Around the World blog hop

It’s my turn on this worldwide blog hop!  Last week I was tagged by Karen at easypatchwork.  Karen is a wonderful creative soul, an American, replanted in Germany, where she creates and quilts, and by the sound of it, always has a coffee pot on to welcome visitors.  I’d love to sit at Karen’s table and have a chat one day.  Karen has just recently returned from the Carrefour Europeén du Patchwork in Marie-aux-Mines, Alsace, France.  It sounds completely wonderful, and oh so inspiring – read about her impressions here .  Next up on her list is a retreat in a chalet in the French Alps! Patchwork at the Peaks   Can you imagine anything more delightful??!!  I can’t wait to hear all about it!

So, the intent of this blog hop is to let people know what you are working on, how your work differs from others, why you do what you do, and how you do it.  You then tag a few others so that they, too, can participate.

What am I currently working on?  Well, that is a loaded question – maybe it would be better to say what am I not working on?  I am one of those folks who jumps around from project to project, and is very easily distracted into creating something new.  I currently have a thread painting piece prepped and ready to go, which should have some thread added to it today.  This was from a workshop with Lenore Crawford at Quilt Canada 2014

I’ve got several projects on my cutting table that are looking to have a few more pieces sewn together,

a set of X&+ blocks that I won that are begging to be sewn together,

and quilting to be done on my Pineapple Blossom quilt (a Bonnie Hunter design),

and I’ve got three challenges that I’m working on – a mandala quilt for Tangled Textiles, developing a new theme for a workshop series that I participate in, and designing and quilting my first wholecloth.  These three items are still all in the design stage as scribbles in my notebook.  With all of that already on the active list (I’m not even going to mention the dozens of WIPs buried around my studio, or the UFOs that I have lost track of), yesterday I saw some fabric sitting together on top of a box, and was immediately inspired to cut into it and start a new quilt!

Does my work differ from others?  Maybe, maybe not – I guess that depends on who you are!  I like to develop my own designs most of the time, although I love taking workshops to learn new techniques (these then tend to end up in my UFO pile!) I love working intuitively and letting the fabric tell me what to do.  I like “what if…?” questions.  I love working to a challenge.  I seem to need a deadline in order to actually finish anything.  I love to “quilt the crap” out of my pieces, to quote a fellow member of the VMQG.

I bounce between traditional, modern and art quilting, and am quite happy in all genres, it just depends on my mood!

I quilt because I love it – I love the idea of creating something that is uniquely mine.

I love the process of creating, of conquering a challenge, of having something tangible to show at the end.  But, as soon as I finish something, it gets put aside and I’m on to the next one – those questions just never stop!

Am I fickle?  Sure!  One day it is fiddly piecing – getting everything to line up just so, another it is wide open spaces to play with the quilting – to create texture and pattern where there was none.

I love seeing if I can create the same type of work on my domestic machine as a long armer can.

It’s the challenge!  Can I do it?  As long as I can keep answering that question, I will continue to do what I do.

I’m not going to actually tag anyone to participate in the blog hop, rather, I am going to point you in the direction of a couple of blogs that I find inspiring, and I hope you stop by and visit them and say hello.  These are folks that I have met through participating in challenge groups or swaps, or just by checking out lots of different blogs.  Some you might already know, all are worth a visit!

Vicki at FibreArt – creates lovely collages, and keeps me inspired with her posts

Terry Aske Art Quilt Studio – always has a beautiful piece of work to share, in a variety of techniques

Carolyn at Artystuff – gorgeous realistic art quilts

Margaret Solomon Gunn  - Sewing & Quilt Gallery – incredible quilts and quilting shares her design process

I hope you enjoy them!

Happy quilting! 
Janet