Wednesday, July 8, 2015

BLISS WAS FOUND WITH KATHY DOUGHTY AND POSSE!



Oh my...

I am still wallowing 
in all the wonderfulness 
and sifting through all the energy
that was Kathy Doughty
and her lovely posse Carolyn, Cath, and Lisel.

It was a truly magical five days!

I am going to give you a peek into our workshops.
Kathy and posse shared a lot of wisdom!
I will do my best to convey their ideas
as accurately as I can
please consider this my personal reflection/take away
of our time together.

We started with a one day Soul Searching workshop.


Kathy asked us if we were afraid.
Many were.

WHAT IF 
you greeted the fear 
and 
turned it into curiosity?


Our goal was to go beyond just 
playing and throwing fabrics together.
Now we are playing with intention,
asking ourselves...
How can we use color effectively
with the fabric we already have?!


START USING 
THE FABRIC YOU ARE ACCUMULATING!

Here's Kathy organizing 
Dorothy's promise of joy 
(stack of fabrics).

First into cool and warm colors.

Then light to dark.






This organized pile makes it 

1. easy to see what you have
and 
2. easier to consider the whole range of color
  and  
3. easier to see where it is working.
and
4. easier to pair up fabrics that will make each other sing.

Intentionally playing,
knowing the "rules",
bending them
until...
 the quilting muse that is part of you
(yes, every single one of us)
skips for joy and shouts YES YES YES!

COLORS CONTRAST 
IF THEY ARE OPPOSITE 
IN TEMPERATURE.



She started the class by having us go into 
Calico Creations Quilt Shop
and stand next to the section we would normally start buying from.
"You do not need any more of this fabric," she said.

Hmmm....

So look at what I brought...


Lots of dots,
lots of small geometric shapes,
lots of the same kind of yellow.
It's pretty obvious what I do not need any more of!

Once you understand what you do well
you can push your self 
to buy and gather what will make
what you already have 
sing.

What we don't like
is often what we need the most of!

A revolutionary idea really.

SO...
watch the evolution of my yellows
once I start to add
bigger prints
and 
different values of yellow...


MORE INTEREST!

Still a work in progress.

I could feel my brain start to form 
a new pathway for color theory.

Kathy pointed out that 
you see the color of the flowers 
because they sit on 
the brown of the ground 
or the green of the leaves.



The fun wasn't over!
Next was a two day Modern Wedge Workshop.
Kathy shared a myriad of possible directions
for your wedges...




and we embraced the challenge!

WE WERE 
TRUSTING 
THAT SOMETHING 
REALLY WONDERFUL 
WOULD WORK OUT!



It was an honor to 
watch Kathy audition fabrics.
I have admired her color choices for so long...
it was fascinating to hear her color gears clicking!

She is narrowing down background options
 for Merry's gorgeous (just like her) wedge.







MAKE TODAY THE "SOMEDAY"
and use what you have been saving.

Here's the beginning of Judy's work
with her Terrie Mangat "someday" fabric.


Here's Justine's wedge...


Tricia is taking it to the next level
with some layering...


Kathy's hot wedges are sizzling!


Chris' masterpiece...



Here is my one giant wedged circle.
My "someday" fabric
is also a Terrie Mangat print 
that I have been saving (for what??!!)
for (gasp) 14 years???!!!

I originally thought I would use those bike wheels in the back.


But the quilting muse may have other ideas (or not)!
We strive to have
CAREFULLY CONSIDERED 
CHOICES THAT WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE!


Kathy did not hesitate
 to unroll a bolt for auditioning.
She suggested
that you 
get as close to the end product 
before cutting.



What if it sat on a plaid
 (Kathy LOVES the contrast that plaid creates) 
picnic blanket
that was on a field of daisies?


At this point,
I have completely fallen in love
and found my Material Obsession groove
and am feeling so grateful that the end is not yet!

The fun keeps going 
with the last workshop I arranged...
two days for Hidden Woman!


Day one begins with 
thinking about hand work.
Hexagons, diamonds, quilting.






Ahhh...
a giant lovely purr of content!
Surely not a "goodbye"
but an
"until next time"!



                                                                     Success!

That sums up my time with the Material Obssession ladies.
(A bow of heart felt gratitude to them.)

My quilting eye has been fine tuned.

A parallel to "real life" 
popped out and has been highlighted in my brain.
(the best gift ever)

I am left eager to sew/design my day
and make moments that...

DRAW THE MIND IN,
ENGAGE IT,
AND KEEP IT ASKING -
WHAT IS GOING ON?

Switching gears...
last week's winner is...
Vickie!
Hooray!!!

This week's giveaway is
24 2 1/2 inch strips
from the palette
I am using for my Jen Kingwell quilt
(another Australian!)


Leave a comment about this post,
become a follower,
or get someone new to follow!
Winner will be picked this weekend!
(sorry I was so late this time. 
Too much Kathy/posse happiness clogging my brain!)







15 comments:

  1. Love love love this post--especially the [revolutionary?? ;--)) ] idea of using what you have on hand. LOL I am feeling lately like my choices have narrowed down....I particularly love the strippy quilt at the start--it sings! i have that book...like my fabrics I need to use it...thanks for the take on colors...hugs, Julierose

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  2. What a fabulous post! Really fun to read through this, especially the point of starting with what we already have.:) I've been following your on Bloglovin'.

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  3. Stephanie, What a beautiful and thoughtful post! I really got the sense of how your brain expanded during this time with the Aussies. Very inspiring! Thanks!

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  4. What an enlightening 5 days!!! I like the idea of arranging pulled fabric into cool and warm and then organizing them from light to dark... I will try that!! Your post has many other great tips that I'll consider - thanks for sharing!!

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  5. What we don't like is often what we need the most of! Totally agree- to learn and grow. I just love the things you write. Lots of beautiful pics and inspiration in this post. Thank you!

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  6. I love this post! I struggle with "the color thing" but the information in this post is extremely helpful. Thanks!

    Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

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  7. Great pics on this post. I need all the help and inspiration to calm my color insecurities so I appreciated all the info in this post. Karen at Tu-Na Quilts

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  8. A workshop that inspires you to try new things and enjoy the process -- what could be better? Thanks for sharing -- I am inspired to dig through my stash for treasures I can transform into gorgeous quilts!

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  9. Wow, you got the Spring with those fabrics combo and these pictures encourage me to play with color.Thanks for sharing!

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  10. My pop just asked what I was learning because I was so intensely into it. Color Theory I answered!

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  11. I loved hearing the details of Kathy's class. Now I really want to make a Modern Wedge. I follower her blog as well as yours. Have always been intrigued with her choices of fabrics and colors. Not the mainstream but very powerful and active.

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  13. freaking amazing. I am sooo jealous of not one, not two, but three fabulous, creative classes. wheeee. love the yellows at the end that you had together, esp the biscuits on blue and then the flowers. gorgeous. and wow, love your wheel on the plaid - looks smashing. so jealous of all these teachers you get to have classes with -wish I lived nearby!

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  14. Oh you lucky woman ! I love Kathy's work....all the pictures in this post make my heart flip flop. I just need to get off my bum and go make something like those.

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  15. You have another convert to your blog Steph. I love the way you write and your photos are great. Thank you for the stimulation before I do the class.

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