When I saw the posting for a class with Sally Collins, called Precision Piecing, I didn’t just want to register, I ran. Registration opened on Friday. I signed up at guild meeting on Monday. Things I didn’t know at the time: what we were going to make, how long the class lasted. I didn’t care. If I had needed to take a week of vacation from work to take this class, I would have.
Sally Collins is a master of precision. I have one of her books; Mastering Precision Piecing. I’m reading it now in prep for the class. I know, I know, I’m going to hear it again in class. But, if I go to class with an understanding of what she’s presenting, I’ll increase my chances of retaining a bunch of it. I hope.
I first saw Sally on Simply Quilts with Alex Anderson and was amazed at what she was saying; so different from where I was as a quilter at the time. I was still slapping things together with approximate quarter inch seams and hoping it would lay flat in the end. I was probably still hand quilting at the time. But, even through the amazement that kept me from really taking in the precision that she was displaying, enough of it sunk in that I started looking for easier ways to piece things, and then cut them down to what I needed, which is kind of a hallmark of what I saw Sally do.
Anyway, when I found out we were going to make one of the pincushions above, that was great. And, if I finish it, I will be delighted. And, if I don’t, but learn a boatload of stuff, I will be delighted. It’s only three and a half inches square. YIKES, that’s a lot of pieces in a small space. And, of course, I plan to do the one on the left because it has more pieces.
Last weekend, a friend mentioned that it is an eighty dollar pincushion. It was the first time I thought of it like that. That really means I need to learn a boatload of stuff AND end up with a working pincushion, right?
Everybody have a great Thursday. I’m going to have to find time for a marathon of quilting to finish the baby quilt. As happens with so many projects, I get to the home stretch and get tired. That’s why the shirt from a couple weeks ago doesn’t have sleeves yet.
Oh, well. Such is the life of the man that quilts.
Lane
5 comments:
Sally Collins is a piecing ROCK STAR! Her book saved me from giving up on my Jingle blocks -- the advice about a skinnier needle, finer thread, and measuring each UNIT for accurate finished size rather than focusing on the width of the seam allowance. You are SO lucky to be taking a class with her!
$80 pin cushion? That comment really sounds ignorant. If you paid $80 to take fishing lessons and you learned how to fish but only caught one in class, did you spend $80 on that one fish? Of course not -- it's $80 for a lifetime of fish that would otherwise have gotten away.
Enjoy your class with Sally!
You will have no regrets taking her class! I learned so much from her. It's well worth it! Everything I learned from her has made me a better quilter.
I love the pin cushion!
This will help with decorating the dollhouse as well.
I love the book, I bought it quite a few years ago.
In my mind I am a precision quilter. If I only made a few blocks I would be a precision quilter.
The fact is, I make lots of blocks... I do my best... but I am not quite a perfect quilter yet.
I envy you the class and hope that you enjoy it.
Helen
I need that book!!! Not that I am ever going to be OCD about matching corners (life's too short) but I am finishing a baby quilt today that has Not. One. Single. Corner. Matching up with another. It is still going to be adorable but good lord it looks like I was sewing during a windstorm. As for your pincushion, if you can piece that well with those itty bitty patches it is WORTH eighty dollars!
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