Tuesday, June 28, 2016

A Webinar and a W.i.P.

This post is two-fold in that I wanted to tell you about something, yet before I managed that, it inadvertently affected something else, also worth telling.


So Sunday morning, the Seattle MQG experienced a first. Our Vice President of Programs, Allison, somehow managed to arrange a webinar between us and Karen Lewis, screen-printer and fabric designer of Blueberry Park. Now I don't really expect to take up screen-printing anytime soon, but I thoroughly enjoyed the webinar just the same. It's always interesting to hear the story of a crafter's journey, and Karen's was no exception. In fact, she was really inspiring. She talked about her screen-printing process and how hard work pays off ..... the fact that there are no short-cuts to building skills - it takes practice, practice, practice. She talked about how she sometimes minimizes her response when asked what she does by answering simply, "I make things." But what really struck me was her encouragement to "never say never, and don't be afraid to change directions" and most of all, "don't be afraid of getting it wrong."


Which is exactly what I was afraid of that morning. I'd shared a work-in-progress on Instagram the night before, honestly hoping for some clue if my project was headed in a good direction, or totally 'off'. It was met with mixed reviews, and I kept debating with myself where to take it next, or whether to just stop, or at least stop for now.


But after Karen's "don't be afraid of getting it wrong" statement, I think I actually said out loud, "I'm just going to do it." Meaning I was going to keep those improv X blocks I liked so much, sew them onto the improv lines block I was afraid I'd ruin, and see what happened.


So for better or worse, I moved forward with the design that was simmering in my mind. Karen had reminded me that whatever it became didn't need to be perfect. It didn't even need to work at all. With this project, on this day, I just needed to do it.


So I've since added a third 'border' of improv squares and then some, and I hope to start quilting yet this week. It's been an uncertain path. But sometimes you just have to make and see where it takes you.

18 comments:

  1. Brilliant! Love your process going on in your head and what you share. You are always so inspiring and though slightly hesitant you always persevere and to glorious results! Love this piece.

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  2. I LOVE it, very very much!

    Liebe Grüße,
    Mond

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  3. all of your work is so uniquely yours! I love that. and I love your lack of fear to try something different.

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  4. Great attitude! I need to practice it more with my own sewing. Your third border just adds the right touch to the rest of the unique design. Lovely!

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    1. That was my reaction too. I was 'meh' at two, but three made it really cool. And I love the starter part. Claire aka knitnkwilt.wordpress.com

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  5. To me it looks very, very good! Keep on piecing and quilting :-)
    Cheers from Belgium.

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  6. I love the addition of that third border. I think your creative mind is a wonderful thing to watch come to life.

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  7. Debbie I am so pleased that my talk inspired you enough to take the plunge o something you weren't sure about. You don't know how that has made my day! You quilt is really stunning and keep on doing the thing you are most fearful of getting wrong...normally, like your quilt, wonderful things grow from it! x

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  8. Karen gave such good advice, and you followed-through beautifully! I do like what you're doing, and I think you're on the right track. However, I also know it's not easy to "just do it" as you did. At the moment I'm more in Karen's camp of "don't be afraid to change directions" which is why I am unsewing all the blocks I recently made. I'm hoping "hard work pays off" and that I'll end up with something I like. But lucky you to get to hear this webinar! Am I right in guessing it was her warm-up to her QuiltCon East workshop?

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  9. I so love this project. As a long time fan of Karen's it is so cool that she inspired you to continue with your idea.

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  10. I was the same as some other comments. I liked the first photo and then with the X addition I was not so much but that third border was brilliant and pulled everything together perfectly......love the final look!

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  11. Love what you have going on there and that you stuck with it. This is such a valuable lesson and one I need to learn. I can get too hung up on wasting valuable fabric. Better to do more and think less in my case even though that sounds strange.

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  12. Great advice I need to remember! I'm not as fond of the X's, but that final border pulled everything together so nicely!

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  13. Thanks for sharing Karen's advice and I think what you've done so far on this is wonderful! Kudos to you for just going for it!

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  14. I like it. Kind of Gee's Bend-ish maybe?

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  15. That third border was a great solution! Lately, when I feel unsure or stuck with a design,my motto has been "Start". With improv, you never know what is going to happen until you get in there and do the work. Sometimes it helps me to remind myself that there are lots of directions it could go

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  16. I'm not hugely fussed about improv generally, but with each new element I found myself liking your quilt more and more... I am quite smitten with it now :)

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  17. I love this one! I'm sorry I missed the webinar. we didn't have internet this year!! Crazy! :) I love the improv and the different layers!

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