Get Inspired! C&T Readers Talk Quilting Inspiration
Posted by Deirdre Quirk on Jul 6th 2016
Two weeks ago, we reached out to all of our wonderful readers on Facebook and Twitter to ask about their inspiration for color choices, free-motion quilting, and more! Read through their answers below and get inspired to start a new project or tweak one that's been giving you trouble.
Who or what inspires you to quilt?
My sanity requires that I quilt. It is my refuge.
-Liz Dyer
The finished project.
-Mary Cryan
Babies and other beautiful quilts.
-Lisa Matthews
What inspires your color choices?
First it must have green in it somewhere. Mostly my colors are inspired by nature. I live on the side of a mountain in the deep woods. I find I use green in all my quilts, but I also like browns and the colors of autumn leaves.
-Liz Dyer
First the event the quilt is made for (new baby, wedding, ill health, birthday). Second their color likes and lastly how I am feeling about that person the quilt is for. Color is all about feelings.
-Janice Park
Nature. Especially the Northern California coast. Can't beat redwoods and ocean.
-Jacki Schwarting Powers
The design of the quilt pattern. I take the part of the pattern that I want to stand out with my most important color, and then go from there
-Betsy Cooksey
Take your color inspiration from nature! (from Radiant Landscapes).
Longarm, machine and hand quilters: what inspires your stitching?
Great question! For me, inspiration comes from being in the zone. My quilting stitches are a kind of improvisational counterpoint to the quilt top. I want my quilting stitches to sing their own song rather than follow the shapes of the quilt blocks. I get bored when I know exactly what a quilting design will look like before I'm finished. I love the surprise of spontaneous stitches. What inspires me to keep quilting is to discover what happens next!
-Laura West Kong
Free-motion quilting inspiration from the Free-Motion Quilting Workbook.
Who or what inspires you to keep going or to come up with a solution when you hit a rough spot creatively?
My husband is my biggest cheerleader and usually can help me through most issues.
-Liz Dyer
My sister, Trisch!
-Tammy Barnhill Lawson
I'm one of those people who does better with a challenge. I used to do alterations for people from my home, and most times it was a challenge as to how to repair something or change it. That background and the fact that I love working with scraps spurs me on when I'm stuck. One thing for sure, if you have a lot of UFOs, you tend not to add to that number and you just finish the project!
-Janice Park
When I’ve hit a creative slump with quilting, I try to move on to another craft, or needlework, and just take it as a blessing that it’s giving me time to work on a crochet or cross-stitch project that I’ve left unfinished. I lazily look through my quilt pattern books and on Pinterest boards for quilt ideas and inspiration, and usually that’s all it takes for me to pick up my quilting again!
-Myra McPeak
Some cross-stitch inspiration from Affectionately Yours, for when you need a break from quilting!
Thank you so much to everyone who shared their thoughts on inspiration with us! We are blessed to have such creative and thoughtful readers.
