This is the week that in years past I have frequently spent at Empty Spools Seminars in Pacific Grove, CA, at the Asilomar Conference Center. Due to the pandemic the seminars were canceled last year and again this year. I have already sent in my registration for April 2022. Fingers crossed. After attending every year since 1991 I really miss this annual trek to one of my favorite places. Most of those years I took at least one week class with Ruth B. McDowell, trying to learn not only her techniques but her method of choosing fabrics. I think it is intuitive, not something anyone can teach and I certainly didn't learn. However, I always learned a lot and I suppose I have developed my own "eye" for fabric selection. But I still struggle.
This is Ruth in April 2011 using her own quilt "Gilia" (22.5" W X 38.5" L All machine pieced except for those bright blue dots in the centers of the flowers) to talk about technique. The quilt came home with me that year and is part of the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection. I especially like the lacy black and white prints she has used in the background - like the dried grass and weeds in the natural meadow where this flower would be found. Ruth has retired from teaching, but still makes quilts using the extensive fabric library she has collected over the years.
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1 comment:
Asilomar.....a favorite, favorite very special quilters retreat! Thank you so much for the memory jog! I have never finished any of the quilts I started with Ruth...by the time the week ended so did my energy....came home put the project's pieces, instructions, sketches, etc., etc. in a large container and placed it on the 'to do' shelf and it is still there. I wonder if I'll ever get back to any of them? You have certainly given me some food for thought, as I loved the projects Ruth guided me with...perhaps one of the containers will be brought forth and at least looked over! Stay well.
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