I was hunching over something like my twenty-third hundredth two inch square of fabric, and I asked myself, “Why am I doing this again?” My mind races to all the quilts for sale on Etsy, and many of the big box places. I find myself mentally compiling a list of reasons, and a self-directed pep-talk emerges. It goes something like this:
What makes my quilts unique?
1. I use a lot of pieces. Lately, four hundred per blanket, to be exact. Four hundred two inch squares sewn together. Many of the blankets for sale on Etsy use a small fraction of that number.
2. I choose the fabric myself. I have been finding many crafters online declaring they used ten fabrics from the [insert brand-name] Collection, thereby indicating that they have let the fabric manufacturer and fabric store determine which fabrics go together. I also use found fabrics—old shirts, dresses or bedding in good condition, for example, that are made of appealing fabric.
3. I often do what some quilters call “fussy cutting.” This means that I don’t just chop up a piece of fabric but rather take the time to choose a particular area that has detail in the pattern that I want to capture. This process is laborious and takes an artistic eye, but can create a fantastic effect.
4. I hand place and orient each piece, controlling the directions of stripes, the swoop of a vine, the position of a polkadot. No factory worker or machine does that!
5. I don’t follow patterns. Ever. Each appliqué and freestyle block quilt is from my own drawings and design, and even the more traditional-looking quilts are assembled without following any patterns.
I love the tradition of quilting, but above the precise piecing that some quilters have mastered (which I greatly admire!) I value originality and surprise. Consider my quilts paintings where the mixing of color and brushstroke are replaced with a hunt for the exact right snippet of fabric, placed just so.
I have to remind myself that there are people who value the handmade, who seek the unique. I know loads of people who take pride in buying “real” art—whether by a well-known artist or by a friend—who would never hang a print from IKEA or Pottery Barn on their wall because they a) they have no relationship with it, and b) it doesn’t fully allow them to express their individuality. I am not alone in wanting to surround myself with meaningful objects.
While I was waiting for my first child to be born, I combed my mind for something I could give him. I wanted something intimate, something personal and something that would last. A quilt came to mind, and I carefully chose and pieced fabrics including parts of a favourite shirt and something from his father’s childhood. I felt so much joy seeing my beautiful little baby protected and comforted by this gift. When my daughter came along I made her a quilt too, different and special.
There are no other quilts like these in the world. Some people are lucky enough to have family members to lovingly create gifts like these for their little ones. Some people already have heirlooms they can use. Luckily I could make my own, and I dream that one day my children will use these already-loved quilts with their own babies!
So why am I breaking my back for hours on end, carefully assembling a pint-sized blanket? I think there are others out there who will appreciate what I have to offer and will want something special for their own little one.
