Being productive?

I guess you could call it productivity...
I've been in a super lazy mood all week, but I desperately needed to get some of my own stuff done during this short break from client work.  I decided to work on a small quilt because I needed something to use for my Blocking Tutorial for my Quilty Know-How FB Group (paid subscription).  I'll jump ahead a bit here - the main motifs were stitched using my Elevate and then I did the fill and ruler work hand guided.  So here's a picture of the finished quilt:

Anyhow... let me rewind just a bit.  I have to laugh because when I get in these super lazy moods I tend to do everything to avoid what I should be working on... typical 5-year old behavior.  So, I was playing around in CS7 digitizing instead of planning the quilt, or power points and class samples for my new classes, or any of the multiple other things I had planned on working on this week.  But... creativity hit genius level and while playing I digitized the designs for the quilt - yay!  I actually digitized a whole collection! Here's the new family of designs - available on Gammill's Pattern Cloud:

So, that's the story of the quilt that was needed for the Blocking Tutorial.  Oh, and if you're interested in the group, it is a paid subscription, but you get oodles of information.  You can find all the details here:  https://creativelongarmquilting.com/groups

So... now on to the next avoidance of productivity!

Spare Time?

Haha... spare time.  Who even has any of that?
I just realized that I haven't posted here in just shy of forever so I figured now was as good as time as any to fill you in on life and it's happenings...

I was busy with teaching on Gammill Quilting's Quilting With Confidence tour - and what a blast it was!  I met so many wonderful students from across the country and made many new friends!  The 2019 tour was an amazing experience and it is awesome that Gammill is continuing the tour for 2020 and 2021!  Check it out if you haven't already -- it is an awesome experience!

I also had another fabulous year teaching in Houston -- some more amazing students.  Houston is always my favorite, as well as the mother of all quilt shows.  If you've never been you definitely have to try and make it - you won't be disappointed.

I've been busy with client work and haven't really worked on anything of my own... just some hand applique.  In all of our non-working hours we have been busy putting down tile in our entire house - room by room.  My house has been upside down since April (we did take a long break in there too)... and I truly don't know where anything is!  When you're tiling one room/area at a time everything has to go somewhere else... and yep, every single thing I'm looking for is somewhere else! 

Here's a peek at my hand applique project - I'm using my Magic Mandala stencils and making a large mandala (the largest ring is about 33" across).  I had cut into my Tula Pink stash to keep me busy when we were expecting the last hurricane... and slowly, this is how far it has progressed:

I know what you're thinking... me and prints?  Right, I am totally a solid-mottled kinda girl - like tie-dye at the most!  But this is something different and  I did have to add some fossil ferns to balance all those prints.  Hopefully you'll be able to see it finished at the PSL Crazy Quilters Quilting in Paradise Show in February 2020 -- it'll be hanging in my booth showing how awesome the stencils are (among other things).

I have a super informative new Facebook group called Quilty Know-How.  I switched all of my content from Patreon and put it there, as well as lots of new stuff.  There is a $60/year membership fee - that is only $5 a month - that is crazy affordable when you see how much info you get.  I explain my thought process, draw out the quilting designs with you, and share just about every part of the quilt -- even stuff that goes wrong and how I fix it.  Each month membership grows so there are lots of people there sharing and supporting -- it's like our own little quilty community!  If you're interested, click this link for the details: Quilty Know-How Group

I've also been working on some new workshops and possibly another book... we'll have to see where that goes as my idea is still way in the early stages.  

Well, I think that's about it... I promise not to disappear for so long next time!

Houston... We've Got Classes!

I am once again thrilled and honored to be teaching classes in Houston at International Quilt Festival this fall!  If you're thinking about attending NOW is the time to plan your class schedules -- online registration (new this year) starts on Monday, July 15 (sometime after 10am CDT) -- that gives you ALL weekend to make your choices!  

