The art of quiltmaking is a lifetime exploration. Cutting fabric into pieces, sewing it back into shapes, growing larger compositions, and then stitching three layers together by hand with needle and thread--this is the process I love so much that I have done it over and over again for the past 40 years. And the fact is, it still brings me joy and excitement to create something new. It's meditation; it's spirit talk; it's play. My quilts are stories in fabric. The process of hand quilting slows me down and allows life to flow into the cloth.
I have fabric all around me. I follow a voice that leads me to cut or sew. Usually I don't start with a plan. Many times a quilt begins with a touch. One fabric asks for another to join and that begins the dance. I'm not efficient for the most part. Sometimes I'll make strips of color, cut them apart, sew them together and then find other shapes to add. The process is to make something new, something that has mystery. Once this flow begins I can just keep going until it is complete. Then the creative choices are made for backing and thread and what embellishments are needed. Left on the cutting floor, depending on the size of the project, is a great deal of "waste" or "treasures" as I like to think of them. These get added back into other compositions so in effect one quilt can flow into many. The fabric made this way can be cut up into squares and rectangles and what you see is a "view" or new way of looking. This adds depth and viewed closely you can find new discoveries. I choose to hand quilt because I love the texture it adds and it gives me the needed time to process my thoughts. It's the fine brush stroke. I love to see the rows wind across the fabric releasing tensions, finding the story. I like to celebrate the imperfections. If I find a tear in the fabric, or a stain, or a snag I'm drawn to it. Each quilt is unique.
