Thanks for the comments on the pink quilt. I don't know the name of the pattern, it was a doodle on graph paper, along with about four variations that didn't make it past the trial block stage. I did the quilting myself on a Janome 4000, and the pattern was from one of Keryn's pattern packs which I'm too lazy to go and look up. Care to tell us Keryn?
This is a quilt my local patchwork group made as a fundraiser recently. Everyone joined in the piecing and I quilted the finished top. It's reversible, and I can't decide which side I like more. I did it very simply, a wavy crosshatch in the main part and a very easy leaf shape in the little border.
I'm still plugging away at my blocks and they're looking very nice, but the leader -ender blocks are so simple they're enticing me away from the matter in hand. Didn't I want to put time and effort into something worthwhile and soul satisfying? Somehow the heap of bias seams in the 'nice' block have none of the appeal of the hundreds of little 2" seams that just zip through the machine like no-one's business. Concentrate! Focus! This is going to be a 'good' quilt, remember?
It makes me realise how much I love the 'process' of what I do. I rarely think of the finished product, nor do I have a
specific purpose for it. I don't NEED more quilts, or handmade socks but that doesn't even give me pause to think when I'm deciding what to do next. I've had some people say to me that they've got a quilt on every bed, so they don't need to do any more. It makes me go cold all over to think I'd have to justify my sewing like that!
Keryn and I were saying the other day that if we end up in a nursing home together we'd be fine as long as they let us have some pointy objects to keep our hands busy- knitting needles, sewing needles, pins.....whatever.
My auntie was the last of ten children during the depression and money was very scarce. At school she did sewing and craft and they had to learn to knit. She duly got her ball of wool and needles and made a scarf, a hat and a pair of socks, one after the other. At the end of term the teacher wanted all the objects bought in to be marked, and Gwenda had to explain that her parents couldn't afford more wool, so she'd unpulled the scarf to make the hat and unpulled the hat to make the socks..... I think if I had just one ball of wool I'd do that too, the making is more important than the result!
9 comments:
What a great story about reusing things! I like the purple quilt - reversable quilts are so cool!
Thanks for shareing the reversible quilt. That is a great idea. The more I see YBR or TT quilts, I think - great back or great way to make a reversible quilt...
what a wonderful charity quilt to have made -- the reversible really gives the recipient some power of at least choosing what side they prefer in a world where they often feel powerless...
I love the purple quilt. It's my DD's favorite color. And making it reversible was a great idea.
When I was a child, my Mom tried to teach me to knit. I got as far as knit and purl to make a scarf. Since she didn't want to waste wool, I had to pull it out and reuse it over again. I had forgotten about that until I read your post. Thanks for the memories.
I'm with you - I'm a total process person. It's always interesting to watch the people in a quilting class, because it's easy to tell who are the process people and who are the product people. I very rarely finish a project from a class because all I wanted from the class was to learn the process. By the time I learned the process I usually hated the fabrics I'd chosen to use. Somehow they never seemed to be the most suitable ones for the finished project LOL!
Loved the story about the yarn.
I agree with you - the process of creation is a bit like making a den to play in when you were a kid. It's making the den out of branches and bushes and whatever that is interesting, once it's built it's no fun anymore!
Ohh, I like the front AND back of that reversible quilt. It would be so difficult to pick which side I wanted 'up' on the bed... lol
The quilt is fantastic. Do you know the name of the pattern in the first pic? I'd really like to try it.
Also, love the knitting story. As a knitter myself, I would do the same thing, undoing one project to make the next. It's all about having my soul soothed by the movement of the hands.
Thanks for sharing!
I'm am having trouble leaving comments so I hope this one takes.
I am just getting cought up on my reading of blogs for Aug. It has been a busy month for me. Pluse we went on a little vacation. So this is what I have to say about your Aug blogs:
1) I am sorry to hear about your Mom. I know how hard that can be. I found in my similar situation that precious little moments like your Sun Set ritual are important.
2) LOVE the Pink & White quilt; I would not have thought that combination would have looked so eligent yet gential.
3) The fund raiser quilt should bring a fair amount. It is so lovely.
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