Yup, gonna lay blame right there on the floor at Georgia Bonesteel's feet. Yesssiree, Bob! I will also thank her for helping to define my style of quilting.
When I was first getting started in learning about quilting and developing my own technique for stitching these fabric sammiches together I looked at a lot of different styles and techniques. To hoop or not to hoop? Square hoops versus circular hoops. Machine or hand quilting. Which is best? Which is worst? What is right? What is wrong? The opinions on the subject were endless. I even got caught up in the whole how many stitch per inch quest. 37,000spi (stitch per inch) are just too damn many. I'm happy with my measly 8-9spi and on some pieces 10-12spi count thank you, very much.
One day early in my quilting explorations I picked up a book at a flea market, Lap Quilting With Georgia Bonesteel and I was hooked. I loved the hoopless approach to piecing, and the elegant, yet free flow of the stitches. The look of Ms. Bonesteel's work left an impression on me that I enjoy to this day.
Through much exploration and many started and failed projects as well as one very large project I am perpetually striving to finish (a whole 'nother blog entry on that one!) I finally settled into my own style. Now as I have mentioned before I do so love the whole dorky handmade look of hand stitched quilts, so I focused on that look for my fabric arts.
Through trial and error - many, many errors mind you - I have come to the conclusion that I prefer to machine piece and hand quilt. Which is just fine. I will continue to play with the whole machine quilting idea and keep trying to improve my techniques. But for now that cotton log will lay in a box until I get back in the mood to start wasting thread and time on it. Good thing it is just a crappy quickly pieced nothing I will eventually give to the dog. Otherwise I'd be embarrassed to admit I made it. He will love it.
For now I hand quilt and for each quilt I adjust my stitches to match the look of the quilt, big and bold for some of the baby/crib size, smaller and finer or the wall hangings, the quilt itself seems to help me decide what it wants for stitch size. Artists will understand this concept, trust me.
Well, it is time to pin another quilt and show off my latest completion.
Peach Out Apricots!
Morg
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