Right Brain, Left Brain, Quilter's Block

There are times when I'm making a quilt --especially one that isn't a specific block pattern-- that I make decisions as I go along (for example, the Gwen-inspired medallion quilt).  Occasionally there are times when my brain gives me no ideas for the next step and I get stuck, stopped completely.  I can't come up with the next idea, the next step, the next shape, color, pattern, the next anything.  I assumed it was just me and how my mind works.  But maybe not.

I happened onto Mary Lou Weidman's book, Quilted Memories: Celebrations of Life, when I was at the library the other day.  She wrote something I found really interesting.

     I have read everything I could find about creativity over my lifetime.  I have also read a lot about writing and what is called writer's block.  Writer's block is similar to what many quilters go through when they start having doubts about their design.
     Whether you know it or not, this is the battle of right brain vs. left brain.  Both sides of the brain have their own roles.  Left brain is in charge of analytical traits, reasoning, and math.  Right brain likes play, design, and creativity.  Now, we need both our right brain and our left brain, but there is something you may not know.  The left brain likes to take over in some people, and in others the right brain takes over.  When  you go to work on a quilt design and you start thinking "I can't do this!  What made me think I can design my own quilt?" that is the left brain saying, "Hey, let me take over, let's do something I like to do."  Many people follow the left brain and give up.  But if you can challenge your brain and give it a few right-brain exercises, you can get into right-brain mode.

It's not just me!  And since she includes some right-brain exercises to try I should be able to get past my occasional "quilt block."  The book also has a section called, "How to Increase Your Creativity Quotient" in which the author offers an annotated list of a dozen suggestions.  There were lots of good ideas but I was especially pleased with her suggestion to "Start more than one project."  Do quilters really need encouragement to do that?! 

Maybe your library has the book and you can see the whole list.  (I don't want to violate copyright and include it here.)  Mary Lou blogs at Mary Lou and Whimsy Too if you'd like to see some of her work and read more of her ideas.

Do you ever get "quilter's block?"  If so, how do you get past it?

I hope you're having a good weekend.

--Nancy.
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Scrap Hot Pads

A cut off strip from the end of this too-long quilt became four, double-sided hot pads. 

Last Saturday I cut the strip into pieces, put them back to back, and machine stitched the binding around the edges.  During this week I hand stitched the binding to the reverse sides.  They came out of the dryer today measuring about 6 1/2" x 7 1/4".  Both of my daughters want to take them home.

Finishes are in short supply around here so I'm pleased for even small finishes.  A finish is a finish, right?

I'm linking this post to Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.  Thanks for hosting, ladies.

I hope you have a great weekend.

--Nancy.
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Fabric Acquisition

A few months ago I won a gift certificate for Mad About Patchwork from Leanne at She Can Quilt for a post I linked to Scraptastic Tuesday.  What a sweet surprise.  If you don't know, Mad About Patchwork is a Canadian company that sells primarily modern prints and solid fabrics.

My purchases, above, top row, left to right:
Strawberry Fields: Summer Bouquet in Stone, fat quarter
Strawberry Fields: Strawberry Blooms in Stone, fat quarter
Strawberry Fields: Daisy Blooms in Strawberry, fat quarter
Silver Linings: Bloom in Cream/Charcoal, fat quarter
Farmhouse by Fig Tree & Co.: Calico Blossom in Tomato, one yard

And bottom row, left to right:
Strawberry Fields; Sprigs in Sand, fat quarter
Kaffe Fassett: Shot Cotton Nut, fat quarter
For You: Combo in Orange, fat quarter
Kona Biscuit, fat quarter
Kaffe Fassett: Shot Cotton Apricot, fat quarter
Cotton Couture in Cinnamon, one yard

This was my first online fabric shopping experience.  What an adventure.  Whenever I'm in the presence of bolts of fabric at a brick and mortar store my mind imagines all the possibilities instead of staying focused on the purpose of my visit.  I often leave with one or two fat quarters because I just couldn't decide.

With an online gift certificate the only option is to use all of the gift certificate at one time or not use it at all.  I spent time browsing through all the possibilities at Mad About Patchwork.  I favor vintage and antique fabrics which narrowed down the the selection but I found ones I like quite a lot.

