A DIFFERENT QUILTMAKING JOURNEY

After a lifetime of quiltmaking -----  Yes, I was 11 when I made this lovely little thing ---

--- I am now at the point of quilting only to satisfy my own creative urges.  I no longer have to make quilts to satisfy student's expectations.  Or, adhere to editor's needs such as specific colors/fabrics and is it patternable?, etc.  My kids all have a quilt, or if they need another one; they can come to my house and take one from the stacks of class samples and quilts made for publication.  

I've made quilts for donation, charity, raffle quilts, worked on group quilts;  and I have made quilts as presents for special people ----- all while considering other people's expectations.

So now at the age of 78, I find myself able to quilt with a freedom I've previously not experienced in my quilt journey.  Unless I choose to, my quilts are not made according to some one else's needs or wants.

And, I've discovered that a quilt doesn't have to be special or spectacular to have worth. 

Just the process of creating a quilt has become more important to me than the finished product.

My husband stopped by my quilting room the other day and asked, "What are you making?"  I said, "I don't know."  "What's the name of that pattern?"  I answered, "I don't know.  It's two different traditional blocks, and I'm combining them to hopefully produce a secondary pattern."

  I loved the idea that I didn't know where I was headed ---- I just knew I was enthralled with playing with my fabric scraps, doing the math, and soaking up the repetitive serenity of the sewing process.

This little quilt definitely falls in the category of NON-spectacular, but I experienced such joy and satisfaction in it's creation.    There are some advantages to old age!

THE STATS ----
23" x 23"; Machine pieced, machine quilted; 28 3" courthouse steps blocks combined with 21 3" hourglass blocks (so I named it "Steps in Time"); 2017.

I'm joining the following:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Ems Scrapbag for Moving It Forward Monday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
What a Hoot Quilts for BOMS Away Monday
My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday

FLOWER BASKETS

I can now cross off baskets from my quilt bucket list.  I had made a regular-pieced basket quilt for my second book in 2004; but I always wanted to try a paper-pieced pattern.  I satisfied that urge with just 12 blocks.  This little quilt measures 24" square.

It is machine quilted --- I'm still practicing on that; but, hopefully improving.

Here is the 2004 quilt --- I think I like it better.  It is machine pieced and hand quilted measuring 49" square, called "Bountiful Baskets".


On to the next quilt ------

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Ems Scrapbag for Moving It Forward Monday
What a Hoot Quilts for BOMS away Monday
My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday