Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. Eleanor Roosevelt

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Math in Quilting?

We are never to old to learn and according to Dr.s and scientists, it does our health good and keeps our brain supple, it's good for us 
Which is what I did yesterday, I learned some new tricks. 

Fellow blogger Lynn (sewninwildoaks) came to my hometown, which use to be her hometown! How exciting is that!?
I was super excited to meet her and her sister Gail and to see all her gorgeous quilts. And even better I was a human quilt rack during her lecture which means I got good quilting cooties all over me!
Lynn is a fabulous speaker. She's funny, inspirational and a really good teacher!
Look for her in your area soon because she will be going places! 

During our class Lynn taught us how to make blocks with different components (like the picture below) BUT with all those components being the same size. 
We didn't learn to make a block, we learned how to make ANY block in ANY size we want. 
Lynn taught a few simple math rules that really help achieve the perfect block. Even for me who is the worst piecer ever! Piecing is not my go to. If I want perfect quilt blocks, I appliqué them. Its much easier for me than piecing. 
With Lynn's book and all her help I'm hoping to turn over a new leaf and become a better piecer. Her book will be my go to from now on. I want to make it stick  in my new young and supple brain and maybe by next year I'll actually have a 30 year old brain. 

I really wanted to excel at Lynn's technique, I wanted to make a good impression. But as usual that back fired on me. The very first block we made (HSTs), I managed to screw up.
We layered our fabrics, drew lines and then cut through those layers ending up with 8 HSTs. It was pretty nifty!
But when it came time to trim those ears and wobbly edges, my blocks didn't come out correct. So I made another set because I wanted to figure out what my problem was. Did I sew too wide? Did I cut too narrow? Or did I just have fat thread?
It wasn't till later that afternoon that I figured out that it was really my eyesight that was wrong. My blocks were fine, in fact they were still needing to be trimmed. So why did I think they were wrong? Because I didn't know how to read my new ruler. Yup, I'm that silly. 

It was a really fun day and I highly recommend Lynn's book or her class if she comes to your area. 
In June she will be teaching all of us from her blog, so we can all learn and be better piecers. I can't wait! We are never too old to learn!

Take care, Brandie

6 comments:

Lynn said...

I really enjoyed meeting you Brandie! Thank you so much for letting me talk you into being the human quilt rack. Your batik blocks were beautiful as are YOU!

Anonymous said...

It was great to meet you too, Brandie! Your blocks were fantastic! Lynn and I had so much fun in our old hometown and at the guild event! I enjoyed sharing the stage with you as the other half of the "human quilt rack"!

Lynn said...

“It was great to meet you too, Brandie! Your blocks were fantastic! Lynn and I had so much fun in our old hometown and at the guild event! I enjoyed sharing the stage with you as the other half of the "human quilt rack"!”

XXOO
Gail

Teri said...

wow....I wish I was there......I know Lynn and she is such a sweet person....I can imagine she would be a great teacher.....

Lori said...

I look forward to learning some tricks from her!!

Carrie P. said...

I would love to meet Lynn. I know I could probably learn a lot from her. Love your blocks.