Build-A-Stitch Online Class - FALL SESSION!

There are many people that can't travel or are unable to attend when I teach at national events. There are also people that just prefer to learn in their own environment. Well, if you are one of them, here is your chance!

Build-A-Stitch ONLINE interactive class will be offered this fall! Class begins October 26th - registration for this first class is limited as I want everyone to have a great experience, so don't wait too long!

Find all the details here: http://www.creativelongarmquilting.com/online-classes.html

My first online class was great - just look at some of the student real-world use of some of the stitches:

Block Breakdown Episode 12 - Cross and Crown

Block Breakdown 12 - Cross and Crown (July 2018)

Cross and Crown Printable

Don't forget, you can access all of the Block Breakdowns on the tab above, the link in the sidebar, or on Gammill's You Tube channel.

There are lots more blocks in the planning!  What are some you'd like to see?

Cherrywood Challenge 2018

The Cherrywood Hand-Dyed Fabric Challenge for 2018 was Prince.  Entries were due yesterday -- me, I actually completed my online entry early -- way back on June 29th - woohoo!

Cherrywood has announced that there were 388 entries... wow!  Now the wait begins to see who will be selected. 

I know you're all waiting... so here it is -
That Night at First Avenue

I had my design for this years challenge right after I purchased my fabrics.  Then, it sat.  And sat some more.  It sat for so long that I truly didn't think I was going to do anything with it.

Then, a friend posted some pics of the Van Gogh challenge and just happened to share a photo of mine along with some beautiful words... that.  That is what sparked my desire to get off my busy butt and get to work on my Prince Challenge.

I actually came together quite quickly.  I thought I was finished but, then I realized that I really wanted to stitch down all the edges to that raw edge applique... I started thinking if my piece gets selected and travels around, I really don't want little pieces of detail falling off -- no, I never trust fused raw edge anymore.  So I spent some time slowly stitching all those tiny pieces.  I think it was worth it -- I'm pleased with my piece.

And a few detail pics:

So we won't know how many pieces are selected until July 13, when all finalists are notified.  Well, my fingers are crossed...

Block Breakdown Episode 11

June's Block Breakdown is the 3-Blade Dresden:

Block Breakdown 11 - 3-Blade Dresden (June 2018)
3-Blade Dresden Printable

Don't forget, you can access all of the Block Breakdowns on the tab above, the link in the side bar, or on Gammill's You Tube channel.

There are lots more blocks in the planning!  What are some you'd like to see?

MQX Midwest

This September I'll be teaching at MQX Midwest -- this will be my first time at Midwest and I'm super excited.  I'll be offering a variety of classes.  Check them out here:  https://www.mqxshow.com/MQX/Midwest/Classes/MidwestFaculty/KarenMarchetti/index.cfm

Oh, and a little piece of awesome -- they have a few of my classes set up as both Hands-On as well as Lecture/Demo -- cool, right?  So many options!!  There truly is something for everyone.

Who will I see there?!!

Natalie's Tie Quilt

Here's an awesome little tie quilt that Natalie whipped up.  Stitched this last night using the Elevate by Gammill -- such a cute quilt for a special little girl.  Hope she has many memories of her Grandpa seeing his ties.

JULY 2018 INTERACTIVE ONLINE CLASS!

I have finally done it, I am now offering my first interactive online class! There are many people that can't travel or are unable to attend when I teach at national events. There are also people that just prefer to learn in their own environment. Well, if you are one of them, here is your chance!

Class begins July 6th - registration for this first class is limited so don't wait too long!
Find all the details here: http://www.creativelongarmquilting.com/online-classes.html

Block Breakdown #10 - Whirlwind

You guys... I'm behind again.  Here is May's Block Breakdown - Whirlwind:

Block Breakdown 10 - Whirlwind (May 2018)
Whirlwind Printable

Don't forget, you can access all of the Block Breakdowns on the tab above, the link in the side bar, or on Gammill's You Tube channel.

There are lots more in the planning!  What are some blocks you'd like to see?

Rock for a Cause

My friend Michelle (yes, many of you know her, she is a Registration Coordinator for AQS), has organized this amazing event.  It will be a day full of music as well as a silent art auction.  It runs from noon until midnight on June 9, 2018 and will be held at Paducah Beer Werks.  Some of you many not know, her daughter was shot at the Marshal County High school.  The proceeds from this event will benefit the families of the shooting victims.

When Michelle put out the call for artists I was more than happy to donate one of my pieces.  I felt Word on a Whim would be perfect.

The event was featured in the Paducah Sun yesterday -

So, if you're anywhere near there -- maybe think about an awesome day of fun for a good cause!  If you have something you might want to donate, you can send it to:
Michelle Thompson, AQS, 5801 Kentucky Damn Road, Paducah, KY 42002 -- she needs to receive it by June 7th!!

Ogees, Ogees, Everywhere!

So you all know I have Ogee rulers, right?!!

