The Spectrum of the Ordinary
2015
45 x 47
machine pieced and quilted
Well, it's about time I gave you all the scoop on this quilt. This year the SAQA Oregon Regional Call for Entry has the theme Blending Poetry and Cloth. The artist should reference a piece of poetry, a song or a quotation in creating the composition. I struggled to find the perfect poem. There are many poets that I admire and I spent a lot of time reading poetry. Then I discovered The Ordinary by Kirsten Dierking. You can read the poem here.
This poem really resonated with me and filled my mind with abstract shapes in the colors of the poem. When I set out to work on it I decided to make the squares to represent opals. From there, other patterns were done improvisationally, spontaneously and in the moment. Eventually a rhythm arose.
When it came time to quilt it I started doing straight lines. However, the quilting was interrupted by other projects. When I got back to it I had been trying some new free motion motifs. I wanted to continue this exploration on this quilt, so just went ahead and did it. I left the straight line sections I'd already done. Quilting this was incredibly joyful as I had the fun of deciding what to do in each section.
I feel like I've developed my own pattern language for free motion quilting. Much of what is offered in books on free motion leave me uninspired. I wanted to do more modern shapes and I like this method of filling in sections. I can always change my mind on the next section.
I have been working on some other challenge quilts lately. Now that I'm a Stitchin' Post employee I get to do the staff challenge for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and I also have another Mt Bachelor Quilters' Guild challenge for this year. While I love challenges for getting me to try new things, I do not like the aspect of keeping challenges secret. As a blogger, I feel I lose some creative mojo when I can't show you what I'm working on right here, right now. I look forward to doing some new work that I can show in the moment.
I have also been working on some small appliqued pieces in preparation for the Fiber Arts Stroll. I hadn't heard anything about whether I was chosen as an artist, but just saw the advertisement for it on Facebook and it includes my artwork, so I guess that means I'll be demoing that day! The Fiber Arts Stroll is Sunday, July 5, 12-4 pm. I'll be showing how I make my Folk Art Embroidered Animals. Maybe I'll show you some of those pieces soon.