Thursday Thirteen - 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design
THURSDAY THIRTEEN
Often it’s difficult to find inspiration for quilting designs. You feel you’ve made the same thing over and over, so want some new ideas. But where do you come up with something unique and different?
Here are some tips on finding inspiration and new ideas. Some may work for you.
- Look at the different shades of green in the trees and shrubs, flowers and grass around you. I first realized the many variations when taking an art course and the instructor pointed this out.
- Find a photo of a place you’ve visited and see what ideas you glean from it.
- Take several pieces of fabric from your stash. Toss them on the table or carpet and see if they suggest ideas or combinations. Try again if the first time doesn’t work.
- Look at shadows on snow in reality or a shadow. Very little is pure white.
- Take pieces of outgrown children’s clothes and make a memory quilt.
- Combine neckties of your dad’s, uncle’s or other family member.
- Attend a quilt show or display for inspiraton…not to copy but to get ideas.
- If you’re to make a quilt gift for someone, ask their favorite colors.
- Select a theme such as “Day at the Beach,” “Picnic in childhood,” “Camping in the mountains,” “First Day of School,” and sketch a design based on it.
- Arrange a collection of shells, stones, jewelry, mementoes, etc. and see what impressions they give you.
- Take pictures of categories - old barns, stone walls, rail fences, clouds, flowers and find inspiration in them.
- Look at textures - tree bark, sand, river rocks, house siding, and others.
- Try portraits of people, either done realistically or impressionistic.
Do you find any ideas here to inspire you?
How do you find inspiration for your quilting work?
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Tags: patchwork, quilters, quilting, Quilting and Patchwork, quilting design, quilting techniques, quilting-inspiration, Thursday 13, Thursday ThirteenRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Techniques
10 opinions for Thursday Thirteen - 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design
Get your tip fix · Needlework News @ CraftGossip
Oct 19, 2008 at 6:39 am
[...] See 13 great tips for finding inspiration for quilt designs on Quilting and Patchwork blog by Mary Emma Allen. [...]
Artsy blogging round-up!
Oct 24, 2008 at 6:54 am
[...] 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork provides some ideas to give you inspiration for your quilting and fabric art. Tags: Art Communities, Mixed Media [...]
Cyndi L
Oct 24, 2008 at 11:33 am
How about, Buy vintage photographs and make up a story about the people… :-)
Artsy Bloggers Round-up #35
Oct 25, 2008 at 9:12 am
[...] 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design from Quilting & Patchwork. [...]
Artsy bloggers roundup
Oct 25, 2008 at 12:24 pm
[...] 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork provides some ideas to give you inspiration for your quilting and fabric art. [...]
Arts Bloggers Provide More Inspiration for Quilters
Oct 26, 2008 at 6:54 pm
[...] she and Noreen will be sharing all kinds of tutorials and stories about the crafts they love! 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork provides some ideas to give you inspiration for your quilting [...]
Artsy bloggers roundup Oct 26 2008
Oct 26, 2008 at 8:05 pm
[...] 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design [...]
Coralie Johnson
Oct 27, 2008 at 6:01 am
Your tips for Quilting inspiration and design are wonderful! I find inspiration in my quilting with the fabrics themselves, the designs and colors in different combinations fuel my passion! I especially love the older vintage fabrics and feed sacks with nostalgic patterns and colors.
Eileen
Oct 27, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Some of my best designs magically happen when I am cleaning out my craft stash. ;-)
So-Artsy Links: Art with Recycled Jars
Oct 28, 2008 at 1:20 am
[...] Quilting & Patchwork • 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design [...]
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