Pamper yourself aboard Celebrity’s Eclipse. The Eclipse has dazzled and amazed even the most well-traveled cruisers. Celebrity Eclipse hosts Qsine, a dining venue with a unique and playful approach to familiar dishes from around the world and Celebrity iLounge, a modern Internet café offering guests what they have asked for – easy access to the Internet, inspiring classes and the latest tech gadgets. Live entertainment and shows, Casino, sport venues, pools, and more will delight you on the ship and excursions and beautiful beaches will in the islands.

The Sew Option includes classes with Rachel Clark, Open Sew Sessions AND a Sewing Package (sewing machine, carrying case, notions) that is yours to take home along with your project!

Rachel will demonstrate Techniques & Shortcuts and guide participants in creating our own unique “Big Block Coat” (BBC), a pattern she developed for this cruise! You can make the “BBC”, one of Rachel’s remarkable coat patterns (Boxy, A-line, Flair or Vest available from RDKC.com), use your own coat pattern or design a unique quilt. Once registered, you will receive more detailed information from Rachel.

Non-Sewers, family and friends come aboard to relax, enjoy the sunshine, variety of dining experiences, pools, live shows and entertainment on this fantastic voyage!

To signup or for more information, click here for a detailed info sheet (PDF format). You can also contact MaryAnn at 440-322-1220 or graysontravels@gmail.com

I have decided to document the progress of the coat on my blog. It took me a while to decide how I wanted to approach the design and what I wanted the coat to say. In the end, since I am a quilt maker, I decided to begin with traditional quilt blocks, words and photos. For the quilt blocks, the obvious choice was Road to the Whitehouse. The added blocks are Hawaii, Kansas Dugout, Chicago Star, Iowa Star, Illinois, Montana, South Carolina Album block, Louisiana (my home state), New Hampshire Granite Block, Bright Hope, Follow the Leader, Whitehouse Steps. Added designs will include an Indonesian & Kenyan pattern as well as the campaign logo.

I am using a modified version of my Flare Coat pattern. Because I wanted a larger area in the back to work in, I added about 6 more inches of flare. I divided the coat in to 9 sections. My thinking now is: the center back will not have any photos, just the logo, Bright Hope block and a pieced design. Each of the other sections will include at least one or more photos; some will have words and a reassembled quilt block. When I say reassembled, it means I am using parts of the quilt block or stacking up the sections vertical format. The border will be Road to the Whitehouse. The color scheme will be predominately red, white and blue with a bit of African, Indonesian and Hawaiian fabrics.

I have collected the fabrics, photos, text, buttons and completed most of the design as in, it is enough to begin working on the coat. I don’t always do a completed cartoon. This is a first with me and I am not sure how this is going to work out. In the past, when I have attempted to document a project, I would get caught up in the workings of it and forget to write about what I am doing or photograph it. I am going to really try to remember to photograph at the beginning and end of each work session.

The working title for the coat is: A legacy of Hope: An Unabashed Supporter.

Cuesta Benberry was an author, editor, lecturer, curator and a collector of quilts. She was particularly interested in the contribution made by African American quilters and did groundbreaking work in the area of quilt research. If you are not familiar with the work that she did, google her and learn what a extraordinary person she was.

As I looked at it I realized that I could no longer fit into it and have it look the way it did when I made it 20 years ago. That led me to think about what does one do with pieces that you can no longer wear, but still appreciate.

When I made this jumper, I was still defining my style. I really like traditional quilts and I wanted to create a “wrapped-in-quilt look” using simple quilt blocks. I chose a row quilt style, simple patterns, African fabric and solid cottons. The quilt blocks in the center front of the jumper are Slave Chain. I used on ½ of the block to create the look I wanted.

The back of the jumper has a row of pinwheels (one of my favorite blocks), a modified Seminole band and squares on points. I have seen these patterns return again and again in my garments.

For the background I used the same tie-dyed African fabric from Mali. Instead of hemming the jumper it is bound off with English wax batik.

This piece is part is my series “Everybody Git the Blues.” It is an open series. I haven’t added anything to it recently.

I can’t say that I have an answer to my dilemma, however since I have crossed the 200-garment mark, I really need to think more about it as, I am running out of storage space and I still have many more garments to make.

As the event was outside and it get cool in the evening here, I knew I would need a jacket. I was wore “French Strips”. It is made of 3” wide strips cut from at least 38 different French Provence fabrics. The pattern is a 1946 vintage Vogue. I chose that pattern because I love the style of those topper coats. My mom had a pink wool one, when I was growing up and I thought it was one of the prettiest coat that I had ever seen. One day I am going to make a pieced pink one in her honor. In a later post I will talk more about vintage patterns and the fun I have playing with them.

Back to the evening, I didn’t think much of the fashion trends that she talked about, but I did appreciated her talking about the differences between style and fashion. I have known for a long time that I am more about style than fashion; it was great to have it affirmed.

I am looking forward to seeing some of my friends, enjoying some great food and having a great time.
The event location is the Tellico West Conference Center, 117 Grand Vista Drive, Vonore, TN 37885. For more information, check out the event website: http://monroearts.com/arts/?page_id=122