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My (!!!) Quilting Arts DVD Workshop

On the set at Interweave in Loveland, Colorado, to film a Quilting Arts Workshop! (Who me?!!!!)

On the set at Interweave in Loveland, Colorado, to film a Quilting Arts Workshop! (Who me?!!!!)

Can you believe it?  I’ve been to Loveland, Colorado, taped a Quilting Arts DVD Workshop, come home (exhausted but elated) and I can still barely believe it.  Yes, I have been “on the set” filming this week.   Due out in September as both a download and as an actual DVD (which is wonderful for us who live in the boonies with glacial internet), the working title is “Fused Collage and Thread-Coloring,”  a Quilting Arts Workshop from Interweave Press!

The project I used for the workshop is my Tomatoes, Basil and Garlic quilt (No. 1) [there will be 3 versions before I’m done], but the workshop is to teach you how to use your own photo to make an art quilt:

Tomatoes, Basil and Garlic, No. 1, the start of what I will call my Quilting the Good Life series!

Tomatoes, Basil and Garlic, No. 1, the start of what I will call my Quilting the Good Life series!

My trip to the airport was an omen–a good one–for how the trip was about to go.  I mean, look at the beginnings of sunrise as I crossed the driveway to the garage!

4:25 a.m., Tuesday:  leaving for the airport in Owl's Head (near Rockland, maine) just before dawn

4:25 a.m., Tuesday: leaving for the airport in Owl’s Head (near Rockland, maine) just before dawn

It got even more dramatic just over the ridge heading to the coast, at the intersection of Route 105 (the Camden Road) and High Street in Hope:

Can you believe that sky?  Makes me want to get to the dye pots!

Can you believe that sky? Makes me want to get to the dye pots!

The route in was equally stunning.  Here, mist rising off the Megunticook River in Camden.

The route in was equally stunning. Here, mist rising off the Megunticook River in Camden.

And ten minutes down the coast in Rockland:

And the sunrise over Rockland Harbor, en route to our little airport at Owl's Head.

And the sunrise over Rockland Harbor, en route to our little airport at Owl’s Head.

I flew Cape Air (maximum of 9 passengers) to Boston, then JetBlue (for the first but not the last time!) to Denver, where I caught the shuttle to Loveland directly to the Interweave studio where I met Helen Gregory and the filming crew.  There we set up my materials, hung the quilts, and went over my plans for filming the next day.  Congrats to Helen on her promotion to Vice President for Content, Interweave and Martha Pullen,  and upcoming move to Colorado!

My DVD will have five segments, so five trays to lay out my supplies which I prepped at home.

My DVD will have five segments, so five trays to lay out my supplies which I prepped at home.

And boy did I prep.  I had about a month (shorter than usual I think) between my contract and filming date, so I pretty much did nothing but make step-outs, more step-outs, refine, video (to get used to talking to a camera and to time myself), cut/edit, cut/edit/shorten more, etc.  For a month.  Non-stop.

Make-up, first thing Wednesday!

Make-up, first thing Wednesday!

Interweave has a make-up artist come do you up for camera, as there are special products that make you look right on camera under all those bright lights.  I shoulda shot a picture of me sitting at the table looking at the room…it was FULL of big tripods, cameras, and cables and cords EVERYWHERE.  Miraculously, I did not trip and break anything or anyone!

Reviewing my notes before getting changed for taping.

Reviewing my notes before getting changed for taping.

THANK YOU JANOME-America and Patty WInkelman of Quilter's Stash in WIndsor, Colorado, for arranging a Janome 8900--the machine I sew on at home--to use along with a Janome sewing table.  I'd never used the table and we were all impressed at how sturdy and stable and heavy it is.  Of course the 8900 sewed flawlessly!

THANK YOU JANOME-America and Patty WInkelman of Quilter’s Stash in WIndsor, Colorado, for arranging a Janome 8900–the machine I sew on at home–to use along with a Janome sewing table. I’d never used the table and we were all impressed at how sturdy and stable and heavy it is. Of course the 8900 sewed flawlessly!

Then it was time to get changed and start taping.  Then we mostly forgot to take still pictures!  But here are some….

