Since my current sewing involves making more Shoo Fly and Snowball blocks, and you all have seen plenty of that here already, and since this is the sort of thing I think about as I stitch, I thought it would be interesting to see what my quilting readers like to hear/learn/see when someone comes to a guild meeting to speak.
(NOTE: Because blogs are all about pictures, and so far this has none, I interspersed pics of four quilts I made soon after retiring.)
Here are my ideas for the May speaking engagement:
1. Having just finished a year of UFO completions, I thought I could take each one of them (they've all been shared here on the blog) and talk about that project in greater detail.
2. Take quilt tops from my closet that I've finished since retiring and do something like a trunk show of quilt tops.
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| My first quilt top of retirement - Snowflakes at Dusk. |
3. Take a load of boxes of my grandmother's sewing/quilting things, most of which are still boxed as she had them, and "explore" the contents.
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| A kit, which I rarely buy, called Americana Rose. |
4. Teach something - I don't think I know anything more than most quilters; I am open to ideas here; I don't have a specialty, to my knowledge.
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| A controlled scrappy quilt - Sorrento. |
5. Talk about blogging. I am by no means a rock star blogger like some gals are, but I do try to be consistent and provide content that I think will be of interest.
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| My first QAL with Humble Quilts called Cheddar and Crackers. |
6. What else?? Am I missing something obvious??
To extend my query a bit further, I will join some linky parties - Let's Bee Social and WIP.
Happy Quilting, Friends!
I think you have done some great brainstorming...
ReplyDeleteI am sure whichever one you select will be interesting!
thanks for linking up!
brooke@sillymamaquilts.com
Thanks, Brooke! I really want to come up with something good. I expect I will get several good suggestions. :)
DeleteThe UFO project sounds like a good idea to me. Almost every quilter has some tucked away, unfinished and abandoned for newer projects. A talk about how to move them forward into the "done" column might be good.
ReplyDeleteMary, you are exactly right. Almost every quilter can relate to UFOs. Making my talk "relate-able" is good advice!
DeleteThat's great also to give informations about finishing a quilt: quick tips for binding easily, free motion quilting or quilting with the walking foot?
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, you will be great!
Good ideas, and ones I probably wouldn't have thought of! Thank you!
DeleteI was interested in your "bonus" quilt. I had never heard of this before...That might be a combination with another one of your ideas...
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! That is exciting!
Great idea, Pam. I will definitely keep this idea in mind. I appreciate your suggestion!!
DeleteI like the idea of you talking about finishing your unos. There are sure to be tales to be told of why they were put aside, and what you had to do to get motivated to get them finished. We all have quilting blocks now and again. And do talk about your blogging journey, you may well inspire others to start their own quilt blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input! I think you are correct that other quilters will relate to dealing with UFOs.
DeleteI loved both idea #3 and #5. Am always facinnated by older quilt stashes passed down. I finish many passed down projects for friends of mine who are not quilters. Also am new to blogging and can learn, anyone knows more than I do at this point! :)
ReplyDeleteIt’s fair to assume that if one blogs she must be a techie - not true for me. I just don’t mind doing a lot of trial and error!! That you finish old quilt for others is fascinating. I can’t even find more time for that - waa! I ought to do it!
DeleteCan you combine your ufo theme with your quilts done since retirement theme? I love to see quilts at quilt meetings, they are inspiring. And you use brights and reproduction prints--something to appeal to every one. A78mandel at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteYou can never go wrong with a Trunk show, then focus on more recent Shoo Fly and Snowball and show and demonstrate a specific ruler that you use for the half square triangles (for instance).
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of rulers out there and everyone does not have all of them. And some could use a little demo to understand.
Speak to your strength. I have spoken in front of women's groups with success and with great failure. When it was good, it was what I was passionate about and what I knew well. I am partial to history, so your grandmother's seeing things intrigued me . And you know your grandmother well. Just have fun!
ReplyDeleteAll the topics sounds wonderful, I'd love to be there and listen.
ReplyDeleteHow about taking some of your UFOs and lead a discussion on how each one might be quilted?
ReplyDeleteAll of your ideas are wonderful! I was a guest speaker at a guild last year. I did a huge trunk show (which they loved) and taught how to properly add borders to quilts. Some felt that to be very helpful especially when adding pieced borders and figuring out how to make them fit.
ReplyDeleteI think the thing they enjoyed the most was hearing about my online quilt groups and challenges. Most don't blog and had no idea of all the wonderful doors that are opened with blogging. I showed them quilts I won and quilts with blocks in them made from all over the world. They were amazed. I guess my advice is to go with the blogging idea and a trunk show. Tell the stories of the quilts you show because every quilt has a story. Even my middle school students loved hearing the stories of my quilts when I did a trunk show for them.
Jayne, you have some great ideas. I suggest that you contact the quilt guild and ask them what they would like. If they have recently had someone speak on antique quilts, they may not want to see your grandmother's things ... or they might! I know from working on a committee that organized speakers, we tried to get a variety of speakers throughout the year. If the guild doesn't have any suggestions, I suggest you go with your "gut" ...
ReplyDeleteAnother suggestion is to talk about your journey as a quilter ...
My trunk shows start with a quilt my grandma made, the first few quilts I made (simple, simple, big squares) and then I show my first "scrappy" quilt, and the progression of scrappy quilts throughout the last 12 years. Each quilt has a story and I tell it.
Good luck with your show!