A Quilting Plateau
When you quilt, do you choose projects that challenge your current abilities and allow you to learn new techniques? Or do you fall into that comfortable rut of doing an easier project with skills you already know? I’m not knocking the easy project—there are so many quick and simple designs out there, and great fabric choices to make them sparkle—but sometimes it’s too easy to remain perched on that quilting plateau without stretching yourself to try new things.
I’ve always been a piecer. I love the straightforwardness of cutting squares and triangles with my ruler and rotary cutter, and sewing straight lines. It’s no-nonsense quilting in black and white.
However, my job as a quilting magazine editor has exposed me to some pretty fantastic quilts made with other techniques. As I’ve been inspired, I’ve branched out so that I could grow as a quilter and leave my cozy beanbag seat on my plateau.
First it was a block-of-the-month New York Beauty quilt that I drooled over for six months before actually signing up. Paper piecing gets a bad rap because everyone complains about picking out the paper scraps after sewing. But for straight piecers, it’s a great step out of the comfort zone, because it’s still straight line sewing. And, once you understand the concept, it’s practically fail-proof. First, you have actual printed lines to sew on—no guessing. And second, because of those lines, you create perfect points, no pinning and adjusting of fabric necessary. I may only have 12 out of 36 NYB blocks pieced, but it’s the perfect thing to pull out when I only have an hour to sew and want to make some progress. And, one block at a time, it’s not overwhelming!
Next, inspired by the beautiful art quilts I see at shows, I dabbled in landscape quilting. The biggest roadblock I’ve heard to this kind of quilting is that there aren’t any directions. It’s true…you’re essentially ”drawing” with fabric. Rather than worrying about not having steps to follow, think of it as making a collage. I recommend starting with a photo and trying to recreate it in fabric. A fantastic resource for this type of quilt is The Art of Landscape Quilting by Nancy Zieman and Natalie Sewell (Krause Publishing). Here’s a picture of my first landscape quilt.
My third and most recent experiment occurred after seeing some thread painted quilts. It was a technique I was itching to try, but I knew my first attempt would be mediocre. Rather than start a project, I cut a 5” x 10” piece of fabric with a gorgeous dahlia, pulled out matching threads, and went to work ”painting” with thread on the fabric. Sure, my stitches aren’t always smooth and uniform, and this piece is never going to become something, but I have it pinned up on my bulletin board as a reminder of how much fun it is to experiment.
Don’t let fear of the unknown keep you from growing as a quilter. The next time you choose a project that isn’t, say, a belated baby gift for your niece who’s turning two, or a graduation present for the neighbor kid who is already away at school, consider stretching your skills. If you want, start small, so if you make a mistake you’re not ”wasting” fabric or setting yourself up for misery (imagine making the first of 25 intricate applique blocks for a bed quilt and realizing you detest applique!). Table runners or pillows are a great place to start.
Tags: Lisa Swenson Ruble
About the Author: Lisa Swenson Ruble
I made my first quilt when I graduated from college and realized that I needed a hobby to fill all those hours that used to be dedicated to homework! Eleven years later, I'm completely addicted to quilting and thrilled that my day job as the managing editor for Quilt, Simple Quilts & Sewing and Quilt Almanac allows me to "play" with quilts and the friendly world of quilters!
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