This week our friend Cindy received this 'Circle of Friends' quilt and a cushion that a few of us had secretly been working on.
You can read more about it here or here... really go and have a read they tell the story better than me!
I just wanted to thank everyone who also made blocks and especially Susan for all her hard work putting it together. It was made with love for a very wonderful couple.
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| photo stolen from Susan |
Today I'm working on some paper piecing and am itching to put some stitching on it.
At the same time I'm looking at this on my design wall:
and thinking up yet another project.
I am not starting it until I've finished other things but I'm having fun working out what I want to do. I mostly follow patterns, I like order and rules, so just creating something is a bit different for me.
So here's what I want to know: when you start a project what is your process?
Do you start with fabric, a pattern, an idea?
How do you follow it through, do you make changes along the way or stick to your plan?
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What a gorgeous quilt, and a lucky friend! :)
I usually start with the idea in my head and the fabrics, often together. I have never sketched it out and sometimes regret that half way through. I often change the idea as I go but other times I just do exactly what I envisioned. Have fun with your idea.
Funny you should ask that. I started my very first quilt to a pattern. I wasn't keen on one part, so I decided to change it and now it won't fit, so today, I have unpicked the lot!
That quilt is very pretty, sometimes I think the simplest designs are the most effective.
What a beautiful quilt!
As to my process... I usually start with an idea for a quilt, bag or other small item, then I move on to choosing fabric (almost always scrap). I don't use patterns for quilts, but will sometimes find a tutorial for a small item if I don't feel like figuring it out for myself. :) Once I get started I usually do exactly what I envisioned. Not too exciting, but that's what works best for me. xoxo
You've me crying again, Lucy! Thank you. I am so grateful to call you my friend. You're simply wonderful. xx
Huh. Quilts. I tend to buy fabric b/c I like it. I choose quilt patterns b/c I like them. I guess I end up doing a lot of scrappy type stuff, then, b/c it's how my process works. Even if my "scraps" are cut from 1/2 yard pieces of a print. I am with you, though, being a 100% pattern person. I do cut everything first, label it, count it, count it again and then start. I can't stand finding out that I have to stop sewing to cut something I missed. It drives me batty!
Again, you're wonderful. xx
I'm such a stickler for rules that no matter if I start with a fabric OR a pattern (rarely just an idea!) I have to have ALL factors in place before starting. Drives me crazy about myself sometimes. :)
I love the "circle of friends"!
As for starting a new project: I buy fabrics because I like them, often without a project in mind at the time. Then, when I decide on making a project, I choose which fabrics I want to use.
I start with a specific idea, even with a complete pattern, but always make changes halfway along :-) That can be for different reasons, but the end result is usually something I am very happy with. I have never made the same pattern twice in exactly the same way, and have never followed a pattern (from myself or someone else) without making some changes along the way... Most
Those scraps are so much fun! What is the mini matryoshka fabric?
As for inspiration, I usually buy fabric before I have a project planned. I think about what I want to do with it - block or motif size and shape, color placement, pattern inspiration. This involves a lot of Pinteresting :). I'm trying to develop a more scrappy look; right now I sometimes find it challenging to match fabrics outside of a collection.
Love that circle of friends quilt!
The fabric buying for me usually comes after I figure out what I want to make, you know, because I don't have enough fabric, lol! My plan NEVER stays the same. I love the circle of friends quilt!!!!!!
I think I start with a pattern usually and then see what I have to make it with. I can think of 2 sets of fabric I have bought and then tried to 'fit' them into a pattern.
Interesting fabrics on your design wall.
what a lovely gift quilt! how nice to be made by many.
your design wall has some really fun stuff on it!
I am such a control freak, I get the idea, draw up the pattern and then collect the fabric. Then I measure and cut and measure and measure before I start to sew. My one exception are scraps, I love them, When the mood takes me I tip out a pile and start to piece, sometimes working out from a striking piece sometimes making long chains and sewing into pairs again and again until I have "yardage". I find Bonnie Hunter to be an inspirational quilter. I do love that circle of friends quilt.
Pretty snippets; yay for the 'circle' xxx
I usually start with an idea I can't get out of my head, do very little planning, start putting it together, and then wished i had planned properly! :o)
I flit, like a fantail, I flit from one thing to another. Usually an idea comes to me from don't know where (the universe?) and then I'll think about the fabric I'll use for it, but also often I'll see some fabric and it'll demand to be made into something specific.
I next to never use a pattern and most things I make I visualise in my mind and then just start cutting. I don't write stuff down much either, just go with the flow.
And thank you so much for being part of the quilt. I could not have done it without my circle of friends.
Love the quilt! Not sure about my process with new projects, sometimes it starts with a picture I have seen and I know what I want to do, sometimes it is around the fabric, especially when it is quite quirky..
Love, love the quilt! I usually start with an idea or a pattern. I have a huge stash of fabric so I am free to play around with ideas.
Love Cindy's quilt!
As for starting projects, I gather things schizophrenically for days or weeks, make two or three completely different things in the meantime, and then get round to it, usually when an urge seizes me about 11:30 at night...
It will be interesting to see what comes from your design wall. I have made projects that begin from all the different ways you mention. Sometimes i am inspired by a fabric or someone else's project, or something i see in a magazine. I try to finish a project before starting another but that doesn't always work out. For the most part i stick to my plan but sometimes a project will morph into something totally different. the Circle of Friends quilt is gorgeous!!
I'm not good at planning. I tend to start with an idea then muddle through making changes as I go. Ideas usually come from inspiration from books, Internet etc. if I follow a pattern I never do all the cutting first, I'm too impatient to get sewing. This usually means I end up running ino trouble!
Your design board looks interesting.
It seems to go either way for me. Sometimes the fabric inspires me and I need to find something to do with it and other times I have an idea and need some fabric to make it happen! lol I am almost always inspired by colors though :)
I am stopping by from the WIP hop, hop on by if you can http://domesticdeficitdisorder.blogspot.com/2013/07/wip-wednesday-july-3rd-edition.html
Oh, that quilt (and it's story) is really lovely! How nice of all of you (and Susan) to put together!
My projects come from many beginnings - a fabric collection (or precuts) that I find a pattern for, a pattern that inspires me to pull fabric or a color combo can also get me going. Most of the time, though, I think I start with the pattern and then find the fabrics...
What a fun collection of fabrics floating around on your design wall. I'm all over the place with quilty inspiration, sometimes its the fabrics, sometimes a pattern. I'm always open to changing plans as I make the quilt, whether it means adding different fabrics or changing the pattern.
About half the time I start with a pattern, and half the time I start with a fabric. It really just depends on when I find something I just have to make or have to use!
That quilt for Cindy is beautiful and I love the fabric selection on your design wall. I don't really like using patterns because I love the designing stage and then I like having the flexibility to let things change and evolve and take on a life of their own whilst they are getting made.
Well said, Lucy!
I think I usually start with an idea and then sketch out block designs, etc. while thinking about colours and picking fabric. I find it much harder if I have a stack of fabric that I want to make into a quilt - it's like I have to find the perfect design for the fabric and I end up dithering. Just ask Nicky about my Christmas quilt ;o) Can't wait to see what you're making!
I always make changes but I usually start with an idea, then a block but I almost always decide I want a different block halfway through. So I use this from her and that from there and it becomes my quilt. I use patterns but it could have 2, 3, sometimes pieces from 4 different ones.
I love the quilt above it is beautiful!