quiltology...

Sometimes we all go through periods of writer’s block, those periods when the words just don’t come easily to us. I think I’m having one of those periods right now. I’ve been so busy writing product descriptions for my new e-commerce site; I’ve neglected this blog space. So instead of pushing words, I’ve been piecing blocks. Sure, it’s a mindless distraction, but sometimes you just have to go with the sewing flow, let your mind wonder and hope that something really amazing emerges.

And this got me thinking about a book I read a while back. When Professor Janet Catherine Berlo suffered a severe bout of writers block, she retreated into months of fabric therapy, piecing blocks with reckless abandon, and contemplating life, work and personal relationships. She documents this period of time in a wonderful little book “Quilting Lessons: Notes from the Scrap Bag of a Writer and Quilter.”

Today I think I’ll just post pictures of the works in progress at Quiltology—along with some of Berlo’s wise insights on the nature of quilting and how it relates to our lives.

Enjoy…and cu soon...

“A good rule of thumb, both in quilt design and in the design for living: a strong, complex, geometric design is achieved by repeated alternations, not simple repetition of the same thing.”

Here's a picture of Kat's new little Baby Spot On quilt she's making in the Thursday night studio class. Kat's focus fabric is Joel Dewberry's new sparrows print. Just wait until you see the fussy cut spots she's created!

“Like a haiku, a nine-patch is deceptively simple in its structure. It takes rigorous paring down to make it work. Like a haiku, when well done, it achieves a poetic elegance.”

Jill's newest Blooming 9-Patch beauty--this one made from Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut fabrics in shades of peach, yellow and pinks. Another labor of love for Jill's new little niece.

“It is crucial to accept the messiness of the process.”