Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
I may cut a few more, but these are probably the last patches for FOTY 2012 you will see until I sew. I made an effort to press and cut some more pieces. With TFQ’s help I made a little progress.
I sorted all of the patches I cut into color groups, so I am pseudo ready to place the patches and then sew. I may not get to sewing this weekend, though I do hope to do enough placement to make some progress sewing.
I still want to work on finishing older projects. I want to continue to move older projects forward. As I said in the Creative Desert post, the longer projects languish, the less interest I have in them. I want to use new fabrics and new designs. I want to create using new inspiration and new ideas.
Still, I can’t toss all of these older projects (some of them not so old), if they have some life in them. I feel like I want to work a piece until I finish or until it can’t be worked anymore.
Yes, this list is back for 2013. I want to make progress on languishing projects and finish newer projects that still need to be quilted. I feel I have had a strong a start.
Finished 2013 Projects:
I came across last year’s end of year post and realized that I surpassed my previous goal of 9 quilts finished in one year last year when I finished 10 quilts. If I want to surpass another significant goal, I will have to finish at least 11 quilts this year. There is no hope for me now. Oh well, I did make a lot of progress on projects and that pleases me. I also had fun, which is the goal, right?
Still WIPs
I still have a few more WIPs than I do finished projects. Again, I have made progress on clearing out old projects and I am pleased.
Ready for Quilting
Not on original listAbandoned
Nothing so far
Hunting and Gathering
I decided to continue this list into 2013, at least for the time being. It is a useful tool for tracking what is done. I, of course, want to create some kind of disposition for all of the quilts and projects on the list. However, as I mentioned, I wanted to think of a new focus for 2013. I feel that I made progress on the most ancient and difficult projects and I want to honor that. I won’t give up working on the projects on this list, but I also will not allow the list to prevent me from starting new projects.
Last update on 26 Projects List
*New – Project started after I started working on the 26 Projects list
Creativity is a funny thing. It requires focus, time, dedication, energy and an extreme amount of nurturing. I find there is a delicate balance and if I slip too far one way, I find myself in the Creative Desert. If I had a friend with these requirements, I would probably tell her to put on her big girl pants and stop whining.
I want to get along with Creativity, though, so I find that some of the causes finding myself in the Creative Desert are:
Interruptions, for me, often lead to loss of momentum.
The Internet’s vast wealth of blogs, images (Pinterest, I am looking at you!),words, fabulousity that I could never have imagined, etc. Family obligations, which can be managed somewhat, but not completely are a problem as well.
I have found some things that help to jolt me back into the game:
Yes, I have sewed those charms square arrangements together. I have a few of them around and they will probably never become quilts I plan to use. They served their purpose. Perhaps I should put borders on them and give them to the BAMQG Charity Girls?!
Thoughts on Dots was the outcome of some of those charm square rearranging sessions. It has a similar look and feel and required the same kind of working style. It created momentum.
Now I try and stay out of the Creative Desert using the following strategies:
I hope these strategies help you stay out of the Creative Desert.
Take 5 minutes to do any kind of artistic response: poem, doodle, quilt, pastel, pencil. ANYTHING counts. Don’t judge yourself or second guess yourself. There are no rules; just do it!
Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.
overwriting a ROM module in a device (Wikipedia)
flashing body parts
light going on and off
flashing fashion
a construction detail used to seal and protects joints in a building from water penetration.
flashing a sign
flashing phones
flashing light on a lighthouse
overwriting a BIOS module in a an image (Wikipedia)
Exhibiting parts of the naked body in public in a way that may be considered inappropriate for the time and place
a technique in cinematography that desaturates the color so that one sees more in shadowed areas (Wikipedia)
causing evaporation by lowering a fluid’s pressure below its vapour pressure (Wikipedia)
excess material attached to a moulded product which must usually be removed (Wikipedia)
briefly switching on main-beam headlights in a prompt action to warn oncoming drivers of dangers ahead (Wikipedia)
Definition: Flashing refers to thin continuous pieces of sheet metal or other impervious material installed to prevent the passage of water into a structure from an angle or joint. Flashing generally operates on the principle that, for water to penetrate a joint, it must work itself upward against the force of gravity or in the case of wind-driven rain, it would have to follow a tortuous path during which the driving force will be dissipated. Exterior building materials can be configured with a non-continuous profile to defeat water surface tension.
This is a block made from leftovers of the Swoon blocks. I’ll probably donate it if I get asked for a block.
The CQFA Meeting was actually on January 5th, but I can’t always get to the meeting notes right away.
As usual, we traded ATCs. There were about 7 people participating in the swap this time. It was really great to see all the ATCs that people made.
Mine weren’t my best work. I measured wrong and waited until the last minute. Everyone made the best of my blunder by saying that they were the embodiment of the resolutions of the New Year. They were skinnier than they should have been so they were the butt of a joke about weight loss in the New Year.