Checking out was interesting.  The fabric is sold by quarter-yard units.  I was uncertain whether two units would give me two fat quarters or half a yard but no worries because there was a place to leave a note as I finished my order.  I was also baffled by the conversion from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars but noticed a place to click to change between the two.  At this time U.S. dollars can buy more than Canadian.

The colors on the website were close to accurate but I was a little disappointed by that solid tan on the bottom row.  I was aiming for a putty/grey color similar to the background on the upper left fabrics.  From the online photos that was the color I thought I was purchasing.  (Gosh, isn't Kona nice fabric?  And Cotton Couture, too.  They both have body without being too thin or too stiff.)

I don't have anything in particular in mind for these fabrics but I notice that six of them -- those apricot/peach/coral fabrics and the flowers on the grey background -- look really good together.

I also won a gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop.  Most of their fabrics are about $10.00/yard.  I was excited to think that I might be able to choose 10 fat quarters with the gift certificate, but when looking more closely I realized that the Fat Quarter Shop sells only half-yard pieces of individual fabrics.  If you want fat quarters you must purchase them in bundles.  (I don't understand why a shop named the Fat Quarter Shop wouldn't sell primarily fat quarters....)  Anyway, I'll save that shopping experience for another week.

My last recent purchase was BasicGrey:  Juniper Berry, on the left above.  I went into a relatively small local fabric shop to look for backing fabric for the Morning Stars quilt.  I didn't see any I thought would work (it's such a scrappy quilt without modern fabrics) but I didn't want to walk out without purchasing something.  I'll use it, I'm sure.

I'm linking this post to Fabric Frenzy Friday at Fort Worth Fabric Studio.

Happy day to you!

--Nancy.
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Quilt Leftovers - Slow Sunday Stitching

I recently cut off the end of a quilt (because it was just too long) but I couldn't make myself throw away that quilted strip.  It laid around until recently when I realized I could cut it into smaller pieces, layer two together, and bind them.  Voilà!  Hot pads.

The strip was long enough to make four double-sided hot pads.  I sewed the binding on by machine and today I'll hand-stitch it to the reverse side.

Side one:

Side two:

Talk about scraps!  I just can't throw anything away.  I wouldn't give these hot pads as gifts -- they're just utility hot pads -- but I'm happy to have turned that waste strip into something useful.   

I'm linking this post to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

I hope you have a peaceful, restful Sabbath.

--Nancy.

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A Finished Top

It's been a long time between finishes around here so I'm pleased to have one this month.  This is based on "Morning Star" but I didn't measure the triangles that create the stars so they're not exact.

When I was cutting squares and rectangles it seemed like I kept cutting more and more greens, more greens than any other fabric, but now that I look at the photo of the quilt green does not seem to be the dominant color.  Maybe it's just that the reds are brighter and the greens are more muted....  The colors are not exactly evenly dispersed but I think the stars overpower the background colors.  It would be less obvious if the quilt were larger but it is what it is.

I didn't measure it before I folded it but it should measure at 43 1/2" x 50" or thereabouts.  I hope to get it layered soon so I can begin hand quilting it.

I'll be devoting the rest of this month to my medallion quilt.  I've taken to calling it "Little Miss Medallion."  She seems to be just as particular as some little girls.

I'm linking this post to August Finishes: OMG Linkup at Red Letter Quilts.  At the beginning of August I declared my intention to choose a pattern for a baby quilt and begin.  I'm pleased to have not only chosen a pattern but to have also finished the top!  Thanks for hosting OMG, Heidi.

I'm also linking this post to
> Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
> Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday (TGIFF) at The Quilt Journal
> Show Off Saturday at Sew She Can
> finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts
Thank you for hosting, ladies.

I hope you're enjoying life.

--Nancy.
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Almost a Quilt Top

I've been cutting and sewing, snipping, ironing, then cutting and sewing some more.

Squares, rectangles, triangles....  It's such a scrappy thing with prints, plaids, plains, in greens, reds, blues, and browns, all together in the same quilt.  I love scrappy quilts for babies.  (Well, let's just be honest:  I love scrappy quilts period.)

All that sewing and finally, blocks are becoming rows.

I hope to have a finished top by the end of the week.

I'm linking this post to
> Building Blocks Tuesday at Quilter in the Closet
> Fabric Tuesday #284 at Quilt Story
> Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
> WOW at Esther's Blog
> Let's Bee Social #138 at Sew Fresh Quilts
Thank you for hosting, ladies!

I hope you're enjoying fabric, family, and live in general.

