Would you like the really cool news first?
In late August I’m going to tape for The Quilt Show. I joined January 1, 2007 right as I was beginning down this path to here in this moment. It is on TQS that I met Keith Dommer beginning mutually informative conversations that helped me hone my teaching style. Keith and I both unearthing something deeper within ourselves.
As today is my specific day on the book tour, and until twenty seconds ago I wasn’t sure what I’d share.
Quilting is relational. One of my favorite features in the book is the Acknowledgements page. Each person on that page holds a special memory for me. I could probably write an entire blog post on each person. However I’m going to mention Joen Wolfrom today. I remember watching her on Simply Quilts somewhere in the neighborhood of 2007ish. How’s that for accurate. It was this episode where she explained the color wheel and color relationships. I had 30 fat quarters in a wide range of color and made blocks reflecting a split complement grouping, or as I put it in the book your neighbor across the streets really fun neighbors, a couple of houses over, on either side. You know the colors that come over with the party hats and chocolate cake. Joen got an e-book several weeks ago and has shared with me that she likes both my casual writing style, and how I explained the color relationships. Relationships are everything.
Sometimes, no matter what we do things are a hot mess, and it’s okay to let go. This is in part relational as Melanie Testa once said something to the effect of, “what is this obsession we have with finishing things, sometimes a piece has taught us everything it can.” There are things I’ve tossed because I. was. just. done. Other stuff I’ve given away as it no longer served a purpose in my quilting, or no longer suited my style. You might be surprised to learn that I’ve even given away thread.
Okay so now that you’ve picked your chin up off the floor.
Each one of the color wheels are currently unfinished. I know how I want to finish them but this whole sewing on a 2′ x 2′ table is challenging, in part because there’s no corner to keep a quilt from diving off the table. I’m not complaining, I just have stuff to do. See above, prep work friends, prep work.
If you know me in person you know I’m really patient, and will extend grace wherever, and however I am able. There is still some heartbreak over relationships with people in the quilt world that didn’t quite work whether it was my mistake or not. Sometimes that hot mess overflows.
Try new tools, and ask questions no matter how dumb you thing they are and how much you think you should already know this. I didn’t learn to machine quilt overnight. I’d daresay I’m still learning how. Actually I do say I’m still learning, because the truth is, I am. I’m learning how to quilt better, listen more when I’m teaching, write better, relate better. I nearly lamented the other day that it took me so ______ to write this book. And then in a moment I realized I needed the experience of teaching, writing, being edited. I still have a hard time following directions (Sorry!) unless I’m editing them and that’s a whole other type of reading and doing.
And so thank you for joining me here today as part of this celebration of twenty-seven years of quilting that have lead here to this moment where I get to share Color, Thread & Free-Motion Quilting Learn to Stitch with Reckless Abandon with you. I’m giving away a copy of the e-book, Windham Fabrics, and an Oliso Iron. Simply comment on this post and I’ll choose winners on August 7th.
In the meantime visit my friends on the tour: 7/27 Teri Lucas Facebook Live event
7/28 Melissa Thompson Maher Generation Q Magazine
7/29 Susan Emory
7/30 Jenny K Lyon
7/31 Teri Lucas
8/1 Paula Reid battsintheattic.com
8/3 Teresa Coates
8/4 Scott Hansen
8/5 Linda Pearl
8/6 Teri Lucas
Congratulations on your book! So excited to see you published!
Thanks Allison! It’s such a wild ride! 🙂
Congratulations! You have come to ‘your own’, that you are happy with you and what you create. A difficult place to find, and it is elusive… because tomorrow you will find a new place to be and begin the process all over again! I am looking forward to reading the book!!!
You’re onto something about that elusive, difficult place to find. I’m at once trying to enjoy this moment and planning for the next. But isn’t that how it always is?
Looking forward to getting a copy of your book! We joined TQS about the same time – I remember Joen W’s episode on the color wheel! I agree sometimes we need to let things marinate in the brain for a while – results of doing that are usually fantastic!
Congratulations!
You’re so right about “relations” It really got me thinking about that term and how it affects so much of everything!
Thank you Christine! It does make so much sense…
It is all about relationships and sometimes the most interesting combinations meet! I’m so honored to have met you AND shared a few laughs! I wish you much success with your book!
Let’s do it again!
Your book sounds like a vision of creative love and work. I look forward to learning from your book and from you.
I have to agree with Joen that your writing style is so comfortable. Trying to “let go” this summer by turning fabric I no longer care for and unfinished projects into donation quilts for my guild’s charity project.
Maybe you should write blog posts on each of those people on the Acknowledgements page. That would make for some interesting reading. Congratulations on the book.
Quilting is my favourite part of the whole process and we’re so lucky to have so many great threads to choose from.
Congratulations on your book, and thank you for this blog post! There is so much great advice and meaningful reflection here. I loved reading the story of your journey. Simply Quilts and Joen Wolfram are some of my influences too, and it was delightful to experience that rush of memory. I also appreciated your thoughts on quilting being relational and your assurance that it’s ok to let go (especially since I’m cleaning my sewing room right now!). And thank you for sending this book into the world. It looks awesome.
You are an inspiration to quilters everywhere. I hope your book travels far and wide to bring confidence to all who need it.
Congratulations on your book. You are so right that quilting is about relationships!
Love your attitude, and congrats on the book!
Congratulations on your book. What you wrote here echoes some things I’ve been thinking as I go through my “Works in Progress”. Some I’m finishing, others I am looking at and thinking, “Well, I am done with this one”, and just remembering what I enjoyed about it, or learned from it, or was excited by. (A lot of those make excellent dog placemats.) I have released myself from the obligation to finish everything by reminding myself that I won’t live forever and I have many, many quilts I am truly excited to make, so why waste time on things I don’t care about? Quilting is not my chore, why would I treat it as if it were?