Create (Art and Quilts)

As I wondered what would be a good word for art and creativity inspiration as suggested by Kristin Steiner and Susan Edmonson of Believe in Yourself Retreat, I at first thought it might be complete, finish, or even potential, as I have a box full of UFOs that need to be dealt with. However as I began making the first quilt that I have ‘created’ in such a long time yesterday, a quilt for Baby Leatherman, a great nephew, I knew a word to inspire me was CREATE!
I received a new magazine from Patsi recently on Where Women Create, and it is so inspiring to see the places where they create to the shops they have opened to help other women create. I began to think about it and realized that I had been missing the magical moments of creating my own quilts.
I truly love to have an inspiration, be it from a fabric, a quilt, a picture or just out of the blue. Often it is a culmination of these. With Baby Leatherman’s quilt, I got the color scheme, which was the same as for Tye. Of course the quilt had to be different yet with similar colors, and because of the blocks on the wall in his room, I was drawn to a quilt by Intown Quilters on the front of the Quilt Sampler magazine a year or two ago. Easy to make (I think) yet very graphic with the squares.
I was at A Scarlet Thread Quilt Shop with some friends a few weeks ago and a fabric with a contemporary feel and squares caught my eye. I bought a small piece, went home and pulled 30+ fabrics to go with it from my stash. . . .in my mind, it is perfect. Plus I found a minkee backing on sale that day which had the perfect colors - blues and greens.
Yesterday, Monday, January 5, 2009, I began the process . . . . which I love. . . my laundry is done, my errands have been run, there is food in the fridge and pantry, I have finally even caught up for the first time since June with my quilting for others. It is quiet and I have this beautiful stack of fabric in front of me, all waiting to be cut into 10 ½" squares. I begin pressing the fabrics, layering them to cut, admiring each one or deciding it won’t fit. I cut my squares - 6 at a time - then slice off the sides for this contemporary log cabin quilt. What fun!
Today, all my pieces are cut for the blocks and I am ready to begin sewing them together. Yes, CREATE, is going to be a word to inspire me in my art this year! It is just too much fun!