Get Inspired! C&T Readers Talk Quilting Inspiration
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.
