US Quilt: The seed of a concept
Nomads wander from place to place--seeking sustenance for themselves and their livestock. Without a fixed habitation, they are free to wander and seek locales that best suit their needs. Crafters are a special breed of nomad, often staying in one location, but migrating from crochet to beading to paper craft to cake decorating. We are seeking a type of sustenance as well--the craft that will "complete" us. We spend countless hours and embarrassing amounts of money trying to hone in on the one thing that we do better than all the rest.
In my tenure as a serious crafter, I have followed many paths. I started out as a beader and wound my way to metal-smith, selling nerd-themed jewelry to the masses via Etsy. I have been entangled myself with skein upon skein of yarns, but never producing more than a sew of scarves and a few afghans. Hand lettering seemed like a promising path, but quickly dead-ended. As I flitted from hobby to hobby and down many craft store aisles, there was a constant in the form of the lonely basket of embroidery floss.
I picked up a few kits to learn a few stitches and give this craft, long the denizen of grandmas and hipsters, a try. As I settled in with a hoop in one hand and a needle in the other, it felt like a crafting homecoming. Soon, I was buying books, downloading patterns, and following embroidery blogs. These actions resulted in my journey from crafter to artist, follower to designer.
One of the blogs that I loved (and still do) is Wild Olive and its author, Mollie. I could relate to her cutesy kawaii style and down-to-earth, humble delivery. Her patterns soon became a staple in my evening stitching. When she announced a Stitching Club based on the states, I knew that I had hit the sweet spot. You see, I've always been a huge nerd. It colors every part if my life from the books that I read and the TV that I watch to directing Shakespeare and my crafting.
The club was like a weekly stitch-along with motifs designed for each state, intended to be a wall hanging. It featured English Paper Piecing, a skill I had admired but had never tried. I had made a few quilts, but standard bed quilts didn't inspire me. What to do with 50 EPP stars then?
It was then that I recalled that I had been gifted a US Map Quilt Kit from Haptic Lab that had languished in the corner for over a year. Perfect! Why not put the two projects together and design my first quilt.
In my tenure as a serious crafter, I have followed many paths. I started out as a beader and wound my way to metal-smith, selling nerd-themed jewelry to the masses via Etsy. I have been entangled myself with skein upon skein of yarns, but never producing more than a sew of scarves and a few afghans. Hand lettering seemed like a promising path, but quickly dead-ended. As I flitted from hobby to hobby and down many craft store aisles, there was a constant in the form of the lonely basket of embroidery floss.
I picked up a few kits to learn a few stitches and give this craft, long the denizen of grandmas and hipsters, a try. As I settled in with a hoop in one hand and a needle in the other, it felt like a crafting homecoming. Soon, I was buying books, downloading patterns, and following embroidery blogs. These actions resulted in my journey from crafter to artist, follower to designer.
One of the blogs that I loved (and still do) is Wild Olive and its author, Mollie. I could relate to her cutesy kawaii style and down-to-earth, humble delivery. Her patterns soon became a staple in my evening stitching. When she announced a Stitching Club based on the states, I knew that I had hit the sweet spot. You see, I've always been a huge nerd. It colors every part if my life from the books that I read and the TV that I watch to directing Shakespeare and my crafting.
The club was like a weekly stitch-along with motifs designed for each state, intended to be a wall hanging. It featured English Paper Piecing, a skill I had admired but had never tried. I had made a few quilts, but standard bed quilts didn't inspire me. What to do with 50 EPP stars then?
It was then that I recalled that I had been gifted a US Map Quilt Kit from Haptic Lab that had languished in the corner for over a year. Perfect! Why not put the two projects together and design my first quilt.
Little did I know what would become of this snap decision and how it transform my skills, my art, and my life. Stay tuned for the ongoing saga. Next up: fabric, killer rotary cutters, and so many teeny stitches.
I wish you happiness on your journey.
ReplyDelete