Oh, the elusive inspiration. Or the overwhelming inspiration.
As quilters there is inspiration everywhere - other people's quilts, fabric stacks, a pattern jacket, books, and even the buildings, flowers, and colours around us. It is one thing to see and feel all this inspiration, it is quite another to turn it into a quilt.
As a teacher and long term quilter (coming up on 17 years now) the way to turn inspiration into a quilt is a frequently asked question. It can't, however, be answered in a FAQ section on the blog. It can be taught. Rather, the tools and steps it takes to turn inspiration into a quilt can be taught. That is precisely the point of this class on CreativeLive.
If you've taken a webinar with me or a class on intention, this is a more literal interpretation of the process. In this class I break down the steps required to go from idea to quilt. Better yet, there are tonnes of examples - from me and the studio participants. It was great to work with the ladies in the studio with me at play with their ideas. Watching the class, you get to hear and see their thought process. It feels more like a workshop session where we feed off each other as opposed to the teacher at the front of the room.
One of the examples I brought to class was all about a bridge. We have an amazing bridge here in Calgary, called The Peace Bridge. I've loved the lines of it every since it was announced. Not surprisingly, it is often photographed! During the class you can see where my thoughts went and how I played with fabric. You will also see that I never quite landed on what I want. That is totally part of the process though - translating inspiration is an iterative process. So some day soon I will revisit those blocks again and see what it needs to be.
In the meantime, don't hesitate to check out the free preview of the class on CreativeLive. This is such a treat, to see exactly what you are signing up for in this detailed first lesson.
And speaking of bridges... Random aside from my trip to San Francisco to film the class. Totally cliche, but I walked the Golden Gate Bridge and it was really cool. Even when I got caught in a windy downpour just as I hit the other side.
4 comments:
I've enrolled for this course - and also for Low Volume and Quilting Improv - and can't wait to start! I've already have one big idea to translate.
I just finished watching the preview and it's wonderful - you are a true natural speaker and very relaxed in front of the camera :-) Looks like a great class. I will be enrolling in it for sure , just need to catch up on life first!
I'm so happy to hear that you're working on a Peace Bridge-inspired piece. I one day dream of getting to tackle my Calgary series.
I'd love to visit the Golden Gate Bridge. One day. Could you please tell me what the neutral fabric shown in the top photo is?
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