The meeting was great. We had the usual business meeting and show and tell after a really nice social. I finished the Garden during this social hour. It wasn’t fun, because I finished the Garden; the social part of the meeting was great because of the opportunity to chat with everyone.
I showed the Spiderweb top, mostly because I had it there and was working on ripping off the paper after I finished the Garden. I also showed The Corner Store. People were very complimentary.
There was show and tell, but I forgot my camera (typical, I know, right?). I love the group, because they do such great work. The piece above is one of Maureen’s and I liked the negative space. I was smack off of working on the Negative Space segment in the Design Series, so negative space in quilts was on my mind.
Ann brought this piece and it screamed Ruth McDowell at me. I think Ann said she took a class from Ruth at some point, but had really just gotten into working with her techniques recently. I thought the veins of this piece were great.
Good meeting. I enjoyed myself.
These are the last two Patchwork Wheel blocks. I can now prepare the top and back and finish this project.
The Swoon top is finished. I am pleased with the way it looks. I want to finish the back and the binding and getting it ready for the quilter. I don’t think this is one I’ll quilt myself.
I received these two gifts related to quiltmaking at Christmas. They are from my mom. She couldn’t resist the fabric (I have pink flamingos in my front flower bed) and the book was on my list.
I am thinking that I will make some pillowcases out of the flamingo fabric.
I am really looking forward to delving into the book and seeing if I have anything in common with the women interviewed.
Thanks, Mom!
I really like making these pincushions. Since they are quick and provide for a nice level of creativity, I probably won’t stop until I have nobody else to whom I can gift one.
They are quick to make, but not boring to make.
I put this one in a box of Christmas gifts for my friend, Julie.
I chose a couple of fabrics with yellow as an alternate to the purple. I think it works for the look.
The pattern is from Fig Tree & Co. It is called Petite Gateau. I have the print version (available at PIQF), but there is a downloadable version available, so you can get it RIGHT NOW! 😉
I am thinking about the beach, water and Hawaii a lot lately. Not sure why, because although I live close to the beach, the water is about 45 degrees on a good day and the air temperature is between 40-50 degrees, none of which is conducive to swimming in the ocean.
I thought a creative prompt would be a good way to get thoughts of warm sand, warm salty water, etc off my mind, but many of the water type prompts have already been used: pour, drink and ocean. I guess I think about water a lot.
video game by Artificial Mind and Movement
In the Wet by Nevil Shute
Wet Seal clothing
not dry
wet paint
Definition: wet (w
t) adj. wet·ter, wet·test
5.
n.
v.tr.
v.intr.
all wet
wet behind the ears
wet my whistle
Take 5 minutes to do any kind of artistic response: poem, doodle, quilt, pastel, pencil. ANYTHING counts. No rules; just do it!
Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog.
The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. I created this spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses.
I had a good amount of time off over the holidays. I was able to spend some time pressing fabric and cutting pieces for this project. It is a meditative process and was a good way to transition from the difficult last quarter at work to vacation.
The end is drawing near, so I need to speed up the process or work with what I have.
One thing I like about this is that looking at the fabric patches and thinking about the projects on which I am working as well as the new fabrics.
I haven’t taken any kind of inventory of pieces that I have. If I do I can fix any problems, if I don’t it will be a design challenge.
I needed a venue for the large Joel Dewberry prints. I decided that I would use the All Washed Up pattern called Sparkling Cider to which I was introduced at the November BAMQG meeting. I really struck by the pattern, because of the wonderful way the pattern showcased large print fabrics. Mallory kindly loaned me the pattern, though the pattern is very straightforward and I had already designed a version in EQ7.
The blocks required for this quilt are 4 large Sawtooth Star blocks with no borders and 16 8″ Sawtooth Star blocks that have multiple borders that bring the 8″ blocks up to 16″. I have made the large Sawtooth Star blocks and about half of the smaller blocks.
I am using the Joel Dewberry Notting Hill prints and very much enjoying them. I am tempted to purchase more of them, but perhaps these are enough?
I am including some other large prints in addition to the Notting Hill prints. The Notting Hill prints have some orange in them, so I have added some orange as well.
I wanted to make this as a quick and fun quilt top. I have so many fun pink fabrics that I thought combining the Notting Hill prints with them would be a great opportunity to use a variety. I didn’t want this to be a Joel Dewberry quilt, and, though, I think the Notting Hill prints are prominent, I don’t think the blocks, so far, scream Joel Dewberry.
I wanted to get this top finished before I went back to work, but it wasn’t to be. I have made good progress, and will finish it soon.
I really wanted to draw and really nice looking wheel quilt as a response to this post, but I just didn’t have it in me.
This response is appropriate, though, since this is what I wish I were doing right now. Instead I went back to work this morning and am now driving the Young Man to an appointment and generally resuming my crazy life. Unless they have already put me in some kind of asylum for people being driven insane by lawyers.
Take a look at the original prompt and create one of your own.