10 Years of Quilty Blogging

Well, it's been 10 years of quilty blogging! Funny how the very first post still holds true. Probably still be trying to talk to myself if it wasn't for all my blogging friends! Here's one of the first quilts that actually made it onto a post. I was super selective back in the early days, terrified of posting too many pics. It's an American Patchwork pattern that seemed pretty intimidating at the time. You know what that means, right? Yep. I was thrilled and feeling proud. Still hangs in my living room today!

2010

I seriously debated whether or not to forge ahead on the anniversary of that first year. There were definitely things that I was struggling with, such as being able to respond easily to comments. {Which thankfully took eons to start rolling in.} They were so wonderfully scary. Hey! Someone commented on my post! People get me!

I've pretty much figured out how to handle that particular dilemma, but others {run on sentences?}, I've completely given up on. Laughing, laughing, laughing.... In fact, it's become a feature, not a bug. How else to write in a conversational tone? After a little bit of trial and error, I think I've finally found my writers voice...

2011

Another thing that I worried about, just a little, was my exuberant quilting process. Transferring all the quilty journal-ling to the blog meant that I had choices to make. Would I continue to simply do an end-of-the-journey wrap up for each quilt?  Or would it be more interesting to write about process all along the way?

2012

Uh huh. I leaned in. Over time, this blog has become even more about the process. Always with the goal of helping me to better understand how to get from A to Z, even if 'Z' isn't really all that clear at the onset. Taking pictures and writing about the creative journey absolutely helps to clarify important details. I tell myself that it helps some of you occasionally too. Maybe that's just justification for endlessly long posts? Whatever. The thing is, for the most part I've gotten way away from using patterns and find great joy in going my own direction. Letting the quilt tell me what it needs/wants, and trying to figure out how to best make that happen.

2013

There has unquestionably been growing pains in the past 10 years. How could there not be? We're literally talking about a decade of quilty blogging adventures! One thing that is very sneaky, but oh-so-real, is the tendency for most of us to want to please others. It can make the most self confident among us want to self edit or try to make everything look good and shiny. 'Here's my amazing masterpiece. Don't you love how it came to be without any hiccups whatsoever?' Or perhaps we start making quilts in the same style that generate the most comments and likes. People are generally very kind, but criticism IS criticism. Bloggers who show the 'warts and all' need to develop a thick skin and learn not second guess every creative decision.

2014

It's a trap, and will only steal our joy. It also leads to paralysis and excruciatingly boring quilts. You know that's the truth! Best to make quilts to please us first, and and then in doing so, we more regularly fill up the well. There starts to be an organic sort of 'flow' from quilt to quilt as we continue in our quest for answers. So much more fun and satisfying in the long term!

2015

And if a few friends come along for the ride? All the better! My very favorite blogs are the ones where the quilters are generous, open and honest about how and where they got to where they were going. Or even more interesting, to where they ended up. Lets hear about the rough starts and missteps along with the cool moments of triumph and victory! Recognizing myself in others 'process' has undoubtedly helped me to become the quilter that I am today. Today's blog posts can be liken to yesteryear's quilting bees where it's easy to help others out just by being real.

2016

Some 'aha' moments were unquestionably monumental in terms of my growth as a serious quilter. So valuable to read about things that didn't make sense in the beginning, but became clear when reading about them through the lens of another quilter. There were things that unnerved me or seemed time wasting. Other things that made me feel inadequate or especially unskilled, even lacking if I didn't share the enthusiasm to 'better' some specific area of my quilting. 

Sharing back and forth with other quilters has enormously helped in clearing up many of those unrealistic expectations and unreasonable 'rules' many of us start out with. Do you know how cheering it was when I realized that there are actually other quilters out there who honestly work better on shhh...., eight or ten open ended projects rather than only one? Huh? This doesn't have to be a guilty little secret?

