How to be an ART Quilter in 7 easy steps

Ha – got ya.

Step one – Find something that excites you. Working in a series is just repeating the same idea over and over again.

• Do you like trees, dogs, cats, houses, sunsets, round things, square things, triangle things.
• What ever it is start saving images of it.
• Take pictures or sketch's of ideas that you have, or use Pinterest to keep track of the images you find that you like.
• USE those empty notebooks, they are yours and NO BODY but you has to see what is in them. Then when they are full you can buy new ones

Step two – Start making thumbnail quilts.  Little quilts that only take a day or half a day to make. Use fusible web. I like Wonder Under #805 and keep several bolts of it in my studio to work with. It is cheapest at Wal-Mart, if your Wal-Mart still has fabric or with a coupon. The stores always have coupons on the computer to print off.

Step three – Have lots of color choices to work with. If one color doesn’t work find another one. Get out that color wheel and play around.

Step four – Go out and see stuff, not just quilt shows, go to art exhibits, museums, public gardens. Take a walk, or a bike ride or a car drive. Turn off the TV and go to the library, go visit your favorite store and just wander around. I get great ideas just looking in the new book section of the library, or seeing design at Crate and Barrel or Ikea. PLAY!!!

Step five – It’s ok to steal ideas. Nothing comes from no where, BUT change the idea to make it your own.

Step six – Do the work, if you make it once and it doesn’t work out, rework it and make it again until you are happy.

Step seven - Believe in yourself - because if you don’t – No one else will.

We make our own destiny we don’t wait for it to fall in our laps.