--Nancy.
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Two Things

First.  Too much of a good thing is just too much.

That blue border is very scrappy.  There are at least half a dozen different fabrics but there are many, many more pieces of fabric.  I think it works.  But now that I'm thinking of another border made of several different fabrics, I'm not so sure more scrappy will make this quilt better.  Maybe too much of a good thing is overload, maybe just too much.  (Of course, there are several considerations yet for this border, the narrow border between it and the cabin border (color and width), and the stars.  Where are the stars?!)  Have I mentioned that I don't know what I'm doing with this quilt, or where it's going?  Even so, I'm (mostly) enjoying the creative challenge of it.

Most who are making Gwenny-medallions aren't posting about them until they've finished the current border.  Is that a "rule" for quilt-alongs?  I hope not because here I am with two "non-progress" posts in two days.


Second.  That voice in my head.

Are you like me?  Do you have a voice in your head that sometimes tells you negative things?  The disdainful little voice in my head tells me things like, "You'll never succeed at that.  You'll never be good enough."  Or, "Who do you think you are, trying to accomplish something like that?"  Or, "You may have talents/skills/abilities, but that's not one of them."  Or maybe one of the worst, "You always mess things up and you'll do the same with this."

I rarely have trouble silencing that voice.  I know whose it is and its purpose and I focus on other things, other grander purposes than the negative.  But there are times -- when I'm learning something new or challenging and haven't quite mastered it; when I'm pushing to finish something by a tight deadline; or when I'm tired or don't feel well -- that I have a little trouble ignoring the messages.  Today was one of those days.  I know it's because I'm tired and because I feel achy (which I hope is because I'm tired or slept in an uncomfortable position).  I know I'll feel better after a good night's sleep.  I'll have a better outlook and perhaps I'll dream of a great border idea, or maybe I'll just see the quilt differently when I'm not tired.

At times like this I love to remember this quote by F. Enzio Busche.

When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, towards God.

What grand direction, worth heeding and following.  He has more to say, which you can hear in the brief video below.


I'm so grateful for so many wonderful blessings, including the freedom to choose creativity.

I hope you have a pleasant, restful Sabbath.

--Nancy.
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My Mind's Eye Needs Glasses

Sometimes I just have to try things to see how they look.  I imagined that Gwen's liberated stars, cut on the diagonal, with one of "Kathy's Blocks" (described in Gwen Marston's Liberated Quiltmaing II) in the corner would be great for the star border on my medallion quilt.

But oh, no.  Epic fail!  In my mind that half-star did not have an Art Deco look about it but, rather, a liberated look.  My mind's eye needs glasses -- or something.

Now I'm going to fall back and punt -- try out another idea, or possibly two -- or more, however many it takes to make a border with stars. 

I'm glad I didn't wait until next week to try out this idea!

I wish you a good weekend.

--Nancy.
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Maybe. Probably.

Ignoring color placement, I think this pattern might work for my grandson's baby quilt.  I like the scrappy aspect of it (though it could be scrappier if I used smaller scraps to create the large squares). 

This variation of Pat Speth's Morning Star pattern has uneven star points instead of identical ones.  I like it if I look at the stars, less if I look at the shapes in the sashing created by the star points.

Because I'm so late with this quilt I wanted something that wouldn't take much time but wouldn't look like I'd taken the easiest way out.  I thought this quilt fit the bill.  With 5" blocks, sashing half that size, and only four seams per sashing unit, I thought I'd whip through this in no time.  But let me tell you, I was wrong.  It might be quick for someone who already has a lot of 5" squares and 2 1/2" strips cut, but I have neither of those.  And the points take time, too.  Only four seams, but each has to be pressed, then trimmed, then the fabric behind cut away.  Time, time, time.

I'm more than half-way finished sewing the star points on the sashing but have a few more sashing strips to cut and eight more squares.  It would be great if I could finish the top this week, but that may be too high an expectation.

And all the while I'm sewing little star points I'm thinking about the star border for my Gwenny medallion.  I suppose her stars influenced the stars in this quilt.

I'm linking this post to
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
Moving It Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Wall - August 8, 2016 at Patchwork Times
Let's Make Baby Quilts! {8/12/16} at Michelle's Romantic Tangle
Thanks for hosting, ladies.

I hope you're having a good day.

