Friday, June 6, 2014

In Between Quilts


Ugh. I really don't like being in between quilt projects. The start of a new project is the toughest thing for me... coming up with inspiration, maybe being tired from the last quilt, trying to decide if I feel like something simple or complex... so many stumbling blocks.  And GUILT - did I mention guilt?! 

I have piles and boxes of scraps - these are just from my strip pieced landscapes.  I have piles of squares left over from when I made watercolor quilts as well.  All that fabric, I can't face it so I box it up and hide it under a table in my sewing room, lol.

This enormous pile is on an old 60 inch wide table cloth if you can believe it.



I keep telling myself that I will use up my scraps, that I SHALL conquer the strips... and this summer is D-Day as it were.  So, my blog will probably be pretty boring for a while.  If anyone has bright ideas for me, PLEASE holler!

Otherwise, I'm going to string piece blocks using these strips. Thousands of blocks. I was thinking of doing something for the National Quilt Museum's Nine Patch exhibition, so maybe inspiration will percolate through my mindless sewing and watching of old movies.

Every year the quilt museum has a contest about new quilts from old favorites. It is a neat idea isn't it? Looking at old blocks and updating them and using them in new ways.  Here is a link - National Quilt Museum, New Quilts from Old Favorites in case you are interested.

In the meantime, I think  I'll rearrange my sewing room so my ironing board is right next to my sewing machine and that both face the TV.  It will be old movie time in the basement this summer!  Why old movies? Because I've seen them so many times I only have to look up at the good parts. (The kisses, the longing looks... lol. I like romance movies).

You know, there was a time 20? years ago when I watched Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth) at least a bit during every quilt I made.  It was a tradition for me. Hmm. Maybe this summer won't be so bad after all!


Sigh

Comments and ideas are welcome, begged and pleaded for! Lol.

4 comments:

  1. I don't know what you mean about being "between quilts". :) I currently have 5 quilts that are in various stages of completion. Plus a few more that I have the fabric for and haven't cut yet. And I REALLY need to make some quilts using all the leftover fabric from other projects...

    Have a good summer!

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  2. Oh, you must be one of THOSE quilters who have UFOs, LOL. If I can't finish a quilt it is because I hate it and it ends up being stuffed in a box and buried with its siblings under a cabinet in a deep dark place where no one can ever find it...

    Seriously though, there are probably benefits to having other projects in stages... maybe I wouldn't get sick of one project so quickly if I didn't have to work on it daily until it was done. I hope you have a good summer too, Wendy!

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  3. Hi Cathy, I'm new to your blog and so I'm reading from the beginning. I'm not sure if you will even see this comment, but I have to ask, why are you feeling guilty? I'm curious because sometimes I feel guilty for spending so much time on a quilt and have to ask my husband if he is feeling neglected. He always answers no and says he enjoys watching my progress. I love landscapes and I want to convert some of my vacation photos into quilts.

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    1. Oh, just guilt that I have so much fabric already and I'm not doing anything with it. Guilt because sometimes I think it's never enough, lol.
      My hubby can feel neglected at times too, it's all about balance isn't it? Balancing all the things we have to do and yet making our quilting time a thing of importance. I hope you have fun trying out various landscape quilt making techniques!

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