When I was designing gardens I found if I slept on a plan for a day or two a problem would resolve itself and the design would flow quite quickly afterwards. I learned not to force the issue (fine if you're not on a tight time constraint).
I don't do a lot of garden design any more but this method still serves pretty well to resolve quilt design issues, as evidenced this morning...
- a month or so ago ...BTCT appliqué blocks pinned to the design wall after class and direction/opinion requested from my quilt tutor. She steers me towards pieced sashings.
- Not convinced - I'll think about it, I say. Work gets busy ...project gets shelved.
- a month later, last Sunday afternoon, quilt books strewn open across the floor, I am looking for inspiration for an "interesting arrangement" for said blocks;
- Nothing springs out so I give up in disgust - not happy;
- 4am Tuesday morning - wide awake - no point staying in bed so up and make a cuppa. Roy Pilgrim's book "Blending the Old and the New" is looking at me from where it was left on Sunday;
- lightbulb moment...out comes the graph paper - it's quickly cut up into bits and rearranged...
- design sorted, very happy....now I can move forward again....a little more appliqué, a few pieced stars.
What's your method for getting through quilty road blocks?
PS. Check out the Hand quilting button in my side bar...some pretty nice quilting going on.
Loving reading about your process...I find it is best to take a break when I hit a road block too! Love the saying at the top of the blog!
ReplyDeleteNice to hear that someone else solved problems while sleeping. Sometimes I just wake up and a design solution is so obvious That I wonder what I have been doing in my sleep!
ReplyDeleteThat' s my way too. I also love going to sleep with a quilty problem, because then i can finally focus on the subject without being distracted.
ReplyDeleteGraph paper...love seeing someone else still using it. There is nothing like a block of graph paper, some sharp pencils, and a big cuppa tea to tackle quilting block!
ReplyDeleteHow fun and exciting to have a fresh new plan!!
ReplyDeleteI let mine rest or ask for opinions.
You work is amazing. Just found your blog. I leave my project on a wall and look at it from time to time until I have that "light bulb" moment also. I don't ask for opinions, want my own inspiration.
ReplyDeleteNancy in Montana
i've definitely discovered that i can't force anything, but if i don't pull the pieces out occasionally and 'think' through it, I never seem to get to the lightbulb moment. sometimes it takes a looong time for me.:)
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing. I've been known to wake up with a solution. Now falling asleep, that's a little trickier when I'm working out a design dilemma.
ReplyDeleteJust added the hand quilting button and a link. I look forward to checking out the other quilts!
Most problems can be resolved this way...not just patchwork! Your design looks much more interesting and original.....look forward to seeing it finished.
ReplyDeleteI usually hit the books and look for inspiration. I love the idea of cutting up the pieces on graph paper, I'll remember that one, great tip thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm contemplating some pieced sashing for BTCT. But that's a long ways off for me.
ReplyDelete