The quilt of scraps I made for my daughters' bed.
It took six months. Literally.
Hello friends. I just wanted everyone to know that I will not be writing today. Sometimes we have to take the day off. Instead, I'll be starting a new quilt (Fridays are sewing days round here). I am almost as excited for that as I am to start a new novel.
In fact, it strikes me that noveling and quiltmaking have some similarities. For example, I get really excited to write a new novel. The idea is shiny and big and bursting to get on the page. Then, it gets boring and I think about leaving it in my closet for awhile. I have to force myself to keep writing until I finally finish it.
Here's the process with the quilt: find new fabric and design idea. So excited. Cut and sew together top. Still love it. Now time to quilt (bringing the top, middle batting, and back together) SUCKS. It's sort of like revisions. Finally finish quilting. Bind. Binding's not so bad, it's at the end, you can see the product of your work and it's satisfying to get it done.
Me, binding. Oh, how I love binding!
Binding must be like the final copy edits, maybe?
Here's the new fabric for my quilt. Isn't it pretty?
Wow, that quilt is absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI don’t have hobbies that remind me of writing, but taking a day off works for me as well (also eating lots and lots of things that aren’t necessarily healthy, that works too).
Taking days off is mandatory. Even though, I sometimes feel guilty. Also, eating things that aren't healthy is one of my greatest talents!
DeletePlaying the piano seems a whole lot like writing. If you're bad at one thing you have to work at it over and over, find music books that can help you improve, get advice from a teacher before you can play it well. (It's a lot like drawing, too.)
ReplyDeleteHeather,
DeleteYes I agree about piano. Also, I am no artist, but I see that it seems most creative/artistic processes follow the same pattern. I'm also not a scientist, but I bet money their process is similar.
So interesting.
Thanks for your comment. I'm a huge fan of your book and your blog...and your drawing!
The quite, btw, is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt. Post pictures of the new one when you have it.
ReplyDeleteOther hobbies? Are you kidding? Doesn't every other writer out there spend EVERY spare second in the writing zone? :)
Yes Ilima, I will post pictures...I just hope you're patient cause quilting takes me FOREVER. Plus, I know you have other hobbies. You are the girl who can do hard things!
DeleteI love this post, Emily! Great comparisons to quilting and writing a book. BTW, have you read HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT by Whitney Otto? It's women's fiction. Each chapter begins with a page or two of a description of sewing/piecing a particular kind of quilt, and then the story of that chapter totally goes hand in hand with that initial setup/comparison. Awesome! I made a quilt once. I started with a waaaaay ambitious design. It was like a swirling design made of all these different triangles of different sizes. I loved piecing it together, but I had someone else quilt and bind it for me. Apparently I don't do the "revision" process while quilting. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have not read HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT. I will have to check it out. Also, I want to see your quilt with it waaaaay ambitious pattern. I used to be ambitious, now I make simple quilts. It's much easier.
DeleteAlso, interesting you had someone else 'revise' for you. Hmmm. What does that mean?
I love quilting-excited you see all your pretty beds soon:)
ReplyDeleteCutting out is my least favorite part. Binding is my favorite step, the repetition is soothing-the quilt over my lap (hopefully it's not 120 degrees outside) and a great movie on the tv. I prefer baby quilts (and tend to write short novels (I have made 1 queen and 1 king though, so I like to think I can go the distance.)
Right now everything I do reminds me of writing:) I'm on a knitting phase.
Ooh, Robin--I want to knit. You should teach me. Knitting just seems like binding...but you can take it anywhere and make damn cool stuff.
DeleteYou can definitely go the distance...
Oh man! I am the worst seamstress on the planet. I want to do it. I've tried. I'm no good. So major kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Elana, you excel at many other things. I wouldn't worry about it too much. And--like I said before--it takes me a super long time...
DeleteAlso you have published a couple kick-ass books, so kudos to you! Thanks for the comment!