Creative Life Sampler

Thought for today                    … Things won are done;                 joy’s soul lies in the doing .                                           William Shakespeare                ...what more can be said? When a project is finished, it's great to take the time to appreciate "the win," of the accomplishment. But for continued joy, progress, and fulfillment let's "up and be doing!" 

... And Here It Is... Qualities 8/2019-2/2020 I so enjoyed piecing two words to contribute to the Ventura Modern Quilt Guild's charity quilt that I was inspired to keep experimenting with text in fabric. In August, I chose "creativity" for my first word. The last word was "originality." With the final stitch to the binding, a seven month project is finished. To be honest, my "joy" charity quilt block was chosen for it's brevity as well as it's meaning. But, as I worked on it, I started thinking about the joys in my life. That got me thinking of qualities I identified with, qualities I value, and qualities I would like to express more. The list grew quite long and the quilt dimensions kept expanding. Eventually I had to stop at 40 words and leave the rest for another day. This is the most personal quilt I've ever created. Each word speaks to me. As I thought about how to create them in fabric, it was natural to experiment wi...

Before the Final Reveal The joining of the two halves of the text quilt was a success. Yellow topped pins stand out and lead the way on this hem job. With the right sides of the two tops facing each other, they were seamed leaving the batting free. The edges of batting from the two halves were then aligned to lay flat and a flap on the back was sewn in place to cover the batting on the back of the quilt. This is definitely a "sampler" quilt; a lot of experimenting was going on here. Some words are "pieced," meaning pieces of fabric are joined together to build the letter/word: These letters are based on a hexagon. Others are appliquéd, or a combination of appliqué and piecing: Or reverse appliquéd: The wrong side of a reverse appliquéd letter. And there are a few things to note before I show the completed text quilt. I'll start by saying "Mistakes were made." For instance, I thought that these two fabrics would be inter...

VMQG Charity Quilt This is not my quilt, (but I did contribute two blocks to it, as a member of the Ventura Modern Quilt Guild),... VMQG Charity Quilt 2020 and this project inspired me to create the text quilt I am just finishing up now. The theme for the quilt was the "spirit of giving". The prompt for block submissions was to "express what making and giving quilts means to you and our guild" in a word or phrase. It came together beautifully through the creative efforts of the many talented members of our guild. This piece and charity quilts from other guilds will be displayed in Austin, Texas at the annual modern quilt show, QuiltCon, Feb 20-23. When it returns to us it will take on its purpose of blessing a charitable organization in the  community. I'll keep you posted on its journey. Check out this link if you're wondering which two words were my contributions: https://creativelifesampler.blogspot.com/2019/09/new-guild-member-2-of-2-my-fi...

Text Quilt Update I don't know that I will want to make another quilt in the grey scale any time soon, so I've used leftover fabrics for the backing. This project is being quilted in two parts because it is less cumbersome for working on my domestic machine. With easier manipulation of the piece, I can add more details to the quilting designs. The first half is finished now and the second is coming along well. The three outside edges on each half will be trimmed to match. Extra fabric and batting have been left where they will be seamed at the center and, after they are joined together, that space will be quilted as well. I have only done this once before so,... we'll see how it goes.

Originality Letters for the final word in my text quilt Original : belonging or pertaining to the origin or beginning of something               capable of or given to thinking/acting in an independent, creative, or individual manner               presented for the first time               new               fresh               novel I've been thinking about what it means to be "original" lately. Once an artist in any art form has  developed a proficiency with their medium, the desire to create something really unique naturally follows. The urge to express our individuality can be quite a motivator in creating. No doubt the modern phenomenon of viral trend setters and "influencers" began with individuals who just wanted to express their unique style or vision. But few genuine trail blazers have ...

Linen Closet- " I Spy" Quilts "I Spy" quilt measures approx. 53 inches square  With all the quilt history I've been absorbing lately, it's become apparent that, like so many other aspects of culture, there are trends and "fads" in quilting. Quilts are a reflection of the era in which they were created; themes, patterns, techniques, and fabrics go in and out of vogue like everything else in life. You will remember the "I Spy" children's books that were so popular in the 90's. Well, quilters naturally embraced this theme for their work. It makes sense that it would appeal to them, given the countless hours families have enjoyed searching heirloom quilt tops for favorite swatches and familiar fabrics from a loved one's wardrobe. With this new inspiration, quilters drew from the many novelty fabrics available to create pieces that deliberately encourage the "I Spy" experience. These quilts were created in...