2017

The virtuous, feel-good crowd {less a problem today than ten years ago} would have you to believe that 'start one, finish one' is the absolute, number one, most rewarding way to do things. Good for you if that is your special zen, but that doesn't work so well for each and every one of us! I get bored almost into a coma and instead of finishing a dozen plus quilts a year, the outcome drops to a pitiful few. 

2018

The funny thing is, many of these ideas have been rendered meaningless simply by admitting to them here on the blog. Or unexpectedly reading a quilter admit that perhaps she doesn't bury her threads. What??? When a few quilters react positively to these confessions, taking the time to say, 'Oh, I do that too', well... then we can shrug off the garbage and get down to the business of making our wonderfully amazing quilts in earnest. 

2018

After a decade of copious {quilty} oversharing here at Quilty Folk, I'm can't say that I'm particularly immune to disagreements and general unhappiness concerning my creative choices. People do tell me once in a blue moon that they personally disagree with a point or two, and oh yeah, that they fear for my sanity. Well, maybe not the sanity part, but you know that is probably implied! 

2019

If I truly want to succeed at making original looking quilts, then I am going to have to take a different path than others once in awhile. It might be hard to understand. It might even make you uncomfortable as to the direction my quilting journey is taking me these days. You might think that what I'm doing is flat out ugly or that I'm wasting my time trying to figure out the color green. That's just the way that it works and I need not take offense. I've stopped following many quilters myself through the years due to diverging interests, and I'm sure others have stopped coming to here for much the same reason. In that same vein, I've started following completely different quilters who maybe didn't resonate with me so much, many years before, but now they do. 

I've learned that the diligent pursuit of individual passions, obsessions and yes, even the rabbit trails of all these various quilting adventures are vital. They are important because they are the very things that lead to finding our true quilting voice. This time I'm speaking to the style, elements, vibe, personality and feel of our quilts. That voice. That almost magical thing that so definitively says, 'This quilt was made by me'. It's truly special and I doubt that I'll ever be able to take it for granted. It's just too hard earned.

2020

It's amazing to look back 10 years and see so much progress. I can't even hardly put it into words! Starting out, it seemed like an almost unfathomable, practically unattainable goal! I'm not 100 percent satisfied, not in the least. Don't think that. There is still lots to learn and explore! I might not be in the 'It' crowd of quilting {some of us sort of float between the most popular genres}, but it has never been my intended destination, that popularity.

Over and over, I have self corrected by reminding myself that a great, robust creative process is absolutely about the DOING. Being present in the quilting room. Pursuing as many ideas that intrigue as possible. Participating in self-made challenges {and also, the occasional community challenge}. Definitely chasing after unique incorporation of many personally beloved quilting elements, whatever they may be. I intend to keep doing exactly that. AND, I want to keep encouraging others to gain confidence in their own creativity and originality. 

Ironically, this moment in time comes with a faint feeling of blogging fatigue. I'm not saying that I want to stop blogging. I think there's just too much crazy in the world for an introvert like me not to get overwhelmed once in awhile. It wears on me. Taking the time for quilty blogging these days feels like a luxury I can ill afford, and yet I thoroughly enjoy reading through other quilters posts every chance that I get. It's like taking a 'time out of time' in terms of current events. Yes, lets do continue to talk quilts and all the things that make us happy. And lets make good quilts. The more the merrier!

Scrap Quilting ABC's: Authenticity--Part 3 of 3

Okay, one more post in this series and then I'll shut up and go back to my regular posting! This is the part about scrap quilting that is very difficult for me to put into words. Most people will tell you that color usage and value are the most important components in scrap quilts. I'm convinced that there's a third equally important component: authenticity. All I can say for sure is this: we recognize it when we see it. It's the part of your quilt that shines forth as genuinely YOU.

Let me give you some examples. All of these quilters have a distinct style and most of it has to do with how they put the details of fabric and color together. When you see their quilts anywhere on the web, you think, 'oh, that's so and so's quilt'. Go have a look at: Molly Flanders, nifty quilts, Quilts By Cheri, blue elephant stitches, and Humble Quilts just to name a few. They have learned to be authentic!

