The Quilter Within

Fresh start

I started a sketchbook and plan on a Storm at Sea quilt.  I looked in the web for patterns and remembered I own this book by Lydia Quigley and have chosen to make a quilt found in there.

....So I made my plan.....

......picked the light fabrics...

and made some test squares...

.....I like the colors and fabric choices. 

I don't want to rush into this project even though it is something already thought out in a book vs. my own design but.....I want to enjoy this small creative process and take it step by step......so thats all for now...

Paralysis

I look into the previous entry of this journal and see that this has been the phase I have been in for several months now. 

For longer than I'd care to admit, I have been over-critical of my artwork. and have no work to show.  More often than not, when I begin with an idea; in just a few hours, I give up. Suddenly the color, the design - anything, everything causes me to turn away. I never go back to a "failed" idea or project; try to improvise and re-discover the inspiration that led me there in the first place. 

The biggest struggle has been to turn off the "inner" critic - the voice that tells me that my ideas aren't any good or that no one will like it.  Such thoughts drive me crazy and are very defeating. 

I have read about keeping a sketchbook to help gather ideas and sources of inspirations.  I am not very good at drawing but who should care as this book is for me only and no one else except that "nasty" voice within that I must learn to ignore.

 

Back to blogging and thoughts on creativity....

I haven't taken the time to blog in quite a while for a number of reasons, due to a lack of time.  But I have been doing some sewing on the weekends and reading a book called "Art and Fear; observations on the perils and rewards of artmaking".  It's a fast read, though I haven't finished it but does make me think about my own struggles to create, my self doubt (in my abilities) and the quality of the pieces made.

It begins with the idea that in becoming an artist, this lesson consists of learning to accept yourself and that makes your art personal, and in following your own voice, this is what makes your work distinctive and your own. Self acceptance also help you accept the art you create.

Also, explained is in the making of art, it always provides (and often uncomfortably) an accurate feedback about what you intended to do (the idea) and the reality of what you created.  This gap between the idea you tried to create and the reality of the finish product can greatly affect an artist; depending on whether the art is viewed as successful or a failure.  This journey of creating, as the process is so personal and is in itself a lesson in art. 

One of the most difficult lesson for me to accept and realize is that even the failed pieces of my art are essential to the learning and that I need to confront the errors made and continue on with the next lesson in my development as an artist with a new quilt piece. 

This sounds very basic to everyone and even to me, but it highlights still a struggle within when I look at the quilts I made.  All I see are my mistakes and that limits my growth.

Another Postcard

This one is in-process:

Small projects like this help keep the creative juices going...

Fish Postcard

Just something I made a while ago...

Paris

Since Tuesday I have been in Paris France for a work-related conference. 

11 years ago my hubby and I honeymooned here and that trip is a lovely memory.  At that time we stayed in an area of Paris known as the "Latin-Quarter" and we loved the cheap little student's hotel we stayed at.  Now I am staying in some 4 star place near the Eiffel Tower and I have to tell you I would never stay in this particular hotel again, the money is not worth it; give me Paris with my hubby, some romance, a little students room with a squeaky bed anytime.

But the Eiffel Tower bathed in blue lights and Notre Dame at night.....a sight to see. 

It's France of course.

 

   

Moving into "my room"

Ok, now its my turn.  The issue is that the remodeling is not finished, the contractor has disappeared and we are getting antsy, nervious and grumpy at each other because of the situation. 

All the stuff from the rest of the house is in the den and bedroom while the other 3 rooms are having wooden floors refinished and new bookcases installed.  We are still waiting for new doors to be received and also installed.

In the meantime, we are tired of tripping all over the boxes of stuff and FABRIC everywhere.  Also its very incriminating to a certain quilter when suddenly one's husband realizes how much quilting fabric is owned by his beloved...  I tell him "this is nothing dear"...in those quilt magazine articles on famous quilters and their studios and they have tons more...

Honesty when I look it, I do have alot of fabric..but I will never this admit to HIM...(he doesn't read this blog so my secret is safe).

I started to organize it by color, fold and stuff it into the cubby bins I had installed in my sewing room. After just unpacking my third bin (6 bins left to go), I realize it is alot of fabric because its all not going to fit in the drawers.

I need to down-size my fabric holdings, donating the ones I'll never use to a guild or something.  I have stuff from the early 1990's that are VIP pastels and calico's, but I can't get rid of it, I am a pack-rat. I know I will never use those now, my tastes have changed but damn why do I project some emotional attachment and sentiment into every piece of fabric I own?  I think I need therapy.....

A room to call his own

As previously mentioned, our humble abode is in the midst of a remodel.  One of the rooms that is getting a face-lift, is the hubbys room.  

My opinion is....a man never grows up, like for instance this room; insisting "he" must decorate it anyway he wants, a manly way like "no girls wife or cutsy stuff" allowed.  I had to laugh.  So far, I have to say he has good taste and did order to have some nice bookcases installed, maybe I can hang a quilt in there.  Semi-progress so far:

 

Pacific International Quilt Festival 2008

  Two weeks ago I attended the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara.  The quilts there were a wonder to behold and there were fabric vendors galore to tempt the pocket-book.  I gave in to my weakness and picked up a few fat quarters. 

I have posted a photo album at the left column of this blog, a few of the quilts I saw, some of the shots are fuzzy...sorry, but I hope you can still enjoy...

Lost Quilt Blog Links

My "Just Us Quilters" button is not working and I checked out the listing on Blogger and it indicates its been deleted. If this is true, it would be so sad. It was a great list of quilt blog and one of my main lists for quilters.

Now I find myself,lost trying to remember the links to all those great quilt blogs I use to read. If anyone who stops by read this, please leave your quilt blog link for me to add on this blog, I find myself going through terrible withdrawl not being able to read about you all.