Quilting affords opportunities, over and over again, to pull pieces together, and to fragment them. Every morning lately, I work on ‘Ghost House’. If I think about it, I would get overwhelmed. But if I look at one little strip and piece it, I make progress.
For a sense of scale, the felt-covered pin board is just over six feet tall.
Yesterday, I pieced up the house, in order to help me finish the edges. Sometimes you have to work in the center in order to figure out the edges.
When I pieced the house, which was mostly done, I made the decision to piece the window into the body of the house (previously, I had thought I would applique it). And now, it does not look like a window at all. Changes such as these force either acceptance or re-working. I often accept, and not just out of laziness.
Quilts this size go through so many phases. Sometimes, a section will assert its independence. I call these ‘rogues’. This can be out of frustration — one way to create a finished product from an endlessly unfinished piece — or, it can be the fabric telling you something.
I don’t need to decide anything about this square today. It works on its own. And, when it’s on its own, the indigo strip that I dipped (on the right) assumes a little more importance.
My hunch is that I’m not going to let this rogue get away!
Then there are ‘spin off quilts’ – little assemblages made from scraps lying around. Not rogues. More like ‘issue’. They are generally characterized by an effortlessness that is in striking contrast to the larger piece. Yesterday, a little spin off arranged itself (nearly) on the worktable. I have my recently dipped indigo scraps to draw from as well.
In other news, the heat continues here without respite. I am spending money to keep various sections of the yard wet and cool for the birds. We are supposed to get thunderstorms later, so I will run my errands early.
It’s helpful for me to see your working process (…or process for working?). It’s a good tip to focus on getting sections to work rather than tackling the whole piece at once. I have a bin of unfinished quilts and quiltmaking scraps that could benefit from a similar fragmenting treatment. I need to clear some projects off my plate first! I also like your photo of the stones in the birdbath — lovely cooling composition! We’re getting unusually hot weather where I am too — no a/c, just a couple of fans, but hanging in.
Unfinished work is one of the banes of my existence… you, too?
Totally — although right now I’m on a mission to make a dent and concentrate on getting some things finished — just the good stuff though!
I think your “Ghost House” is incredible! So evocative. Lovely work… thanks for the step by step procedure….AC has been on now for===ever!! Soooo hot and humid. Julierose
Hi Julierose – the heat has been oppressive and pretty non-stop around here. They said ‘thunderstorms’ for today, but nothing!
the rogue is intriguing.
Hi Jude… the rogue is capturing my attention, still. It seems to disappear as part of the big piece. I’ve just pinned it to a quilt that is hanging on the wall to give it its own space for awhile.
Love this – especially the little spin-off quilts! =D
Really like the colors in this one and like the idea of a “rogue.”
thanks Deb and Rita… the rogue has gone rogue… and once extracted, the rest came right together (plus I got another rogue!!)
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