Classes classes everywhere.

Yesterday was one of those slightly scary days. A new regular class. For a workshop it isn't too critical if the group don't gell it's only for one day. It's a lot more problematic if a regular group doesn't. It was also the middle of a very long week which is quite daunting. I got lucky though, although not all the students made it to the lesson the group works well together. There is a nice mix of ablilities and everyone so far wants to make the same project, that is just a joy for me to work with. I should also say there is still a place (maybe 2) left on the class, so if you would like to join us from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on a Thursday afternoon get in touch with Patchwork Corner.

Between classes I have a couple of hours to work on my own projects in a nice big space. I thought I would take advantage of this and put the binding on Holiday Starrfire.  It's a huge and quite weighty quilt and after doing two sides I had definately had enough. So I just had to sit and relax for half an hour, it was a terrible task but I managed it :)

My evening class was a lot of fun too. Just as well I needed to be kept awake. Two students indulged in bribary and corruption of their tutor. Not only did I get a bag of Scampi flavour fries (the smell terrible but taste so good) but I was also given a very special hand carved walking stick. One of my students husbands carves these sticks and she had brought in one with a ferret on to show me. It was all the cute and practicle too. I fell in love. She managed to extract his stick to take home but only with difficulty. He has now made me my own! It's amazing and just the perfect height for me to lean my chin on. Not bad given he has never met me. It also came with a card telling me about the stick and indeed ferrets. Apparently the ferrets latin name means thieving, smelly mouse killer. That's fine, but my boss feels it suits me! I do make sure to always bath before coming to teach honest :) I will post a picture of the head of the stick later, I haven't got a camera with me right this second.

Finally one of the Thursday night students has started a blog. Even better she has already put up some sneaky pictures of a quilt I recently quilted for her. I really enjoyed working on this particular quilt even though it was a bit of a pain. It has 5 different colours of thread across it. Which meand extra work when you are quilting, and if it worked out the result would be my quilting was almost hiddent on the quilt. It did work out and I was very pleased with the result. I am looking forward to a picture of it finished. If you would like to see the previews they are on this post. This was alos the quilt that made me realise how much I learn about my students when I quilt their quilts. Quilting isn't like looking at a quilt, for me it is very different, I really see a quilt when I work with it. I had realised in class that this students work was coming on well, but not the way I did when I got the chance to quilt three of her tops in quick succession. It was clear which was the first. Which had been completed in a hurry, and which was the latest and greatest. It's really a very valuable tool for me as a teacher. Apparently it's pretty satisfying from the students perspective too.

Well I guess I should stop playing with the computer and go and start sorting out the car. I am off up to Hobby Holidays today to teach for the weekend. Its a lovely venue with fantastic hospitality. If you are looking for a quilting weekend away you really could do a lot worse. I know it will be a lot of work, but a huge amount of fun too. I can't wait to see what my students come up with this time. We are going to be working on wholecloth quilts again, and after what my students achieved on Tuesday I am really very excited by the idea of two whole days to play. More later.