Ruth McDowell class 3rd day Asilomar 03-10-10

This is the back of Merrill Hall, the general meeting hall at Asilomar. The evening programs are held here, there is a quilt fabric shop in the back set up by The Cotton Patch (Lafayette), and this year my class is here. The view is from the front door of.....

..."The Pirates Den", one of the original buildings from 1920s. I like being in the older buildings which have a great deal of charm, despite small bathrooms, thin walls and creaking floors! It is particularly nice this year to not have any stairs to climb to get from sleeping room to classroom, because my hips are killing me. That old "Arthur Itis" is getting me down. I had a sixty minute massage today with the lovely Heidi - I was so relaxed at the end that I put my shirt on inside out and walked off without paying her! When I looked in a mirror to see if I looked any better I realized about the shirt and soon thereafter realized I had not paid. Her massage room is set up in one of the dressing rooms behind the stage in Merrill Hall, so she knew she could collect if I didn't remember! The third day (which is usually a Wednesday) is the day that almost everyone gets into fabric. This is Patti Voyles "Fluffy Dog" (her keeshond) - the completed drawing transferred to freezer paper (shiny side facing you) with all the tic marks and letter/number indicators for piecing. She is auditioning fabric for the background and will consider what needs to be replaced as she is working on the dog figure, starting with the face.

On the left is Jacqui Thompson with her "Delicate Arch" on the design board behind her - the picture she used for design inspiration is on the top right corner of the board and she is auditioning some fabric for the sky. Her table faces that of her friend Claire Mitchell - she is auditioning fabric for her "Venice Bridge" on the design board to her right

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Martha Calahane and her daughter Kathy have been to Empty Spools Seminars every year for 25 years - they are quite a pair and it is fun to be in class with them. Martha "Live Oak" design takes up two design boards and is going to be a spectacular quilt.

Penny Youngflesh's "Orange Lilies" is getting together fast - her fabric choices are spread out on her table.

Ruth (in her plaid shirt) has to keep moving to keep up with the 21 students she has working on 21 different projects. She is beside the table of Constance Clover who is doing "Cactus in Rock Fissure". Students put their names on a chalkboard to request her help and she works the list from top down. Since it is hard to learn every one's name in just four days we list our first name and the name of our project - Penny Orange Lilies, Martha Oak Tree, etc.

NOTE: These project names are the names I have applied to the different projects and will not necessarily be the actual name of the completed quilt.