--Nancy.
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I Am Lost - Slow Sunday Stitching

I am lost without handwork to do.  I enjoy it, but more, I need it for its ability to let me sit while, at the same time, accomplishing something and to give me time to think while I do a (mostly) mindless activity. 

The last handwork I had prepared before my husband's bout in the hospital was stitching the binding to the back of a quilt.  Now that I've finished that I have nothing in the que:  no quilt layered and pinned and not not even a backing ready; no applique pattern already cut and ready to stitch, nor one in mind, either.  In fact, I don't even have any hand mending. 

The best I can come up with today is some unstitching of blocks partially stitched by another quilter who decided she didn't want them.  I have nothing in particular in mind for these, I just know I won't use them as they are.

Though I have no slow stitching, I can imagine myself nestled into a comfortable chair, slowly stitching . . . .

And I hope I'll have some hand work ready by the end of this week.  I hope!

Wishing you a peaceful, restful Sabbath.

I'm linking this post to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

--Nancy.
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Do I Dare Set One Monthly Goal for August?

I nearly forgot it was time to set a monthly goal.  But then I wonder if I should set a monthly goal, considering July's events and how we're still recovering from those.  And I'm also working on border three of the Gwenny quilt this month.  Will one more goal be too much?

Dare I set a goal?  All things considered, yes, I will.  (Call me optimistic.)  Even if I don't meet the goal at least I will have had a goal in mind and worked toward something.

I started the Buckeye Beauty blocks for a quilt for my grandson (who is now over 6 months old) but it just doesn't seem like the right quilt for that cute little guy.  I'll make more blocks and finish the quilt but just not for him.

It's back to the drawing board for other ideas.  These are the possibilities for other quilts I'm considering -- all scrap/scrappy quilts, of course:

1. Ohio Stars (in drawing above at top left).  They were on my list the first time but I didn't make any, thinking that the Buckeye Beauty blogs were perfect. 
2. Gwen-style stars with "liberated" points, perhaps 8" or 9" blocks (on right side of drawing in above photo).
3. Morning Star (the colored quilt in the above photo), a quilt pattern attributed to Pat Speth in the book, The Big Book of Nickel Quilts.  Except I would make the star points less precise and a little longer.  The stars in the photo look similar to the ones I used in Red Wings; I like them well enough but I think I'd like them more if they were longer.

One of the challenges of this quilt is that green is the dominant color.  I have plenty of green fabrics but the second challenge is the exclusion of flower prints.  That eliminates about half (or more) of my greens.  I'll be using a few that aren't too "girly" plus a few other colors.  I doubt my grandson will mind and I hope his parents won't, either. 

So, my One Monthly Goal (OMG) for August is to try out one or more quilt blocks that I think might work for a baby (or toddler) quilt, make a block or a few, lay them out to see what I think, AND decide once and for all a quilt for my adorable little grandboy!

I'm linking this post to Link to One Monthly Goal; OMG It's August! at Red Letter Quilts.  Thanks, Heidi.

I'm also linking this post to Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework.  Thanks, Cynthia.

--Nancy.
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Little Cabins for my Gwenny Quilt

I chose to make little creamy-light log cabin blocks for the second border of my Gwenny-Inspired Medallion Quilt.  But before that decision I waffled -- not about the colors (which are a little off in the photo) but about the size of the cabins.  They started out about an inch larger, then I reduced the size to 4".  I think they're a good size and color, but what do I know about medallion quilts?  Next to nothing, and my success with borders is variable, so I'm just pleased that this is actually flat and square (despite the appearance otherwise in the photo).

After adding the cabins I wondered if I should have included a narrow border between it and the dark blue border.  I really don't know what I'm doing....  A copy of Gwen's Liberated Medallion Quilts finally arrived at the library for me.  I hope it will help with my decisions about the next borders.

I'm linking this post to Gwennie Inspired Medallion QAL Part 3 at Humble Quilts.  Click the link to look a thumbnails of other participants' quilts and then click through to read their posts.

Five quilt bloggers organized this Gwennie Inspired Medallino QAL and have invited others to participate if they choose.  There's still time to join in if you'd like to participate.  There will be two more borders as part of the QAL and there's a link-up on the first Monday of each month.  Katy of KatyQuilts chose "stars" as the theme for the next border -- your choice about how many and how to you incorporate them, whether appliqued, liberated, star fabric, or some other way.

I'm also linking this post to Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

--Nancy.
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