SOARING STITCHES: CREATIVITY SNIPPETS FOR QUILTERS
By Patricia Belyea
When we’re beginners, we ARE beginners. That’s not a negative thing. Instead it’s a badge of honor because we got started! It’s a big step to move from wanting to do something to actually doing it.
My mentor Maurine Noble mentioned that lots of novices came to her wanting to make king-sized quilts for their beds. From Maurine’s point of view, the first project was a make-or-break affair. If the initial enterprise failed, the person would never return to quiltmaking.
So where does our dearly departed Maurine suggest we start? With a baby quilt, not a masterpiece production. She was interested in beginners experiencing the whole creation of a quilt—choosing a design direction and fabric, making a top and back, pinning the quilt sandwich together, stitching, and binding. Maurine was also a stickler for the final step—labeling a quilt. There’s lots to learn in quiltmaking!
But what if we sped up the process of quiltmaking and learning all the steps? Let’s consider Quilt Sketches—making smaller-sized quilts that explore color, design and composition. Instead of overworking an idea or taking on a huge challenge, we keep things simple.
Of course, making a Quilt Sketch is not a five-minute operation. We still need to finish the quilt as a UFO (unfinished object) would be a burdensome thing. The faster we move with our rookie quiltmaking, the faster we can learn what matches our style and heart.
As Tom Jefferson wrote: The harder I work, the luckier I get. So true for us quiltmakers!
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SOARING STITCHES is a blook (blog book) by Patricia Belyea.
To read the Introduction +click here
To read other Creativity Snippets:Holy Messes +click here
Freedom Makers +click here
