Faced with a challenge of creating a quilt, there is always the need to plan. I find my most reflective time 'in the gap' as my friend Carolyn describes it…. I love that….In the gap.
The 'Gap' in my estimation, is the time when I'm waiting for a bus or plane or when I'm waiting for the tea to cook, and more dangerously, when I'm driving. It's not necessarily designated time.
Reflection draws memories and I begin to plan. For instance, a few days ago, I went to Crafts Direct with my friend Lori.
It's a crafters heaven. I wandered the aisles, looking, touching and designing in my head….I bought a sketch book and began pulling scrap book papers…. Vintage, black and white, egg shell blue, tan, orange and antique letters and notes scribbled on paper.
I've got them out a few times since and laid them on the bed…and a plan begins to take shape… the papers gave me the Inspiration… and the Inspiration came from the colors, the design and the textures on the paper.
Today we went to Andersons Fabrics in Black Duck…. I bought these scraps of fabric, the 3 combined cost me $1.60…. enough for 5 projects of this kind.
The fabric is heavy furnishing fabric and when combined with the other mediums of fabric and paper will make a great 'art' quilt.
The background fabric is a heavily printed pattern of a tree.
I have some silk and combined with the images on the paper, they should blend well together.
The Inspiration came from the paper first…. Now I need to work on the design.
Artistic expression is linked to the things I do, the way I live and the experiences I have as I travel. It is a little hard to explain because its an internal journey, however, it can be learned and I encourage it in my students…
It all comes under the umbrella of Inspiration.
Some 30 years ago my business partner Cynthia and I would view new samples of fabric. I would get excited and was able to look at the fabric and form an idea of a garment. Its the same way with quilts…. I'm sure you have all gone into a quilt shop and looked at a fabric…. "OOOh I love that," and an idea comes into your head…
It's Inspiration.