Well the last two months have been a whirlwind. From working a large quilt show here in Jacksonville FL for 3 days, to a 7 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, to coming back to work and couple of weeks later finding out that my hours at work will be cut to 24 from 40 hours. The plus side of fewer hours, maybe I can get reorganized to start putting some more quilting and piecing classes together in the local area. I also want to put into place a business plan to start my own business. Just not sure if I want to go into the direction of teaching quilting on a large scale or do my second love of computers. Starting a computer consulting business is very risky in that the field is flooded with everyone thinking they can give help about computers. I would love to combine the two fields together, teaching quilting and how to use the computer to the best advantage. So many things can make quilting easier if you can use the computer, from software programs, such as EQ, to drawing quilting designs on the computer first. Just the use of taking a picture and looking at the fabric in a different media will give you a different perceptive to fabric choices.
The one thing that I do know is that I will have to work on my computer certifications, bring them up to date. I finished school 4 years ago, and have not done anything with getting a job in the field or keeping my certifications up to date. So some of my extra time will be hitting the books again. The cut in hours will only be a short lived thing, the next step will be finding a new job in March when this job, ( with the cut hours) will lose the contract money completely.
On the teaching front I started teaching a beginners class from the Quilters' Academy book again. This time I have 4 students. The first night is a really fast and whirlwind of a time. Trying to get the terminology covered and try to start cutting on fabric, within a two hour time frame, is almost impossible. Last night was the second class and things went good, a couple of things about sewing the strip sets together and learning to rip is always the at the top of the things happening in the beginners class. With the extra time I will be able to post more about the classes and things from the Quilters' Academy book that I discover as I do the project myself.
Showing posts with label career. Show all posts
Showing posts with label career. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Eye opening experience
Why is it that when things spin out of control for a day or two, it takes two weeks to recover. The out of control started in thinking that I could clean my sewing room up in a couple of hours and after 2 weeks it is more of a disaster than when I started. With things all over the place I seem to not be able to sew. Then I came down with a sinus infection and strep throat, that laid me out for about 4 days. One thing after another seems to be getting in my way with finishing my charity quilt. I have 4 braids done and the dark purple bought. So if I have a couple of hours to sew I might be able to sew the top together before Thursday, which is when it needs to be done.
The one thing that I have been looking forward to for a long time is taking a classes at the guild retreat from Harriet Hargrave this last weekend. Oh my gosh it was a eye opening experience that will stay with me for a long time. In the quilting area of sewing I have felt that people where missing something in the quality or lack of knowing the correct things when it came to small things in the quilting area overall. Like the proper thread, and needles, how to lay out the fabric to get a straight grain cut. Since my background comes from the garment construction and heirloom sewing, quilting people always did it differently just because someone that quilted said so. That the two worlds of garment and quilting where not to be intermixed. Ms Hargrave has the idea that you have to have a good understanding of the correct basic, not the idea of what is new and neat gizmo that will do the magic trick and everyone is quilting. She was saying things that I learned from my mother and aunt 40 years ago, I just take it for granted that others learned it also, but the case is not so. Several people that I have meet have only quilted and pieced for only about 5 or 10 years, when it started to become popular to quilt.
The things that you need to do is get back to basics, have a good sewing machine, turn off the automatic buttons, and practice. Find the speed and hand rhythm that is comfortable for you, may it be slow or medium, not fast and quilt away.
She has a new book series out that is called quilters academy, you work through the book step by step and understand the ideas and basic to know the correct way to do things. I am hopeing that my daughter Angel will work through it with my help. That maybe I can start teaching classed on this series in the local area. My hopes are looking up in that there is a place in the quilting area that will satisfy my need for my last career.
The one thing that I have been looking forward to for a long time is taking a classes at the guild retreat from Harriet Hargrave this last weekend. Oh my gosh it was a eye opening experience that will stay with me for a long time. In the quilting area of sewing I have felt that people where missing something in the quality or lack of knowing the correct things when it came to small things in the quilting area overall. Like the proper thread, and needles, how to lay out the fabric to get a straight grain cut. Since my background comes from the garment construction and heirloom sewing, quilting people always did it differently just because someone that quilted said so. That the two worlds of garment and quilting where not to be intermixed. Ms Hargrave has the idea that you have to have a good understanding of the correct basic, not the idea of what is new and neat gizmo that will do the magic trick and everyone is quilting. She was saying things that I learned from my mother and aunt 40 years ago, I just take it for granted that others learned it also, but the case is not so. Several people that I have meet have only quilted and pieced for only about 5 or 10 years, when it started to become popular to quilt.
The things that you need to do is get back to basics, have a good sewing machine, turn off the automatic buttons, and practice. Find the speed and hand rhythm that is comfortable for you, may it be slow or medium, not fast and quilt away.
