Remember when you were a kid and your parents said "it's a learning experience"? How come as an adult that I'm still having learning experiences? I guess that's what keeps us alive. I know for myself that if I'm not learning something new - well there's absolutely no fun in keeping things the same old way.
I've decided enough is enough on holding back on the long arm. I've kept things safe for a long time but this time - well, I put bright multicolor thread on the machine, I've been swirling and twirling and I been doing diagonal accordions without a ruler. I'm throwing caution to the wind! BUT I did practise my design on paper first - just like I teach my students. Some of this is new to me and I want to work out the logistics before I hit the long arm. Is it perfect? God no! Far from it. That is not the point - I'm learning.
I'm learning what I'm good at and what I'm not. I'm learning that there is an artistic style deep within myself and all I have to do is give it some exercise. The more exercise I give, the better the artistic style becomes. Yes - we all doubt ourselves, but there has to come a point where we throw caution to the wind and just have fun! I'm not going to show you a picture as it's for a magazine. But I'm sure there'll be more where that came from.
I did four hours on the long arm last night and very close to being done. The binding is made and it shouldn't take long to get that finished off, but first I had to prepare a backing and the quilt top because GASP I'm dropping it off for a long armer to complete. It's beyond my abilities and my time frame so I've engaged a very famous long arm quilter to do it for me. I have to drop it at her house this morning so NO - it's not Angela Walters. I can't wait to see what she does with the quilt. It's for Market, so not sharing although you may see snippets of the quilt on her Instagram. I'll let you know if I see anything.
Speaking of which - here is another learning experience. This particular long arm quilter had a quilt accepted into the Houston Quilt Show. She's of that calibre - I'm not. I don't have the time, nor do I want to spend that kind of time on one quilt. The quilt was boxed up and sent via courier. At some point, it became apparent that the quilt was missing. Any quilter's worst nightmare. Was it stolen? Did the label come off? Dropped off the truck? Turns out there was a second label from a previous use on the box and although the label had been partially removed, there was enough of the label that the scanner picked up that address and not the address on the full label.
The good news - the quilt was found, the head guys at this courier service were very resonsive in their investigation and all is good. The quilt is now in Houston. But the lesson here is that any previous shipping labels must either be completely removed or they must be totally obliterated! I deal with that almost every day and I've been warned. So far, nothing of mine has gone missing.
Just when you think you have things under control and each hour is carefully planned, DH says we're invited to dinner. ACK! I don't have time for that - I have a deadline. So I may have to work a bit later tonight and dinner will be SHORT! Don't spring last minute plans on me!
I have many quilts without labels and while they are in my possession, it's not really a bit deal. But I was planning on giving one away and there is NO label. I hate to send it out the door with nothing and our printer is on the fritz and needs to be replaced. So I carefully opened up the binding and inserted my little label. PERFECT. Not the best task in the world to be faced with, but it worked. This was one of my earlier quilts that I put the binding on and it's not the best. But again - now I'm really good at it. Why? Because I've done lots and each one is better than the last!
So when our parents said - practise makes perfect? Well, we'll never be perfect, but practise does definitely make better! Gosh - I hate when our parents are right!
On that note, it's time to get moving!
Have a super day!!!!!
Ciao!
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