Me on the left, Helen Greghory in the green top, and I think that is Laura (webinars guru) on the right, hidden mostly by one of the cameras.

Me on the left, Helen Greghory in the green top, and I think that is Laura (webinars guru) on the right, hidden mostly by one of the cameras. We were getting ready for the concluding segment I can tell by what is on the table.

At the end, I asked to have apicture of four of us:  L to R, Laura E. (webinars and more), Helen Gregory (new VP for Content), me, and Lauren our camerawoman extraordinaire.  Camera dude Nick was taking the photo, and camera dude Garrett had already run off to another "gotta be there" job.  Those lights were bright, but sure make things visible and looking good.

At the end, I asked to have apicture of four of us: L to R, Laura E. (webinars and more), Helen Gregory (new VP for Content), me, and Lauren our camerawoman extraordinaire. Camera dude Nick was taking the photo, and camera dude Garrett had already run off to another “gotta be there” job. Those lights were bright, but sure make things visible and looking good.

I never saw this view, but either Helen or Lauren kindly took this photo for me, which shows the jib camera shot of the table with my project and quilts on it:

The jib/overhead camera view.  If you look in the center just above the right corner of the screen view, you can see the overhead camera.

The jib/overhead camera view. If you look in the center just above the right corner of the screen view, you can see the overhead camera.  Also notice in the backgorund it looks like the quilts are on an angle.  They are–that is to offset the perspective angle that happens with the big camera lenses.  Fascinating!

Then it was time to go home.  Early.

Before I arrived, Colorado hit 80 degrees (F).  Wednesday, it SNOWED.  When I left the hotel at 3:58 a.m. for the shuttle to the Denver Airport, it looked like this!  Then by today it was supposed to be back in the 60s--that's more insane than our weather!

Before I arrived, Colorado hit 80 degrees (F). Wednesday, it SNOWED. When I left the hotel at 3:58 a.m. for the shuttle to the Denver Airport, it looked like this! Then by today it was supposed to be back in the 60s–that’s more insane than our weather!

I’ll spare you the tedium of a crowded plane from Denver to Philadelphia, a smaller more crowded plane from Philly to Boston, the utter hopelessness of Logan Airport (UGH UGH UGH), but flying home on Cape Air is always fun.  As we approach the mid-coast, first I’ll spot the Camden Hills:

There are two landmarks visible from the sky from a distance.  I was in the seat behind the co-pilot's seat (which is usually filled with a passenger).  The first are the Camden Hills:  Battie, Megunticcok, Maidencliff.

There are two landmarks visible from the sky from a distance. I was in the seat behind the co-pilot’s seat (which is usually filled with a passenger). The first are the Camden Hills: Battie, Megunticcok, Maidencliff.

Then

The second landmark is the big white tower at Dragon Cement, visible dead ahead in the middle of this photo.  I realized on this trip how massively huge the quarry is for this company.

The second landmark is the big white tower at Dragon Cement, visible dead ahead in the middle of this photo. I realized on this trip how massively huge the quarry is for this company.

As you near Dragon Cement, we turn right and head for Owl’s Head (Knox County, RKD) airport.  The lights of home!

LOVE being able to snap out all windows of these small planes.

LOVE being able to snap out all windows of these small planes.  Landing strip is visible just to the right of the bar up the center of the windshield.

Travel was the usual crowded insanity and waiting, but I was home 16 hours later to son, hubby, cats and dog.  Two of the seven are here:

Doggie love is GOOD!

Doggie love is GOOD!

In the past month, I’ve not only prepped this, but THREE articles (more on them when they are close to being published), have a quilt to make in a week, another article to write, then teaching in North Carolina in June and southern California in July, then a quilt to make by August 5.  Then I can collapse a few weeks before school begins (how will Eli be a SOPHOMORE already?) and fall teaching in Massachusetts and at International Quilt Festival in Houston.   So I HOPE to blog more often, but at this rate can’t promise.  I have so much to catch you all up on, pictures from teaching in Florida, Vermont, and Mass….but must be mom, wife, and author first. Stay tuned!

 

18 Responses to “My (!!!) Quilting Arts DVD Workshop”

  1. Marjolijn Says:

    Congrats! What great to have your own DVD. And what a great views! Very inspiring.

