Illusions

I am getting things ready to take to the clubhouse in the morning. Those tables make quilting life easier. Rex is considering a design board, and I have gone in many directions with having one, and know that the clubhouse tables also serve me in that way. If I made a design board, it needs to be stored. I've used a portable one on my floor. Thing is to use the clubhouse, I have to leave home.

I added yet another border to CEDAR LODGE this morning. It finishes to an inch wide, and because it is a beige almost disappears into this quilt that already is an optical illusion from the center to sides.  This photo is taken with it draped over my futon, so was not laid flat.

As I work with the combination of lights and darks in each square, I am reminded how personal wisdom shines into the less visible corners of spirit. I see how even when light and dark squares are balanced, they serve to push me to see things more clearly as a creation rather than an entrapment into chaos. Even when there is an optical illusion to a thing, if you look long enough you can see the order, pattern and system.

More patterns are out there now that promote stash busting quilts. Stash busting helps a quilter take responsibility for her resources rather than struggling with storage and guilt over not using what is there. Most of us know the rising cost of cotton that includes the land, water, production and human resources as well as what tossing usable sections does to over-used landfills.

It is a comfort and a relief to use what I have in my own closets before running to the fabric stores. Yes, I know that the small businesses get stretched for customers and it seems to me that they also need to look at lights and darks of their operations. Not to know or see the difference in any part of life is costly.