Artquiltmaker Blog – Page 300 – Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity

Why Quilt?

The question I constantly ask myself is: why do I make quilts?

Why?

I think about the time I spend, the other chores I ignore, the money I spend, the way I arrange trips so I can stop at a quilt shop or sew with a friend.

This is frequently some kind of existential crisis that I just try and live through so I can come out on the other side still sewing. The answer I often give myself is that I am compelled to do it. I am compelled to cut up these large pieces of cloth into small pieces and sew them back together again into large pieces

I often think that if I don’t engage in this seemingly pointless exercise, something really terrible will happen.

I thought about this a lot when I went to the EBHQ show. I walked around and looked at the quilts and wondered why I was at a quilt show. I enjoy quilts, but why was I there? I was looking at a multitude of quilts, but I had seen multitudes of quilts before. I have hundreds of paper photos of quilts and, what seems like, gazillions of digital files of quilts. If you have been a reader of this blog for very long, you have see some of them.

Why was front and center in my mind at the show.

Then I read a recent blog post by Danny Gregory about Senioritis. Answers come from the strangest places.

His son has been accepted at college, but it is only March, so he still has to sit in a classroom and make some effort at doing homework and keeping his grades up. Senioritis. I was glad I read this essay, because one part of one line really hit home:

“…it is expanding your awareness of the world around you…”

Now I know: expanding my horizons. Thanks, Danny.

The Beginning and The End

This photo shows how this project started.

Well, really it started as a Kate Spain Terrain Jelly Roll, but then I sewed it into a quilt top using the Jelly Roll Race idea and it ended up looking like a bunch of Terrain strips sewn together.

As I mentioned many times, I didn’t like it. There was no design. The fabrics landed where they landed, which wasn’t always a good spot. I didn’t, however, want to waste a whole quilt top, so it languished while I decided what to do about it.

Eventually I decided that cutting it up into diamonds would be a good idea. I did that and sewed and sewed and sewed. The sewing seemed never ending. Diamonds are not hard to sew together, but you do have to pay attention. I ripped out a lot of seams to make lines match up. There are a few that don’t, but I can live with them.

I realized, after looking back on the process, that I go through stages. One is drama and one is where I am over the crest of the hill and on the downslope. I don’t know why I forget this, but I do. Every time.

On Sunday, I finished the top. I like it. I like it better than the Jelly Roll race version. I think it has more style and more of a design sensibility. It doesn’t look like I left the design to chance. It looks like I had a care.

I washed more of the Pure Elements Linen and will add a small border of the same around the whole outside. I also got some of the solid Terrain Iris, which looks like a deep purple and will use that for the binding. I need something to stop the white, but I still want the diamonds to float. Of course, I have the back to make to make. It is in process with the leftover diamonds. I will add some purples to the back. I also need to make the label.

Book Review: The Creative Habit

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp

I started this book some time ago after I received it as a gift. I didn’t get very far as it didn’t grab my attention and other books elbowed their way to the front of the line. I, finally, decided to get serious and really start reading it. One of the best things about it so far is that Twyla Tharp describes creativity as a habit. While that sounds much more boring that creativity being a flash of light from God, it is much more comforting for me. I can develop a habit; I can’t really wait around for a flash from God.

I took the first test and had a hard time with some of the questions, but found that I got into it as I went on. I also gained some insight and was able to go back and fill in other answers I had skipped.

Not being a student, I don’t sit with my books at a table and read and write notes or take tests. I like the tests and think they are useful, but the tests came up periodically, usually at times when I didn’t have a writing implement or the time to devote to the test. This was one of the reasons I got stalled.

Eventually, I just started to read the book, not do the tests and underline words and phrases that spoke to me. That was a much better plan and I got a lot out of it.

I plan to take bits I underlined out of the book and write about them here. Look for those snippets or review-lets in the future.

View all my reviews

EBHQ Show

On Saturday (National Quilting Day!), I went to the Voices in Cloth Show, which is put on every 2 years by one of my guilds, the East Bay Heritage Quilters. Friend Julie of High Fiber Content, Mom of Mary’s Art Musings and TFQ of No Scrap too Small made up my carpool.

It was a great show! I would say that the overarching theme that I saw was color: GLORIOUS color and not just in the Kaffe Fassett way. The colors of the show were colors that I use and I realized that it must be the light in our area. The bright colors can stand up to the bright light we get.

The location was new and I was reluctant to go, but I couldn’t back out after promising to drive 3 other people I would drive them. I am glad I went. I wasn’t able to take the train, which was a big downside, but aside from the quilts being gorgeous, the space was wonderful! There were huge windows and lots of natural light that made for a pleasant viewing experience and showed off the quilts to their best advantage.

We had a respite from the rain, which poured down in buckets yesterday. I was glad, because although I could have taken our heavier car, I didn’t really want to. I don’t drive it much so am not as comfortable driving it in heavy traffic. I am glad I had the option.

