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

http://www.materialobsession.typepad.com/

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!)