The Last Two Days in Nantucket!

I left off my prior post some crucial events that took place on Thursday!  Tricia had arranged for us to take a wonderful tour of the island.  We began in 'Sconset, which I had just read about in the excellent novel set in Nantucket, AHAB'S WIFE., saw the lovely light house and then continued on to see many famous sites in historic Nantucket.

That evening we walked to a restaurant for our dinner and had an interesting encounter or two with some of the younger folk of Nantucket!  One young man asked us as we were leaving the restaurant if it was a "happening" place.  Tricia suggested that he go instead to Nautilus, and then we escorted him there.  Sure enough, it was just the sort of lively experience he was seeking.  We had an amusing encounter with an inebriated young woman, but I fear that recounting that here might be a bit risqué for this blog!

I have also failed to mention that every evening we had "show and tell" with various members showing the rest of us their work, especially the Material Maven quilts they had brought.  Before dinner for drinks and snacks and after dinner, there was much activity taking place, too, on iPhones and iPads!

On Friday morning Gail shared with us her methods of creating the wonderful quilted portraits that is a specialty of hers.  Each of the Mavens who "presented" did such a great job, and we all came away with exciting ideas to try and new products to use.  What a talented group the MM's are!

On Friday evening, after a delicious lobster dinner at Tricia's, we went to an art gallery where some 8 of our group had a few of their MM quilts on exhibit.  It was exciting to see the Mavens' work along with wonderful paintings and other art works by Nantucketers!

Lois had to leave us on Friday, and the rest of us left Saturday morning or noon.  Our gracious and accommodating hostess, Tricia, ran a taxi service back and forth from Union Street to the airport!  The Cape Air flight that Rita, Carolyn, and I took was quite different from the one which had been diverted to Hyannis on Monday!  It was a perfect day for flying, and seeing aerial views of Nantucket was fantastic!  Carolyn took some good shots with her camera.  Carolyn, if you would be so kind to add these photos to this blog post, we would all appreciate it greatly!

I have failed to mention the beautiful cherry trees in
bloom all over Nantucket.  This one, in Tricia's back yard!

View from the Widow's Walk at Tricia's house

Alice on the Widow's Walk

Side of Tricia's house.  We usually used this
kitchen door for our goings and returnings.

Examples of typical Nantucket architecture.  The consistency and faithfulness to the
historic Nantucket style was gratifying and exciting to behold!

Nedra applying the heat gun to her "puff painted" image.  I forgot to tell about
Tricia's demonstrating this paint and all of us getting to design a puff painted tree!

Lighthouse we visited on our tour of Nantucket and 'Sconset.

Taken from the tour bus--the oldest house in Nantucket.

Our lobster dinner!

This and the next few--the MM quilts on display at the art gallery.

Gail checking out Sara's quilt!

The gallery where our quilts were exhibited.

Our after-dinner gathering time.  Here, Andrea and Carolyn

Carolyn and Tricia

Nedra, Rita, and Sara

Jane

Gail

Tricia

The Cape Air plane that Rita, Carolyn, and I took back to Boston

HI. Karen Pulaski here!!

Hi Mavens. I'm happy to be part of your talented group.

  I've been sewing for most of my life. I started my career in the bridal field. For 13 years I made or altered bridal dresses.
   I made the move to teaching quilting 20+ years ago. I've added children's sewing classes to the mix as well.
   I enjoy all the aspects of the quilt. Machine applique is what I really love.

 I am however not a pro with the computer. I'm going to try to post some pictures for you to see. If they don't show up you can go to my Face Book page, Karen Pulaski Fiber Arts to see what I've posted so far.

I've enjoyed seeing the posts from Nantucket. I'm disappointed that I couldn't be there.

Thank you
K

Learning on The Third Day in Nantucket

Jane taught us about water soluble media, and all of us tried out hand at all of the many products she brought.  In the first of the photos below, you can see us gathered around the big table as we listen to Jane.  In the second photo, Sara, Jane, and Gail are working with some of this media.  After we got home, Jane sent us emails with the information she had shared in written form.  

Rita then showed us her "confetti art quilt" and demonstrated this technique.  She had a design planned for us to practice with, and all of us took turns adding confetti (tiny snippets of batik fabrics) to this art quilt.  The next day, Rita showed us how to cover the "confetti art" with tulle and how to apply pins all across the quilt to secure it.  Then Rita demonstrated that the tulle and the pins really DID keep the confetti in place!

