| This weekend I am at a Fall Quilt Retreat with our state guild – CQC – the Colorado Quilting Council. I have always wanted to take a class on Pineapple Quilt Blocks so I would not have to start from scratch to figure out how to make them. So I’ll be paper-piecing itsy bitsy fabric strips this weekend, and probably coming up with my own version of the technique, just because… My very first quilt class in 1991 was a Log Cabin class on a Saturday. Of course my degree and job experience was in the garment industry, so I picked it up pretty fast. At the end of the day the other students were barely finishing their 2nd block, and I had finished a small quilt. The teacher came over, looked at my work, and said “I think you are a quilter!” “I know!” I said. I was so excited to have found quilting. I am still excited to be part of this wonderful community of makers. The day I found the quilting tribe was the day I knew I had come home. As the pandemic ebbs, and we begin to gather in person again, there is nothing like getting and giving hugs with fellow quilters. Last night we had a trunk show from the visiting Pineapple instructor, and we all oohed and aahed at her tiny paper-pieced blocks that were set into her larger pieced quilts. She explained that when she finishes a big quilt, she saves all the little scraps, and makes another smaller scrappy quilt with the leftovers. Her miniature scrappy leftover quilts were little masterpieces! This is a great idea as we move closer to the holiday season. Maybe you would like to make table runners and pieced placemats for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners? Make each one different, and then invite your guests to take them home. One woman’s placemat is another one’s decorative mat on a dresser or side table. I have vintage textiles from my grandmother in my bedroom and living room, under objets d’art and other collectibles. I try to place a precious collectible textile under my travel tchotchkes around the house. If you are not sure if someone would appreciate a quilt for a gift, this is a way to test the waters to see if they appreciate your handmade gifts. But in the end, we make quilts for ourselves. Yes they may go to someone precious as a gift of love, but we crave the process of choosing the fabric, organizing our stash, cutting and sewing, and the supreme pleasure of taking that final stitch on the binding. That process is a contemplative exercise that leads us to a place of peace and focus, which is so needed in today’s chaotic world, right? I have always made art, and stitched quilts, for my mental health. I am a better person by the time I finish a quilt. Sharing your love of fabric, Luana Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter pages for Color and Design ideas. See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook. Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews. October 17-24 – Luana’s Polar Bear Tour – Churchill Manitoba Canada Dec 1-2 – Clinton Presidential Library Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – Atlanta |
