Monday, March 14, 2016

PTA 2016 RETREAT REPORT - PART 1

Since this is our 8th year of retreats at Lake Logan, in Canton, NC.....the routine is well established. We start arriving at 9:30 AM and depart three days later about 3:30 PM.

 Oh....I had a question from a reader who noted our age group and wondered why we are still in PTA.  Wellllll......it's not the school based Parent Teachers Association most of you are familiar with. Our group is actually, Professional Textile Artists....PTA for short.
Over the years Kate, Judy, and I had gotten into the habit of doing the same scrap quilt projects....often pooling our fabrics.  This year we each did our own thing, but continued the practice of putting our tables together.

I'm set up on the left, and look, I even remembered to bring a cushion to raises me higher on my chair.  The timely gift of a Pfaff couldn't have been more appreciated!!!
 In a previous post I mentioned this antique drying rack which is such a helpful organizer strips.  (Though I did manage to knock it down twice...finally it got moved a bit farther away....sure I had to get up more often but that was probably a good thing!)
Our sewing space is huge and this view is more typical than you'd expect.  From top left: someone is at the snack table, three are rushing to see the action at another sewing station, and two are pondering over something else. It's a wonder we get anything done.

 My plan was to string piece blue/white homespun fabrics (with cottons added to increase the selection). This quilt will be hung on a large stairwell wall....to measure about 76" W  x 90" L.
  I'd selected this barn red solid for a sashing, planning to have 1 row of single blocks along the outside edge.  Even with so few blocks pieced, I began to get concerned that it just didn't have any spark, despite the red sashing.
 After coming up with numerous other ideas....such as adding applique over the entire background, or separating the blocks with more sashing strips, I've decided it's not working.  I may either use the 30+ blocks I have made for a smaller lap quilt or continue to ponder over how to add spark to such a big quilt.

Check back tomorrow for part 2.

6 comments:

Jo Vandermey said...

I actually like it... A colour pop would be nice though. What about some blocks with a dash of colour in the block like a random path to draw you eye around the quilt . Then l wouldn't use smashing. It would make it traditional yet modern.

Jo

The Inside Stori said...

Thank you Jo for your insight. I actually HAD planned on sprinkling some red strips in some of the blocks....but when I tried it out early on....it looked.....well......not right. Perhaps now with more blocks made, maybe I should revisit it. One PTA member suggested adding some white strips....not red......thinking that would serve to brighten up the blocks.

After much pondering and experimenting with ideas....I'm now leaning towards adding white sashing rows between the blocks. I may have a problem technically though because the blocks are piecing on a muslin foundation, so press seams toward the blocks will get bulky, but pressing toward the white, I expect there will be shadowing....hummmmm....

Nancy said...

I like it, too. The "pop" is in the graphic look of the lines and it's active and vibrant, and yet restful at the same time. More blocks, no sashing?

Robbie said...

I like the red too....but it would be interesting to see it laid out with white too....

margaret said...

I like the red as it does sort of pop, surely the white will just blend in however I also think the suggestion of a few blocks with another colour added would work really well

The Inside Stori said...

It's Mary here......I'm taking all these suggestions to heart. Next week the Fiber Junkies are meeting at Judy's house and I will use her huge (white) design wall to audition the notion of adding white sashing......I'm in no huge hurry....just want to get it right before I proceed.