Houston Workshops 01: Lois T. Smith

I spent the days before the show opening attending workshops and learnt from them all. First was Lois T. Smith and machine quilting which involved various approaches which combine into a wallhanging though I shall make a bag  and dye it. We use both walking foot and free machining techniques and the Janome lady was kept very busy swapping our needles about. Although in my very first machine quilting class with June Barnes well over a decade ago we followed a drawn line with our darning foot, I have never fully believed in my ability to do this but I was delighted to stencil a leaf wreath in Lois's class and realise I could follow the line. I was teacher's pet, taking the register and attending to bits of things leaving Lois free to prepare and teach. Later when I was alone in the bar she and her travelling companion joined me and we ate and drank together and we saw each other every day after that while other people I never set eyes on again. I should also say the Janome lady herself felt she had learnt a lot too.