At the end of this month, I will once again be heading south to Ohio to study with Nancy Crow at her amazing teaching facility know affectionately as The Barn.
I like to think of myself as a life long learner, and if Nancy is teaching, I am learning.
In mental preparation for my upcoming two weeks of study, I thought I would reflect a bit on what I have learned from Nancy.
Yes, there is a lot to prepare for when you go to The Barn. You must prep fabric, create mini compositions, rest, and hydrate. Seriously, it is my favorite form of tortune–mentally, emotionally, and physically. We are stitching, thinking, digging deep into ourselves to find out who we are as artists, and that is exhausting!
Back in March, I wrote about my first week of study with her in a class called Strip-Piecing and Restructuring: Part I.
The next week of study was called Best of Strip-Piecing I & II.
We started out by making free hand cut–as in NO ruler–strip sets. Our goal was to create twelve beautiful strip sets–Nancy calls them fabric–to use in our composition. We were to pay attention to our lines and shapes. We were to challenge ourselves in our color usage.
I am a slow stitcher, but I impressed myself by actually getting eleven fabrics done. As you can tell, some are beautiful all by on thier own. And others, well, it’s lucky for them that they’ve got a few good looking friends.
Next we were to use those fabrics to create a dynamic composition.
This is always the hard part for me. It is very difficult for me to switch gears. I would have been perfectly happy to continue making fabrics for the rest of the week, but Nancy would have none of that.
I am still not sure how I did it, but I completed a composition in the time alloted. I think it may be one of two times in all my studies with Nancy that I have done this.
And then I actually went home and quilted it.
Good Vibrations
50″H x 46″W
Here are some close-ups.
I had not yet figured out how to quilt these new solid colored compositions. It would take me several years to pair this new work with quilting that made me happy. Such is the process of learning. We must always be willing to Begin Again.
Wish I were joining you at the barn. Have a great time. As if there is any other type!
I so wish you were joining me!
I feel exactly the same way about classes with Nancy. Exquisite Torture! I need to look back at how you quilt your solid compositions differently now. Thanks for sharing this.
Sharon- exquiste torture is a great way to describe it. My quilting was for a while much looser. I’ve gone back to a much tighter, denser quilting style. More work, but I think worth it.
I tried to sign up for either potpourri classes but waited too long. I’m in complete agreement –it’s my favorite form of tot protrude, too!
Darn this keypad! I was trying to say, “torture, too!”
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