I am at the phase of adding some neutrals to the scrap bag quilt I am in the process of piecing.
Which kind of has me second guessing how I am putting things together. I find myself moving the rows and squares around and then standing back and squinting to fully evaluate the overall effect.
What I am learning from this totally improvisational effort is that: #1 it's a lot of fun, #2 you don't create a masterpiece on your second quilt, and #3 I am ok with #2. I also like that I am not getting irritated or rushing through. Slow and steady is my pace. It takes a lot of DOING to figure out how quilts go together. At least for me it does. I am greatly enjoying reviewing all these books again too. I bought them a year or so ago but had only skimmed them, looking at the pictures.
This time through I am reading more carefully. Marking pages I will need to come back to for reference. So much good stuff in here.
I am hoping to have enough material for my binding using these scraps from the orange family above, and the backing will come from whatever remains of the neutrals combined with these greens and browns below that I bought many years ago for who knows what.
As I work arranging and re-arranging, I think about Aunt Lois and all the generations of women who have made quilts before me. I feel certain they walked back and forth looking and moving and walking away and coming back to look again. Finally telling themselves they have arrived at just the right configuration... and locking it in. Which I am doing tonight. This weekend - the back! Which I am as excited about as the front.
Maybe this will appeal to your sense of history and creativity: Several years ago I gathered orphan blocks, unfinished bits, and scraps of treasured fabrics, and began making pincushions. Now I try to fashion a pincushion from the leftovers of any quilt project. I have a growing collection in a basket, and they have become a sort of journal of my work. They provide a special tactile reminder of past projects (and of where I was when I made them.) Enjoy that process!!!
Posted by: Sharon | 01/20/2017 at 06:49 AM
I can't wait to see your finished quilt top...and then the back and quilt. It's so satisfying to assemble bits and pieces of fabric into one gorgeous creation.
And I love Sharon's idea of a pincushion using scraps of each quilt you make...brilliant!
Posted by: Debbie | 01/20/2017 at 11:02 AM
It's comforting, to me, at least, as well as buoying, to know that even when some things may not be the way I would like them to be, that other things, very meaningful things, continue. Like arranging quilt blocks, choosing yarn, and warping a loom. Not to mention good coffee, conversation and dreaming.
Posted by: Linda Watson | 01/20/2017 at 11:59 AM
quilting is a sort of meditation...to me at least. the choosing of just the right combo of fabrics allows my brain to rest from the more challenging thoughts. focusing on which bright print goes with the perfect neutral is creative relief.
your quilt will be an heirloom.
Posted by: Heidi Sue | 01/23/2017 at 06:21 AM