New-to-You

As I mentioned in my previous (and inaugural!) post, I have been scoping the internet for the past handful of years growing my list of quilting and sewing bloggers that I admire. I have spent many an evening browsing through blogs full of fabulously gorgeous work and helpful tutorials. I enjoy looking at the work of others and often find inspiration that sends me off into my own sewing room to see what I can do. I have gratefully used tutorials on piecing and sandwiching and basting and binding and and and…

It is through the knowledge of others and the sharing nature of the quilting community that I have been able to continue learning about this art of quilting that I have become so taken with.

One such evening, while browsing through blogland, I came across this post from Blue Elephant Stitches and it made me happy. I do so looooove straight-line quilting and done in this random fashion, I thought looked absolutely amazing - straight and clean, and yet fun and casual at the same time. I immediately thought of a quilt top that had been hanging around unquilted for ages because I felt that it needed some ZING, but wasn't quite sure what that zing was. I loved the colours of this particular quilt, but it seemed too serious, it kept niggling at me that it was missing something. I swear quilts talk – because this one DID NOT want to be quilted as per usual (on either side of the seams, which is one of my favourite ways to quilt). Enter the random straight-line quilting – I knew it was just the thing. So I pulled out my thread, chose 3 (yes, 3!) colours…

and started stitching. Well let me tell you – it was liberating. Randomly following my heart and my eye to see where the quilt ‘wanted’ to be stitched next. I used masking tape for guidelines to help keep my lines straight. I had such fun; I quilted straight through a whole entire day (neglecting chores, dinner and responsibility et al) and share with you this….

...with which I am so pleased. This makes me giddy. So much so that I have been carrying it around with me just so I can smile at it (silly, right?!), as a matter of  fact right now it sits on the back of my chair as I type. 

I love this random star of quilting

How fun it that?!!! That you can take something from simple to ‘star’ by changing up your go-to style, and looking at it in a new way.

Have you finished a project lately that called out for something different? What new-to-you things have you tried recently?

Hope you are having fun!

Lisa