The Abstract Expressionist quilt is done!

I'm very happy to say I have completed this quilt, hanging sleeve and all!  Feeback from my classmates felt really great, mostly because this was one talented group of women. 
I'm not happy because it's done, as I enjoyed every bit of making it.  I can highly recommend Dwayne Wanner's class as a wonderful source of inspiration.  I met some wonderful people and kick started myself back into sewing.  I'll get a better pic, but at least it shows it's done.

I thought I'd throw in a picture of the inspiration for my getting back on my quilting horse (how's that for mixed) after losing my quiting mojo...what?...3 or 3 1/2 years ago.  Can you blame a girl?  These pics of Dwayne's quilts were taken at the Halton Quilters' Guild show earlier this year.

Now that I'm back at it, I'm procrastinating as I type, on the quilting of a little Christmas throw I started....3+ years ago and over the weekend got all the blocks together for this lovely quilt, Through the Trees by the very talented Kate Conklin of Australia.  Normally, I don't use the same fabrics, but I saw the fabrics at Greenwood Quiltery before I saw the pattern and loved the whole thing together.  I'd post a pic of my blocks, but they're just...well, blocks, so far.  I'll get them together after doing that throw.  More machine quilting...Ugh!  I'm pretty lousy at it.

More inspiration came my way, however, in the form of Maggie Vanderweit at the One of a Kind Show on the weekend. (What a GREAT show!) I remember my guild hosted Maggie a few years ago when I was on the Programme Committee, so I had the chance to meet her and admired her work.  She was at the show, so we chatted for a bit and I remembered why I loved her work so much.  It has so many elements I relate to...and her machine quilting's fantastic!  I have her upcoming class schedule so I'll see if I can get up to her studio to take a class. We discussed how the only way to be an artist is to make art (I think I'm paraphrasing) but it's true, so....off I go upstairs to quilt now.

I'd love your feedback on my first effort in a few years!  If it hadn't been for the great suggestions of classmates, it wouldn't have turned out nearly as nicely as it has.  I love when people are generous with specific ideas.  It can be a brave thing to give honest criticism.

Sentimental Reasons Quilt Show presented by the Oakville Quilters Guild

At our guild meeting on Thursday, the co-chairs showed us the beautiful postcard created to promote the show.  If you'd like to follow the show information on the Guild's Facebook page, please hit Like, and don't forget to put the dates on your calendar.

I pushed myself to get my Artistic Expressionist quilt (see below for a pic of the work in progress) finished and was putting the final stitches on the hanging sleeve before showing the guild members.  I'll be entering it in the show.  I'll be back up to Greenwood Quiltery on Thursday for the final class get together and critique session with Dwayne Wanner. I'm really looking forward to seeing what my incredibly talented classmates did.  I'll see if any would object to my using the pics here on the blog. 

Binding

I'm pushing myself to have my Abstract Expressionist quilt bound for Show and Tell at the Oakville Quilters Guild meeting Thursday night.  As it's uneven all the way round (new for me), I'm not at all sure I'm doing the binding as well as I might, but as long as it holds together I'll count it as a success.  Above is a picture of it in progress during the second day of the workshop.  You can see how there are bits and pieces sticking out here and there.  I'm trying to maintain them.