Teaching, Challenge Quilt

On Friday and Saturday, I taught all day (six hour) workshops with Southeast Georgia Quilters in Kingsland, Georgia, and Jacksonville Modern Quilt Guild in Jacksonville, Florida. It felt like a whirlwind!

That's because after quietly celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary on Thursday, I was up at 5 am Friday morning for a 6 am departure to drive to Kingsland to teach. I arrived shortly after 9 am, and at 10 am the workshop began. I taught a class of 11 students (one missing from the photo) how to use a Quick Curve Ruler to make an Urban Abacus quilt, and a Quick Curve Mini Ruler to make a table runner. 

It was a good class, with friendly students, who were a gentle warm-up to lead the same workshop again on Saturday. 

After spending the night with a lovely, hospitable member of Southeast George Quilters - her husband's  barbecued brisket was delicious! - on Saturday morning I drove to Jacksonville. Again, a lovely class of 12 students happily engaged in learning how to use their rulers, and piece gentle curves. 

To be clear, almost everyone wore a mask during both workshops. I sure did.

I drove home Saturday evening, arriving shortly before 7 pm, feeling pretty much wiped out - knackered, as Aussies say. Between the intensity of teaching and long drive, it felt good to kick back for some Saturday night TV-watching.

Still, I find teaching very satisfying and rewarding. I enjoy sharing my knowledge, and appreciate those moments when I hear something new-to-me - about online business I'm not familiar with, or a unique product, or occasionally, seeing a method of doing something differently than I do. It's all good!

A speaking engagement or workshop gives me the opportunity to be in tune with real-time quiltmakers, learn what interests them, and what they're creating. Thank you Southest Georgia Quilters, and Jacksonville MQG for inviting me!

 

In my sewing room, I'm 99 percent sure I've settled on the final layout for my Chips and Charms Challenge quilt for Central Florida MQG. Here are a several comparison layout pictures that led to settling on the last one. 

Patriot blue HSTs in a medallion setting

Patriot blue in an "arrow point" setting

My favorite with the center block accented

I'm continuing to hand appliqué circles to HSTs until I have enough to piece the quilt top.

Book Recommendation 

One of the perks of driving alone is being able to listen to an audiobook. That's the reason I was able to finishing The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica. You might notice that my last review was also of a Mary Kubica book. She's a good author! 

The Other Mrs. takes place on an island in Maine. Sadie and Will, and their two sons have moved from Chicago to an old house after inheriting it from Will's sister. Along with the house, they've been given custody of Imogene, Will's 16 year-old niece. From the first moments of their arrival, Sadie, an emergency room physician, feels uncomfortable. Add to that Imogene's dark habits and rebellious nature (and language) toward Sadie, and Sadie's finding it difficult to adapt to their new living conditions. When a neighbor is found dead, and it's called murder, apprehension about what's happening around her causes Sadie to question everyone's behavior and ulterior motives, including those of her 14 year-old son Otto. 

The story jumps between present day, and a narrative from a six year-old girl called Mouse. Who is she? How is she part of Sadie's story? Well, once again, an author caught me unaware. And even though I'd just read a Mary Kubica book, she managed to completely surprise me.

Linda's score: 4.3/5.0

This morning's online worship service at Lutheran Church of Hope was again enriching. The message hit a chord, as did the music of a guest choir that sang two songs. I was moved to tears when I realized that they wouldn't remove their masks to sing. How sad that this is the world we're living in now. And how completely lovely that they sang in spite of wearing masks... sounding wonderful. Bless them. Linda