And now, looking forward

I thought that while I'm thinking of what I'd like to accomplish this year, I'd take a look at what  I wanted to accomplish last year. And whether I managed to accomplish anything at all. Sometimes it seems that I did very little, but I know from this post yesterday that is not how 2019 went down. 

Back in January 2019 I wrote that I'd like to try to

• continue cleaning and organizing the studio
• finish the last piece in my Bipolar series
• continue work on the cotton series
• make a low-volume, neutral quilt for our bed
• keep going with the modern quilt guild and lean toward that aesthetic 
• teach at other guild meetings
• use up some scraps
• have fun with improv quilts 

The lines in blue are the ones I completed or accomplished in some way. The last piece of the Bipolar series is still sitting on the design wall. It may not happen. 

Connection #4 of the Bipolar series

Teaching at other guild meetings did not happen, at all! I think I'll make that my priority for this year. I'm off to a good start now that I've become a GSQA circuit teacher, but I haven't worked toward getting my name out where people might see it. Hmm, I would LOVE suggestions on ways to accomplish that. Please.

Otherwise, I like my goals from last year and will try to improve on those that are doable. Here are the new/old goals:

1. get my name out as a GSQA circuit teacher
2. send out letters and flyers to guilds in the state announcing my teaching curriculum and build a calendar for the blog
3. apply for national teaching gigs
4. continue cleaning and organizing the studio
5. keep going with the modern quilt guild and lean toward that aesthetic 
6. use up some yardage and scraps 
7. have fun with AHIQ improv challenges 
8. quilt and complete at least five of the tops that are in the "To Be Quilted" bin
9. help Marley with a few more projects

BRMQG October Meeting

So this month I had a Baton Rouge guild meeting, but the Cotton Quilters took the month off. We did just have the show.

But BRMQG has some things happening. Here are some Show and Share pictures. Can you tell this is the modern guild?

Baton Rouge MQG August meeting

It's already been over a week since the Baton Rouge MQG met! I don't know what happened to the rest of last week, but it surely sped right by. What didn't speed by was that darn BR traffic! I'm still in shock. It has to be bad when the on-ramp is clogged and that ramp is a mile away from the bouncy I-10 bridge. Read about that here. But no more whining about the trip. Let's enjoy the show part of show-and-tell.

  

Can you believe the talent? In addition to all of this eye candy, we had an interesting presentation on art deco and how it influences the modern quilt movement. While it's easy to see some of the elements of art deco in many modern quilts, I hadn't realized how prominent it is. Now, I'm looking for--and finding--touches of it everywhere in modern quilts and in the clean lines of modern minimalism. Ahh, 'tis true, everything old is new again. You just have to look far enough back to make the connection. 

Quilt Con (episode 5) Can It Count for Sunday Quilt Inspiration?

 I've been busy helping Richard care for his elderly parents, which is taking a great deal of time. That said, I suppose that for the time being, I'll be posting on a do-it-when-I-can basis. 

That may mean only a few times a week, though I will try to keep up with my Pinterest posts. I'm writing this with full knowledge that I missed Sunday's Quilt Inspiration. To make up for it, here are a few more Quilt Con pictures from last month. Enjoy!

Thanks for understanding our family needs and forgive me for those times when I can't post. I really will do my best. 

Baton Rouge Modern Quilt Guild -- What Fun!

The BRMQG invited me to give a lecture at our meeting on Monday evening. I had a wonderful time. I haven't taught in such a long time and I've missed it. 

This class, though, was more about presenting than teaching. I did talk about my philosophy of improv and how I found my way into the modern movement. And I showed about 15 quilts. The whole thing lasted an hour and, happily, I had just enough "teaching material" to talk about and quilts to show. 

Of course, there was other business. Several of us had attended Quilt Con, so we talked about that and there was a pretty awesome show and share. I'd love to give credit here, but I'm still learning names. 

One of the things I noticed in these pics is that everyone is smiling. Doesn't that tell you something? Wouldn't you like to get to know us a little better? Find us on Facebook!

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Quilt Con (episode 4)

Photos coming, but first a few personal notes from Quilt Con.

I happened upon Tula Pink of Pink Door Studios. She made it big with her Etsy shop and wild fabric lines. The huge vendor booth looked familiar (I passed by a couple of times) and I kept wondering what that familiarity was. Her fabric lines, of course! They are beautiful, colorful and happy. I take issue with some of the language that appears on her work, but maybe I'm just not that modern.

DEMO17 - My Obsession with Shibori Resist and Indigo with Debbie Maddy, Moda Fabrics + Supplies

I also sat through a Debby Maddy demonstration about indigo dyeing. I learned much more than I had hoped about how the fabric is prepared and "tied" to create such interesting effect. It's obvious that Debby has worked hard and experimented in numerous ways to achieve such skill. Apparently she's willing to tie, twist, rubber band, and pipe in any configuration. I'd love to take one of her classes. Not that I need yet another hobby!


And, as promised, photos! These are all from the miniature quilt competition. Sorry that I don't have information on them--by this time I was just exhausted and just barely taking pictures.

And finally, tomorrow is my A la Mary Improv Quilting presentation at the Baton Rouge MQG so wish me luck, please.