Saturday Morning Workshop

Whew what a busy day yesterday - in fact it's been a busy week here.  Last night I was exhausted, but content and happy because I think a lot had been achieved.  Yesterday we had our class workshop, something which has been in the planning since November when three of us decided to try out Improv Pods quilts.  We offered our class the opportunity to try this out as a Saturday morning workshop and yesterday was the first day.

Well to say the least we had a ball!!  The three 'instructors' I think were extremely apprehensive.  Would this work?  Have we enough space?  How do we lay out the room?  Have we got enough equipment for everyone?  Are our instructions clear enough?  Will it be fun and enjoyable?  We needn't have worried.  

Twelve ladies gathered in our craft room eager to learn something new.  Sewing machines were set up, cutting boards, rulers and cutters laid out and the irons switched on, all hot and ready for use - we even started on time!  Fabrics were produced from bags - what a variety of colours and textures every set was stunning.  The concentration on all the faces, the hover of the rotary cutter over the fabric........this is all going against what we have been taught.......slashing fabric at an angle!  No precision necessary - what am I saying?  My mantra has always been 'take time, cut accurately, sew a quarter inch seam, trim your blocks and press, press, press. 

 

A morning of instruction, demonstration and in true 'blue peter style' - here's one I made earlier!  Photos and demonstration courtesy of K.

 

Start with 4 or 5 fat quarters and cut angled strips



then strip piece 4 fabrics



 

 

Slash again

Improv Pod

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Normally our Tuesday evening class can be quite noisy and animated.  The silence was overwhelming and at times you could have heard a pin drop! (If we had been allowed pins). Everyone was concentrating hard,  you could almost see the brain cogs turning.  The sewing machines were humming and the irons steaming.

 

Many Hands - cutting angled strips

 

Not only did we we have fun making 'pods' a few of our ladies were given extra tips on pressing and cutting too.  Why is it we always assume everyone knows the best way to do things?  We have all been taught and taken classes by different instructors, some are self taught and have picked up tips on their own.  I think there were a few 'light bulb' moments yesterday when perhaps time was taken to explain/show different methods and processes. We all know at the end of the day that we will do our own thing but I hope some of the tips passed on will be useful.

 

Almost complete pods

 

All too soon our time was up.  I think a few ladies felt they could have stayed longer, to move on to the next step - but that's for next week.  I think everyone agreed that the morning was a great success.