Well, I took it a step further and digitized an all-over Ogee fill!  It's available on Gammill's pattern cloud - here's the link: https://www.patterncloud.com/pages/store/pattern.php?id=5075

Here's the funny part of this, I digitized the design using CS7 and then went to test it on my Elevate.  Well, being that I haven't cleaned up any of my return from teaching in Paducah mess I would have had to spend a couple of days cleaning that half of my studio before I could even test the pattern.  What to do?.... ahh, send the file to Jodi for stitch-out testing on her Elevate.  Yay, no cleanup or organized necessary, at least for this week.

So... Jodi didn't just do a test stitch out.  She went beyond that and added all kind of freehand stuff as well -- just check out some of the awesomeness:

Photo/work courtesy of Jodi Robinson/JR Designs

Photo/work courtesy of Jodi Robinson/JR Designs

Photo/work courtesy of Jodi Robinson/JR Designs

If you're interested, in my Ogee rulers, here's the link for those:  http://www.creativelongarmquilting.com/store.html

They are available in three sizes - 2", 4", and 6"







Oh, and these are my other designs available on the Gammill Pattern Cloud:

You can view a more detailed post about the others here.

MQX Midwest

While not my first time teaching with MQX, this is my first time at Midwest and I'm super excited!  The show is in Springfield, IL and runs September 19-22, 2018.

Here is a link to my classes:  http://www.mqxshow.com/MQX/Midwest/Classes/MidwestFaculty/KarenMarchetti/index.cfm

There are some that are hand-on and some lecture/demos -- and some that are being offered in both formats.

If you're thinking about registering, don't wait too long, classes tend to fill up and sell out quick!  Hope to see you there!

Wonderlust is lost...

So, if you follow me on Facebook you'll know that Wonderlust is lost.  Not like can't find the package lost... I mean lost.

I haven't seen Wonderlust in over a year as it has been traveling around with a special exhibit for Gammill.  I shouldn't say that -- I did see it hanging at a few shows during the exhibit.  Well, today it was due home.  I knew as soon as the doorbell rang followed by the quick knock that UPS was here.  I brought in the box, which looked a tiny bit squished on one side (not enough to even consider it damaged) and opened it up.  Hmmm.... not my quilt, but another box.  What?  Did Gammill send me a part or something?  Okay, a strange label on it, but hey, it's in my box, right?... wrong, in this strange little box, I found 4 valves.  Oh, wait, there's a packing list too... what?  This isn't mine, this is addressed to someone else... omg.... what has happened to my quilt?  Why is there a box of valves addressed to someone else?  What is going on?

Insert panic...
send a text off to Gammill with a picture...
ut oh, what is going on?  Right... that's what I'm asking.

So thankfully Jen (Gammill) puts on her detective cap and gets on the phone with UPS...
not a lot of info, but they are tracking every single place my package has been since it left Missouri as well as speaking with an actual person at each place.  In the meantime, I posted to Facebook.  Another quilter friend messaged me that since this had recently happened to her (no not the crazy someone else's package part, but the lost part) she had the email for the CEO of UPS... woohoo... I immediately sent that to Jen.

So Jen has spoken with the big-wigs at UPS and they are attempting to figure out what happened as this is so much more than just a missing package.  Either the box opened (or was opened), the quilt was misplaced (removed), another package was placed inside, and the box was re-taped.  Apparently, they are reviewing video surveillance footage as well.  I'm sure a tracking claim from corporate bigwigs is much stronger than an average tracking claim -- or at least I'm hoping so.

So much is going through my mind right now...
Did someone take it?
Did the box open and the quilt fell out somewhere?
Did the box open and the quilt fell out and suffered damage?
Was this some strange unexplainable mistake?
Was this malicious?
What the heck is going on?

So for now I wait...
hopefully, we will hear something back from UPS tomorrow - I'll let you all know.

UJPDATE:  WONDERLUST HAS BEEN FOUND!!

Paducah was a BLAST!

I've recuperated from a week of teaching at AQS Quiltweek Spring Paducah - it was amazing!

My morning started out with a scare...
a drive that normally takes me about 8 minutes took an hour.  I was sure I would miss my flight.  The delay was the clean-up part of an accident.  I was fretting and worrying and then after an hour of nearly freaking out, I was finally on the highway.  Yep, I'll admit I was doing a wee bit over the speed limit at that point.  I did make it to the airport, only 15 minutes late... shhhh.

Here are just a few pics of the fun:

The rental car to get me and Michelle from the Nashville airport to Paducah -  yes, we were a little worried it would be green and we might find hamsters...

The first morning in Paducah - you know, because I didn't have any classes until afternoon, I still needed to wake up before sunrise??

A quick stop in the Gammill booth (of course) -

And I managed to find my two quilts:

God's Eye

Glacier 01

And then my first class - Doodle Quilting

And then, Build-A-Stitch

A full day of rulers in Pop Those Lines!

Dinner... Michelle and I went to Strickland's Seafood - it was great!

Then the Creative Process - these were some crazy-creative quilt designing ladies!

Followed by Functional Fills

And again... dinner, well I should say late night food and drinks with some awesome people!

And my last class, Scrollwork

And let me tell you, the week flew by just a fast as those pictures!  I was blessed with some of the most amazing students.  I hope to see some of you again soon!