Even from the beginning I realized that there were fabrics that appealed to me more than others, such as plaids. For me, they sort of exemplify the utility and a certain timelessness apparent in antique make-do quilts {my favorite style above all else}. After reading Roberta Hortons 'Plaids and Stripes' book, I rushed to add to my plaid collection. After gathering enough fabrics, I was able to make the quilt below--90 sawtooth star blocks made completely out of plaid fabrics! What an exhilarating finish! And then I realized that making quilts completely from plaid fabrics wasn't really 'me'. It was fun, really interesting and I learned a lot about working with directionals. It just wasn't the whole picture of who I wanted to be as a quilt maker.

My Plaid Stars quilt. LOVE the plaids but
there's too many of them together in one place!

The specifics of the fabrics you use in every single quilt are telling a story, hopefully your story! Take a moment to consider what 'feeling' you want to convey with your scrap quilting. Are you brash and bold? Subtle and blendy? Sweet and heartfelt? Sneaky and unexpected? Whimsical? Adventurous? Playful? 

These are all things that can be communicated through the total package of how you put your quilts together. In part one, I addressed color placement and color families. Think about how colors such as pinks and reds can convey sweetness, passion, power or even rage. Unexpected color combinations can be whimsical, unexpected, or perhaps make your quilt appear vintage . In part two I talked about how value changes can help in creating light spots, energy, motion, even sparkle in your quilts. Learn to let your discriminating eye take advantage of value to say something in your quilts. Does your quilt reflect happiness? Rigid formality? Does it make you want to go on a picnic or curl up with a book?

In this quilt, I chose to use a light colored plaid in the background because
it reminds me of a well worn shirt. I wanted the quilt to feel comfortable and
well loved. I used browns to ensure that the quilt isn't pretentious even though
it has a more complicated pattern.The reds have a bit of 'cherry' in them so
they won't have that contemporary look that often feels reserved.
The warmer red brings it down to earth, making it more inviting and cozy. 

Letting your unique self be on display through scrap quilting may seem kind of crazy at first. Think about it this way. Nobody will ever be able to put fabric and color together quite like you do! Why not celebrate that? Take that fabric 'love' that is compelling you to be a quilter and enjoy the freedom of expressing yourself in a totally unique and genuine way!

A really easy way to further develop your personal style in a quilt is through the details of the fabric print itself. Have you ever purposely made a quilt for a man and thought about how to make it more masculine? Made sure not to use any flower prints? There are ways to combine prints that emphasize personality.

All the light colored fabrics in this quilt were chosen because they have a
very soft look. I wanted the prints to be very sweet, light and almost
romantic when paired with the reds. Not cheesy romantic, but like a quilt
you would want to curl up with in at a vacation home somewhere off by
yourself, maybe have a bit of a cry and have everything feel better.

If you're not already, start making a conscious effort to buy small pieces of fabric you love or that pull on your heartstrings. Bring them home and mix them into your stash. Whenever you're in the mood to make a scrap quilt, go to your stash first and start pulling a large selection of fabric. Don't immediately run down to the quilt store to buy more of a certain color. There's probably something in your stash that could work if you only put your mind to it. The fabric in your stash is more YOU at the moment than a brand new piece from the store. I'm not sure why that is, but trust me, your fabrics often need to come home and live with the rest of the family for awhile before they settle in properly!

These fabrics are mostly reproduction style prints or plaids that reminded of
those gorgeous mums we see in the fall. All the lovely summer color
 is dying back and then there's these beautiful pops of color, saying
'look at me!' Color doesn't have to be extravagant to be beautiful. The
creamy white remind me of those pretty, frosty fall mornings.

