The third quilt top I tried was a result of yet another workshop. This time it was a workshop being led by Diane Janzen from Pritchard in the Kamploops area. I had heard via the "quilters vine" that she was coming to Francois Lake to teach a class called 60 degree Maple Leaf. I phoned up my quilting friend Donna, and she told me .... "Take the class, this lady is amzing!, You will love it!" So with Donna's word resounding in my ears I signed up for the weekend class.
When I walked into the class, everyone was so friendly, and quilting chat quickly came around to, How long have you been quilting ... the average time appeared to be 10+ years. When they asked me I whispered ... 8 months! They smiled and said ... you'll be fine. Then Diane arrived and right away I realized that most of the ladies here knew her. They asked about the Mystery Quilt that they knew she had been involved with, and knew was completed. She was soon convinced to show us the quilt .... What can I say, it was breath taking! the techniques, and colors, the quilting ... all of it. After many ooo's and ahhh's, we assembled at the tables, and our adventure into 60 degree Maple Leaf began. In less than 10 seconds, I knew I was well over my head. Graph paper, formulas, 1/4 seam allowances, and self designing on special 60 degree graph paper! The only familiar item I could focus on was my school days Laurentian pencil crayons. Everyone lowered their heads, and began designing , I sat there flipping my pencil crayon between my pointy finger and index finger....what to do?? I decided that if I was going to learn anything , might just as well admit I was lost, and ask for help. So with a rather shaky voice, I told Diane that I knew not what was being talked about. She was so kind, with the poise and kindness of a real dedicated teacher, she led me to understand what we were working towards, and in the next hour, I had designed my "first quilt top and blocks" It was fun. The next moment of grave trepidation came when it was time to cut our fabric into 60 degree diamonds. Diane showed everyone how to lay their rulers on their fabric and make the necessary cut .....it was easy except they were all "right handed" and you guessed it I am a 'Lefty" No mater which way I laid my ruler down it would not make the required angle. Up with the hand, Diane laughed good naturally and said .... "Lefty hey!" and said, you stay on your side of the table, I am going to stand on the opposite side, she then laid the ruler down, and presto, the angles made sense! For the duration of the cutting exercise, when she demonstrated the technique, I would always position myself on the opposite side of the table from her! My little table top quilt slowly took form. It has been sitting on my design wall for 6 years now .... (is that a UFO or is it a artifact by now?) I know what I want it to look like in the end, and soon, very soon I will put it on my quilting frame and quilt it. I have needed these years to get the experience and the vision to accomplish the end result I want. I am sure that by the end of this summer you will see a photo of my completed , 60 degree Maple Leaf.
Thank you Diane for bringing me another step forward into my exploration of Quilting.
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