Tag: Inspiration

Painted Floors

Everywhere I go, I see something that reminds me of a quilt or something inspires me to make a quilt or gives me some creative idea and I just have to show you. Towards the end of our trip we went to the National Forest Service Museum (Smokey the Bear land). These were the floors.
It looks like some kind of applique. Can you see the trees and the mountains?

This would be much easier and you could probably piece the whole thing. Yes, even the circle. For those of you are beginning to suspect that I have lost my mind, take a look at Ruth McDowell’s Piecing book. This is a classic quilt book and really should be in everyone’s quilt library. She wrote this before C&T started publishing shorter books. A newer version is Ruth McDowell’s Piecing Workshop.

Flowering Inspiration

I have been contemplating a flower quilt for a long time. As a result, I keep taking pictures of flowers in order to get ideas of flowers to interpret into fabric. I also think that flowers are beautiful and good inspiration.

This was taken at Lilypons water garden.


The above two photos were taken at the National Zoo.


The above two photos were taken at the US Botanic Gardens, a truly gorgeous place.

Look Up

Bureau of Printing and Engraving (I think)

Ceiling in the East Wing of the National Gallery plus an untitled Calder mobile. I loved both galleries of the National Gallery. It is a perfect space for art. The place was made for art and it really looks like the art is happy there.

The Apotheosis at the Capital. The dude in the middle in George Washington.

DAR Museum/Library
Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress.

Sideways view of the Capitol ceiling. I like the way the arch swoops.

Looking up can be very inspiring, so LOOK UP!

More Mosaic Inspiration

Someone mentioned that I was an idiot, because I was classifying tilework with mosaics and calling it all mosaics. I do know the difference, in case you were worried and I intend to continue on with my practice, because mosaics sound better and is shorter than Mosaics and Tilework. Searching is easier for you, dear readers, also, because all you have to do is type in mosaics and you get everything that has to do with mosaics or tilework. See? I am always thinking of you. 😉

This is from Frederick, Maryland. I was thinking it would be good inspiration for a two block quilt: ninepatch and snowball.

Also from Frederick, MD. I like the interwoveness of this design. I mulled over, quite a bit, how the colors played into into the success of the design.

This is a mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess, though it really mimics tilework.

This is another mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess. I love the leaves.

This is yet another mosaic from the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congess. Can you say Double Wedding Ring?

Mosaic Inspiration from the Thomas Jefferson Building

The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is a monument to knowledge. The whole building exudes the value of knowledge. As well, it is a gorgeous building, with every surface covered in some kind of artwork celebrating knowledge, books or libraries. I took dozens of pictures of floors, some of which I may drag out later for your enjoyment. Here are a few to inspired you to greater borders and medallions for your quilts.



I love the common designs that mosaic art (and other arts) have in common with quiltmaking.

June Inspiration

I am trying to wean you all nicely as I won’t have a reliable Internet connection for the three weeks starting on Friday. Here are some inspiration photos for your viewing pleasure.



I should also say that I will be thrilled to post the quilt (or visual journal page) of anyone who makes a piece using one of the photos I post as their inspiration on this blog. Have fun!

Red Coffee Tote


red coffee tote
Originally uploaded by kanokwalee2

I have totes on the mind this morning!

I love the graphic nature of this tote and the cup images are perfect. I would love to see this fabric somewhere and make my own tote out of it. I am not that fond of the ribbon breaking up the middle image, but fighting with my sewing machine over buttonholes makes me understand how a ribbon would be so much easier to apply.

CatyLou Tote


tote bag
Originally uploaded by catylouquilts

I saw this tote on Flickr this morning and thought that it looked similar to the Eco Market Totes that I have been making. One of the attractions of the Eco Market Tote is the shape of the bag part, which this bag shares. I will have to look around and see if I can look at the pattern in person. Let me know if you have made one of these totes.

Creative Inspiration Course

Popgadget reported on a Creative Inspiration course that Lynda.com is offering. I haven’t taken this course and have no affiliation, but I thought it might be interesting to check out.

Douglas Kirkland: Creative Inspiration
with: Douglas Kirkland

Douglas Kirkland is one of the most accomplished and celebrated photographers of the last fifty years. This installment of the Creative Inspiration series offers insight into Douglas Kirkland’s photography, from his early career at Look magazine during the golden age of photojournalism in the 60s and 70s to his transition from analog to digital photography in the 90s. His iconic images of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Jack Nicholson, and Nicole Kidman, among others, are known all over the world. This series of videos includes a peek into Douglas’s work, his studio, and some of his on-location photo shoots. Also view a presentation showcasing his body of work, a discussion with a group of high school photography students, an interview with Douglas and Lynda, and more.

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Diane Gaudynski Speaks

I am in a hard place in my life at the moment where I sincerely dislike the work that I am doing. I don’t dislike the skills I have or what it takes to do the work. I don’t dislike the profession or the people in the profession. I am simply astonishingly bored by going into the office and doing the same work day after day. While I struggle through the process of figuring out what to do next, creativity is incredibly important. I have found it difficult to inject much creativity into my life recently as I race around from one task or obligation to the next. I find it difficult when I can’t get to my machine or when I am too tired to be inspired. I have been struggling with visual journaling and trying to squeeze some hand piecing into the spare moments. Nothing is perfect in the creativity department.

As a result, I have, once again, turned back to quilting podcasts. They are a perfect fit at this point in time and space. I can listen in the car, on the train, at the doctor or at swimming.

I have been listening to one podcast for a long time and recently switched to Annie Smith’s Quilt Stash podcast. I immediately felt a great sense of relief and calm. Annie has a wonderful voice and she speaks intelligently. The other podcast host[ess] used some strange grammar, weird words and odd idioms. It began to get on my nerves.

Tonight I listened to podcast #119, a visit with Diane Gaudynski. I always had a bit of a chip on my shoulder about DG for no good reason except jealousy. Bad, Artquiltmaker! Now I am in love with Diane Gaudynski. The interview was so warm and friendly and Diane gave some wonderful tips in a warm and effortless way. I immediately put her book on my Amazon wishlist.

As a result I am back on the quiltmaking podcasts as a way to get some creativity into my life. Try out Annie Smith’s podcasts.

Bold graphics

I am catching up on my blog reading and this picture comes from Kathy at Pink Chalk Studio. Isn’t it great? I love the simplicity with interest and the bold, graphic colors. The alternating of the colors is wonderful as well.

I know I should be writing about the Gabrielle (pronounced Gob-Ree-Yell) Swain class. In short, it was fantastic. More on that tomorrow; I am making it an early night.

clipped from pinkchalkstudio.com
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