Monday 18 January 2016

Four Patch For Patch

A 4 patch improv sampler for Patch.

How's that?




Remember the fun little sampler I showed you last week freezing in the garden? It was a prototype for the Intro To Improv class I'll be teaching at Patch, in Halifax, in February. It's made up of four "patches" or maybe they're just blocks, but that doesn't make for a catchy lil blogpost title does it? 

Sampler 4 Patch, the 1st edition: a prototype in Kona

Sampler 4 Patch, the 2nd edition: a breath of spring in the dead of winter.

I made it again in fabrics that Chris, the shop owner, chose from her oh-so-handsome stock for the class sample. (She has SO many gorgeous fabrics on her shelves...all the trendy, super-fun stuff I keep seeing popping up on my Instagram feed is there!) This time round I took lots of process photos so I could make notes for potential students. Notes. Yes. She thought notes would be helpful.

It's hard to write a pattern for improv, because there's no pattern. Nothing is measured, everything is eyeballed and at the whim of the cutter. So I took photos. Lots of photos. And then I attempted to put them into a document...to build a tutorial...sorta.

This exercise was really an expose on my computer skills, or lack thereof.  Jeez Louise. Not hard to tell that I do not rely on Office programs for my job. I figured it out...sort of...but it ain't pretty. My formatting skills leave a lot to be desired really. Oh. And, did I mention I forgot to take pictures of Block One? Not to worry...I'll figure something out for that blunder. That's exactly what an improv brain does, it figures stuff out as it goes along.


Oh well, at least the pictures will speak for themselves...and I'm pretty sure they're in the right order. It's a darn good thing I like to talk so the students will get the up close, rambling, hands-on account of how I made each block and then joined them altogether.  

A four hour workshop sure does take a lot of hours of prep time...
if you're me. I hope you're not me. The world can't handle too many of us.

Thinking about giving improv a try? Come play with me in February!
I promise my improv skills are far superior to my computer skills!!






5 comments:

  1. Congratulations teacher! You have lots to share with students. Good luck.

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  2. You're going to do a wonderful job at Patch, Val! The MMQG gals are still raving about your workshop. And now you know why teachers are always bitching about not enough prep time. It's surprising how long it takes to prepare lessons.

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  3. Seriously thinking of signing up for this. I need more improv help. Your class is gonna rock!

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  4. Seriously thinking of signing up for this. I need more improv help. Your class is gonna rock!

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  5. Way to go, Teach! Your students are in for a treat (just maybe not with the handout)...have fun! :)

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