NEW PIECES

Making quilts is a long process, and so sometimes I don't feel I have very much to show, and then all of a sudden, I have an overabundance of finished product.

So, today, I am just going to ramble on, and talk a little about the process. I don't know if it is the same for everybody, but when the creative process kicks in I have so many ideas that I don't know where to start. So, I begin to collect images, and do a lot of reading and looking and if I am true to myself, all that begins to filter thru and I will eventually settle on something that I just can't wait to get started on.

So, recently I have been trying to expand my concept and have tried several different techniques. I started out with a technique that I saw on Quilting Arts television program, that takes fabrics that probably will never be used in a quilt, sandwiches them on to the batting, and then quilts them, and from there she paints them. Pretty backwards to most quilters, but it works beautifully. In my next posting I will show you what I have done. Every one is different, and I have been in to using up what I have on hand for sometime now.

I started out by coming up with ideas for old tee shirts, and that went very well. I had a whole suitcase full of them, some pretty well worn, some way too big. So, I didn't have any qualms about cutting them up and putting then backtogether in a pleasing manner. Actually, I had a great time doing this and will continue with my quest to use them up, or if not pass them on to someone who will find something to do with them.

Then, I started experimenting with 3's. Smaller quilts in three's that I could attach together in an interesting manner. I will have something to show fairly shortly. I'm working on the bindings nowl

And lastly, I have made 4 horse quilts, and they have been very sucessful. I thought I was thru making horse quilts, but in my quest to produce something more abstract, I finally settled on another horse figure. The pattern is on my design wall and completely drawn, and is calling me every day to get started.

However, being an Aries, in my long life I have learned that I must attend to the quilt at hand before starting something new. Oh, it is ok to be quilting on one and working on another, but in this case I have 4 projects in the works, and I am not going to put any of them aside because I have learned too much in the process of each one to do that.

So, to get back to the point I was trying to make in the beginning. I have learned when I feel frustrated, and feel like I am stuck in a rut to just muddle thru the process, and sooner or later the answers will come if you just give in the process and trust your own instincts and let it happen.

So, please come back and visit me shortly, as I will have a lot to share.