Introducing Nathalie

Nathalie Delarge is a new connection I've made through my work with Marti Michell's templates.  She is a quilter part of the time (her day job is dental surgeon) and has been working with Marti's templates since around 2005, teaching since 2010 and selling them in her online shop since 2012.

She and I originally connected on Facebook through our common work with Marti's templates and last month, she ordered my DVD workshop, Set-In Piecing Simplified.  It's been interesting and fun troubleshooting back and forth with her as she applied the technique in the video to her current interest in 60 degree diamonds using the templates. 

One of the aspects of our exchange that is so exciting is that Nathalie is in France and I'm in Northeast Ohio, USA.  She speaks English and I'm embarrassed to admit that my French is non-existent (though I am beginning to pick up some bits as it applies to quilt making). 

We've discovered that using the "messenger" option on Facebook has allowed us to communicate quite quickly.   Quite often, we are in our sewing spaces at the same time -- it's afternoon for her and morning for me.  I'm also able to send detailed pictures, too when needed for clarification.  If you've purchased the DVD, I encourage you to keep that in mind.  If we are friends on Facebook, it will be like having me along side as you try out the technique for the first time.   

The quilt I use in the DVD to illustrate the technique and the steps is a tumbling block made from lots of scraps.  I selected that block because it's the best pattern to cover all aspects of the chain-piecing approach. 

So on October 18, she sent me a photo of her beginnings.  Then on October 29, fourteen days after the DVD arrived in her mailbox, Nathalie sent me a picture of a finished tumbling block quilt top -- 120 tumbling blocks in beige, brown, and blue!   I love the crisp look of her top. 

Now it's time for you to go meet Nathalie at her blog for a look at her first project using the technique.  If you use the Google toolbar, there is a button on the upper right end that gives you the ability to "translate" text in other languages -- that's how I read what Nat has to say to her followers in Franch.  Makes it more fun to visit with bloggers around the world.

Mary Huey
www.maryhueyquilts.com