Here's the link to ALL the classes.  Following are my classes, they are all Hands-On Longarm classes:

If you're on the fence and thinking about it don't wait too long -- hands-on classes fill up FAST!  I hope you get all your choices and I can't wait to see you!

New Digital Design!!

I've just finished a new digital quilt design for the Lumina Feathered Star and it is beautiful!  Many thanks to my friend Jodi who stitched them all out to make sure they were perfect for all of you!

It consists of 19 individual patterns (some used in reverse) - they are available individually OR as a set on Gammill's Pattern Cloud.  If you're having problems finding the SET, follow the instructions below.  You actually save money purchasing the entire set.

Start out at https://patterncloud.com/

Click on SHOP

Then click on BUY PATTERN SETS

There is also a layout sheet for downloading

So go check them out!

Exciting News!

So while I was away teaching in Seattle and Portland I received some awesome emails!  And let me tell you, these never get old!

Andromeda Crossing has been accepted to AQS Grand Rapids! 

And email number two was the acceptance of Journeys Thru Art Guild Challenge - Spirals!

Don't you just love happy emails!

May was a blur...

Seriously... did May even happen?  There was so much going on in my little world during May that I barely remember, except for photos!  Aren't they the best - at least for me.  They actually prove that May did happen, and apparently I participated!

So let's rewind back to the beginning - 5/1 - that was the first day of Gammill's Quilting with Confidence 2019 Tour - and well, I was a part of it!  I was honored to be on the first three stops -- Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and Lubbock.  That was exciting enough on its own, but add in lots of eager students and magic happens -- so much learning and confidence building!  If you want to see oodles of pictures - just check out my Instagram, that's where I put most of the tour pics.

Then a quick stop at home for my old Gammill's spa day... my dealer, Itching for Stitching was out and pampered old Gam so now she's feeling brand new!

Then I snuck over to Florida's west coast and had an awesome time with the Peace River Quilters Guild of Punta Gorda.  The morning I shared a lot of my quilts during the trunk show and then in the afternoon a fills workshop.  What an awesome group of ladies!

And then back to the QWC Tour - next stops were Casper, WY and Pierre, SD.  More awesome students!  I couldn't be happier, being a part of this tour is amazing... watching that spark when a student tries something new... and gets it!  It is the most awesome part of being an educator!!

Another perk of being on the tour is if you wake up at an hour before dark-thirty on travel day you might get to squeeze in a super-fast speed version of sightseeing.  Jodi and I did just that, on our way to Pierre, we swung through Badlands National Park -- and even at super speed mode, it was incredible!  If you want to see some fantastic pics from that day, check out my photo blog - Peek of Inspiration.

And the day after I got home, the momma came for a visit.  And we started tiling...
I did manage to do one client quilt - it was a t-shirt quilt and the quilting was an all-over meander just to hold things together.  At the very end of the month, I did start on an awesome custom for another client, but it's now the 10th of June and I'm still not finished - Florida rainy season has started with daily thunderstorms.  It won't be finished for another week or so as I'm off again tomorrow touring away...

Stay happy peeps... stitch often!

A whole lotta catch up!

I've been traveling my tushy off so now it's time to pay the piper and blog all about it... so fair warning, it's probably going to be a long post (but lots of pics)!

So let's rewind two weeks ago, back to MQX.  It was a blast (as always), my students were awesome, and I had a bunch of fun!

Let's start out with... S N O W
No, it's not something we see in Florida, but remember, I'm a Jersey girl and I really do miss snow!

Here's part of my class during a lecture/demo -- haha, I'm still a hands-on teacher - everyone had a chance to try something from class!  And apparently, this is the only photo I took in any of my machine classes...

A peek of me with my Prince Challenge!

I awarded my Faculty Ribbon to this awesome quilt - Big ASS(terisk) by Becky Everett - such a cool piece!

And a pic with Gods Eye and yes, Trippy was there, but I didn't get a picture with it?? - must be show brain...

