Inspiration, Envy and Determination

If  you were with me last March when I was piecing quilts, you might remember this wonderful quilt I found by Sujata Shah. I was so inspired with this piece that I WANTED one for myself, and became determined to make my own. It was completely unlike any of my previous work and verged on difficult, tedious and scary to even consider.

But I was finally ready for the challenge and made a template and began paper piecing it. I figured that it would take a level of accuracy foreign to my usual methods.

I contacted Sujata, a really terrific person, and got the OK. She was in the process of making hers on her blog and I was constantly referring to hers as I progressed.

It was HARD, TEDIOUS AND DIFFICULT....for me.

I quit after making seven spiderwebs, since I didn't want another bed quilt. It resides in my closet somewhere right now.

And then I thought I could try it again using fusing and it did go much faster, of course and I planned a bit more and went for darks and lights to assert the design a bit more.
It resides in my closet somewhere right now.

About that same time I saw this quilt also made by Sujata. O dear. More envy. I couldn't muster the will to attempt one, but have not stopped loving it.

Recently while browsing the web I came upon a great Dresden Plate tutorial on this site
And the wonder of the Dresden Plate (nearly the same thing as Sujata's wheel quilt here) became clear to me. I became determined to try it. No way could I run out to the store (snow!) so I was forced to create a template.

I forgot all about seam allowances in my haste and just started cutting wedges. This is where the precut strips sets came into use. I could cut two from about 6" inches at the end of one strip and still have most of the rest of the precious strip left for other future needs.

Thanks to the tute, I was able to quickly put these pieces together assembly line, making two from the wedges cut.

My first Dresden Plate! Awwww. I was able to take advantage of my recent Etsy purchase of premade yo-yos to cover the teeny gap in the center. OK it's not perfect. So?

I then felt a confidence to keep going and do something with this one and it's twin. Not a quilt...

And then I went onto this version

Here's what I learned...I can try out a challenge without a huge committment, to see how I like the process. I did enjoy this one more than the spiderweb, but still I love the scrappy stripped look of Sujata's quilt. When I was in town at Joann's I decided to buy a plastic Dresden Plate Template with inch markings so I can line up sewn strips and cut them accurately. Now I am gearing up to find the courage to start sewing strips...

You wouldn't think that after a 29 year career as a quilter I might have lingering patchwork fears, would you?

But you'd be wrong.