Modern Wedges

Oh people - you have no idea how many times I have opened up this Blogger doodad to write a post about the most amazing quilt workshop I attended last weekend.  Lots and lots of times. And each time I start to write and try to work out which photos to load and I just.  Nope.  I can't.  Too much.

So the 73rd attempt. Let's give this a crack shall we?


I went to a quilt class on the weekend with Kathy Doughty from Material Obsession. Canberra Quilters hosted it, and it was fabulous.





What? You want more? OK then.

The class was called "Modern Wedges" and we learned all about cutting with a wedge (dresden) ruler, and how to put them together to make really interesting shapes.  I had decided early on that I was going to make the quilt "Vintage Spin" from Kathy's Book "Adding Layers". Once I saw that quilt at the trunk show that Kathy gave the night before the workshop started, I knew I had made the right choice.



Kathy had us laying out the stash fabrics we'd bought into warm and cool fabrics. I'd never done anything like that before! But it was eye opening, and hey I love learning a new thing. And it really did help when deciding on the two colours needed for each block.





(My initial blocks are the 4 1/2 on the right of the design wall. You can see I had started to mix the wedges around a bit, getting away from "too safe".)

I did discover, for all my crap about breaking rules and the eye-popping colour I like to use, I do play it a bit safe in the fabric selection department. From Kathy, I learned to not trust my first instincts - to go with my gut, but then turn it up a notch.  It took me two days to turn it up a notch without my hand being held, but I did it!



(Mine are the square ones.)

At the end of two days, we all had several blocks made, backgrounds chosen, and minds full of possibilities. We also had two large design walls absolutely chock full of blocks.  It was a marvellous sight.




Thanks Kathy for coming down to Canberra and showing us all about wedges. Your enthusiasm is infectious, and your company was wonderful. I had the best weekend, and I can't wait till all my deals are done and I can get cracking on finishing this quilt!

I'm linking up with my lovely friend Gemma at Pretty Bobbins for the Thursday iQuilt party!