WHY NOT?!

 Do you know this book? I never picked it up, because I thought it was only about the actual act of quilting, which I don't do. But when my friend Dorothy (whose company I totally enjoy) invited me to take a class with these ladies at the fabulous quilt shop on Vashon Island, The Island Quilter, I immediately replied, "WHY NOT?!"

The class was improvisational inserting.

Now I think this is amusing because 

my friend Judy has been saying for years 

that there is nothing new 

and she is totally right.

These ladies

 (and I now notice a lot of other modern quilters too)

are calling "liberated" piecing ..."improv" piecing.

OK....

And "inserting" seems to be what 

  Jan Mullins 

(I just taught the Daisiez pattern which is totally inserting!) 

and Diane Hire did...

with a new brighter, crisper, modern twist...

I suppose.

So, I went with an open mind, 

hoping to mingle with some modern ladies

and gain some new insight.

This is Katie, one of the authors/teachers.

 http://sewkatiedid.wordpress.com/

Here's a cute monkey monkey that Jaquie made...fun!

This is the palette I brought

all Kaffe shot cottons.

My work is on the far left.

I would like to add some variety of strip width and block size.

Overall the class was mellow and fine

but once again, it's the company that I 

cherish most!

 Emily Cier was the quilter that was being featured in the gallery!

LOVE! HAPPINESS!

and lots of SMILES!

http://carolinapatchworks.com/blog/

I am really loving the colors and the triangles.

I am feeling an itch to do a triangle quilt.

 How clever is this?!

Balance...

I took a class

and

taught a class on my "littlebits".

I made these cute baskets for the ladies!

I used a fun and easy tutorial from here -

http://ayumills.blogspot.com/2008/05/tutorial-fabric-basket.html

Chris started this in class and then when home and stayed up way to late to finish!

Here's Debbie's

lovingly showing her and her husband!

Carolyn was industrious and free flowing!

And Shiela brought some cross stitch 

she had made for her military daughter in law 

and was able to start 

creating a lovely border!

Continuing to focus on balance,

out in the garden I have been!

Here's my peonieS!

YES...I need a capital S...as in...more than one!

I planted her fourteen years ago

and for years, nothing.

Last year, one gorgeous bloom...

this year FIVE!

I imagine the peony waiting patiently

not worrying

just being

TRUSTING

that the Universe has her back 

and 

all is already well.

Blooming or not blooming did not concern her.

Then I saw this on the bag of a kind lady in my class.

And I was grateful for the reminder!

Just believe...period.

Nice!