Fibermania

The Last Quilt of 2005

Cruciform Series: Green

59x65" hand dyed cottons, machine quilted.

I am not putting the date on until I get the rod pocket sewn on, sometime in 2006, which will make this actually finished then. The dates of a quilt are important when contest rules say it must have been made within a certain time frame.

The quilting really took longer than I expected, what with interruptions like Christmas and birthday partying and just stuff. And it is larger than I regularly work so there was lots of room for fiddly quilting.

I try to build in some pattern on larger spaces like this. Something that looks a tiny bit more planned than my usual bent.

This is a result of marking the space with my handy sliver of soap. Contained space quilting.

Here I carried the design into the adjacent block and changed thread color so it wouldn't jump out on either side. I had to actually look for this spot when I photographed it. Rather subtle.

A person could go blind when quilting black on black so I pulled a lamp fitted with a bright halogen bulb, right up to the machine. I used that heavier Sulky 12 cotton thread so I could find my way on the dark fabric.

Today I will take slides for entering Visions with these last two, Red and this Green. Sigh.

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I had the tremendous urge to start making new small works for sale for the new gigs this coming year, but a late night call from Tommy in Florida, set my mind straight.

Here's the deal. I am so happy making (abstract) quilts like these big guys but I fear they are not going to be received as well as the more 'accessible' quilts I have made. These are larger than most walls can bear, and much more expensive than my smaller works and therefore are destined to take up more closet space. How's that for a defeatist attitude?

What I should be thinking is that I have finally FOUND MY VOICE and shouldn't negate that important event, or spoil the momentum by switching over to making a more commercial type of quilt. Plus Tommy advises that I may be on my way to really drop dead gorgeous work and to stop now in favor of the easy stuff, will thwart the struggle to get somewhere artistically.

Of course I had that small voice in my head even before she said it on the phone last night. I knew I was 'going back' to stuff that I know will be liked. But what about the rest of the people who could and would appreciate the artier stuff, including MYSELF? Shouldn't they have a chance to see what could come from this start?

Don't answer that. Here's the thing. As you know I have only artist friends and I see them fully aware what their style of work is and they stay right in that vein, never cheapening themselves for the sale. Gosh. I said that right out loud. That is it. Taking the high road and making the good work, no matter whether it will ever sell or be liked by the average quilter; that must be my goal.

Can I really allow myself to do this? I hope so. That is why I am putting this down on the blog. Allowing myself to work as an artist, not a commercial one perhaps, but a sane and satisfied one, will be my goal for the new year.

Happy New Year Everyone!