Vacation stitching

A while back I came to the conclusion that, despite the extra time I seemed to have over the summer, it really wasn't a great time to set art-making deadlines.  I still wanted to make art, but with different expectations and parameters.

My solution: create a project that's a "vacation" quilt.  I only work on it while on vacation, during those downtimes when I don't want to nap, read, or just hang with my family. It had to be something I could pick up after months -- or years -- in between.

With that in mind I bought fabric, sorted it between lights, mediums, and darks, and cut out piles of triangles.   I stored them in bags to keep the sorting intact. Then it was time to go.

A few years passed before I had time to join triangles into a few blocks.  It wasn't significant stitching progress, but it was fun to touch the fabrics again, to enjoy the fabrics I'd selected.  More years passed and then this past week, I re-visted the project and sewed, making enough progress that the hidden pattern within the quilt began to emerge.

I really love where this is going and it's a pure pleasure to sew.  The color palette was inspired by the colors of the California coast.  I think it's speaking to me particularly strongly right now because I have a series of quilts in my head that have been percolating since our family scuba trip in December.  The series is a reflection on our governance and care of the ocean.  Perhaps after I've made progress on one of the quilts I'm thinking about, I'll show it to you.  In any event, it's exciting and cathartic to sit back down at my machine and piece.  I hope I can keep it going.

But not this week.  After so much travel, the house and gardens need some TLC.  PLUS, if all goes well, I'm heading into NYC this Wednesday to attend a panel discussion on immigration.  Should be very interesting.  

Hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend.  Right now, I'm off to dust.  My house is very happy.