Have you played with Dianne Hire?

Teresa shows an example of a quilt
she made using a technique
in one of Dianne S. Hire's books.

As the author or editor of several quilting books that include such titles as, Quilters Playtime:  Games for Quilters, Vivacious Curvy Quilts and Oxymorons: Absurdly Logical Quilts, you can imagine that Dianne S. Hire has a unique take on designing and making quilts. At the Choo Choo Quilters April guild meeting, the program entitled "Playtime for Quilters" was centered around the work of this award-winning fiber artist, author, instructor and international exhibitor.

Several guild members took Dianne's classes during Chattanooga QuiltWeek while some had read and worked through the concepts in her books. The Dianne Hire groupies from Team 2 showed and talked about projects they had done. Other guild members brought examples of this quiltmaking style and showed them during Show and Tell.

Teresa Kitchell made several small wall quilts following the exercises from one of Dianne's books. Sherry Baldwin showed her quilt top that illustrated free-form curved piecing. Notice that both the "blocks" and the sashing strips are curvy. Ideas for using curved piecing in your quilts can be found in the Vivacious Curvy Quilts book.

An example of free-form curves.

Sherry gave a demonstration on cutting free-form curves for patchwork: drawing gentle curved lines with a chalk marker and free-form cutting on the chalk marks—without the use of an acrylic rotary cutting ruler.

Sherry demonstrated free-form curves.

Two techniques that Dianne uses are called "Tic-Tac-Toe" and "Hopscotch." Other games that quilters can play are reminiscent of fun, childhood activities such as "Musical Chairs," "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" and "Tiddly Winks." What quilter wouldn't enjoy playing those—especially with fabric??

Teresa shows examples of other Playtime Games for Quilters.

If you haven't explored quiltmaking with Dianne, take a walk on the wild side of patchwork, pick up one of her books—or take a class—and try a technique.

Also at the April meeting was the next installment—or shall we say, "Clue"—for the Guild Mystery Challenge. If you are just starting the Challenge, or missed a clue, you can find information and clues here.

Finally, for next month's guild meeting, the program is about another playtime possibility. Sherry Reed and Team 1 will be showing an easy was to make something that resembles the Orange Peel block or the Cathedral Window. But we like to call it "Sherry's Round Thing."

What can your do with Circles? Find out at the May guild meeting.