

OK,

when your palette is complete

any fabric you pick is going to work!

(this is the big takeaway - 

spend time working and refining 

your palette 

and you are assured success!)

In the case of this pattern, 

you are working with two fabrics at a time.

You pick a fabric you love and look for it's

"best friend."

Best friends have excellent contrast.

Contrast can be light and dark

bright and dull

pattern and plain

busy and not busy

big and small 

You 

must

have 

contrast!

 said Karen, or what's the point!

(It's been said to me so many times!

hahahaha!)

Here's the beginning of my block

Karen (sort of)  kept all of the points in the center 

the same color way

and all the outside points the same color way.

Initially I forgot that,

but will work on that as I grow my blocks.

Here's a close up of Karen's.

It was a wonderful two days!

Really, the class is just a means

to have some good quality girl time-

our little group gets an A+ for that!!!!

Always good to get away 

because home is that much more 

wonderful 

when you get back!

and I'm bubbling

with renewed inspiration and enthusiasm!

You know it's all good when

even the alpacas are happy!!!