Throwback Thursday-My First Doodle Quilt
Good Morning, Quilters!
Today I would like to continue with Throwback Thursday (and #flowersinwinter–yes, it’s STILL winter in Minnesota.)
Nearly three years ago, I noticed my doodles were all converging on a scribbled circle flower.
I remember dropping whatever I was doing (probably dusting or exercising–something where I have a hair-trigger for distraction…) and dashing off to stitch the red quilt above.
I used whatever thread was in my machine.
I didn’t bother to iron the fabric.
I just had to see whether or not this idea would work on fabric.
I stitched very quickly–afraid the idea was fleeting…and this is the result.
It was very different from anything I had ever quilted before, but I realized I wanted to explore the concept more…
I made this slightly more controlled version of the Lollipop Flower Quilt:
Since then, I’ve quilted every doodle I find (sometimes mysteriously) on my calendar, napkins, notebooks, important bank documents…
I’ve even stitched my daughter’s doodles: (See Nora’s Rose free motion quilt tutorial.)
QUILTING YOUR DOODLES
What about you? Have you tried quilting YOUR doodles? I’m pretty sure everyone has at least one doodle…
The trick is to stitch fast–that forces your left brain (critical thinking) to be quiet…
Make sure you ALWAYS have three or four quilt sandwiches at the ready for when inspiration strikes!
Even if it’s messy, it will still have PERSONALITY…
Happy Doodling, Happy Stitching
Lori
You might also like The Spiral Lollipop tutorial
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin, share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
PPS…This quilt was stitched on a Bernina 150 using Aurifil cotton and Sulky Rayon.
It’s really cool to see where it all started Lori!
Your advice about always having quilt sandwiches at the ready is something I will try to start doing! I’ve always loved Nora’s Rose!
Absolutely……that’s where a lot of my motifs come from!!! BUT mine usually “spring” on me at some time…..like 3:00 a.m…….when I can’t really get up and ‘hit’ the machine. I’ve got to reblog this one as I’ve had so many questions on fmq of late!!!!!
Curious how long that little quilt took you to do. It looks like it would have taken hours. Do you mind saying how long that took? Thanks.
The Yellow Spirals probably took 3-4 hours of stitching, plus binding. Faster because the plan was already laid out.
Yay! I do exactly this. Run to my machine, where currently there are 20 or so sandwiches READY. I laugh at some done earlier…they are a textile journal. I will always save them. P.S. sending you some of our 95 degree weather today from Sunny Southern California.♥
Lori, what advice do you have for someone who can’t doodle? I’ve tried, doesn’t work, I end up with a blob, not any figures….I really cannot draw.
What a perfect phrase – a hair trigger for distraction! It will forever be in my vocabulary! And dusting and exercising, not to mention vacuuming, certainly fit.
Thanks!
Lori, when you doodle do you concern yourself with keeping a continuous line or do you adapt your doodle later into a continuous line pattern for quilting? Do you end your thread before starting a new section on a large piece or do you plan the entire pattern ahead of time, or do you just backstitch to where you need to be? I was finally able to watch your webinar last night – great job! I got some new tips even though I’ve followed your blog for ages. Thanks!
What do you do with your zillions of doodle quilts?
I use them as “vase quilts”, give them away, and occasionally offer them for sale…
I do have zillions!