There's a bossy old lady living in my head. Her intentions are good, I know. She wants me to live a productive and meaningful life and I'm on board with that. But her rules are rigid. For instance - no lollygagging around in quilt shops. In a voice that does not invite argument she tells me -
"If you think you need to buy fabric, just go to your sewing room. Look around. Now, do you still think you need to go to a quilt shop? I thought not."
So I pout a little, but I get over it. I know she's right.
Another of her taboos concerns quilt shows. Anyone who quilts knows the allure of quilt shows. You go and see wonderful quilts made by talented stitchers, and it inspires you to redouble your efforts to get your own stuff finished. So what's Ma Natzi's problem? One word - vendors. The vendors line the halls of every quilt show. It's like having all the quilt shops for miles around in one place. They dangle temptation under your nose, willing and wanting to sell you everything a quilter could ever need and many things she doesn't!
"If your sewing room is already a disorganized mess, do you really need to have to shoehorn into it any more fabric, tools, gadgets or must-haves?"
No Ma'am.
But when a friend asked me to go to a very special quilt show in Tampa a few weeks ago I decided to wrap duct tape around Ma Natzi's mouth, tie her to a chair and lock her in the sewing room where the muffled sounds of her indignation would be unlikely to bring anyone to her rescue.
With her safely out of my head, we set off.
This was not your ordinary quilt show. This was a once-every-four-years show by a guild that focuses mainly on applique. Yes, I know. The dreaded A word. It used to strike terror into my heart too, but after a few million stitches, give or take or rip out a few, it's now my favourite kind of stitching.
And the happy news is it was worth it - being bad for a day. When I finish a tiny block, say 6 1/2", of applique, I swell with pride. The Gods undoubtedly had decided I needed taking down a peg or two. If it was humility I needed, they had guided me to the right place. I was very humble when I left.
This next photo is of the quilt that won "Best in show" and multiple other ribbons. The piecing and quilting both were outstanding...
The next photo is a detail........
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This was an antique quilt......
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I was peering at this one a while before it dawned on me it had a music theme - those are violins in the center!
Lots of country style motifs,
Grecian urns,
dancing ladies,
butterflies, birds, flowers and dragonflies all over the place, many done in wool...
This red, black and white one was an eye popper...
We saw the day out well. When I got back to my sewing room Ma Natzi had dozed off in the chair, breathing noisily through her nose, worn out from struggling. Before she woke, I squirreled away the iresistible wool I had bought in hopes of some day doing a little wool applique of my own. As I gently removed the duct tape and the fabric strip ropes she said not a word. Overcome with guilt and shame for treating her so badly, I decided to be more co-operative from now on. After all, she's only trying to protect me from myself.
Added later --- this one's for you, Smitonius & Sonata!
17 comments:
The red , black and white one is wonderful .
And I would have loved to have seen them all ... very humbling !
I have the same problem with wool. My stash is getting bigger every week. And now I've started on material. I've discovered jelly rolls. Don't tell the Silver Fox. Julie
Oooh. Quilt shows. Awe. Wonder. Envy. Awe.
I really like some of the pictorial quilts that are produced now. And mourn my lack of co-ordination and talent.
I wouldn't have bothered to untie her!
I really like the black, white and red quilt and the turtle's ( tortoise ) shell.
I say go to quilt shows whenever you get the chance. Pleasure is not forbidden.
Don't think I saw the 🎻 s until you pointed them out, Molly. A bit cruel to Mme Nazi, but goodness, worth it!
They are all beautiful.
Every time one weeds the stash, a project appears that needs just that bit that went!
sometimes we have to stand up to the Inner Beeotch - cuz sometimes she just needs to shut the freak up ... it's not like she ever says anything that i don't already know, right?!?
i go to Great Lengths to avoid the A word - and so i keep NOT getting better at it ... i bow to you...
S&S --- Oops! I forgot one that I meant to post just for you...Will add it on.
Julie --- Don't worry. Your secret ois safe. What they don't know they can't fuss over!
EC --- Your talents may not lie in patchwork, but I've seen your photos and your birds and your writing - 'nuff said!
Ali --- You're even meaner than me, It was tongue in cheek. I do go whenever there's a good one. But I make better progress on current projects if I don't dance with Temptation....
Gillie --- Well, I would never, obviously, do that to a real poerson, but since she's imaginary I felt I could get away with it.
I'm at a loss for words - wow! I love wool applique and have about 10 patterns waiting for me with 5 more already kitted up. And I'm 70. With the 25 kitted cross stitch patterns and 50 more that want stitching I know I'll never stitch them all but do I slow down buying them? No. Double no. They are my addiction. Better than cigarettes or gin I say. blessings, marlene
Colette --- Thank you! But not inspired yet, hmmm?
gz --- Ain't that the truth! Just as years ago, when we finally decided to get rid of the baby crib, 'cause that wasn't happening again, and then a couple of months down the road it did!
Dianne --- Well yes. We would just rather keep piling up the UFOs 'til the sewing room explodes and no-one has anything to remember us by because we never get anything finished! I am, of course, speaking of the royal "we" as I've seen your finishes! As for the A word, I'd bet if you started you'd soon be off out in front...
Stitchin'--- 2? Well Marlene, if you pace yourself, you can do one each year 'til you hit 100! Meanwhile, Stitchers Annonymous.....
I have forever banned that voice. After we moved, and I unpacked boxes of quilting stuff, I realized I had enough fabric (organized, with pattern planned) to last me 10 years.
Looking forward to seeing your creations, how ever large or small.
I've got a strange woman living in my mirrors!! She just settled in and won't leave!!
Beautiful quilts. Wonderful work done by the quilters. I'm a quitter quilter...I've never attempted to make a quilt nor have I had the urge to make one, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the brilliant handiwork of others.
Now, those are REAL quilters!
(Haha - I'm laughing at Pam's comment!)
I feel your pain Miss Molly! I don't go to quilt shops very often anymore either -- I have WAY too much fabric and I'll NEVER be able to use it all.
Applique is my favorite now too and the quilts you've shown are just beautiful. I lean more toward the traditional, and I see one that I've started. We'll see if I ever finish it LOL!
The quilts are so beautiful, they looks like painting...
Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com
Dear Molly, I have two friends who quilt and seem to me to be quite extraordinarily talented, but in truth I've never seen quilts like the ones you've pictured here. These are truly outstanding. I especially liked the photos that revealed detail--like the violins and the high-stepping turtle and the dragonfly in the middle of square.
I can easily see why the winner was chosen. So much work and it produced loveliness that will last decades--maybe into centuries. Thank you for sharing all this.
And that voice in the head? Be gentle with it, but please don't let it become a taskmaster. Visits to quilt shows enrich the vendors, that's true--but they also enrich your soul and ours when you blog about them. Peace.
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