Thinking about Quilting

blue leaves for my makealong project

I've been working on stuff that doesn't make for great blog content. Unless you want to KNOW about everything I do that's quilting related:)
Like today, for instance, I put a washed orange down beside a red pepper and a green pepper and suddenly knew I need to get some cheddar fabric - soon!

Check out this link to see Kathy's cheddar in action in her mini bowties.

So this little happy accident today gave me a colour scheme for one of my next designs!

I have been bitten by the "Idea Bug" this summer. There are not enough hours in my day to get them all out, let alone made. So things get some simmer time while I think things through and see if my ideas are the best they can get. Are they all worthy of being made into quilts? Probably not!

But the ideas germinate new ones.

the red stem for my blue leaves

See those blue leaves at the top of my post? If I had made them the day I thought of them, they would have all been cut out the same size. Last night I started cutting using up stash pieces making each leaf as big as I could from each scrap. And guess what? Now my leaves will give some perspective to my flower! Now it will look like it's towering over my house and Joyful Girl. I'm happy about that:)

bowtie surprise! in progress here

I've started to discover that my designs change as I assemble the pieces. There are so many variations on traditional blocks, sometimes it feels like nothing I do is unique.

And other days that brings a very deep comfort to me. To know that women before me enjoyed this creative journey as well. That so many of the patterns and blocks that I keep coming back to, other women made quilts out of as well.

old favourites for a new design

I don't want to be in a hurry to get all of these ideas out. I want to treasure the discovery, the wait and search for the perfect fabrics, the surprise of discovering the potential of those "ugly" fabrics that sat too long and now have a chance at being in one of my quilts.

I am so inspired by the antique, traditional quilts and their quilting. I wonder about how those women made decisions in isolation, in dark log cabins, in the middle of winter under the oil lamps. I see so much similarity between these quilts and MODERN quilts that it just amazes me at how the generations continue quilting. How women continue to find a way to express their personality and creativity in a very busy world.

Check out this beautiful example of modern quilting by Tula Pink.

Here's a link to the post I did a bit ago about "Modern" Quilting.

I am amazed at how much time and effort women made into each others' quilts at quilting bees and for red cross raffles. I see the same generosity with the Alzheimer Art Quilt Initiative and quilts for Haiti and Katrina, and New York.

I feel so fortunate that I can read about their lives, see their quilts, and create my own.

Some days I think too much and run out of time to quilt!

And if you didn't know yet, The Pattern Spot is a new site affiliated with C&T Publishing where you can buy online quilt patterns. They are having a SALE this Labour Day weekend. AND, if you check it out today, you can see my placemat pattern on the front page:)



With Joy,
Sarah Vee