Monday, March 30, 2015

STILL SPINNING and WHAT IFING!

A long time ago
I took the best class I have ever taken
with a quilter named David Walker.
He suggested
that you could make a quilt

totally from your gut
just happily moving along
completely trusting
that the quilting muse
would guide you 
in the direction the quilt wanted to go.

I thank this quilting muse
when
I have just the right amount of thread
or
the unexpected perfect fabric
or
blocks that fit together perfectly
or
any time I sit down to sew.



I am still finding joy
in making Vintage Spin quilts
from Kathy Doughty's pattern!
I was using four of my gigantic spins
and a bunch of smaller ones I was making 
with a different color palette
when I was struck by the thought...

WHAT IF I use them all together in one quilt?
(gotta love embracing the what IFs!)


This is what I have so far.
I need to make a few more blocks for the bottom row.

(Thanks to my sons who tried to help
and shame on Walter who suddenly felt like he was a bull
and my quilt was a red cape!)


My other current project
is playing 
with all the leftovers
from turning the Vintage Spin wedge circles
into squares.


I sewed the cut offs together
and then used my diamond template.

Now I have all these stars.

Hmmm...






Not sure what is going to happen.
Knowing that whatever it is
it will be OK.

Focusing on joy
trusting

embracing the what if!



Tuesday, March 17, 2015

QA QUILT SHOW

Ahhhh
the always enjoyable
Quilters Anonymous Quilt Show!

In my painting class, 
the teacher repeatedly talks about 
the importance of critique.

When you critique a painting,
she says,
you start to learn what you 
are attracted to
and
what you like.

Then,
you can take what you notice
and try and create those elements
in your own art.

So...
   I decided to approach 
the quilt show 
with this in mind.

What do I notice about what I like?
That what I create and what I like are in sync!

Color.
More specifically...
red, pinky, hints of purple.

This first quilt is mine.














Of course,
I really enjoy whimsy and humor.

This first quilt is mine.
A joke of sorts.
When you read the words, 
your mind pictures the quilt.
So, 
since you already have a picture in your mind 
of a double wedding ring quilt,
why should I make one?

I heard a lot of comments
from people about this quilt.
"I don't get it."
"Where is it? Do you see it?"
"Maybe it's on the back."
"I am making this one next."































I also seem to gravitate towards
more complex...
something different.

The first one is mine.










This was my favorite.
I kept coming back to visit this one.



Hmmm...
lots to think about...
color, humor, detail...

in quilting as in life.

Enjoy!