Monday, November 11, 2013

Enviable Quilting

By observing our envy, we shine light on our true desires. -  Danielle LaPorte

She poses a question to us:  What kind of success are you envious of?

I thought that was a great question, because I have been looking with great longing at these fabulous designs that people are quilting with their fancy quilting machines.  I have looked with great longing for many years now at their work and wished i could do similar things.  When I got my last
machine, and I couldn't do that fabulous work, I blamed it on the machine.  The harp was too small, the space too constricting, the patterns too complicated.

But really,, all that was just a way to whine
about me not wanting to put in the work to be what I wanted to be.  Now with the new machine, I have none of those excuses and I have to "do the work" myself.

I am thinking I need to adjust my thoughts
to want to do the work; to revel in the work.  My mindset needs to be tweaked so it becomes pleasurable to run the machine over the cloth sandwich.  Work needs to become play.

Can I do it?  Maybe.  I know that I am not usually happy with repetition and work that is not easy to do.  It will take effort to make myself put in the practice to get where I want to be.

And i also know most likely I will never be a "perfect" quilter who wins at the Houston show.  But I do know I can outshine myself.

I spent the late hours of last night quietly curled up on the sofa with DiNozzo practicing making feathers.  I hit upon a method I  think I will use.   As you can see I got better and better with each set of feathers.  I also learned how  to make those little circles!  So cool.

Now I can circle till the cows come home!

Keep our veterans in your hearts!  I have 3 generations of Veterans in my life.  I am proud of each of them!

4 comments:

  1. Your feathers and little circles are wonderful. I'm at the same place as you, admiring free motion quilting, drawing some designs, but not jumping in with both feet yet. But I'm getting close. Good luck!

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  2. There is a FABULOUS feather tutorial at this site: http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/p/my-favorite-tutorials_4.html#FREE-MOTION QUILTING

    You might already know sewcalgal. Under tutorials on her blog, you can find this Diane Gaudynski tutorial - I swear it is magic...good luck.... your feathers will just bloom!!!! Kate the Quilting Professor

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  3. Your feathers are great! You must need to get in the zen of quilting. I love Leah Days designs and have learned a lot from her.

    And yes, God bless and thank you to the veterans!

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  4. I whine because my feathers are horrible, but I don't practice so I am just a goof! Yours a looking pretty good and with the new machine you should rock!

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