Through the ages, quilts have been an integral part of telling stories about the people who create them and those who use them. The story they tell teaches us how people have lived and about the textiles and resources available. They have, and still do, tell messages of political opinions; are used as gifts; are sometimes worn as garments; created as an artistic expression; and most of all, used for warmth and home décor. Quilts have been made from a variety of textiles ranging from exquisite silks, linens, cottons and even recycled pieces of fabric. Regardless of how quilts began and evolved, they are an ever-present part of our American way of life.
As a quilter, have you ever thought about the story your quilts tell? Do you make quilts for yourself, your family, friends or to sell? Regardless of the rhyme or reason for making
your quilts, have you ever thought about how your quilts have evolved over time or if they have? Much has changed from the “old ways” of creating pattern pieces for a quilt top. We seldom use newspaper or cardboard to cut a template to trace on the fabric and cut out with scissors. We modernized to use rotary cutters and rulers to improve accuracy and speed up production. I would say the typical quilter today has no problem making this transition.
What about other elements of your quilting process? Are you using similar fabrics choices today as you did in years past? Have your color choices changed at all, or do you stick to similar color choices? If you are using similar colors, styles and patterns, it might be time for a gentle tune-up. Consider making some nudges and update your quilting style. Color is a very good starting point.
One of the most profound lessons I ever learned in quilting was challenging a friend on her color choices. All her quilts always had a ton of black and brown in them. They were dark. In talking about her choices, I discovered those colors were what was in her “stash.” I asked her one day what color she least liked. She said, “pink!” I challenged her to make her next quilt with pink in it somewhere and even offered to give her some pink to help. She agreed but only if I would use my least favorite color in my next quilt. What happened was amazing. Her next quilt was stunning and vibrant. My next quilt was almost a fail because I didn’t feel I put my best effort into it—so I repeated the challenge. Well, I now incorporate purple into most of my quilt designs. It changed my perspective.
You don’t have to make drastic changes, just small steps to update your style. You might find, as my friend and I did, it stretches your choices. If you only make Patchwork Quilts, try doing something different like a Sampler Quilt. Most of the blocks for Sampler Quilts are available on the web free of charge. The results can be stunning and could give you an opportunity to add new colors to your style.
Whatever you choose, don’t be afraid to take the dive and update your style. Just as the pandemic has taught us to think beyond ways we normally do, updating our quilting style can help us grow our skills and find deeper satisfaction in our quilting.
Article and photo courtesy of guest author and OPQG member, Jillian Grant.
