Region 1 - Gallery

The Carole Lyles Shaw on line workshop was looked forward to by 24 participants ? and it did not disappoint. Her Stash Jazz workshop was run over 2 Saturday afternoons and was enjoyed by everyone, even those being taken out of their comfort zone. Some may remember Carole talked about 18 months ago in one of the monthly on line talks organised by Region 10. Then we had an introduction to her vivid colourful approach to quilts.

Carole was born and brought up in Baltimore, Maryland. Her approach to quilts to begin with was traditional. She joined the African American Quilters, which started to open her eyes to a different way of putting together quilts. A move to Florida 10 years ago , and then founding the Modern Quilt Guild there shows the change in her style. She was focusing on modern quilt principles. She was playing with ideas from painters, studying background and colour.

The pattern for Stash Jazz is a combination of planning and improv. This, Carole says, gives maximum freedom. It is a scrap quilt and ?a nice way to reduce the scrap pile?. She demonstrated this to us, pulling out fabric after fabric from her own stash. There were large pieces, old blocks not used and smaller off-cuts. ?Do not over-think any plan? she advises. Some fabrics were patterned, and to quote Carole ?Maintain the chaos by making some fabrics solid colours?.

Once she had shown us the way, it was over to the participants! We had been given 2 block designs with measurements, which could be used to make up a quilt top 55? x 62?. To quote Marianne ?we all got a chance to begin the block making process and come back with questions as we sewed at home. Orphan blocks were slashed and recombined with absolute abandon and to great effect.?

There was no measuring until the end, no Y seams, no unpicking ? just a case of ? go for it?. Carole suggested thinking of making angles, tilting old blocks, working as fast as possible.

Carole advised making the components of the blocks first, spending most time on the improv parts. It was important to think of the value of colours, but mix up prints which would not normally be in the same piece of work. In the blocks, she has 2 sections unpieced for ?eye rest?. For some this was a loved approach to making quilt tops ? for others of us, it was eye opening and a very enjoyable different method.

The second session the following Saturday was an opportunity to progress our pieces through Show and Tell. We could discuss and have guidance about design and quilting methods we might use to complete our quilts.

Here are some of the results: