I am reverting back to what I loved about quiltmaking when I first began so many years ago. It was the hand piecing and hand applique that drew me in and is now bringing me back. I have to admit, I do not like using my sewing machine. When I sit down to sew at my machine, I feel as if I am working. When I sit down in a comfortable chair, usually with a cat purring beside me, I am in my element. It is there I find a perfect world. There is serenity, quiet (I usually have no noise from a television or music), insulation…perfect peace. It is my prescription for the life I most love to inhabit. I guess I am the introvert that is defined so well over here.
I want to incorporate some paperless hand piecing into my Tribute piece. I love this method. It has become a favorite, and I tend to envision various shapes in different configurations of geometry and color. It is a way of being flamboyant in a controlled environment….the wild woman contained within a box.
Sometimes my days are so fragmented that I can catch only three hour segments of time to work on the things that are prevalent in my mind, awake or asleep. So today when I found the way to my space to work, I decided I would try to piece the tumbler shapes of silk on the sewing machine. It was not fun. If it takes me an extra six months to complete this piece, I will give myself the gift of pleasure and time. Now I am considering piecing the tiny tumbler or maybe the favored hexagon. Whatever the shape, it will be for the quality of peace that it brings to those hours…with a cat purring softly in rhythm and quiet.
Your opening chord of color took my breath away.
I understand your notion of piece/peace completely. I love to spend time there (I have the chair and cat too) but a part of me sometimes craves the speed, hum and almost instant gratification that comes from under my machine. It’s hard to divide what little time is left.
Deb,
I think your last sentence is the one that seems to be ever present in my mind. I wonder if I could get back to the joy of machine work. I used to enjoy it, but I haven’t for some time. I will see in the future what all of this means. I notice I am narrowing my focus, and I am not trying to keep so many balls in the air. It is nice to hear how other people cope or manage with these issues.
I was going to write a post like this! The more I hand sew the more I love it and the more machine sewing looks wrong on the surface to me. The only problem is teaching the cat and dogs to sit beside me rather than what I’m working on.
Deb,
My cats are all different. My oldest cat bats all the spools of thread, buttons, trims within his reach. I let him because I won’t take any joy from him. I just find another spool to work with that isn’t on the floor. My youngest cat is always in slow motion and to bat at a spool is too much effort. He would rather curl up close and purr or snore!
Oh the color, the colors. How I do love color. It is looking mighty fine indeed!
When you say tribute piece, did I miss what it is a tribute to or for?
And I understand Deb, my two don’t understand that the thread and spool are not play things. The naughty dears!
Pat,
Color sings a song! Whenever I see a new color on a wall I want to paint it in a room. Thank heavens we only have so much time for projects!
i love that you are working with silk! i find silk much easier to handle when i am hands sewing.
Jude,
Machine sewing silk is not fun or relaxing. I am a little reluctant to work with silk for reasons I won’t get into, but I figure I have enough on hand that could be used without buying new. I love so many things about silk that it is hard to stay away from it.
I too love the handwork. I don’t mind my machine for piecing a bed quilt, just so it gets me closer to hand quilting. I have been known to start a whole new project because all the others are waiting for machine work, or something else that means I can’t sit…with my cat who prefers my chest area so she can whisper in my ear…and try to block my hand work!
Vicky,
Well the cat thing is well known amongst hand piecers and quilters. I think cats know where we live. They must have their own google maps in catland and figure out a way to become adopted by us. We all seem to have cats lingering in our fabrics and stashes. Of course they all have very good taste.
Well add me to the hand work club. I’m not a great fan of technology. When I hand embroider I can lose myself, when I sew on a machine I am frustrated as it is always a reminder that I don’t really like to sew on a machine in the first place. My thread breaks, the darn needle breaks or it goes off in a direction that was not my intention. The beautiful colors of the silk was wonderful eye candy.