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| When stuck for photos a gratuitous cat photo always comes in handy.... I ordered some more foundation papers (I found Legal size - what fun!) from amazon and they came in a massive big box full or brown paper. Paper happiness all round! |
I had a wonderfully quilty weekend though. My mate Polly invited me for a lock in at the quilt shop (dangerous I know...fortunately she closed up the till at the start of the night...). So, we had a really blissful 4 hours Friday night sew-in! Naturally I used that time to start another project rather than finish anything....so all I have to show for it is another little baggie of cut fabrics ready to assemble. (I have a few of those...)
Polly also managed to convince me to go with her to a class the following day.
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| Swords in Stone, Norway. By Rosalind Johansson, who was teaching the class source |
You can read some about it on Pollys blog, but suffice to say it was completely out of my comfort zone! Art quilts scare me. I've said before, I LOVE to quilt because I can choose beautiful fabrics and its not too difficult to make a "pretty". Art Quilts, to me, are all about ART and EXPRESSION and all those elusive things that require true talent and flair. Stuff that gets me running to the hills in fear... (metaphorically obviously. Not sure which is more improbable - me ever running again or approaching a hill on foot...) Anyway. Wanting to prolong the laughs and fun of actually sewing with other people (not cats) I went along. The class was about creating a picture inspired by a view really. To be fair, I'd only had 12 hours notice and most of them were spent sleeping, so I hadnt been able to think of or find picture of a view to do. The teacher gave her talk, and I latched on to her notion that the quilt could be anything inspired by the area - even the knitting. I googled Fair Isle Jumpers and right away started jotting down rows and shapes. Woohoo! Its just like the Medallion borders I've been seeing so much of online I'm now seeing in my sleep!
I did have a fun time, the chat was good, the jokes suitably filthy and tone refreshingly low. However, I have been left with a nagging feeling that there are some real flaws in my character. I found myself to be, well, quite set in my ways.... Not only did I fail to open my mind to batik and blenders, I also failed to experiment and applique. In fact, I heard one suggestion of inspiration that was close to my style of geometrics and piecing only, and I clung to it. Poor teacher twice offered a suggestion of applique to get me out of the hell of teeeeeeny piecing I'd dropped myself in and both times I quite stubbornly, politely and nicely I hope, but stubbornly didnt go for it... Even Polly tried... I dont have anything against applique - I've done it before, and I will again I'm sure, but I got so stuck on my plan and just would not budge. Never mind that what I was doing was a million miles away from what every one else was up to.....
Thrawn - adj, Scots, meaning stubborn, perverse, contrary
- Showing a deliberate and obstinate desire to behave in a way that is unreasonable or unacceptable, often...
- Contrary to the accepted or expected standard or practice.
I'm told that I had cracked the "how to" of adding sums (math addition) and so point blank refused to continue to do another 2 pages of sums like everyone else. Well. Maths sucks. I'd proved I could do it, I got it right, why on earth did I have to sit and do more of the horrible things..... (Unfortunately I did not grow out of that, and I now totally suck at maths.)
Oh well. So I'm still an obstinate 5 year old who just has to do things her own way. At least my stubbornness comes in handy some of the time. I bloody well will finish the stuff on my finish list, just you see if I dont!
OMG You crack me up! I have to honestly say I don't know but one person more stubborn than you....my daughter! Ironic a bit?!
ReplyDeleteHaha I'm looking in the mirror! Hello thrawn sister!
ReplyDeleteI think we all have a stroppy wee kid in us sometimes! Good to hear you are sewing with others a bit more! More challenges to come I hope?! Jxo
ReplyDeleteWe all go through times like that! Listen, this is supposed to be fun. If the project you're not working has lost its fun factor, find another that floats your boat...or start a new one! We all need something for our Q3 to-do list, so get stitching on something fresh and funky today :)
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you are getting out to sew and to a class to meet people. Also good that you will do some work on that great finish list.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Cindy. There is no such thing as too many works in progress. Enjoy your new project :o)
ReplyDeleteHa ha haaa you are so funny girly. I'm so sorry I uncomfied you. I hadn't realized that clunking noise in the lift was you screaming and kicking !!! Sorry. I hope you are not too traumatized. Hopefully the next lock-in 'ill make it all better. (Note to self: keep till open)
ReplyDeleteThe class sounds good (I'm so pleased you went and had a good time!)and I love your tiny block (with all those pointy points!) - you interpret the class and the task how you want and if appliqué wasn't what you wanted to do then good on you for going your own way! You never know, the teacher may go to her next class and say 'There was a quilter who interpreted this in an amazing way and it really opened my eyes to a new way of approaching art quilts.'?
