the Nancy Crow workshop at Shakerag continues

Let's see, I left off with my first composition.  A dud.  I am considering doing a bit of slicing and dicing with it and see what happens.  I have never done that before.  Once I finish piecing, it is usually over for me.  But what would happen if I restructure it?  m-mmm


Many of the ladies in the workshop produced some terrific pieces.  Naturally I didn't think to ask permission from most of them to post pictures on my blog.  But Karen obliged and here she is with her first composition. 

Sorry about the blurry pic, Karen. I think my hands were weak

with fatigue when I took this one)  

                                            

Note that she is sitting rather than standing by her quilt.  

We were already pretty tired by day two.  

Here is a much better shot

And it is oh so much better to see it in person.  

So, Karen hung in there and was one of the few that actually had her composition completed and partially sewn together by the end of day 5.

 Notice that she is now gleefully standing.  Nancy really, really liked Karen's composition and even helped her start sewing it together.   A little adrenalin rush happening here, maybe?

Karen is an expert seamstress, sewing and designing couture clothing, dyeing exquisite silk scarves and fabrics, but she doesn't do a lot of quilting.  She does know a lot about art and can critique with the best of 'em.  She has a great eye for design and color.  Nancy saw a huge potential in her and encouraged her to also go home and make a quilt per week.  Karen was brave enough to request a week off for Christmas, but I never did hear Nancy approve of that.  Nancy sorta put me in charge of staying on her back to continue with this.  Since we live in the same town, watch out Karen, I am gonna be checking in every week.  And calling for you to HELP! me.  

Another amazing lady in our class was Frances.  From Franklin, TN , she is 86 years young, has dyslexia, (which prevented from attending school as a young girl), now has double vision and has recently retired from her late in life career as a "dec -a -raata"  aka, interior decorator. She would climb up in her chair to pin things on her design wall, refusing assistance from anyone for anything, she was always there early and went home late.  To have a meal with her was an entertainment of the lifetime.  Oh, the stories she could tell in her genteel, southern manner.  Twinkling blue eyes, a cute wink and a nod, you are never certain if you should believe everything she told us.  The fact that (she says lightly) some movie star, what's her name that married some ole country singer, lives in her nearby her,  makes me think that she is not easily impressed and has lived a full life indeed.  

Frances brought her stash of home decor fabrics to use for her composition, as she was quite revolted with those loud (bright) cula's (colors) that some of us were using.  Nancy sent her over to see my stash and get something to brighten up her composition.  She meandered over, whispered to me, "what does she mean by bright colors?  Is she talking about that horrid orange?' pointing to the orange hand dyes on my wall.  When I confirmed this and then politely suggested perhaps a hot pink, she threw her hands up and said "phewy!"  As you can see, Frances does things her way.  

As for me, I am about to catch up on my rest and recovering from a nasty sinus and ear infection, sore throat, the CRUD as we call it down here.  But I am ready to grab my rotary cutter and start slashing this afternoon. More details will be trickling in.  Stay tuned.