I’m upstairs now in my sewing haven cutting up some coveted fabric collections and sewing them back together. I boast in Fifty-Two Tuesdays that I’m all about using the good stuff. But sometimes I think I should experiment with less desirable fabric, “in case I mess it up.” How’s that for a negative self image?
I watched Katie Fowler (www.katiefowler.net) on the The Quilt Show (www.thequiltshow.com) yesterday. I, like many audience members, was astounded as she cut up her beautiful quilt. “Dramatic” is not strong enough to describe that episode.
Katie has mastered many quiltmaking techniques and is a creativity coach, helping others to “find their voice”. Subsequent to the show (#1807) with Alex and Ricky, she revisited them to share the finished product of her cut up quilt in its new life. Today I watched a skype session between Alex and Katie. They discussed our reluctance to “untie the bow” on coveted stacks of fabric.
Inspired, yes I am. Their conversation has me pressing and cutting and resewing some beautiful woven art. Kaffe Fassett prints, shot cottons, and stripes have made their way off the shelf and are headed into a familiar pattern with a twist. What fun!
I realize that my quilts I love the most are those in which I dared to explore the unknown with treasured fabrics. GBI Blues, Indigo Pearadise, and Miss Lily’s Baskets are three examples. All are in the gallery.
A personal design note: Though these fabrics “go together” in that they are parts of distinct fabric groups, they are not from one collection. They span several releases of Kaffe’s over the years. And I pulled some other fabrics, too (non-Kaffe stripes, something that “reads” solid, other big bold prints). When I do use a designer’s collection, I usually spice it up with some outliers. Joanna Figueroa (www.figtreequilts.com) advises 85% collection/15% stash. I don’t analyze, but I’d say that’s about right.
I, too, have such reluctance to put some of my favorites under the “knife”. Though maybe not so exotic as some of your collections, consisting mostly of my Civil War prints, I know that once they’re sliced up and repurposed, I can’t get them back again! So afraid I’ll see a pattern or have an idea and think “Oh! I know what fabric would have been perfect for that!” So, that mentality just drives me to collect more pieces, in case I have to use some of them! I do tend to stretch my favorites out and set them into more than one quilt, especially a scrappy one.
I know! Why do we think there won’t be any more? I’ve got to use some of the precious stuff so I can justify restocking my supply.