What's Under the Needle?

Ideas for Quilt Making On the Spur of the Moment

Posted by on 8 March 2021 | 0 Comments
This content belongs to Arbee Designs.

Tags: quilts, workshops

Today, Tuesday, is always the day I publish my blog post. I've been doing this for years now.... and usually, before Tuesday I have an idea of what I want to blog about. Often I have some ground work done as well, however, this morning I come up with a blank. No prep work, no ideas. I have heaps of notes, journals and ideas that I could use so spent an hour or more, sifting through these, but nothing sparked my interest..... and anything that did, actually would have taken more than a day to prepare, create, photograph, and write about.

So I was at a complete lose as you can imagine. What did I do? I picked up my phone and went for a walk to clear my thoughts. I decided I would get out in the fresh air and simply start afresh with an idea. I started looking for things to inspire me and I started snapping photos.

After the first one or two, I starting focusing on ideas for quilting designs, I decided some close ups would be great... perhaps I could even create a demo by using some of the photos I took.

Stones - I've taken similar photos but really like how the sun is casting shadows with this early morning shot

Twigs - interesting ideas of using thick and thin threads could be used to create a similar look

Side of the road - I particularly like the denseness at the bottom and as you move up, it opens up into bigger forms - I love that graduation from one to the other

Good ideas for a demo, however I do have a lot of quilting inspiration with video demonstations already available in my machine quilting workshop... and my mystery quilt art class too! Here's a photo example you'll find in the latter...

quilting example created from photo inspiration

As I was walking, I definitely noticed a cooling in the air and although we are only in the beginning of March, Autumn has definitely hit us already. Actually you can see it in these tree with their change in color.

Autumn/fall colors

Speaking of color, I love the contrast this photo shows of the blue sky, red leaves and green tree. Now how would that color combination work in a quilt, whether it be patchwork or art quilt?

love the color contrast and wonder how a patchwork quilt would look using these colors - perhaps you've made one!

Here is another photo of tree that not only had color contrast but also textured contrast.

textures and color contrasts

Contrast is just one element the Elizabeth teaches in her Color Course so if you want to know more, I strongly encourage you to head over to her online workshop - this is the best color course I've taken for sure and it's focused of quilters as well as other artists.

I love the different forms you find in trees, not just in the leaves, but also in the trunks - this is actually the first exercise I teach in my Getting Started with Quilt Art workshop. I happened to snap this photo looking eastward where the sun was shining through.

sunlit trees

That shot brought memories back of an earlier quilt and workshop I'm currently revising.

Redwood Valley quilt

While walking up this country road, I realize how the road, treelines, fences and scenery all fall into perspective. The simple lines guide you into the perfect dimensions.

Simple lines for creating perspective

It reminds me of the perspective I used in one of my older quilts... can you see how I can use the lines above to create something like the quilt below?

In A Distance - quilt by me featuring perspective

Actually, this quilt is featured in Anita Eaton's perspective workshop! Another great know-how workshop.

....and would you believe, this only came to me now, but those flying geese in the above quilt, brings me round in a full circle because the very first photo I took today was of a goose - not sure why, it just happened to be there! 

Goose on the farm

It's funny how inspiration can lead you in all sort of different directions.

So it really is amazing what a walk will do, not only did I get my exercise for the day but I also have lots of ideas for creating quilts, quilting them, and learning more. Maybe next week I will follow on by using one of the photos I took. Which would you like me to continue with?

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