Di Ford Hall Workshop...Part 2 long with photos

Okay...I have taken a deep breath and will continue on with our Shipshewana adventure on Friday, November 10th. (Thanks to our son, he has hooked me up to the Mac mini and preparing a new blog post seems to be much smoother than dealing with the Blogo malfunctions with iPad Pro)

This composite just shows Di playing with a few of the students fabrics - pointing out possible combinations for the bird and leafy ring in the center medallion...

Her enthusiasm was so contagious! She also had some examples of EPP - isn't it fascinating to see how fabric can be manipulated when making diamonds, pentagons and hexies. We all fell in love with her start to the Brimfield Block project - this is a new pattern offered through Paper Pieces and is based on a vintage quilt that was found by 2 ladies at the annual Brimfield Antiques event in Massachusetts. (pattern by Kim Martucci and Nisha Bouri) Mr. Outback has ordered this pattern for me as a Christmas present...I, of course, will be very surprised on Christmas morning!!

After our workshop concluded, we attended a delicious dinner at the Blue Gate Restaurant hosted by Lolly's Fabrics of Shipshewana...home style chicken dinner with assorted pies for dessert...oh my!

We were then treated to a trunk show presented by Di - many of her quilts from her latest book - Primarily Patchwork 2...from where I was sitting, it was difficult to get photos but you can well imagine how stunning they were to be viewed up close...

Then off to Lolly's for a private shopping experience...be still my heart...the bolts of fabric were overwhelming...I ended up moving my clothing to the tote bag and transferring all the fabrics to my rolling suitcase...so much more sensible!

This is a growing collection of Di’s fabrics...plus other purchases...more about that in the future!

Books were signed...by Di...

And by Brenda Papadakapis in my Dear Jane book...Brenda was in our Friday class and it was so nice to meet her...such a special lady!

A treasured photo was taken - I think I look like a deer caught in the headlights...I was so awestruck!

Saturday was exploring Shipshewana - back to Lolly's because we just needed more fabric! Yoder's Department - a remarkable carry's everything kind of store, watching the many Amish horse drawn buggies as they went about their errands...I thought seeing them lined up next to the gas pumps was interesting!

Saturday night was Show and Tell and I waited nervously to share my Drayton Hall with everyone - being in such heady company...

Sunday morning we headed home to Wisconsin in a wintery mix but made it home safe and sound filled with so much inspiration and memories...
Yesterday, Mr. Outback had a brand new shoulder replacement and I got my leaves basted for the center medallion while sitting in the surgical waiting area...

So that is it for now from Taylorsoutback...staying put this weekend and being close by to help my husband as he recuperates and just maybe get in a little stitching...

Pat

Di Ford Hall Workshop...Part 1

What an adventure...I have just returned from the Shipshewana Quilt Retreat in Indiana. Along with 3 quilting friends, I drove down to Shipshewana on Thursday and on Friday we attended a day long workshop with Di Ford Hall as our instructor. I met Di back in 1994 while on a quilting tour with Doreen Speckman (she passed away in 1999). Di owned a quilt shop in Melbourne and I had mine in Wisconsin. We shared a picnic lunch and I took photos, never dreaming 23 years later I would see this now famous Australian designer of quilts and fabrics. She is my most favorite quilter ever!

Our project was this...

We were instructed to bring a few backgrounds and assorted fabrics to work on the center medallion.

(I packed waaayyyy too many fabrics worrying that I would not have “just the right one.”) Silly girl! 

The focus of this class was to understand how to make your fabric work for you. 

We would start with the bird and leafy wreath.

 Incredibly, Di took the entire morning to visit each student’s work station (there were about 36 of us) 

and examine everyone’s fabrics...What an education as we listened and watched. Many of us had laid out a possible arrangement for the bird and others were not quite sure. I knew my bird would be red to honor my Mom’s love of cardinals and I hoped to use a particular paisley for the wing.

 I was delighted to be told it was a wonderful arrangement & I kind of floated from there! But I was nervous about the 3 background choices brought from home.  When Di saw the Elly Sienkiewicz  roses she was very excited as this is quite “precious.” This term is so sweet and she used it when questioning if we really

wanted to cut into it! So the roses background is the winner...my leafy wreath fabric had me kind of 

stumped and Di suggested this green and red print would work well giving the wreath movement.

We broke for lunch and the afternoon was all about sharing tips on achieving perfect points on a leaf;

 improved stitching when working with EPP hexies and 60 degree diamonds, broderie perse 

application and finishing details on the overall quilt. At this point I am holding off as to how to finish the rest of the quilt thinking about a different arrangment around the medallion center...no hurry! The 

center will take awhile and I can dream along the way.  

I have more “teaser” images to share from the class of Di’s other project - will try to add those in Part 2...and the Amish dinner, shopping at Lolly’s, show and tell...

(having major issues using blogger since the huge update with IOS a month ago so am only able to add a few photos for each post that I do on my iPad Pro- my apologies for the chopped up text)