WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR QUILTING INSPIRATION ???

[Judy M.]

At my guild meeting last Wednesday, the speaker, Pat Grago, gave a FABULOUS trunk show. I was SO inspired by her quilts--they were all traditional, but so beautiful. It stirred up the old excitement I've always felt when I work on traditional blocks or see them. I realized that this is MY style. It was a real turning point for me. It freed me from feeling that I NEED to do more trendy work.

[Annette R.]

Judy, good for you. to recognize and be willing to embrace what your "style" is is a wonderful accomplishment.

I felt that way when I discovered convergences and recognized that most traditional things were not my style. I am moving back some as I am making three quilts this summer that all have squares and sashing strips and two are set on point (well take that back only two have sashing strips and they are the ones on point) The third one is a baby quilt with pieced squares on the back and a whole cloth circus picture on the front that I am trying to free motion quilt. I am learning that I probably won't free motion anything bigger than the baby quilt unless I upgrade to a machine that I can set in a table or build a new table for the motorhome and my machines. It is too much of a struggle even with the extension table that I have for my Viking. I just don't have a big enough surface. So those are the lessons I have learned this summer. But I am not going to jeopordize my reputation as the maverick quilter just yet because even these quilts have some particularly "Ann" quirks.

But this thread is inspiration so will tell you my latest. This mornings sermon and the theme song words from the EDGE of NIGHT soap opera (did you know it had words I didn't) the words talk about half day and half night half light and half dark lonely hearts and circles of frustration. A quilt is brewing in my mind . If you want to see all the words for the song, Google Edge of Night and there will be a topic that lists theme song and go to that and you can get the words. Maybe I will include them in a blog when I get my quilt sketched and fabrics picked. But that may take a while. Ann (#1 entry for Monday and if I counted right Judy you have four entries for Monday already and it is only 1:30 a.m. )probably a record

[Annette R.]

I get my inspiration from many places. Lately, I've been trying to create quilts based on my watercolor paintings. I did one that I simple love (its on my profile), but when I try to do others in this style, they just don't work. For a few years I was totally traditional with traditional blocks and fabrics. Now, when I see a quilt in a magazine or online that I like, I ask myself what it is about the quilt that appeals to me. It is usually the color and value (darks and lights). I find that most of us use a lot of neutral fabrics and forget about the sparkle that comes from well-placed darks and lights. Jan P.

[Eileen K.]

I wish I could remember if/what I wrote on this topic but it's gone. I'll just have to go on from here.
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

I have just started a quilt for my Mom it was going to be a rhapsody. Now I am not so sure. The medallion turned out excellent. Too good actually (if that is possible). The problem is now I don't want to do what I had planned for the rest of the quilt because I am afraid I won't look right. So now I am in inspiration limbo so to speak.

[Eileen K.]

I'm finding lots of inspiration on Sharon Schamber's web site. I've learned a lot already. I just finished quilting a charity quilt practicing the 4 basic patterns that she recommends beginning with, and by the end of the quilt, I was getting more comfortable with it. It's best viewed without glasses, though, I need many hours more practice before I'll be able to do what I want to do, and as well as I want to do it. Maybe by the end of the year.

Pat in Rockport, TX, free-motion quilting on treadles.

[Eileen K.]

Free motion on treadles....wow.

[Eileen K.]

I just returned from an almost month-long trip to Turkey. From the first day, I started taking pictures of patterns that made me think of quilting. Now I'm working on putting together a slide show type presentation for my guild, and find I have over 125 pictures! I'll put one or two of the best ones on my profile for you. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll see that you get the whole presentation when it's finished. (I'll probably use Power Point, unless someone recommends a better software.)

[Sandy F.]

The pictures were awesome and I very inspiring. I was looking at space pictures on MSNBC this morning and was struck by the color combinations. They called some of them 'false color satellite images' but they were beautiful images.

[karen f.]

The pictures do inspire quilting thoughts for sure. I find myself looking at floors a lot too and probably am missing other good stuff like you say.

Karen

[Frances L.]

Karen,
I too look at floors a lot. When I'm in churches in Europe, I am often taking pictures of the floors when others are taking pictures of the stained glass windows. I take pictures of the windows also. We were in Yosemite once and my daughter was in the bathroom for almost 10 minutes. When I went in looking for her, she was sketching the floor (yes, she's a quilter too). I took a class in Houston two years ago with Christine Porter who has a book of designs based on cathedral floors.
Frances in warm, humid Austin

[Eileen K.]

Rachel,
What about Ricky's new book of urns, etc? Would something like that help you?
Karen,
I've found looking at floors helps and so do wrought iron fences/gates.
eileenkny

[karen f.]

I LOVE wrought iron work! I have a whole bunch of photos taken and books from various vacations over the last many years that I've been planning to turn into a wallhanging sometime in the future. The whole idea isn't done brewing up in my head yet.
Karen