What Distances Will You Travel to Find It?
In February this year, my sister and I decided to travel to Virginia together. I learned about a quilt show in Hampton, Virginia and we both needed a creative boost and little break from our day to day lives.
We love learning about new things together and finding creative quilting inspiration in everything around us. I’ve decided that one example of this kind of inspiration was found in this airplane suspended in the “C” terminal at the Denver airport. It was something I could have studied for a long time. Wait…I did! Some things that interested me were – how it was being held in place, how big the cables were and how strong they must be. I had to wonder what it was made of and how heavy it was. I was curious about how long it’s been hanging there. Also, why is this particular plane significant? So many questions running through my head and I love reading and finding answers, if they’re available. I couldn’t find any information on this plane though and it made me sad.
This isn’t unlike when I look at other people’s quilts. I ask myself how heavy is it? What kind of batting did they use to make it that weight? What form of quilting is holding it together? Is there a significance in the quilt pattern that holds a special meaning to the maker?
Can You Find Creative Inspiration in the World Around you?
There are so many opportunities to receive inspiration & quilt creativity. My sister and I found it all around us this weekend. We visited Fort Story, an active military base, and toured the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse. I can say that we energetically climbed to the top of this first government building in the US, the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse. As we took a moment to catch our breaths, we were thrilled with the view of the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay as well as the fascinating New Cape Henry Lighthouse (built in 1881, seen in the background) and we were both awe inspired! It makes me very proud of the early US settlers. There is so much history here, I couldn’t get enough!
Perhaps Creative Inspiration is Hiding in the Details
There were 191 stairs to climb inside the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse and I even found them inspiring. I learned that these wrought iron steps replaced the old wooden ones back in 1867. Aren’t they interesting? The masonry work was cool because of its age and the cracks and old layers of paint. The window openings showed the depth of the walls. I am so motivated by this picture that I’m going to use this somehow (someday) to create a quilt to look like this. There are dozens of different quilting techniques that I could use to create a quilt to resemble this photo. Perhaps it will be a wall hanging but it will forever remind me of this awesome adventure I had. When that someday finally arrives I will be sure to share pictures of it.
Finding Quilting Inspiration is Easy at Quilt Shows and Festivals!
My main reason for going to Virginia is for the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival (MAQF). This is a serious delight for your senses when you attend. There were quilts to make and quilts to be inspired by. They had classes taught by well known artists who taught everything from basics to advanced quilting. Everything you need to be creative right in one place.
I loved studying all of the the display quilts that people have created and there were hundreds of them!!! They truly made me ponder all the many techniques that I’ve learned over the years and how I can find creative ways to implement them.
When I think of putting a quilt together that looks like the stairs photo above, my mind goes crazy with ideas of how to create it and MAQF had everything I’d need to make it happen! I can’t wait to go to another quilt festival like this once I’ve finished a project or two. If you ever get a chance to go let me know – maybe I will see you there! Click here to get more information about MAQF for 2023.
This quilt is called Jacuzzi Jazz #2 made by Caryl Bryer Fallert in Gentry Port Townsend, WA. She won a 1st place award at MAQF. Hopefully she feels honored to have been the inspiration to so many people this weekend. I absolutely loved the spiral effect and the gradient colors. It makes me feel happy just to look at it. As I study it, I have such an appreciation of her artistic abilities and makes me want to work harder to develop those same talents.
Creative Inspiration is Found!
Going to shows like this helps me realize that there is creativity, of some sort, in all of us. We have some pretty awesome people designing and creating some beautiful works of art. I like keeping my eyes open to recognize the beauty that has been created. Then, I want to create works of art of my own – usually in the way of sewing fabric together and adding details through thread and space. I don’t have nearly as much time as I’d love to have to dedicate to doing this but I will surely enjoy the time that I have to the fullest of my ability. It is my hope that you will do the same and recognize your creative talent, find a way to express it and inspire others to do the same. We can all use some creative inspiration in our lives.
Happy Sewing!
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