The clouds were still dark and looking like they would let loose anytime. The clouds made for beautiful views out the windows. I could see at least two bridges and some of the islands.

One of the first things I did was drop the Food Quilt off to my quilter. She had a booth at the show and I was so glad to see her. She is down until at least April 18, so I have time to bring two more quilts over. I have FOTY 2011 and the Stepping Stones in the queue. Also, perhaps, with any luck, I can finish The Renewed Jelly Roll Race and bring that one to her, too. That is a lot of quilting in a month!

I am not sure if this quilt by Carolyn Brien is my favorite of the whole show, but it does epitomize the color and vibrancy of the show.

This is a great, classic pattern. Carolyn said that she was inspired by the cover of Kaffe Fassett’s book, Quilt Romance.

The food situation was a little dicey. For me, I always bring something, because I never know if there will be food I can eat. In this case there was a restaurant next door to the venue. They supplied the box lunches, but we went into the restaurant to sit down for awhile. It was over an hour from the time we walked in the door until the time we had food set in front of us. Some of my companions were about to start gnawing on their own limbs by the time the food arrived. I wasn’t really very hungry and there was very little on the menu I could eat, so I wasn’t terribly enthusiastic about the meal anyway. The restaurant near the venue is a great idea, but they just did not have enough tables and waitstaff to accommodate the crush of quiltmakers. I think next time they should arrange for the gourmet food trucks to come. That would be awesome!

One thing I was asked to do was a beading/embellishment demo.I am not sure why they pegged me for beading (perhaps someone saw Kissy Fish?), but it was fun. It lasted about half an hour. I showed them what I do, which is VERY basic, answered questions and then was done. I am embarrassed to say that I did very little preparation. I got out the Garden quilt and decided to use that as an example. I meant to quilt it, but just didn’t take the time, so I went ahead with the demo without the quilting. I did tell them to machine quilt it before beading is usually the best route. It was fun and I was glad to have recently completed Kissy Fish, so the process was fresh in my mind.

I also did a bit of fabric damage and bought some beads. I actually have some ideas for some of the pieces. I seem to be falling into the grey fad. I bought a large piece of a background grey on spec (lower left corner). TFQ bought some as well. She will test the pattern I am writing with it and some Bali Pops Tonga treats.

All in all it was a good day. I am glad I went.

Sonja Journal Cover

I found myself needing a journal cover last Sunday when I finished the last page of my previous journal and was facing the naked cover of a new one. Since I was wrecked from the Daylight Savings Time change, I thought a journal cover would be an easy project. It turned out great and it warmed me up for working on some of the diamonds.

I wanted to use as much of the fabric intact as possible (this is one of the big problems I have with hand dyes. I find them too luscious to cut up!) so as to preserve the dots. The dots didn’t land exactly where I would have liked them to land, but they are good.

I call this my Sonja Journal Cover, because my friend Sonja made the fabric-well, dyed it or waxed or somehow made the pretty color and applied the pretty dots.

CREATE…Again

Some time ago, I posted a photo of the letters Lil Sissy bought for me. I have been feeling bad that I hadn’t put them up on the wall, so I finally did it. The Young Man came upstairs and helped me and now they are up and inspiring me. Lil Sissy thinks the C is too small, so I am expecting a new ‘C’ sometime. I’d love to get similar letters and spell out other words all around the wall, but one thing at a time. I think that these letters stand out much more than the temporary paper letters.

Various & Sundry 2012 #4

You might have noticed that I am changing settings to disallow comments on some posts, but mostly pages. Sorry about that, but some of my tutorial pages are getting hammered with spam. You can always comment in other ways (see below), if you have questions and I will be sure to answer.

Quilt World News

Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine is coming out with an Internet TV show. They finally sent me a promised issue after they cancelled Quilter’s Home and the notice was in that issue.

The headline of this article grabbed me. Women are Fabric, Quilts Reflect their Strength. There is a lot in those few words. I think of the current firestorm surrounding THAT talk show host (whose name shall not appear in this blog; please do not write it in a comment. I will edit your comment!). I think about whether we are strong and what that strength means. I think about how we hold our communities together. I think about what we could do if we banded together. What comes to mind for you? BTW, the article talks about an exhibit at the United Nations. “The exhibition, which will be on display from 5 March through 30 April, is presented by UNFPA, the UN agency that delivers a world in which every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. The Fund is on the ground improving lives in more than 140 countries.”

And from the Knitting Department: Did you see the Yarnbomber’s London 2012 Olympic installation on a Saltburn-by-the-Sea pier overnight. Apparently, nobody knows who did it, but it is pleasing the locals. There are gymnasts, rowers, synchronized swimmers (my fave!), weight-lifters, skiers, and many more. The detail is amazing!

WOW!

Check out these patchwork couches and chairs! Quite Bright. I like the shape of the couches.

