At one time or another I’ve enjoyed just about every art and craft imaginable. When my interest paled in one art, I moved on to the next. And then, in the early 90’s, I discovered quilting and felt I had come home. What I have discovered about quilting is that it can be anything you want it to be in terms of artistic expression. It has so many different facets, I can’t imagine ever getting bored with it. Each new quilt, whether big or small, funky or traditional, seems like a new adventure. If I had the time, I'd probably still dabble in some fiberless projects like altered books, card making, polymer clay, etc., but I’ve never felt the desire to move away from quilting. It will always be my favorite creative therapy.
One big plus to quilting are the side trips it offers. Since a bed size quilt is so big and takes so long to accomplish, we quilters are always on the lookout for smaller projects that we can take on the road with us… to bee, doctor's office or out of town. We sometimes need a dose of quick gratification and a project that can be finished quickly. The criteria we look for? It must include fiber. In the broadest sense, we quilters are basically fiber lovers. Bring it on if the project includes fiber. We embroider, use the punch needle, cross stitch, hook rugs, appliqué on wool, construct totes and purses, knit and crochet. Just let us touch fiber. But first and foremost, we are quilters. Maybe our genes carry the memory of our foremothers and we are driven to express ourselves with fabric. I have a quilt my grandmother made for me and it's such a treasure. Maybe we are driven to keep our hands busy. Whatever the drive is, the satisfaction is great. |