Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Because it's there

Hmmm. Not much to say today. On days like this I should just close the computer and go do housework.

I had a little extra time the other day and I spent it up in the sewing room. Yes, I know I have homework to do but I when given a block of free time, I wanted to play. Do you know what this is? Depending on your answer this will or will not get sent to the recipient. Talk about playing outside your normal frame... I would NEVER have thought I'd want to take a try at making THIS but a challenge was given and I had to see what my abilities are up to...

I often think quilters are like the mountain climbers that scale great heights with much risk to body. Now, you would think that there are no two people further from each other in attributes. As a quilter I am not physically in shape. I don't like excitement nor hardship. I don't even like being outdoors all that much. I like comfort and quiet and the feel of fabric not thin air and snow and hiking boots.

So what's the comparison?

Like a hiker might look up and see a far off mountain that they want to climb "just because it is there", I sometimes stumble upon quilt patterns or see something on someone's blog, or am met with a challenge (as in today's case) and I want to make something "just to see if I can". Sometimes I can't but most often I can. Sometimes the challenge is

"Can I really make this quilt with all the hundreds of pieces all by hand?"

Such was the case with the Feathered Star. Tetsu asked me why I was making it and my answer was...

"I don't know... I wanted to see if I really could."

which he thought a strange reason.

Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilts often sing to me just because I want to see if I can really follow her instructions without know where this is going.

New techniques call to me because I want to see if I can master them and who cares what I end up with when I'm finished... Usually a lot of loose blocks that have no destination.

So this is another "just because" block.

I need to stop playing and do my homework. Or my housework...

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