Rollin’ Rhonda Reports: Sylvia Davis Workshop
Sylvia Davis is one talented and funny gal! Her lecture on ‘Ethnic Fabric Quandary’ was delightful, engaging, and inspiring. I’ve been sitting on a stash of “ethnics” for a while and I am pleased to have some direction. The ‘African Triad’ workshop the day after the program was just this side of a hoot and very productive.
This October’s workshop was the last of the year for the Santa Rosa Quilt Guild. On one hand, I am completely relieved to be relieved of duty. On the other, what a personal enrichment opportunity! The education I received being a co-facilitator is beyond measure and the relationships and friendships made are truly priceless.
It turned out that the class was nearly, if not completely, full. When we started the lecture on Thursday we had 14 or 15 students, some tentative. We began to wonder if the workshop would be a bust. Turns out my cohort, Linda T, had to run to the copy shop to get more pattern sheets for the 21 that showed up plus one for her and one for me. We had a bonus drawing for a free seat in the class provided by an anonymous donor. Sylvia told us stories about how she arrived by stork and was adopted by beautifully spirited people who nurtured her into the faboo artist she is today. I think her stories alone were worth the workshop fee and the time.
My ladies were in excellent form. Linda Z was the first to complete a triad block followed hard upon by everyone else – save one. Then, just before the end of the day, Montie finished hers. In fairness to Montie, she was using her daughter’s machine with which she is not familiar. The foot she started with did not accommodate the scant quarter-inch seam required and after ripping (or “unsewing”) multiple times, Phyllis stepped in and helped her out. She was able to use a zipper foot to allow for the measure and then Montie took off finishing a lavender and pink floral number. A couple of the gals finished four blocks. By the by, four blocks is a great size for a baby quilt. I did expect to see more diverse ethnics but found triads of 30’s fabric, florals, exotic animal prints, and gorgeous Asians.
Sylvia told me that my materials were lovely and any or all would work in just about any configuration as long as I made sure to keep the focal point in the center bright or otherwise dramatic. While I like her triad, I think I’d prefer to use the inspiration from quilts she brought to the lecture for my SD sampler.
Good people, thank you so very much for your grace and support of SRQG programs and workshops 2010. Thank you for all the rides to and fro and to those who toted ironing boards hither, thither and yon. Thank you to those who helped set up and take down and to Linda T and Phyllis G. I could not have done it without the teamwork format we used to get ‘er done. Lastly, thank you to all of the amazing instructors for enriching our arts to the fullest.
Rollin Rho