Too Many Choices? NY Times Article

I have a great group of friends and one of them sent us an article from the NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/science/26tier.html?ex=1204779600&en=f3105889859fb138&ei=5070&emc=eta1
The article focused on how everyone has a difficult time limiting their options, even when doing so would be more "rewarding".

I find that there is a creative cycle to my art work and evidenced in my studio. There is an odd balance of creative chaos that, at some point, turns into chaos without creativity. At that point, I take the time to straighten things up, put things away and start over.

But, I don't always apply the limiting options to my design wall. So, I took down a number of the items that have been hanging on the design wall this morning. I have one quilt to machine quilt and then can work on what is on the wall. I still couldn't limit myself to one item though. I realize that I need to do so, but just am resisting it so far. And my brain wants to use the emptier wall as a place to put up a bunch more new things. Again, I too am irrational and cannot handle the loss of options in favor of the benefit of focus.

Greenbelt Courthouse Quilt Display & other upcoming venues

Well, the quilts are up at the US District Courthouse in Greenbelt, MD. My understanding is that a group quilt of mine, Essence of Fan, is up and generating a lot of interest. The courthouse is at 6500 Cherrywood Ln # 400
Greenbelt, MD 20770.

Then, in April, Cloth & Chocolate will have a group show at the Friendship Heights Community Center. Plans are underway for that exhibit.

And, another exhibit for Cloth & Chocolate will happen in September.

In between all of that, I have my own solo show to get ready. When it rains, it pours.

Latest Work in Progress - Using those PSI's (Plus Sized Inchies)

In the middle of having a lousy cold that made it hard to see, I just now have had some time to work on a new piece. I have a group of friends in http://www.clothandchocolate.net/ with whom I exchanged Plus Sized Inchies (PSI's).

A few of the other members of the group had started to make quilts with their PSI's. Now that I had quite a selection (and I think I still have a few more coming), I needed to devise my own approach too. It was nice to be able to borrow the tucking concept one group member was playing with for this piece. That gave me some opportunities for "window panes" to highlight a number of the PSI's and make them stand out. The borders are irregular and are areas where other PSI's can be added. The row of PSI's on the right will dangle.

I partially quilted the base of the design before adding borders. The quilting on the gold cotton fabric is meant to emulate ribbons.

More on Round Robins, reference books

If you are considering doing a round robin quilt project, what you are really doing is a series of borders around a single block. So, you will need to use your best border construction references as ways to deal with the project. Everyone probably has their personal favorites, I have mine. If you haven't purchased a borders book for your library, consider the following:

• Pieced Borders: The Complete Resource (Paperback)by Judy Martin (Author), Marsha McCloskey (Author)
• The Border Workbook: Easy Speed-Pieced and Foundation-Pieced Borders (Paperback)by Janet Kime (Author)
• Borders, Bindings and Edges: The Art of Finishing Your Quilt (Paperback)by Sally Collins (Author)
• Sensational Sets and Borders (Rodale's Successful Quilting Library) (Hardcover)by Sally Schneider (Author)

The first one I list is the one I use a lot for ideas. I find that I have to double check their numbers before cutting things, as they sometimes don't include seam allowances in their measurements.

Guild Meeting - Mickey Depre

Last night I went to the FriendshipStar Quilters guild meeting at heard Mickey Depre. her blog is here: http://www.quiltartistwithyarn.blogspot.com/ She was a very nice speaker, down to earth, sharing, creative, what else could you ask for?

She did her lecture on Tips and Tricks and had a small trunk show too. I really liked the use of the quarter inch strips of steam a seam to help with making a sleeve on your quilt. Why sew it if you can fuse it?

I took two pieces to the photographer on Friday and will get to pick up the images this Friday. I'll get to flip one CD to the Dadian Gallery where I will be having a solo show this summer. Yippee. Now, if I could just find more time in the studio.

More on Round Robin Quilts, Border Progressions

Just a quick note that I continue to work on the new design for my website and may have it up in a week. I hope you will enjoy it. And give me comments too.

Now, back to the real topic: round robin quilts (aka border progressions). I did a quick google search and found the following for additional pictures or designs beyond me on this topic. Check out:

http://www.electricquilt.com/Users/FunStuff/RoundRobins/RR.asp - lots of images of quilt designs that are round robins.
http://www.scarlettrose.com/round.html has some finished quilts
http://hometown.aol.com/teasquilts/myhomepage/index.html

I hope to add some book resources in the future.

Round Robin Quilts

I find it fascinating that about once a month or more I get an email from someone with questions about round robin quilts. I think the easiest way for me to record my responses to these emails, and inform others, is through this mechanism.

So, for the basics on the round robin quilts, check out my page here: www.margreta.com/round.htm

So, my thoughts on this process from a recent email:

Rules never seem to protect us from relationships.

It is great to be clear about the rules and be clear on the expectations, as best you can. Do you, as a group, want everyone to stay in their regular skill zones and just work on the challenge of fitting their work into the work of others? Do you value technical accuracy more than anything? Do you value challenging yourselves on all fronts? While you can help yourselves by being clear on these things, it won't protect you from the relationships (or that one person's definition of accuracy is different than another's).

Give yourself a little space. If you can work into the design some spacer borders or pieces, you give yourself some breathing space from other people's expectations and abilities. You may want that space because you personally don't like what the other person did. You may help the next person in the progression if they aren't quite happy with what you did.