ReplyDeleteI also completely agree with Cindy - you (we all) have enough in our lives that's stressful and that we *have* to do, why add working on a project that's not motivating us to the list?
i recently made my own to-do list and yeah, it does get kind of uninspiring after awhile. i finished several things right off the bat and then i took a day to do absolutely nothing (except watch trashy tv). it was kind of nice for a change.
ReplyDeleteOooooh, being a little AWKWARD were we ? A little out of our COMFORT ZONE were we ???? ;) x
ReplyDeleteHA! My dad is always calling his daughters thrawn. Such a cool word and great way to act too :)
ReplyDeleteAw indulge your inner thrawn child and do what makes you happy ;-)
ReplyDeleteBua-ha-ha!! I love you! That is all.
ReplyDeleteHaHa! You remind me of himself who had his early years teacher tell his parents she thought he might been special education because he couldn't read and wouldn't try. Turns out he could read fluently but didn't like the teacher!
ReplyDeleteYeah - what Jan said. Sew what you want to sew :)
ReplyDeleteThrawn - explained and displayed; thank you for making me smile! We're (repeatedly) told that ART should be PERSONAL expression, and that's exactly what you did. That it didn't look like anybody else's is because no two people are the same... Just enjoy what you do!
ReplyDeleteSilly moo, you've got plenty of imagination and flair! And stubbornness ;o)
ReplyDeleteHa ha: you stubborn and set in your ways.....!! (I'm with you:I would never have given it a try as its just not my 'thing')
ReplyDeleteI say there's nothing wrong with a bit, or a lot, of thrawn-ness. It is the only way to survive in this house where we're all as bad as each other. I love your wee stories and I'm sure your art quilt will be lovely - after all art is personal, so if you didn't feel like applique that day then your art doesn't need to have applique. Juliex
ReplyDeleteNowt wrong with your thinking!!!
ReplyDeleteSewing with friends is fun and getting out of your comfort zone is a growing experience, Miss Thrawn! Di x
ReplyDeleteOh you do make me laugh, even without lowering the tone! Be happy, do happy stuff, sleep, eat, be merry, Nuffield said, from one small child to another!
ReplyDeleteExactly why there's no "quilting list' going on at my house....it would be enough to set off a whack load of new projects rather than finishing anything on the list.
ReplyDeleteThree cheers to your inner five year old! We ought to let them run the place every now and then… :-)
ReplyDeleteThe disadvantage of following someone else's ideas is a piece that you don't like and won't finish, AND another idea that's gnawing away at your brian until you have to make it anyway! I've looked at your list too, oh gosh! I think ou should start something new to cheer yourself up!
ReplyDeleteheh. well, you kind of have to *want* to try new things. if you're not in the mood, you're not going to like it anyway. i find that i want to try new things when i encounter a challenge that my own bag of skillz can't manage. just you wait...someday the batiks will save the day!
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile, and reminded me of an art teacher tomorrow who got quite annoyed at my refusal to do things in the abstract. I did eventually and yeah it was worth it :)
ReplyDeleteWork on what you want, when you want. That's my philosophy. If that means starting something new, oh well, what a shame :)
ReplyDeleteThe class sounds interesting, and your description of you in it made me laugh.
I can be stubborn too, but you win :)
I did read this on the day of publishing but wasn't able to comment due to toddler related reasons. How about taking you mind off your wips by making a lovely birthday gift for someone... Heh, heh ;)
ReplyDeleteSomehow during all of the crafty and creative things my sister and I were involved in with school, camps and youth church groups, our projects always came out totally different than everyone else's. After all, why should our projects look like anyone else's? You go ahead and do what you will, it'll be amazing :) . New projects just free up our mental spaces for more creativity and drive, right?
ReplyDelete