Deconstructing the Process
March 13, 2019 by Linda A. MillerGenuine inspiration is not particularly dramatic. It’s very ordinary. It comes from settling down in your environment and accepting situations as natural.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
I have been continuing to explore the deconstruction/reconstruction inspiration that began the year. Here is how my working process unfolded as Deconstruction 4 developed. I sourced pieces that have been sitting in storage (those that were not quite working… do you have any of those?). Then I randomly sliced them up with my rotary cutter and began reassembling parts. This part of the process evolves more slowly… I like to step away and come back to the assembly before making a final decision.
I used these two small quilts below in creating the new one, adding additional fabric for visual interest where needed.
Once I had an appealing configuration, the parts were fused to a backing fabric and sections satin stitched together. At this point, I added hand stitching to the quilt. Handwork is always one of my favorite elements to play with. I find it to be a very contemplative process. For Deconstruction 4, not much extra stitching was needed as the original quilts already had extensive free motion stitching. I also added some touches of foil for extra zing to embellish the look. Once the piece felt complete, I fused it to another backing fabric for stability and finished the edges with more satin stitching.
I find as I play further with this series, or for that matter any ongoing idea, keeping a freshness to the process can become a challenge. Spacious outlook comes by bringing my senses back to the present. How do I do that? Returning to breath and body for a few minutes is a very helpful technique. Or going for a walk. Give it a try yourself and discover what works for you.
Tags: #beawakecreate, art quilts, creative process, deconstruction
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