I am slowly quilting this Cherrywood Teri’s Color Theory alternately quilting and picking out some quilting I don’t like. Changing quilting as I go is a bit of a risk because I’ve already quilted an area, essentially poking a lot of holes into the quilt itself. And there are questions: am I damaging the quilt? Do I have enough sythropol so that when I rinse it it’s not going to bleed. What thread color combo will come next? Will I like it? Is the quilting “too much” or “not enough” or “just right”? What does that even mean? Quilters have opinions fer shure! Then there’s the question, “do I want to add bubbles to this quilt?” Well, I think I just answered my own question. I do want to add bubbles to the quilt.
Sometimes with the decorative stitching I wonder what I’m doing. There are several components to this wondering.
First – is it too much quilting?
Second – is it enough quilting?
Third – what is the function of the quilting?
Fourth – what is the story of this quilt?
Let me answer the fourth question first. This quilt is intended for Cherrywood Fabrics for their use however they would like to use it. There is/will be a pattern for it. Part of the function of this is studying how color plays with us, what happens when using a split complement color palate and how many color combinations can be made. Part of the function is changing the background of the quilt to see what changes in how the color of the blocks are viewed. I like the black and I like the Cherrywood Velvet, each makes a statement.
Question Three: what is the function of the quilting? Now this question has a lot to do with questions one and two. And asks two further questions: a) who is the quilt for and b) is it a functional quilt or is it a decorative quilt.
When I made Split Complementerity the intention on my part was function, therefore the quilting is functional rather artistic and highly visible. My intention with Split Complementarity was our bed so there’s the who, it was us and therefore if something wasn’t quite right the let it slide factor was engaged. I made this quilt as a replacement to the first quilt made for our bed because, and wait for it, I made it too small not quite accounting for the depth of the human body. Cue giggling because you know who ended up with the quilt covering them, right?!
What I’m working on now is more of an art quilt and therefore the training wheels are off and playtime begins. “Supposed to” and “Just” were abandoned long ago and therefore playtime becomes a place of exploration, answering the “what if I try…” question. One thing I’m trying on this quilt is two threads through one needle. This isn’t a new concept by any stretch of the imagination, it’s more what are the colors and how do they interact with the quilt blocks and the setting blocks. Here’s where I’m willing to be surprised and delighted by the quilting and I’m willing to take out stitching that doesn’t work.
Part of this is active learning on my part. The more I work with color, the more I realize that there is a level of control over what happens, and there’s a level where I have zero clue. And that dear friends is the fun of all of this. It’s a lot like coming to understand that when coloring in a coloring book that changing the direction of the lines, coloring in circles, shading the color makes gives the work a unique look. And quite frankly as a unique and unrepeatable human being this is amazing!
And with that friends, I’m off to interview Dana Jones about her new book!
Happy Quilting!
Teri
