Before knitting, there was quilting...at least for me that was the case. I started quilting during my Senior year in college when I was taking some apparel design courses. In particular, it was a studio class on color that got me into patchwork. We did some color studies using 2" charm squares, and I was immediately smitten. I quilted hard and heavy for about 3 years...quilting became my first medium where I realized I had a talent. Before that, I didn't really excel in any art or craft. Quilting became my therapy. It got me though all the crazy things that happened, college graduation, marriage, buying the first house (those three things happened in a span of 3 months!), and hating my job as a TV producer. Then September 11th came, and when I wasn't working 27 hour days in the newsroom, I was in my craft room, crying and sewing away while listening to the news coverage on NPR. Quilting got me though my layoff from KSTP-TV, it got me through crappy retail jobs, and it got me through the sale and move out of a house I hated.
In Summer 2003, we moved into our current house, a house I adored the minute I saw it, and continue to love more than 5 years later. I got my own huge craft room, made a large design wall (a large piece of plywood covered with flannel, for displaying fabric and blocks), and I set myself up for a wonderful quilting studio. At about this time, I had really begun to start knitting seriously. I was enjoying taking lots of classes, exploring many techniques, and stashing yarn! I was also finally happy with my life, and I slowly began to quilt less and less. Quilting had become an anti-social activity for me. I would spend hours and hours in my room by myself. I had realized that I had turned the hobby I had enjoyed into an emotional crutch. Now that I had made so many changes in my life and was finally happy, I didn't really need quilting anymore.
Five years later, knitting has become my primary craft. I have learned from my experience with quilting that I shouldn't turn my hobbies into my primary emotional outlets, so I haven't done that with my knitting. However, since quilting has become popular with knitters lately, I see beautiful quilts on blogs and long for doing patchwork again. Also, new and innovative designers are putting out fabric collections that are amazing. This weekend I decided to try my hand at piecing a top again. I wanted to make something easy and basic. I wanted a larger lap sized quilt, something to snuggle under when I go on bed rest during IVF. I also wanted to use up some Amy Butler fabrics from my collection (so I could buy more!). In one lovely, lazy afternoon, I cut and pieced this top:
Next weekend I'll sandwich it and do the quilting...probably something basic like stitching in the ditch. While I became really good at free-motion quilting, I think this quilt
will be better served with a lofty bat and minimal stitching. I have a large amount of AB orange dot fabric that will be the backing and binding.
I'm already thinking of my next project...perhaps a hand paper piece hexigon quilt using up even more Amy Butler scraps. I always liked hand piecing, and it's portable so I don't need to be cooped up in my room as the days get nicer.
Don't worry, I'll still be knitting. One can never have enough sweaters, socks, mittens, etc. I just feel the need to "diversify" my interests. I also signed up for a weaving class, to start this Wednesday night and to run through my birthday in April. I feel like I need to learn something new. I also have a ton of stash yarn that really, really needs to be used. I was really inspired by Aija's woven baby blanket with satin binding. My blankie was woven with a satin binding, so I think this would make perfect baby gifts for all the babies that seem to be popping up lately.
I didn't so too much knitting this weekend as my elbow was "zinging" me, but I'm finally at the halfway point on the body of Therapi.
I love this sweater so much...I cannot wait to have it done and on me!
