So way back in 2014 when my oldest was 6 she came home with an adorable family portrait done in marker on a piece of white cloth. That piece of cloth was stapled to another scrap of gray fabric. I loved everything about it – the stick figures, the eyes carefully done in appropriate shades, and the misspelled "familey" across the top. In my mind I thought it would be so cute if I made it into a hanging quilt square. I clipped it up on the clothesline in my art room and there it has been ever since.
Fast forward to this summer where my husband noticed I had written "Quilt Week" on the calendar. He suggested that perhaps I did not need any new ideas and that I should just go work on the ideas I already have. He was right (of course!) and this project was the result.
So a couple of things I love about this:
1. I experimented with the quilting.
I did concentric rectangles, I outlined squares, and I even followed along with the curving leaf pattern of a particular fabric. It was fun for me to try something different.
2. I used scrap fabric.
I did not buy anything for this project. That doesn't surprise me but that's because I am quite aware of what I have stashed in the art room! At any rate, that's always a good thing.
3. I had fun with the composition.
So choosing colors and balancing a composition is something I am good at naturally. I am sure that my graphic design education from Ferris State University also sharpened my skills as well. So taking those little scraps of fabric and arranging them here and there and building the blocks around the drawing was pure joy for me.
The lesson in all of this is that when you spend time making art art gets made! So obvious but seemingly out of reach for me so often!
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