Preparing for Class

No, this isn't about writing lesson plans as the title may indicate; it's about making sure I'm ready to take a new quilt class tomorrow.  This one is a five-hour class at Joyful Quilts, and I decided to take it for several reasons.  First, as always, no matter how many classes one takes, one can always learn something new.  Second, this one is being taught by a master of the art/craft of quilting so you know I'll learn a lot!  Third, while pineapple quilts are not high on my favorites list, I've seen several settings that I really do like.  Fourth, Mary Ellen is going to take the class, also, and it's always more fun if you attend with a friend.  Fifth, why not?

Initially, I planned to use leftovers from another quilt-in-the-making and augment them with fabric from my stash.  BUT . . . ah well, the siren song of temptation wafted in my ear.  When D and I were on our way to his college reunion, he asked me if I wanted to stop at Tiger Lily (quilt shop in Utica).  Dear man, he knew the answer, but he offered the option anyway.  While browsing in that shop (where I intended to march directly to a specific group of fabrics to add to another quilt-in-the-making), the batiks snaked out an arm and grabbed me.  And, you know, I think that bolt of fabric just flung itself off the shelf into my arms!  It immediately became my new favorite and is going to be the star of my pineapple wall-hanging-that-has-become-a-double-bed-summer-quilt for our guest room.  Ta-dah: On the left is a good look at a large area of the fabric with a closer shot on the right.

I purchased both a red and a plum batik to go with this lovely fabric knowing I had some greens and blues at home to help out.  Besides, I didn't have the book with me, and didn't know how much of what I needed.  Well, I have added some from my stash, but I did need to add some whites (my stash is lamentably short on those) and some darks for my red, blue, and green batiks.  Here's the array.

Since I took this photo, I did change out the mid-range and dark greens as well as the lightest blue.  This is one of the great things about taking a photograph and then looking at it on a large computer screen (large compared to the screen on your digital camera).  It seems to add an "edit" function in your brain by allowing you to see with a "critical lens" (to borrow a phrase from English Lit class).  I know the white in the front seems very bright (and I have some "creams" to throw in occasionally for depth so it doesn't look like a painted wall), but remember, this will be a summer quilt so I want the batiks to really sparkle.  White will make that happen.  

Now I can hardly wait to get some blocks made and show them to you.