too big to fail

Those who have been following my blog know that I have been piecing my new quilt. Sewing until my back aches. My hands are tired. And even my sewing machine is saying--or would be if sewing machines could speak--"Enough already Ann. Take a break. Do something else."

Still I am lucky. Unlike many quilts, this one just seems to be falling into place as though it knows what it is meant to look like. That is until I get to the top of the quilt. Now I have hanging where I can see it as I sew my quilt--october snow. I love this piece. The intense colors contrasted against the black and white stripes. I feel it is taking quilts to a new place. Both modern and traditional, isn't it? What a statement.

Now I know I can just have the top fade into lighter blues--but isn't that too obvious? Too much like a quilt that others might make. Too safe, if you know what I mean. So I decide I want to take a risk. See what happens if the blue is confined and defined at the top. I wait a day or two. Lie awake in the morning trying to picture in my mind what it will look like.

And then decide to go for it. Now sometimes when I try--the risk is just time. I can take out a row or two of stitches and return to Plan A. Or maybe move on to Plan C or D or--well, you get the idea.

But this quilt is so big I can't really see the whole thing on my design wall. Sure I take pictures all the time. Step back and ponder. Realize that I could if I really had to remake a couple of rows.

But I think it will work. I want to see this quilt as I imagine it. So instead I keep sewing the rows together. Keep moving forward knowing that it will look different when the whole thing is finished. Yes, I take the image and then flip it in the camera to get an idea what it will look like although the rows are not sewn together yet.

Yes, it is scary. Am I wasting my time? How many comments am I going to get at the Paradise City Arts Festival www.paradisecityarts.com wondering why I added the black and white stripes? Is this a good thing? Is it stretching the quilt? Or am I making the wrong decision? What do you think? Does this ever happen to you?