Why can't I decide before I do it? I need to remember that taking quilty risks is not for me, that is for the Jodi Robinsons, the Angela Walters, the Sharon Schambers. Why can't I stitch out a sample like Deborah Poole who stitches out her wholecloths completely before she does the real thing. Why am I never happy with what I do unless I am copying someone else?
I've read a couple books on design and creativity and taking risks, and copying. I'm working on trusting my instinct. I think the S was a good idea, but I don't think the fills worked. And it definitely didn't work with the designs stitched around the S.
Here is the S. Yes, it is there. Look closer. I know, it gets lost.
I like this. I will do more of this.
I have much more to say along this topic, but it will have to wait. I have a bit more to skin, and then I want to get back to the stitching.
Please tell me I'm not alone. And please encourage me to start doing more along the lines of improv, Sherri Lynn Wood style, or Gees Bend quilters, with basic, basic basic quilting. I need to free myself of all these indecisions and insecurities.
8 comments:
Keep trying. I think groovy boards were the worst thing ever for me as a long arm quilter. I am never happy with what I try and improv
I just did the exact same thing. Trying to improve my design ideas and move my quilting to the next level, I designed an awesome design for a clamshell quilt. It looked great on paper ad on the acrylic sheet I placed over the quilt, but when I stitched it out, you couldn't see the design at all. I made three attempts, changing, thread, batting and simplifying the design. Nothing worked and I spent days pulling it all out. In the end, I gave upon the design altogether. So...I feel your pain. Hopefully we will both have better luck with the next quilt.
Your speaking my language! I've sold and rebought FIVE longarm machines due to creative frustrations. I just won't give up though...but I'm no Anglea Walters either and it kills me! Just keep trying, and know you aren't along in the struggle to be "more creative" and "better". Good luck!
I do that all the time. I actually ruined my thumb frogging stitches on a big section of dense quilting - arthritis the doc said. But I learned from those mistakes and you will too, whether it's color of thread, style of quilting for the quilt, or just don't like it.
Giving ourselves permission to try something new is always hard - especially when we aren't confident in our abilities to pull it off. Give yourself permission to not have it perfect - only an extreme few of us started out running! I try not to rip unless my tension is really bad, preferring to treat each attempt as a learning experience. I think your idea is a great one! Maybe fewer or less dense fills in the s then echo it to give a break between it and the background, and then densely quilt close to that to make the s pop out from the background. All quilting is good! :)
Your stitching was wonderful! And it is true that your "s" was difficult to see but I think if you had continued with your design in the end it would have been wonderful. Often times our quilting does not show up well and things like different thread or batting make the difference. Maybe do some sample blocks of different battings and different weights of thread, mark them to indicate exactly what you used so that the next time you will have examples to follow. I find that if I persevere and after I have washed and dried my quilt the quilting magically appears and it looks exactly the way I planned. Good luck and keep trying.
I love those close ups! I can't see the "s" on my phone. I am so visual also. I like to know a certain design works well. You know when you get 3 tops from guild members and you want to quilt them differently, but honestly some designs are so perfect for the space, and I feel sone versions fall short. I have issues with thread too. Sometimes the client chooses the thread color that is different from my first choice and it bothers me all while I'm quilting. Off the frame it's always ok. But my senses tell me X would have been better. Thus business, we don't want OK. We want amazing! Acrylic and markers, same thing. It's much thicker, bolder that anything we would stitch out. Often creates surprises there too. You can do this same treatment on different fabrics and its perfect too! Every quilt is different, even when it's the same pattern.
such a great and amazing work cheapest digitizing &^%&^$
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