Monday, September 24, 2012

What was I thinking?

I don't know about you--but when I am working on a large quilt--and yes, this one is BIG as you may remember--I can reach a point where it feels like I have been working forever and still am not even close to being done. I mean, I go to the studio every morning as early as I can and start to sew. I keep sewing and cutting and thinking until the day is done. Then I go home exhausted and still it seems like there is so much to do. Sigh.

I do have the new quilt about 70% pieced for those who are counting and yes, I do measure it far too frequently. I even have it so I can hang it as I see it will be. Like this.



It still needs one more row of dark black at the top. Then the bottom strips need to be joined. And two more rows of dark black at the bottom to anchor it. Long long seams. And of course I have to square it off, press it, clean it, bind it. Argh!!!



Each strip is painting with fabric. After all I don't get this wonderful rich grey just by sewing the same strips together. That would just be sewing and that definitely does not interest me. Instead the quilt is rich with so many different colors and fabrics. Just look at this assortment.


Still I worry. Is it too rich with color? Will the design work? It is so simple. Did I make the right choices? Should I have gone for a more complex design? Should I hang it the other way?

And yet, there is no way to change it now. I just have to keep sewing and trust that I made the right choices and that this was all worth it.  Was it wise of me to spend so much time working on this quilt when I do have so many wonderful craft shows just around the corner? What do you think? Does this ever happen to you? How do you get things done?




4 comments:

  1. Ann, I find the same thing with all but the smallest projects. There's always a point where I question if I've invested too much time in a piece -- but in the end, when it's finished and I love it and I'm ready to show it to the world, then I know I was right! (As I'm pretty sure you do too!)

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    1. Thanks Julia. Yes, I do know when it is right although probably just like you--sometimes I have to try several solutions before I get it right. Oh well.

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  2. Ann, I appreciated the detail shot showing the richness of color in the "gray" section. Looking at those strips individually, I would not choose them to represent gray, but the sum of the parts and our mind's eye reads a rich, vibrant but soft gray--anything but flat gray. Thanks for helping me understand how you get this excitement in your work.
    A question: do you usually/always bind the edges or do you sometimes face them? If bound, is the binding color chosen from the inner colors or do you have a (sort of) standard binding, black, for instance?
    Martha Ginn

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    1. Thanks Martha. I usually do bind my edges and usually in black. Just my thing I guess and it does keep my work looking more consistent. I have on occasion used a facing but normally it is not my style. What do you do?

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