The lime in the g & t: Kaffe webinar + TECHNIQUE

When Quiltfolk announced a webinar with Kaffe Fassett I signed up right away.  That was months ago.   Finally the weekend arrived.  The class was held for three hours Friday and three hours Saturday.

The event was called Kaffe Fassett’s Laboratory of Color: A Virtual Workshop With Jenni Smith.  The blurb:  "Host Jenni Smith will take attendees on a tour of the colorful, surprising, and rarely seen home and studio of world-renowned artist and textile designer Kaffe Fassett. Then, back at Jenni’s studio in Yorkshire, she’ll teach you how to make her unique Ribbon quilt, which was designed during her visit with Kaffe and celebrates a few of his favorite things —- the Tumbling block, stripes, and flowers."  

It was all in webinar format so attendees (600+) only "saw" one another through the comments.  It was nice to see Sue from Stashbusters, and Ginny who's a librarian, quilter, and P.E.O. friend.

The book cover

There were videos shot when Jenni visited Kaffe and Brandon (Mabley) in their London home.  (The book "Kaffe Fassett In the Studio" expands on that  home tour.) 

Jenni with Kaffe and Brandon in their yellow kitchen

 I couldn't write fast enough to capture all of Kaffe's comments but here are a few:

* About quilt backs -- "I like the party to keep going on the back of the quilt."
* About antique quilts -- "The excitement is the creativity and the panache." 
* When asked "How can you sell your work?" he responds, "Damn yes! I want my things out in the world."
*  On designing:  "Making that daring choice in the patchwork could be the thing that brings it to life."
                  -- "Take away what distracts. Keep what's juicy and exciting.  It's the lime in the G&T." 
                  -- " It needs a structure. Not so tasteful that it falls asleep."

The class project is where the TECHNIQUE comes in.  (Technique is my word of the year for 2022.)  The ribbon quilt that Jenni Smith designed features tumbling blocks.  Her version used 60-degree diamonds and equilateral triangles. The patches were sewn in rows (=ribbons) so there were no inset seams.  I have had a 60-degree diamond ruler in a drawer for years and years. I used it for the first time this weekend.  

You can see the class sample in this photo from the class overview  

This is the project Jenni adapted. It's featured in the studio book.

My version is Kaffeine-free -- no Kaffe fabrics at all.  Instead I used an Australian print as the focus fabric and other prints from my stash as the supporting cast.  I had a FQ of a lively stylized floral that provided just enough for the appliques.

I'm quilting it now.  The back is another Aussie print (thinking back to Kaffe's comment to keep the party going).  

I have no idea what I will do with it once finished -- it doesn't go with anything -- but Kaffe would be quick to say not to worry about the destination. It will finds its purpose.

I'm so glad I splurged on this workshop!

Linking up with Oh Scrap!

The Annual Reckoning and looking ahead

 

As I compose this post on Saturday morning the skies are cloudy. The forecast is for snow this afternoon and evening with accumulation of 5 to 9 inches.  The National Weather Service says,  "Northeast winds could gust up to 40 mph Saturday afternoon and evening, especially near the lake." We don't have to go anywhere today though I had hoped to take a good long walk.

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The December Stash Report:

IN: 101-1/4 yards, $316.24 (One of the LQS had a great post-Christmas sale and I indulged.)

OUT: 37 yards

That leads to the Annual Reckoning. In 1998 I began tracking how much fabric I acquired and used each year. Why 1998? I was preparing to move from North Dakota back to Illinois. As I confronted what I was going to have to pack I thought that by quantifying the stash I could control it. I was mistaken but the counting has continued -- 24 years now.

There were no great de-stashings this year but I did get good bargains at thrift shops. I patronized brick-and-mortar stores, most notably on our October trip to New England.

I finished 32 projects (click on "Flimsy Completion" tab to see the list). There are 16 flimsies in the box, of which 4 are from 2021, 7 from 2020, and 5 older than that.

I've chosen TECHNIQUE as my quilting word for 2002. I want to expand my piecing proficiency, or at least my comfort level, with curved piecing (e.g. Drunkard's Path), Y-seams, wedges, and diamonds, among others. I have acquired several specialty rulers (mostly on sale). It's time to take them out of the packages and give them a go.

Good cheer to you all! (Tune in on Monday for my OMG, RSC, and Rhody Trail progress, as well as book reviews.)