Done!

Finished, totally, including the label. I enjoyed making this approximately 42x42 lap quilt, largely because I'm pleased at how the colors work together [as I so often say, I think they're better than they come out in the photo]. I've been consciously trying to learn to deal with colors for the last five years or so. Looking at several wall quilts I did in that time period recently while I was having a neatening fit, I thought -- gee, so much really didn't work! The input of my artistic daughter helped on this one. Hey! It's okay to ask for help. I didn't have help available previously.

I have three new projects in various stages. Plenty of challenges ahead.

I'm enjoying the 12x12 [see side-bar and click] color challenges. These are accomplished quilters responding to their own challenges -- they give thoughtful commentary as they work. It's an Internet phenomenon, they live all around the globe and had not met one another as a group before they started their group. I don't believe they've ever met as a group. But they showed their work at a major show in Sydney this year and now have a book almost ready for distribution. Currently they're doing a series of color challenges and I find much inspiration and visual pleasure from reading their ongoing posts.

What I'm Reading about Quilting

I've had 500 Art Quilts: An Inspiring Collection of Contemporary Work, from Lark Books for some time, I went through it systematically once and now keep flipping at random. The subtitle says it all. They are inspiring quilts. I'm happy to have 500 pictures and quibble wishing there were more text, some authors' statements or bios, at least a note on nationality. But to put 500 quits in a fat-ish book that is about 8x8 is quite a feat without editorial. I love looking at the creative work of quilters even though I know I will never make quilts like them.

I recently purchased some quilting tools by mail from Connecting Threads which usually sells quilting books for 40 to 60% off. At that price I cannot resist indulging myself for books that are beautiful, full of good ideas, inspiration and helpful text even though, again, I know I will not be making that sort of quilt. In this case I'm perusing Ruth B. MacDonald's Fabric Journey, and Color and Composition for Creative Quilting by Katie Pasquini Masopust and Brett Barker. Color is one of my chief bugaboos in making my own quilts. In fact, a large part of my pleasure and addiction to quilting is that this is the only visual/color creative area that I "work" in since I am primarily a verbal person and have very little drawing ability. And I am often disappointed with the results of my color choices. I have been working today on a wildly colored quilt that I will photograph in a day or two, so more about that later.