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.