Deborah Louie : Christchurch Symposium activities

Teaching at Christchurch.

Just recently home after tutoring at Christchurch NZ National Quilting Symposium.

What a massive gathering of quilters. This event happens every 2 years usually taking turns with the north and south island to host this spectacular event.

Just to give you an idea of the numbers . There was I think 52 tutor, over 600 students every day taking classes. Imagine making 600 sandwiches every day.

This whole event is run by the volunteers of the local patchwork groups they take turns, usually 4 years of planning, meeting, organising. A huge effort indeed. So I say a big THANK YOU to the organising committee for 2017 you did a fantastic job. The convenor was Catherine McDonald .

This year the symposium was held at St Andrews College Christchurch. A lovely boarding school big enough to accommodate so many quilters.

The school Gym went from meeting place to lecture hall to Circus tent for the Creative Construction Carnival. The school grounds and all of Christchurch has wonderful gardens so green and lush. I really loved the blossoms and greenness everywhere as Sydney has not had rain till right this moment as I'm typing since mid June .

There were lunch time lectures

Great friends having fun at the carnival a terrific evening , of food, games and circus acts a French sailor who pole dances??? a straight jacket act, acrobats all wonderful.

I was thrilled with my classes 5 days of learning and exploring sewing machines...

Day 1 Glamorous Clam machine applique everyone did their homework and just stitched and explored their machines.

While I'm talking about machines Bernina NZ hired out nearly 300 machines for the class rooms.!!!!! I would like to Thank Bernina NZ for my 770 and 570's in class they were perfect.

All of my students clams were happy bright and a fun day. Thank you ladies for a fantastic first day, helps to settle the nerves.

I have joined SAQA and we had a meeting of its members in the motel one evening. Here are the attendees. www.saqa.com As yet I have not really participated in the group activities but I will in time.

There were many quilt exhibitions around the area in various venues to enjoy and this the quilt above was my favourite from a very talented NZ tutor Lisa Call .

Me and my Daisy Paths quilt on show

Day 2 was Let's Quilt Walking Foot and Theory class which was very well received. The ladies loved the extra information of my direction of cutting and stitching of fabric for strength.

Day3 was Let's Quilt Free Motion the magical 6 which was fun and also well received.

Both of these classes

are now available on my web site now as on line classes

www.deborahlouie.com.au

Day 4 and 5 we had A Little Garden Machine applique and some lovely gardens in the making below .

Great classes ladies Thank you . I truly loved meeting you all.

Symposiums and retreats are a wonderful place for we tutors to network and enjoy each others company. There were lots of Aussie tutors, Jenny Bowker was there at one of her very last ever teaching gigs. Congratulations Jenny a fine career, and all the very best for the future.

Tutors from the states, England , Scotland, New Zealand of course, Europe, South Africa some ladies I have met at other NZ symposiums and lovely to see and spend time again together.

Below some exhausted Aussies at the end of Symposium at the closing ceremony , Jen Kingwell and Wendy Williams, great to hang out ladies, Thank you.

I had a day to see Christchurch before a early evening flight so a few photos of beautiful Christchurch , working really hard to come back from the devastating earthquakes.