She has a new book series out that is called quilters academy, you work through the book step by step and understand the ideas and basic to know the correct way to do things. I am hopeing that my daughter Angel will work through it with my help. That maybe I can start teaching classed on this series in the local area. My hopes are looking up in that there is a place in the quilting area that will satisfy my need for my last career.
Monday, January 4, 2010
New Year and New Ideas
Well the holidays are past and only 11 months till the Christmas 2010 is here before we know it. The Christmas wrapping and everything else was done by 9:00 PM Christmas Eve, with 10 minutes to spare. Overall the holiday was pretty good, no surprises and very, very little arguing from my children. All the Christmas decorations are put away, just have to wait or DH and DS to put them back up in the attic.
I am looking forward to getting several things done and a few things started in 2010. Especially getting the new career going with designing and teaching in the local area. I keep a list of several projects that I am doing (UFOs) and projects that I want to do. This list keeps me grounded as to not adding new projects, and keeps the list in perspective to what I want to finish. In the beginning of 2009 I had 114 items on the list and I might add that this was not a complete list of everything. Not all of these items are quilting, some are sewing garments, to painting, hand needlework, etc. This is the reason why I keep a list to ground me in the right direction, otherwise the list would be in the 2 to 3 hundred range and very little would get finished. As the end of 2009 I completed 25 items. Now you would think that the list would be 89 items on it, well I see things I want to do and buy the fabric or thread or whatever is needed, then a new item is added to the list. As a result the list as of the start of 2010 has 116 items.
I am looking forward to getting several things done and a few things started in 2010. Especially getting the new career going with designing and teaching in the local area. I keep a list of several projects that I am doing (UFOs) and projects that I want to do. This list keeps me grounded as to not adding new projects, and keeps the list in perspective to what I want to finish. In the beginning of 2009 I had 114 items on the list and I might add that this was not a complete list of everything. Not all of these items are quilting, some are sewing garments, to painting, hand needlework, etc. This is the reason why I keep a list to ground me in the right direction, otherwise the list would be in the 2 to 3 hundred range and very little would get finished. As the end of 2009 I completed 25 items. Now you would think that the list would be 89 items on it, well I see things I want to do and buy the fabric or thread or whatever is needed, then a new item is added to the list. As a result the list as of the start of 2010 has 116 items.
Friday, November 6, 2009
New Beginning to the last career
Starting a new career is always a little scary at first. But this time I am hoping for some fun and less stress with this new career. After all it's not like I just started quilting and sewing yesterday. Of all the things I have done, sewing and needlework has been the longest learning process that as to date that engulfs 45 years of experimenting to perfecting. Other adventures have come and gone with some successful and some that just was not the right time or idea that I wanted to pursue. I am also hoping that if I call it a new career and not a hobby anymore then it will be successful and make it through this rough times that this economy is going through.
My overall plan is to start teaching at local shops to teaching in shops in other towns and cities in the southern states in about five years. That in late 2010 have quilt designs that I can publish and start the ball to selling my own designs. With luck I hope to be self employed by late 2011. If not 2011, for sure by the end of 2012.
Last but not least, please feel free to comment. I love to hear what other quilting bloggers have to say. I read somewhere around 2 to 20 blogs a week and love to find new ones. I have learned a tidbit here and there from others willing to share. That is one of the best parts of the quilting community is that so many of us quilters love to share and teach this wonderful craft.
If anybody has some helpful advise in the selling and designing of quilts or embroidery designs please let me know. Though I have taught needlework and sewing classes in the past, things do change. I am always looking to improve techniques and share with others. I believe that one of the most important things that we can do in life is to share and help others, even something as small as teaching someone to sew a quilt or garment.
Let the adventure begin
Cheryl
My overall plan is to start teaching at local shops to teaching in shops in other towns and cities in the southern states in about five years. That in late 2010 have quilt designs that I can publish and start the ball to selling my own designs. With luck I hope to be self employed by late 2011. If not 2011, for sure by the end of 2012.
Last but not least, please feel free to comment. I love to hear what other quilting bloggers have to say. I read somewhere around 2 to 20 blogs a week and love to find new ones. I have learned a tidbit here and there from others willing to share. That is one of the best parts of the quilting community is that so many of us quilters love to share and teach this wonderful craft.
If anybody has some helpful advise in the selling and designing of quilts or embroidery designs please let me know. Though I have taught needlework and sewing classes in the past, things do change. I am always looking to improve techniques and share with others. I believe that one of the most important things that we can do in life is to share and help others, even something as small as teaching someone to sew a quilt or garment.
Let the adventure begin
Cheryl
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)