After you pull some fabrics that look and feel good together, fold them into neat stacks of color families and value. Stack them up and let them simmer for awhile. Then drag them back out for another play. This gives your subconscious, your instincts and that wonderfully artistic eye of yours time to decide what's missing, what needs to be emphasized, the color that could best be the sparkle, or if a certain color will look better in a different style print or hue.

In the geese block, I kept coming back to the idea that some of the fabrics
needed to be more 'aggressive' than others, whether in color or in print.
Finally I just quit fighting the idea and went with it. If the geese want to
squabble a little for dominance, who am I to argue?

For some of us, this time to simmer or marinate is an important fine-tuning step that helps everything gel or 'click' into place. It make us take the time to ensure that color, fabric, and print combination feel comfortable and right. I've heard some people call it 'curating', but for me, it's more about giving the fabrics time to talk. Are the fabrics squabbling like little kids or are they high fiving each other wanting to move on to the good stuff? Only you have the answer to that question! Don't rush through the process every single time. Some quilts take longer than others to germinate, much less to bloom.

These fabrics were pulled out of my scrap bin, but I dug deep
in order to get the feel that I wanted: cheerful, friendly and
somewhat whimsical. This basket ended up feeling very fun and
playful to me, mostly because of the combination of prints and color.

Remember, not all of our quilts are going to the be exact same colors or evoke the same response. For one thing, we are moody creatures. I'm not always in the mood to make a cheerful quilt and I doubt you are either! And too, I rarely ever actually put a name to the feelings I'm trying to convey at the start of building the fabrics and quilt ideas. There is just a feeling in my gut that says, 'No, not that fabric' or 'Yes! That fabric is perfect.' And then, after all the fabric is pulled together and I'm cutting it or sewing it, {sometimes hand quilting it if I'm slow to understand}, the actual 'feeling' of the quilt starts sinking in and I'm delighted by the story it's telling me.

Every time I work on these log cabin blocks, I feel so much emotion. The fabrics
are very soft in color, but the prints have a lot of energy. That contradiction
is extremely compelling to me and I'm so eager to see where this quilt is taking me,
what story of mine it wants to tell!

Be aware that our friends and family are not always completely comfortable with the story we are {sometimes inadvertently} telling through our quilt making. They get accustomed to a certain distinctive style that we have developed and perhaps it feels easy and happy to them. Then we change, grow, stretch ourselves a bit and suddenly we are making a quilt that makes them feel uncomfortable for some unfathomable reason! Perhaps it's darker and moodier or maybe it's not that at all. It could be a bright, graphic and modern look that is making them squirm. Don't worry about what others think! If you're making what feels good and right to you, they will quickly catch up and realize that the new style is just another side of you. In fact, it's probably been there all along and you're just finally getting around to giving it a proper voice.

These fabrics were put together in a formulaic way for a QAL
I did with some friends--same quilt, different outcome sort of thing.
It feels like a quilt that would be taken to the lake when it's 100 degrees
outside. The only problem is, I would be the girl hugging the shade, applying
my fourth application of sunscreen and whining about the heat. It's
entirely too cheerful and shallow in depth to feel like a proper ME quilt!

Because of the open and free-sharing ways of the internet especially, we can all be guilty of getting caught up in trying to put fabrics and colors together in a way that isn't truly us, not down deep where it matters. Quilting to please or impress is a no-win situation because we will eventually lose our joy in the process and feel a disconnect to what we are making. The very fact that scrap quilting involves using lots of different pieces of fabrics, gives us the ability to have a greater amount of detail, layers, depth, plus authenticity in our quilts.

Don't ever be afraid to 'be genuine' no matter how awkward it might feel initially. The quilts that we get the most pleasure out of {even if they end up being given away}, are the ones that have us embedded in every little part of them. And too, interest is interest! I'd rather have five people standing in front of my quilt at the local quilt show discussing why they don't like it, than one hundred people file past with just one quick, little disinterested glance. If there is something so very compelling about my quilt that actually people stop and look at it, then I've got to be doing something right!