Sunflower quilt by Judith Trager, from
her 'Designing Landscape Quilts' video. |
I love hot weather. But this summer there have been some days so hot that even I felt it was too hot to move, let alone quilt.
Fortunately, because I have air conditioning, I haven't had to resort to alternatives often. But I did come up with a list of things to do that are related to how to make a quilt, but don't involve being up to your elbows in batting or heating up the iron.
1. Visit a fabric or quilt shop. Whether you buy any fabric or not (yeah, right), you can find inspiration, check out the latest tools, and plan your next project in cool comfort.
2. Meet a friend for show and tell. Take a piece that's been giving you trouble—or bring a picture of it—to your quilt buddy for advice on what your next step should be.
3. Sort your embellishments. Most buttons feel cool to the touch. Leave fibers for another day, preferably in the winter.
4. Rearrange your threads. Concentrate on the cool colors.
5. Observe and sketch. Find a shady spot at a park or cafe and draw what you see or doodle from your imagination. Think about how you might use your sketch in your next quilt while you sip a cool beverage.
6. Make a paper quilt. Create a fabric-paper base or just start stitching on a piece of heavy-duty watercolor paper. Experiment!
7. Sun print or dye. If you can stand to be outside, both of these processes love the sun. Plus, painted and dyed fabrics will dry more quickly on a hot day.
8. Visit a museum. Get inspiration from the Masters, the avant-garde, or the ancients.
9. Take a video workshop. Download a quilting video, turn on the fan, put your feet up, and hit play. Hey, you could even strip down to your underwear—who's to know?
Well, those are my ideas for keeping up with your quilting and keeping cool. What are yours? Leave a comment below! And be sure to check out our selection of downloadable Workshop™ videos for your cool viewing pleasure.
