That’s exactly why I quilt. It is something I can control.
Yes, there are many other reasons why I love to quilt. However, being able to be in control of something when I quilt has kept me sane and calm – mostly – throughout much of my adult life.
I’ve sewn for what seems like forever; my mother taught me when I was young. I especially love the tactile aspect of making things with fabric. Garments were never really my thing, because 3 dimensions often baffle me. I started quilting when my kids were tiny (and once rotary cutters were available), and 2-D works for me!
I loved being able to be in control of something in my life with four young children, pre-cell phone, pre-internet, with an artistic husband who frequently worked far from home.
My first block that I designed myself a couple of years into quilting, was an accident. I have used the Mirrored Reflections block numerous times since and offer the wall hanging pattern free on my website. The name of the first wall hanging I made from it is called “The Remains of Mom’s Brain after a Wild Winter.” Yes, being in control of something was necessary!
I think that’s why I learned to be very particular about my seams, my fabric choices, and my style; these were things I could control. I only had so much time, so I wanted to create the best quilts I could – ones that I liked to work on and liked to hang in my home and give to family. Even then, I was making #NoMoreQuiltClones, but that’s a story for another day.
My seams have to match, and my corners and points do, too. I might be a terrible housekeeper, but I will redo a seam until I’m happy with it. I am in control.
All the little decisions we can make about fabric choices and quilt patterns can seem daunting, but taken one by one, they give us a measure of control over our finished quilts, and we can even change our minds. Some life lessons here, for sure.
I’m working on a quilt in three panels, and I’ve almost completed stitching the backgrounds of the first two. The one on the right below isn’t quite finished, partly because I have an inset seam to do (!) and partly because there is a seam that I’ve stitched twice and it still doesn’t match. I’ll get it to succumb, never fear. I am in control.
It is a little ironic that one short seam has bested me thus far. The quilt is called “Hope in the Midst”. I have hope in the midst of stitching this quilt that it will turn out the way I’m envisioning it, and will one little seam really matter in the long run? (I can always cover it up with something if I’m still unhappy with it, because I am in control!)
Unfinished quilt by Heidi Edwards Dunn 2021
I don’t usually figure out titles for my quilts until they are finished, but this one is different. It is my way to have some control and hope in the midst of _______ (you fill in the blank): the pandemic, racism, illness, family deaths, winter. We all need hope in the midst. And I need a little control.
So, I’m making a quilt with three panels that are variations on a (controlled) theme. Black and white and hope among the chaos. Maybe I can’t control the world - not even the world around me, but I can have control over color, fabric, and stitching.
And I can have hope. Hope in the midst, even hope that the Greatest Hope is with us in the midst.
Some helpful resources from elsewhere on the Dynamic Quilting website:
Join my email list to hear more about color and fabric and notice of future blogs. As a gift, you will receive my wall hanging pattern. It works well for trying out a color palette or showcasing a particular fabric. Practice making your quilts your own with this pattern!
The Dynamic Quilting Color and Fabric Plan - Make use of the Plan by starting with your overal goal for the quilt, find an inspiration fabric, and then use the Plan to aid you in choosing the rest of your fabrics.