 And, seriously, the best class ever - Dyeing to Cut It Part 2 - where we took all the amazing dyes that the students made in Cindy Lohbeck's class and cut them up to make little bits of awesomeness!!

And then on Friday night, Kyra Reps was using a bunch of us as guinea pigs to test out her dot painted mandalas - so we (the Gammill crew) all participated!  What fun it was!!

Oh!  I almost forgot... I had new headshots done by the uber talented Bonnie McCaffery - here's my sneak peek!  I can't wait to see the others!  New headshots were kinda a must as my grey has really grown in nicely.

So right before takedown, I had a few minutes to stitch... fun stuff!

And of course... takedown - I have the best work family!

So from MQX it was a direct (haha...delay, delay, cancel, new flight) shot out to the Mothership (aka Gammill headquarters) in West Plains.  It was our dry run of the new Quilting with Confidence 2019 Tour - and from West Plains, we headed up to the Satellite Mothership (aka Statler) - and also to the hatchery (Warehouse).  Keep reading to learn more about the tour, I promise, it's coming.  So some of these pics are mine and some are from others... and no, I can't possibly remember who I've borrowed them from, but thanks!  So... in no particular order:

So... the tour - Quilting with Confidence!  I know I've talked about this recently, but here it is again - you know because not everyone sees every single thing.  Let me start with...

I am crazy excited about the tour!

I am honored to be a part of this amazing educational team!

No, this tour is not a sales pitch - we have been working our tushies off creating educational content to make YOU a more confident quilter - whether hand guide or computerized, or both!

The tour will be traveling to 50+ cities worldwide!  The classes, schedules, descriptions, and location information can be found here.  But wait... there's more... you don't have to be a Gammill user, owning a Gammill is NOT a requirement.  The only requirement is the desire to learn and gain confidence!

So... here's the really important part - registration is open for almost half of the cities, and new ones are opening every few days.  Go, check it out, see if there is a city near you and sign up!!  Next week is the kick-off event in Kansas City -- I can't wait!  Hope to see you at an event soon!

Quilting with Confidence 2019 Tour

I'm sure by now you've all heard about Gammill's Quilting with Confidence 2019 Tour.  If, by chance, you haven't, read on!  I am super crazy excited about the tour!

Gammill is having an educational tour and will be traveling to 50+ cities worldwide!  For real... we'll be all over the place!  I say we'll because I am honored to be part of Gammill's Educational Team.  There are fourteen of us, each with our own amazing specialized talents -- all very accomplished quilters.  And I truly mean honored -- this is a fantastic group of brilliant quilty people.  

The preparation for this tour has been going on for quite some time behind the scenes... we are ready!  And hopefully you, the students, are too!  The class schedule and descriptions for the 2019 tour can be found here -- both for hand guiding as well as computerized users.  But here is the really awesome part about this tour -- you don't have to be a Gammill user, owning a Gammill is not a requirement.  The only requirement is the desire to learn and gain confidence in your skills!  How cool is that?!!  

So, where are we going?  Wow... kinda everywhere, or at least pretty close!  You can find all the locations, dates, and details here.  Registration has started for the first set of tour dates, and every week or so registration opens for more locations.  You'll definitely want to check the website often!!

I can't wait and I hope to see you at an event soon!!

Journeys Thru Art - Spirals

So, I'm in an art group, Journeys Thru Art - usually referred to as Journeys or JTA.  Well, we've just finished our latest challenge -- Spirals!

You might remember our Bridges Challenge, our Famous Female Faces Challenge, or our Door Challenge.  Yes, we love a good challenge!

So here are the Spirals:

Aren't they awesome!!!  I am truly honored to be included in this group of amazingly talented people!

So... you'll be able to see a few of these at MQX next week, but you'll have to wait until AQS Grand Rapids to see them all together!

Oh and I just have to share my label... sometimes I have the most fun with them!