Resources

Quilting Arts (Quilting Daily) has some free eBooks on quilting including something on Jelly Rolls. I haven’t checked them out, but will consider doing a review. What the heck? They are free.

In two days, Fran Gonzalez will start teaching an EQ7 class. The first of Fran Gonzalez’ wonderful online EQ7 classes, EQ7 Sampler, starts on March 23. Fran guides you beginners as you explore the libraries, draw and color blocks, and design quilts. This 4-lesson class is the first class in Fran’s 4-class series, and the pre-req for taking the more advanced classes. Sign up now.

Other Artists

Friend Julie of High Fiber Content fame has her quilt, The Word for the World is Water, on display at the Atkinson Public Library and in a news article. Her name is even mentioned! That means she is now searchable on databases to which I subscribe at work!

Julie also posted some great photos of the Purple Journal. The photos are so clear!

Patsy Thompson has had some quilts, parts of quilts, her sewing machine and other quilt and teaching related items stolen from her car in Corbin, Kentucky. Sigh. Really? She writes about it on her blog. Other artists such as Bonnie K. Hunter are helping to let people know. Spread the word and look for the quilts.

I really like what Danny Gregory says about his own work in this essay on the Altered Page blog. he writes, partially:

“My art is an opportunity to reflect on the everyday, from the clutter on my desk to my neighbor’s fruit stand, from what I ate for lunch to my unfolded laundry. In recording and meditating on it, I find beauty and significance in the things I do.”

The everyday is what we do. Every day we walk to work, get a coffee, drive children to school, fold laundry, take dogs for walks, cook. I think I need to notice the beauty in the every day things. I need to find their value, create joy in doing those things and use them in my creativity. What do you think?

Find out about Mark Lipinski’s fetish with Pink in the interview with him over at Bumble Beans Inc..

Commitment to Creativity

I am constantly haranguing you to do the creative prompt. People like QuiltRat and SherriD and XXX create responses. I do responses, but have become inconsistent lately. Reading Danny Gregory’s blog, I found this great quote:

“First of all, he insists that they consistently make pages: they work on them at home and in school and their grades are based on their consistent commitment not on any evaluation of the work itself. Nonetheless, the quality was really high and it was clear that they had spent a lot of time and thought day after day.” (Quotes and highlights are mine)

I need to be consistently committed to my sketchbook and drawings. I wonder, though, how that fits in with my quiltmaking. I normally don’t sew during the week. With work and everything it would just be too hard, but lately I have been snatching every second I can to sew. I am consistently committed to my quilts, but do I have the time to expand that commitment to drawing as well? I wish I had a teacher like the one described. I think I would be in a different place right now. There is a list of resources at the end of the post.

You can email me at jlapac[at]gmail[dot]com, but please continue to place relevant comments on the related post. It helps to keep me organized! Thanks.

26 Projects Update – March 2012

Here is the list, again, still in no particular order. This time I have moved the finished pieces off. 22 WIPs left!

~~Stars for San Bruno #3~~: Quilted; applying binding
~~Food Quilt~~: needs quilting, backing and binding.
Jelly Roll Race: top cut into diamonds. Sashing being applied; diamonds being sewn together into chunks.
Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding. Went rummaging through my fabric closet to find this top, because I was fired up to put the border on. I couldn’t find it. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. I am also working on my border idea and have definitely decided not to put that particular border on this quilt, if I ever find it, but I am glad I am doing the test.
Corner Store: foundations cut; some blocks made, triangles pinned to foundations and ready to sew.
Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered.
Infinity blocks: I know where they are.
A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP, because I don’t really have enough blocks with which to make anything yet. I am making good progress. This month I need to make K and L blocks.
Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress has stopped and the class more than the quilt is really weighing on my mind. As far as I know Frances has still not finished her Dresden Plate. I really don’t know what am I going to do with her? The next class was going to be fusible machine applique’, but I haven’t gotten past cutting out the templates. Perhaps I should skip to machine piecing curves?
The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked.
~~FOTY 2011~~: ready to go to the quilter.
Flowering Snowballs: I decided not to abandon this project, partially because I am so far along and partially because I need a hand project.The templates I made for the border blocks really helped me do a vast amount of cutting in a short time last Friday. All the cutting for the border is done. One corner block made. I am on my way!
Garden: decided to use this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in cloth show (March 17). It will get me moving on that project again, too.
Flower Garden: I still find the ‘flowers’ too spiky. I think I need to soften them up a bit.
Moon and Stars: need to finish handquilting. This quilt is not interesting.
Pointillist Palette #4
See: needs satin stitching.
Self Portrait
Spiderweb
Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am in the process of applying fusible.

Finished or Abandoned:

Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
Pavers. Finished! YAY!
Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
Pineapple: Abandoned; will remake blocks at a later time with more care.

Inspiration Monday

Just to clarify: I saw this flower at the Embarcadero. It is not called an Embarcadero Flower.