Full circle

That happens to me too, Michelle. Just now, I'm in a 'I don't want to quilt at all' mood. I'm making flannel gowns, receiving blankets and, of course, burp pads. There's a purple polka-dotted mountain of 'good enough to eat' Northcott flannel newborn needs all over the place. I am not faithful. Quilting is not my only love. Promiscuous? At my age? Ridiculous. Polly

tempermental to boot? no wonder it got tempermental, who wouldnt if it was being booted all day. do we get pix of your new found love.

ever tried 3D curves? take a sq, fold on the diagonal, lay on top of another sq, raw edges together, fold laying on the diagonal.. pin in place, roll edge of fold back over itself a wee bit and stitch in place. gives some lovely curves to play with. layer two folded sqs on one background sq, folds touching in the middle, roll the edges back and reveal whatever the sq behind is. 4 patch, hst (crossways to the fold), mixed and matched colours, there are some interesting possibilitys already. looks much like an orange peel or pumpkin seed or various other names that shape has acquired.. j.

"Michelle C." wrote ... Had a quilting realization yesterday--I've come full circle. When I first started quilting, I did everything by hand because I didn't know much about using a sewing machine, and mine was temperamental to boot.

When I finally got a good sewing machine, I vowed to become comfortable with it, and was happy that it would enable me to make the quilt ideas I have in my head a reality in a more timely fashion.

Okay, now I have become comfortable with machine, and I can make blocks more quickly. So far so good. Then I tried my hand at FMQ (with a lot of help and support from you wonderful RTCQers). It was a challenge, and I came to realize that while I needed lots of practice, and I suspected that there might be some sewing machines that were better for FMQ than my current machine. Started thinking about eventually investing in another machine (one with a bigger harp, etc.).

At about the same time, I started my first new hand-piecing project in years. (It has curved pieces, and I always do curves by hand.) It suddenly hit me. Although I always enjoy quilting, I was enjoying the handwork more than any quilting I'd done in years. Hmmmm.

I'm now finishing up any machine quilting related projects I already have started, and in the future plan to only do hand piecing and quilting. Full circle, eh?

No worries about my machine though. I'm tinkering around with making my own clothes patterns. So far, I've done only simple things--a couple of nightshirts and a dress. I'm quite pleased with the results though. So my sewing machine will not be neglected. :-)

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada

i bet those gators have a few storys to tell about your escapades. j.

"Polly Esther" wrote ... That happens to me too, Michelle. Just now, I'm in a 'I don't want to quilt at all' mood. I'm making flannel gowns, receiving blankets and, of course, burp pads. There's a purple polka-dotted mountain of 'good enough to eat' Northcott flannel newborn needs all over the place. I am not faithful. Quilting is not my only love. Promiscuous? At my age? Ridiculous. Polly

"Michelle C." wrote ...

On Sep 16, 9:47=A0pm, "Michelle C." wrote:

I find that returning to the "roots" of a skill is very rewarding. Sometimes I do a woodworking project entirely by hand, even though I have a room full of power machinery that would make the project quicker and, in some cases, more accurate, at least as to outcome. Although, it might lack the store bought look of mass produced, machine made products. There is an almost primal pleasure out of doing something the slow, and "old fashioned" way. For the last three or four months, I have only used the Bernina Treadle conversion, to do all of my sewing. Both clothing and quilting. I have other machines, but find I am getting greater satisfaction with the results, and the experience, and see no need to reintroduce those other machines into the process. They are all sitting in their boxes, in an upstairs closet. Is it an attack of Ludditesm? I really don't know or care. I do know that I am enjoying myself, and lets face it. Isn't that what this whole thing is all about? I think we can get caught up in the chase after the newest, more complex, costliest, and speediest machine, as a way of doing something, to the detriment of our enjoyment of the experience. It is fun to get new tools and use them and gain a new skill. But, as to total satisfaction, maybe if you get the most pleasure out of doing something a simpler way, and produce less volume of items, it might just be the the best way for you to approach this whole thing of personal satisfaction. That is what I have found works best for me. Maybe you have come to a similar conclusion. I guess we all have to find our own level of enjoyment, and just go with it.

John

John

Ooh your purple-polka dot flannel does sound yummy!

Best regards, Michelle > That happens to me too, Michelle. Just now, I'm in a 'I don't want to

Ha! It didn't get booted enough imo!

Eventually. I'm cutting and piecing for another quilt like my Lady Liberty (I'm not sure of the block name--I always call it Sunburst), and I'm cutting for another Drunkard's Path. Will do a different layout than last one I made.

Sounds intriguing! Yes, there are other curved block quilts I hope to do, along with some applique.

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada

Hi John,

Good example about the hand wood work, John. I think you've captured exactly the feeling I'm having about hand-piecing and quilting. I enjoy the fabrics, and the art of putting them together. I don't know why the sewing machine diminishes that for me, but it just does. Interestingly enough, since I enjoy doing the hand-piecing, I'm actually making more blocks on my new project, than an older one that I'm doing on the machine. So maybe in the long run, I'll actually be more prolific. ;-)

As soon as it cools off, I'm going to start hand-quilting the Scrappy Star I'd intended to use to learn to do free motion quilting. I love the free motion quilting of some of our really talented RTCQers, but the fact remains, I can make all of those lovely feathers hand-quilting and without the steep learning curve.

Luddites Unite! ;-)

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada

Very enlightening thread. Thanks.

EP

One of the best books on hand quilting is Jinny Beyer's "Quiltmaking by Hand". You probably have heard of it, and maybe even own it. What a wonderful thought provoking display of technique and accomplishment, to say nothing of inspiration. If not, you should get it and become even more inspired to continue on your hand crafted journey. Even though I don't do any hand quilting, of any kind, the book is still an inspiration as to what can be accomplished.

As a matter of fact, I don't have that book. Thanks for the tip!

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada