The Unbelievably talented Sharon Boggon!

I’m finally able to blog about an absolutely unbelievable seminar that I attended in CT. in April.  But I am warning you that  I still babble on in wonder when I talk about it!…..…

When I first heard over a year ago, that Sharon Boggon, (who you may recognize from her blog, Pintangle  and “I dropped the Button Box” CQ fame, or her fantastic Stitch Dictionary), was coming to the US from Australia to participate, as a teacher, at an event that Maureen Greeson of  Maureen's Vintage Acquisitions was hosting; I knew I had to go.  The event consisted of a three day retreat with a one day class with each of the three teachers…Sharon Boggon, Betty Pillsbury, and Alli Aller.  A separate three day seminar was being offered in addition…..this one totally with Sharon Boggon…..after the retreat.  I decided to attend the seminar with Sharon Boggon and skip the retreat, since I had previously taken a class with Betty Pillsbury at The Victorian Stitchery Retreat in Wichita and would be taking one there with Alli Aller this Fall.  Plus, I had to keep my budget in mind, since I already had two other seminars planned for this year. I then called my cousin, Sharon, from Georgia; and didn’t have to talk very long before her reservation was confirmed, too.  Well….I have to tell you…..my cousin and I have gone on many quilting and stitchery adventures together and have taken classes from many absolutely fantastic teachers…..and have learned so much along the way……but…..I have to say…..this seminar topped them all!

Maureen Greeson was a gracious hostess and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived.  She even had  a personal reception at her home for those of us that hadn’t already met Sharon at the retreat.  What a wonderful opportunity this gave us to just sit and chat with Sharon on a personal level.  Maureen also had little surprises for us throughout the three days, plus a couple side trips in the evenings.  Thank you, Maureen, for your wonderful planning and hospitality.

What can I say about Sharon Boggon?  First, let me tell you that if you EVER have the opportunity to attend a class given by her…..DO IT!  Don’t even think twice about it…..just do it!  I had taken three of her online classes and they were wonderful, but having one in person was unbelievable!  This woman is the most talented, open, and sharing person that I’ve ever met.  She is not really as concerned about getting monetary gain from her talents, as she is so pleased to just have others gain whatever knowledge they can from her.  Did I, also, mention that she’s down to earth, funny, and utterly patient, too.  I just loved seeing her get that impish smile on her face as she picked up her “naughty girl pen” (her water or air erasable pen that an early mentor of hers had disapproved of her using). I loved her hearing her interesting Australian expressions too.

 

 

All in all….she is just delightful! I would have loved to spend at least a week or two studying with her!  

 

And her quilts!  She brought her "I dropped the button box quilt", her new eight inch block quilt, and her diamond / tumbling blocks quilt , and her absolutely unbelievable, ever growing stitch sampler!  (click on link to bring you to them on her blog)

 

And she just laid them all out on tables for us to get up close and personal and to photograph!  Having seen the photos of each block on these quilts and her stitch sampler on her blogs as she documented each of them had been wonderful, but having the opportunity to see them all in person was priceless!  A photo doesn’t give you the opportunity to see the texture and dimension that seeing them in person does!  We were all in awe.  What an experience!  I wouldn’t have minded being locked in the classroom with them overnight….just to study them all night…talk about wishful thinking!  All I can say is….. Thank you, Sharon, for taking the effort (and the risk) to bring them all the way from Australia! 

Sharon gave us a choice of our class priority……techniques or design.  We hands down picked design.  So, while we still learned many new, fantastic techniques, she incorporated how to use those techniques as design elements to bring the block together to help your eye travel from one element to the next.  We learned some interesting new flowers, how to attach items without holes, like cabochons, mirrors, coins, cameos, and other disc type items.  I learned how to weave around beads, neat ways to attach one holed objects, make “blood knot” wisps with gimp, do interesting things with rick rack and sequins, and how to use a unique item called sequin waste.  But, our main focus was all about learning how, after coming up with the concept of a quilt; to integrate different elements to include needed elements like texture, scale, color, line, and depth.One afternoon, we all brought a block of ours up to the table and we discussed how we could accomplish that with our block.  A wonderful way to learn!

Every minute of it…a fantastic seminar!  I can’t say enough good things about it!  Thank you Maureen and Sharon for such and outstanding experience!