Working the Pattern

One of the things I want to do for this blog is to notice the spiritual lessons as I do the work.

I learned in one of my first quilting classes to label colors & number rows if it was going to matter in the quilt. Some quilts are samplers, which means they have self-contained blocks with a theme of some sort, or get joined with sashing and borders to draw colors together. Those kinds of quilts are more random in the centers. The more that you have, the better it looks and the more it coordinates.

In some cases, a pattern lets you chose values of light, medium, dark & bright, as well as a solid, floral, geometric as either a small print, medium size or large. These projects only work if you follow the guidelines.

This quilt pattern I am working with now doesn't suggest any ideas beyond requiring 12 different (1/3 yard each) pieces because all colors will be with a white background.

Those are the quilt fabrics I learned to label. This pattern calls for 12 different fabrics, and to keep my focus, I cut small corners off one of the selvages to mark them on the pattern for a reference. Also, the fabrics coordinate by colors even though I will not know how they will work as the quilt evolves. A mystery of sorts. There is an illusion of choice and my choices only work if I invoke the other rules of light, medium, dark, & bright colors, and small to large prints.

The challenge is going to be how to make lovely Comfort quilts as the larger pieces, and coordinating fabrics get used. Luckily, I made enough of those 'kits' with the fabric that I thought was large enough and coordinated.

I am going to write more about the process & progress for the Comfort quilts I am making because many of the recipients read this blog from time to time. This is the spiritual component. Sometimes we forget that the journey is more important. Sometimes it really is the end product or destination.

This season can rake most of us over emotional coals. It has often happened for me and so I work to minimize the energy. One way is to be more organized. Another way is to see what is essential to the heart. Boy-howdy is this a self-learning, self-examination part of life.

When I got to thinking about choices for my projects, I realize that there are a lot of other choices that I do not make. And for those times, other people make them for me and I get things I don't want or I go without things I need. So as I make color, fabric or pattern choices, I want to realize the power I have or give up. 

It is like asking. Asking is a choice. It is a risk too. However, if we do not take chances in our life, then ...then what?