Book, Books, Books, Pattern, Patterns, Patterns

I am a book and pattern junkie!! I love to get new ideas from other people. Maybe I don't make everything I buy, but everything I buy somehow gets into my quilting in one way or another.
Some of our customers have said that they don't feel guilty about buying books or magazines because they are a source of inspiration. They grab a pile of their books, a cup of their favorite beverage and sit down to get inspired and entertained. It's much like watching a show--entertainment not production. What a different way to approach your quilting stuff. NO GUILT!

 

 

How do you keep them organized so you can find one when you want it? That's what I need to do. Right now they are just all mixed up on the shelf and I have to look sideways to see what the title is and heaven forbid, some of them don't have titles on the sides!! Now what???

Here's some suggestions from a speaker I heard:
1. Sort them according to subject matter: applique, piecing, hand quilting, machine quilting, art quilts, specialty design techniques, blocks, embroidery, reference (like borders, bindings) and so on.

Perhaps you also have historical books or art and architecture that are inspirational books or fiction like Jennifer Chiaverini. Even though you see book/magazine dividers on my shelf....there is very little organization to my shelf at the moment. I got to get this fixed so I don't have to hunt all the time. It's very time consuming!!

What if you don't want a book anymore? Well, donate to the library for their library sale or find someone who belongs to a guild. Many people would love to own your book.

"Creativity is intelligence having fun."  quote by Albert Einstein

What a cool way to approach creativity! Think of something you see everyday. Take a picture or draw it. Trace what you have drawn or photographed. Cut it up and rearrange it. Now trace it again. Pick a few colors you like and use them in the dark or medium or light places. You can use fabric, colored pencils or colored paper.  JUST HAVE FUN!

How do you translate this into a quilt? Using  graph paper, of course.
Assign the squares of the graph paper a size like 1" or 2" per square. Draw and color your idea in squares, rectangles or triangles. To translate that into fabric to be sewn, add 1/2" to any square or rectangle measurement. For example a 1 x 2 rectangle, becomes 1 1/2" x 2 1/2". Triangles must be figured as squares and 7/8" added to them and then cut once on the diagonal. Sew it together row by row--Sometimes you may find that you have a seam you must sew in partially. We can help you with that. Bring it in for help!

Now if you want to be even simpler, you could use fusible web and just fuse your piece together. We carry several different types of fusible. Once you create your picture or block, just quilt it down or zigzag all the edges.

Lots of times we forget how to play and just have fun. It is a huge stress reliever. And guess what? Just because we have drawn and colored and figured doesn't mean the piece needs to be made!!! It goes into your brain and pops out some other way just when you need it. It is kinda like exercise--you do it because you know that it's good for your body.

Well, playing is good for the soul and spirit so HAVE FUN and PLAY!