I am suddenly possessed with the strongest need to quilt.

small quilt for julia, originally posted by uzbeckistan

I’m interested in shapes, textures and negative space- and while I admire the traditional quilting, it’s just not where I am. I’ve been digging up images of “whole quilting”- not that I know anything about it, I just love the look of it.

I mean, isn’t that gorgeous? All texture and pattern makes me need a serger like whoa. My goal for this year is to have something for our bed by the end of the year. Gauging from some of the blogs I’ve been reading on quilting, it might actually take that long. It’ll be worth it. Take a look at some of the quilts on Shiner’s View blog, they’re just amazing. I want those on my everything.

Neutral quilt, originally posted by Shiners view

Sam questions the whole thing- my need for another hobby. Lately, knitting seems all about business- knitting this for a design, knitting that to test possible new colorways, knitting samples out of potential future yarn bases from the mill, knitting myself a sweater out of a color we’re putting out in fall or winter. It’s all work, and while I love it, I need something I can make that isn’t about the business. I need something else, something very removed, something just for myself.

Spinning helps: I spin more lately, although I so rarely knit with my own handspun. I should start a handspun yarn swap; I love knitting with someone else’s spinning. Anyone want to trade handspun? I have a 4 oz skein of gorgeous worsted cormo that needs to be knit up by someone, soon. It’s been languishing in my utility room for far, far too long.

Quilting works for me because it joins together pieces of what appeals to me in all of my crafts- the space and composition of photography, the texture and tactility of knitting, the color sense of dyeing, all rolled up into something I can lay over the people I love when they are sick or sleeping. Quilting also relates to the concept of creating things of use and beauty that I love about knitting and spinning.

Now all I need quilting to do is to bake fresh, whole- grain breads for me and it’s 100% perfect.