Barbara Harms Fiber Art

I began  work on 3 different quilts around the same time, don’t ask me why I would do such a thing. I am well aware of how obsessive I can become about finishing the projects that I start. I made this rule for myself long ago. That I must finish the projects that I start.

The rule expanded when I began quilting. It now became “I am not allowed to start a new quilt until I have finished my current one”. That’s was the rule and that’s that!” I had heard the legendary UFO s that quilters  so often bemoaned. Well, that was not going to be me, no siree, my rule would see to that. It certainly sounded easy enough, logical.

I think many of us thought that, when we were naïve quilt newbies, our eyes filled with stars. We would always finish our quilts. We would never dream of letting quilts pile up everywhere,unfinished, oh no we certainly would never let that happen. HA ha ha.

Then reality set in, this is not always easy to do. there are so many new wonderful fabrics to be had and endless beautiful quilts to be made. We get over stimulated just as small children are prone to do, running from one toy to the next, til they have emptied their entire toy box, toys scattered everywhere covering their play room floor. Now, they must all be picked up, “whaaaa I don’t want to Mom!!”.

Naturally I often ignore my rule, who wouldn’t? But oh the guilt and stress this creates. So why would I start 3 quilts, with full knowledge of “the” rule and the price to be paid for disobedience? Why would I start not just two, but three quilts? I cannot give a coherent answer to that question that I just asked myself.

So I have now meandered back to the beginning of this post, ” I began  work on 3 different quilts around the same time”. There they are hanging over my head, taunting me. But there it is, I have to finish them, I don’t handle that kind of stress well. So…

Of the three, [ here is the worst of it]  the quilt I am most driven to finish is a bed quilt for one of my granddaughters. I am in full all out guilt mode, I have to finish this and quickly!

My sweet darling teenaged granddaughter loves art deco and is revamping her bedroom in a art deco style. I was so excited that I could make a new quilt to fit the new art deco themed bedroom and surprise her. Well I spilled it, couldn’t keep my own secret. She has waited for the upcoming surprise quilt sooo long, without a single complaint.

I am finally making progress on getting this baby done. I am looking forward to giving it to her and seeing her happy happy reaction, well I am hoping for that reaction.

It is pictured below, almost done. I’m bouncing around ideas for  shams and throw pillows. Here’s one idea I have, I could try out on of the new fangled inkjet fabric printing products  that I keep hearing about. I thought I could make a copy of one of Alphonse Mucha‘s pictures on the fabric and make a throw pillow from this. What do you think? I don’t know what the fabric is actually like, so this is an experimental idea. If any one has had experience working with these products and would care to share any thoughts, suggestions or ideas I would appreciate the input.

Unfinished quilt number two, next in on my list  is pictured below.

The silk background painting is completed and the silk art painting completed, I’ve begun the thread work, as you  can

see I’ve barely started.  I added lots of pearl to my paint colors as I mixed them.  So to to continue the sparkle, shine theme I’m using quite a lot of metallic threads. I am feeling good  how this is looking thus far.

That’s a few photos of this one. All in all I’m feeling good, forward motion feels much better than stalling out.