With just one more day of teaching left I thought it must be time to share where we are and some class results. But firstly the venue for the 2017 Symposium.........we are in the charming St Andrew's College and what a fabulous place to learn......
The grounds and especially the gardens are just gorgeous but it was a little sodden underfoot as it has rained for several days.....
There are so many different colours of rhododendrons and such massive blooms...........
The front fence of the college was covered in colourful bunting but several days of rain mean they are now a little soggy and were being taken down when I went to get a photo........
I wanted to see the chapel and along the way found this interesting tree stump covered in a sculpture of dead birds........
The chapel was also severely damaged in the last earthquake but it has now been rebuilt using featured pieces of the old chapel. You can see some of the original bricks in the new wall, along with original stone sculptures and windows......
This Strowan House building was also damaged in the 2011 earthquake and reopened two years later........
Our class is in the three story block and you can see through our class window the major bracing struts on the corners of an adjoining building to give strength for future earthquakes. We've gone through the drill each morning of what to do and locals are used to feeling tremors all the time. I have-not felt one as yet but I am ready to drop, cover (under a table if possible) and hold (curl up in a ball and protect your head). I've also captured one of two coffee vans that are with us all day and every day for our fix....pretty cold and wet lining up for a coffee though!....
I found out a few statistics today.....there are 660 students participating every day of the symposium that continues for five days(!!), there are 57 tutors tutoring and a massive 320 Bernina sewing machines on loan for those who have traveled from afar - WOW! This is the school library set up with all the machines ready to be taken to classrooms!....
The first two days I took a design class and the results were fantastic. But first this beautiful version from one of the design students of the Portiere wall hanging from my first Morris book...and I am so embarrassed my scatty brain can't remember the maker 😞 (Maybe Jane? and I am so sorry but thank you for sharing). The quilt is entirely hand appliquéd, hand embroidered and hand quilted and just so, so beautiful.........
I do hope everyone can be inspired to move forward with their new designs and I hope one day to receive emails full of photos of completed quilts! Here are just some.........
Someone had their grandmother's drawing book from 1891 full of the most lovely art nouveau drawings that will now become a quilt. What a lovely way to celebrate her grandmother and to think she was only 15 when her grandmother drew them and 126 years later they are being used.......
and some more designing from others (and I missed so many others as I was a bit slow at pack up time)........
Yesterday was a day of hand stitching using wool felt and luscious threads. The plan was to start a quilt but I decided it would be much nicer if everyone learnt stitches on a pinwheel and hopefully have it finished to take home. The results were stunning but we decided they looked a little like macaroons! Everyone did a different design and colour on each side and I just love them all....(see where these pinwheels have spread Dot!!)................
I also surprised everyone with a lucky draw at the end of the day and one lucky person actually got to take home my wool felt quilt! It just lives in a cupboard at home and I just thought why not! A very tearful Linda won it and she was so, so happy when she finally recovered from sobbing...and I am so glad she loved it so much........
Ann in my class is someone who has emailed me for a while now as she has recently moved to Christchurch and taken up teaching beginners the art of appliqué using many of my designs. So one of her students came to see me with her very first machine appliquéd quilt and what a stunner - well done Jane and thanks for dropping by - I love it.......
What a wonderful way to finish my day.....one more day to go but I am chuffed to bits that my 20 years of Morris inspired quilts have brought so many so much pleasure....thank you all from the bottom of my heart (and William Morris of course!)
beautiful display of quilts and all else that you show. Nice to see they have been able to use bits of the old buildings and mix them in the new. I'm not sure if I would want to live in earthquake county and then have to remind myself that I do but they do not happen often and normally are very small - but we do have a fault line that is in the Mississippi River area and if we ever had a big one I just might feel it and have damage - one can never tell - it has been about 300 years since there was a big one in this area.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are having fun and wow that is a lot of sewing machines lined up for loan.
Great post Michele, can't believe it is that many years since the earthquake. And the photos make me want to get back to my "works in progress". xxx
ReplyDeleteGosh Michele, now I am even angrier that I didn't know you were coming and take your class. The results are truly beautiful. They have inspired me greatly and I feel a William Morris coming on. My sister-in-law in Brisbane has done some of your quilts and I literally drool every time I see them, so beautiful. So pleased you have had a lovely time in our wee city. Maybe I should follow your class itinerary and whip over to Aussie for one.lol
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Michele....wish I was there.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful photos, very inspiring,I usually hand applique but am having a go at machine work for a change on your wall hanging Morning Chorus. Will see you in November at Bordertown. 😀😀
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