The Choice Is Yours

 Recently, I was asked to teach a 4 1/2 day class at the John C. Campbell Folk School next August.  I was delighted, of course.   Everyone I know who has taught there has had nothing but praise about their experiences.  And in my own life, I have found that spending time away from one's daily life can heighten the creative artistry within one's own self.  I attended Penland School of the Crafts twice in my  "former" life as a potter and the air on the campus seemed to be super-charged with ions of creative particles.  All one had to do was be there and allow the particles to be absorbed.
Anyway, as I said, I was pleased to be asked BUT then I had to figure out what to teach for that length of time.  I decided that a wallhanging project would work in combination with "time-outs" for focusing on appliqué once the top is fused and then working on possible quilting stitches before starting on that process.

 So often, my students have commented that they really don't know where to start when it comes to how to quilt various parts of their quilt.  I know how they feel because I go through the same angst each time I get to that point in the process.
Hopefully, by learning some new stitch patterns and having the time to discuss choices, each quilter will be able to choose what will work best for their work.  And, thus, the name of the class is THE CHOICE IS YOURS!
I knew I needed to make a new quilt for the class and this is it.  The name of the quilt is Magic Moments.  The reason I chose this name is because of the origin of the design.

 Several years ago, I took a class with a nationally recognized quilter and hated it.  The quilter did a terrible job that day and it was a disappointment to everyone there.  For me personally, she told me that I had not brought any of the proper threads we needed for the class (which since she didn't specify which threads to bring, would have been difficult to determine while packing my supplies). At first, I was sort of upset but, ultimately, I just took out paper and pencil and drew an imaginary flower. And it made me happy.  It also transformed a negative day into a creatively happy memory.
The drawing has been sitting around my studio for about 4 years.  Every so often, I have looked

 at it and thought about using it.  Well, the time has come!  It was just waiting for the day that I would be called to teach this class.  I really had a lot of fun designing the top and then bringing it into fruition.  I used a couple of different quilting patterns from what I usually use and am really happy with the overall effect.  And I think it's going to be a fun class.
The takeaway?  Nothing is ever wasted in our creative journeys.  Even a day that is definitely on the side of the lemons can, ultimately, become a refreshing glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade.  We just need to open our hearts enough to recognize it when it's served.