My Quilt Journey

Inspiration is everywhere - in images, natures, themes, family, photographs, family, and in the imagination.  My house is my studio, my fabric, machines and supplies are supposed to be dedicated to the first spare bedroom, however that is not the case.  The fabric, half-finished works, and hand drawn patterns have spilled into the living room, dining room, and second spare bedroom as well as the third bedroom (when my youngest college daughter is away at school) where I lay out quilt tops to make the quilt sandwich. I prefer machine quilting 99% of the time.  

Sometimes I start out with a theme such as love, women, nature, or life. I think about how I feel about the topic and begin sketching.  I am not a great artist but I do okay.  If I get stuck creating original art, I might look to google.  If it is a celebrity I’m inspired to quilt, I do an internet search or use a magazine.  Once I decide, the quilt may take on a life of its own, meaning what I start with my imagination may not be what I end up with, which can be a serendipitous surprise.  

I often create art quilts so once I’ve decided what to work on I thin of potential colors, then I hit the stacks of material to see what I think I am feeling.  I really try to use what I have on hand, however I sometimes have to hit the quilt shop in person or online for that just right fabric.

If I cannot dedicate a block of time to quilting daily, I will settle for 15 minutes which is better than nothing.  I’ll take what I can get which is why I love snow days! I always want to quilt but life happens which often means church, work, or cooking.  My three daughters are grown so I now have more time for art.  I donate some of that “free” time to dates with my husband but he secretly knows, “I’d rather be quilting!” I am aware of where I need growth, so I also dedicate time to learning through my guilds, online, classes, or books.