I Lost a Quilt

Sorry, sorry – DON’T PANIC!
This story has a happy ending.

I was thinking about the time when I needed to find a certain quilt to take with me as a sample for a class I was teaching. I keep my finished quilts rolled around swim noodles, wrapped in fabric on top of my shelves. I had a good idea of where it should be.

An hour later with every roll undone and half of my studio storage closet emptied I was in a panic. In my madRecently I was thinking about a time when I went to find of my quilts to pack for a class I was teaching. I keep my finished quilts rolled around swim noodles, wrapped in fabric on top of my shelves. I had a good idea of where it should be.

An hour later with every roll undone and half of my studio storage closet emptied, I was in a PANIC. Had I lost it at my last teaching gig? Had it been stolen? You can imagine the horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I was out of time so I packed another quilt, left the studio in chaos, and chalked it up to a heartbreaking loss.

When I arrived at my teaching engagement, the first thing my hostess did was hand me THAT QUILT.
Turns out I had shopped it earlier so the guild could use it to advertise the workshop.

If only I had kept track of what quilts were where I could have save a LOT of time and heartache!!! (Anyone else have the scarecrow’s “if I only had a brain” song running through their head now?)

Do you ever feel LOST in the middle of art making?

I can’t be the only one.

Halfway through any piece, whether I’m working intuitively or with a plan, there comes a point where I feel lost. Sometimes it’s just a vaguely unsure feeling, sometimes it’s the utter frustration of having no idea where to find the solution to the design problem.

The thing is, that if I step back and give it a little time and space, I usually find the answer I needed. I have to trust that the work I’ve done up till now will hold the knowledge and skill I need to move forward.

And sometimes, taking a little time to play and develop my art muscles is just like shipping the quilt ahead of my arrival. That time taken to play with the elements of art and principles of design give me skills that will be there when I need them.

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If you want to spend a little time getting your design muscles in shape, The Start Your Art cards are a perfect “exercise program.” Take a few minutes before you dig into your “serious” art making to explore an aspect of design. Develop your skills ahead of time so that when you feel lost you can look back and find the ideas you need, right there, waiting for you. You can purchase your own START YOUR ART card deck HERE.

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Miss Kissy Face up there is one of the patterns included in my Playful Portraiture. This is one my most popular courses ( available on-demand, live-virtual, and in-person). This is the perfect time to find a photo of a loved one and make them a portrait as a holiday gift! Sign up HERE.