All of us show some of what we did with Jane's media!
Back row:  Lois, Sara, Andrea.  Middle row:  Rita, Carolyn,Jane,
Kneeling in front:  Alice, Gail, and Nedra.

Jane, Gail, and Sara at work on the confetti quilt.

Alice and Nedra add some finishing touches.  Uh oh!  Where did those kitties
come from????  (This is my all -time favorite photo of the week!
Thanks to the "Cat  Bomb" app for iPhones and iPads!)

Gail and Sara at work

Rita about to pin the tulle to the confetti art quilt

So the confetti really does stay put!  Behind Rita
are Jane and Tricia, and then Nedra is sitting at the table.

Day Two in Nantucket

I confess that I am using our schedule of events from now on--the one that Tricia first sent to us--, and I realize that things had to be changed up.  So I might get the order of our presentations wrong!

Two others who "presented" and taught us exciting techniques and/or products to use in making art quilts were Andrea and Sara.  Andrea lugged her Thermofax machine via her car, to Nantucket, which was truly going "above and beyond"!  She demonstrated several different methods of screen printing.  All of us got to experiment with the first method, which involved making stencils from freezer paper.  Those (unlike me!) who had come prepared with something to be sent through the Thermofax machine got to try that method as well.

Sara had a thorough and fascinating demonstration of all the myriad apps on the iPad that can be used by art quilters.  I was so enthralled by her words that I failed to take any photos of her as she presented.  I know those who have iPads probably took notes hard and fast.  Not having one, I did not.  But I did come away longing for an iPad and planning to put that on my Wish List for Christmas, birthday, and Mother's Day!

Wednesday evening we had reservations at Nautilus, truly a "happening" place where all the beautiful, YOUNG folk of Nantucket hang out.  It is a tapas place, and we feasted on a variety of "little plates."  I want to hear from you Mavens out there who were there.....  Dare I share at least ONE of the funny stories about this evening--the one that involved my saying "tapas" and another misunderstanding?  Let me know.  If this is "legit", I will add it to this account of Wednesday!

Here are some photos from (I hope!) Wednesday of the wonderful five day retreat in Nantucket.  The captions explain; click to enlarge:

Chief and his cab--he picked us up daily and brought us back to Tricia's house

Mary's house--the studio's windows can be seen behind the fence.  A wonderfully big studio with plenty of work space!

Carolyn silk screening--arm and shoulder belong to our silk screening guru, Andrea!

The retreat group in front of Nautilus.  Left to right, front row: Tricia, Rita, Alice, Gail, Jane.
Back row:  you can barely see Carolyn, Andrea, and then Sara, Tricia, and Lois.

Nedra and Andrea

Rita and Carolyn

Tricia, Gail, Lois

Alice and Tricia

Andrea and Sara

Carolyn and Nedra

Material Mavens on Retreat in Nantucket--Our First Full Day!

After adventures too numerous to mention (thanks to heavy fog!), all nine of the Mavens who accepted Tricia's invitation to come to Nantucket for a five-day retreat arrived safely.  Our first full day there, Lois led off with the presenting/teaching, showing us examples of her outstanding thread painting and then teaching us how to achieve some interesting treatments for edging.  After lunch, Carolyn (with minor assistance from Alice) demonstrated the curved piecing technique that she and Alice learned at Quilting Adventures in March from the outstanding art quilter Sheila Frampton-Cooper.

Below are a sampling of photos from our two sessions.  See the captions for explanations!  As always, to enlarge and to see details, click on the photos.

One of Lois's beautiful thread paintings.

Lois talking to us and Carolyn listening attentively.

Gail, Carolyn, and Rita around the big table where we worked; Lois showing more of her thread painted examples.

Carolyn shows the edge treatment that she produced that first morning.

Here all of us are, showing our work.  Front row: Jane, Gail, Nedra.
Back row:  Sara, Alice, Rita, Carolyn, Andrea, and our wonderful hostess, Andrea.

Jane cutting out her sample of curved piecing.  Jane was one of several who normally is not comfortable piecing, but of course, these "uncomfortable" ones demonstrated much competence!  Behind Jane are Gail (at the ironing board), Rita, and Sara.

Lois that afternoon (another one not fond of piecing!) at work on her sample.  Sara is in the tie-dyed shirt.

Tricia and Andrea at work on the piecing.

At home at the kitchen door at Tricia's house.  Left to right, Alice, Sara, Rita, and Tricia.