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A Step Forward in Quilting   (3 of 3)

 Of course, in those early days I was juggling illustration projects with building a home and family. Quilting was a fun distraction which blossomed in to a creative outlet; one that needed to fit into the spare moments of free time in every day life.

It was some years after I became interested in quilting that I heard of "stitching in the ditch" and used it on a quilt in 1993. This was the first quilt where I actually purchased coordinated fabrics with a purpose: the queen sized bed in our peach guest room needed a cover!


The "stitch in the ditch" method of quilting involves stitching along the seams of the blocks. This tacks the quilt top to the back at the lines of the blocks' design. Stitching along the seam means less batting migration. The center is more stable and pretty much stays in place- at least compared to the tie method of finishing a quilt. In this case the perimeter of the blocks are outlined, not the individual strips within the blocks. (This shows up on the reverse side as a grid.) It has held up very well over time.

 The peach quilt pattern was inspired by Marti Mitchell's book, mentioned in a post from 3/29/18:
 https://creativelifesampler.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-peak-in-linen-closet-through-years.html
Her tips on construction took my projects to the next level... and there I was content for many projects to come. When I look at this quilt now, I see hints of the early marriage quilt, and I can see why I was drawn to this pattern. But this endeavor brought a sense of order and planning. I was introduced to the concept of considering the quilt as a whole and working on a cohesive look.

 I mention these early efforts as illustrations of how one person's work evolved over time. As one gets comfortable with a skill in their discipline, they gain confidence. This confidence opens them up to new skills and expanding horizons. Fresh inspiration and influences add to the level of sophistication and enhance the quality of one's work each step of the way. Never let frustration, or discouragement with not being at the highest level of achievement, get in the way of progressing forward. Remember it's the journey that can be the most rewarding aspect of creating.



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