Sewing Group Preview

For the past month or so I've been mulling this idea around in my head, trying to decide if I really want to put together a sewing class/group of sorts.  There are ladies out there who want to learn to sew, or improve their skills, or just get away from their families for a couple hours and do something creative.  They've told me.  Or they've asked me sewing questions.  So...I think I've come up with something that will work for a variety of sewing skill levels.  And I have a group of about 8-10 women who are "in".

During my time spent meandering at the library I have found some great quilt books for inspiration and The Block Party--Modern Quilting Bee was one of them.  Just about every quilt in there is something that I think you could have beginners do--because most are wonky blocks and therefore precise-ness of cutting, matching and sewing isn't really required.  That's not to take anything away from the work these ladies did, but many beginners are so intimidated that I think that this will just be liberating for our group.  Plus, I could a little more exercise in "wonkiness".

I decided that the quilt from Oh, Fransson!, the Wonky Stripes Block, would be the one we would try. (For whatever reason I couldn't find the quilt on her blog to refer you to it).  One afternoon I turned to my scrap bin and sorted thru what I had to see what I could put together.  It seemed that oranges, blues, and yellows were calling out to me and so I put together little packets for everyone with their scraps.

After that I decided to make a sample.  I know for sure that one of the ladies coming is not a great visualizer.  Thought this would help her out and anyone else.  Made one....

Decided it was a little too straight forward and symmetrical so I made another one that was a bit more "wonky"...

I am getting excited about this and I hope the others will be too.

The only downside to this was I was hoping this activity would make more of dent in my scrap bin than it acutally did.  Guess we'll have to keep playing and sewing.