This week I’m starting a new feature on the blog – Bill's Photographs. He
keeps getting better as his cameras become more expensive – that’s the
desirable progression, I believe.
As nice photos come along, I’ll add them to a special page dedicated for that purpose. If a picture is
extra special, it’ll go to the top of Fiber Vibe. We’re starting this week with a picture of one of our
resident backyard quail. We have
several pairs, and soon this year’s chicks will be emerging from their nest beneath the
tall junipers.
We had a four-day weekend for Memorial Day. A long weekend usually means I don’t
get much sewing done.
Nevertheless, I had expected to complete the four golden trout blocks
for the bottom of the quilt. But
no; this technique is trickier than I thought. There have also been senseless setbacks such as
throwing away my freezer paper templates because they looked like little
scraps. Here is an example
of what I did accomplish.
There are four fish in this incomplete condition. For now, I’m calling them the
“headless trout.” They look good enough to eat.
Today’s quilt, Planetary Collision, was made using a
technique by Louisa Smith called Strips and Curves. First you sew a few dozen thin strips of fabric together,
and then cut out curved shapes that fit together to make blocks. Louisa suggests that the blocks can be
put together without a plan.
Indeed, her books are filled with such quilts. I was excited by the idea of letting go of my need for precision, and letting the quilt
happen on its own. After my blocks
were on the design wall, I stepped back to admire the results. Instinct kicked in. “I must move that piece. It can be changed with that block. Oh, look, that one seems odd
there.” And on it went, until I
had a perfectly orderly quilt. I
guess you can’t fight your true nature. I spiced up the design by adding some blocks I’d made
previously… in an orderly fashion, of course.
Until next time…
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