I had the incredible opportunity to go to a lecture and "Truck Show" this evening that was put on by our Dixie Quilt Guild. Ms. Collins is a remarkable quilter and a VERY fun lecturer!! Her quilts range in size from very small to wall size. She is most recognized for her quality workmanship, attention to detail and teaching expertise. But it was evident that what she loves the most is the journey of designing and making her quilts. She told us how she started out quilting by standing in front of a store (she thought it was a sewing machine shop) that had a quilt in the window and she was so fasinated by it she wanted to make one, even though she had never done any type of sewing, let alone quilt making. Her stories were full of humor and sage advice.
As she talked about learning to sew, and then learning to make a four patch (in the pre-rotary cutter days) to adding binding not cut on the bias, becasue she had no idea what "cut on the bias" even meant, she made the profound comment that "mistakes are stepping stones to sucess."
Her quilts, many of them 12 inches and 16 inches and 22 inches, have hundreds of pieces in them!!! She let us come up and touch her quilts and fondle them and oooww and aaahhhhh over them and take pictures. So, I took pictures, lots of pictures!! But I want you to know that these pictures do not do justice AT ALL to these exquisite pieces of art.
Sally Collins is a wonderful, very humble ol' hippie from the San Francisco Bay area and she told us that "they're just quilts." Oh my goodness, if these quilts are JUST quilts . . . Enjoy!!
The pen above will give you an idea at how small most of these quilts really are!!!
If, and thats a BIG if, I had to chose a favorite one it would be this one (above)!!! Incredible and hand quilted!!!
One of the things that Sally told us was that she seperates design and color from workmanship. She explained that this means she designs each piece as she wants it, makes sure that her fabrics and colors are perfect for that project, gets everything ready, design and color-wise, and THEN she starts sewing. She finds that separating the processes are much more satifying for her when the top is complete.
Sally was kind enough to let me take her picture in front of her gorgeous quilts and she gave me permission to show all her quilts here at The Quilting Garden.
This is a picture of Ms. Collins with Linda Sidlow who is the gal who booked Sally 2 years ago for this lecture series AND tomorrow's class on Precision Piecing. And I am lucky enough to have found a place in the class even though I was on the waiting list up to a couple of days ago!!! I want to thank Brigette Luckau for having unexpected company all weekend and calling me to take her place in the workshop tomorrow!!! And thank you, Sally for a wonderful evening!!!
Ok, it is late and I have to go dream of these gorgeous quilts and what we are going to learn in tomorrow's workshop. I hope you are enjoyed these wonderful quilts. Click on any of the pictures to see a larger size!!
'Nite All!!!
1 comment:
I Love Sally Collins. As I told her "you suggest people not get off more than two threads and I suggest they not get off more than two inches." She is a beautiful person inside and out...and very funny too...as well as serious...who else could do the quilts she does?
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