  2. JACQUIE Says:

    What a whirlwind of a trip! Glad everything went so well. On another note, I found my keys in the pocket of a pair of pants I hadn’t checked yesterday — not in the refrigerator!

  3. Norina Morris Says:

    Congratulations Sarah! How very exciting for you and for all who will benefit from the DVD. Loved your step by step blog entry and amazing pics. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

  4. Janet Jaeger Says:

    Awesome trip and blog. I am looking forward to the DVD, congradulations.
    Janet in FL

  5. Carol Says:

    Maybe now I can get my guild to book you!!! Congratulations!

  6. Martha Ginn Says:

    How exciting to read about your taping the DVD. I can imagine the thousands of hours of preparation that were required. But I’ll bet you came off looking smart and relaxed! Good for you!
    Martha

  7. Dorothy Says:

    Well, well, you are a busy girl. And congratulations on your DVDing. Do you have any time for yourself and to relax and do nothing? Of course not. You can do all that when you’re my age. I noticed someone wrote that you’re a big girl now. You certainly are. Again, congratulations and enjoy!

  8. Beth Schillig Says:

    Thanks somuch for posting this all! It was so interesting to follow your trip thru the pics, it looks wonderful!! Good luck on your upcoming busy schedule! Beth

  9. Gene Black Says:

    Sarah, congrats on the DVD. And may I say that it was certainly fun to see the behind the scenes pictures.
    I know what hard work making a video can be. Even though I have only done process videos for YouTube, I have been on set for a couple of interviews on news shows. those huge cameras can be quite distracting.

  10. michelle Says:

    Fabulous!! Can’t wait to get a copy when it comes out!

  11. Jeanne Marklin Says:

    What a whirlwind time! Thanks for letting us in on the excitement. I’m sure the DVD will be full of your energy and enthusiasm.

  12. vivian helena aumond-capone Says:

    Fantastic, thank you for sharing… those of us that don’t travel much enjoy seeing where others live and their wild lives. PS.. my husband is, (going to retire this year), a wrestling referee for Greco and Freestyle wrestling. Has been for 40 years. Used to travel the world for Tournaments.

    Love your art, wish some day to take a class from you, where will you be in So. Cal. I live in Central Ca. near Yosemite Nat. Park.

  13. Phoebe Says:

    Thanks for sharing the journey with us! And I love the landmarks you use when flying home – although I certainly can’t imagine 9 people on a plane – way too small for me!

  14. Madeline Hawley Says:

    I love the way you documented your trip with the photos, beginning with the beautiful sunrise shots. It was, I am sure, an exciting time, and I enjoyed seeing the process of filming.

    I agree that a trip in a 9-passenger plane is fun–recently I made a trip to Nashville, TN from Athens, GA, in a plane that size, their only passenger. I felt like royalty. 🙂

    Congratulations on the forthcoming DVD.

  15. Maggie Szafranski Says:

    Uber awesomeness! Can’t wait for the DVD!

  16. Dottie Gantt Says:

    Congratulations! Thank you for the great photos and description of your wonderful adventure. Wishing you many more adventures like this one. I really enjoyed this Blog. Keep doing more Blogs like this one – if you can – as you continue your busy and interesting schedule. As they say here in SC – “You done good girl!”

  17. Art and Quilting in Camden » Blog Archive » Listen to the Song in the Night Says:

    […] My (!!!) Quilting Arts DVD Workshop […]

  18. Art and Quilting in Camden » Blog Archive » Catching up, March Says:

    […] Well long ago and many degrees cooler than now (about 75 degrees cooler to be precise), I began work on a piece for a juried exhibit / book, and I’m thrilled to say that my piece was accepted.  Mary W. Kerr, author of Cutting Edge Art Quilts (see my book announcement blogpost here), came up with another great idea for an exhibit:   “Dare to Dance, An Artist’s Interpretation of Joy.”  It worked so well, she sent out an invitation to make a quilt 18 x 30 inches for possible inclusion in a book on that theme.  Immediately I KNEW what my image would be… but it would just need to get squeezed into a very busy time period when I was also writing three articles, doing new artwork for the articles, AND prepping and filming my Quilting Arts DVD (post about that here). […]