Approaches to Quilt Design

"What is your usual design approach? Is it working for you? What are the similarities between your usual approach and my approach, where you might find some comfort but push yourself further?"

Those were the questions South African art quilter Rosalie Dace posed after Day 1 of 3 in her workshop, "Earth, Wind, and Fire," which I'm taking this week at the Gualala Arts Center. It was a draining day, working way outside my comfort zone, trying to create an abstract quilt from nature--with good use of color and composition, and expressing myself in my own voice. As if that weren't enough of a challenge, Rosalie encouraged us to try her design approach. So we each started with something visual, like a photo, having something to do with the elements--as a jumping off point for color or concept or composition, but definitely not as something to reproduce in fabric. The next step was to consider WHAT the piece would be about and to jot down words, associations with that concept -- such as flames, hot, upward, sparks, embers, ash, triangles, red, orange, yellow, blue for Fire. She asks herself WHY she's interesting in doing it, and verbalizes the answer. I was OK with that part. Then perhaps she sketches something roughly and thinks about WHERE things will go compositionally. The last question is HOW. By the time Rosalie figures that out, she's already cut pieces of fabric and positioned them on her design wall! Boy, was I out of my comfort zone trying to cut into precious fabric without any clear ideas of how the piece might look or be constructed.

But I went home and dove into her questions about design approach. I analyzed all 84 quilts I've made and 10 originals that are sitting unfinished but seem worth returning to. I'm glad I've kept a running list of the ones finished. I discovered some interesting facts.

Since 2000, 56% of my finished quilts have been original designs, and half of those were started in workshops. I noticed that many of the workshop quilts started with a technique, some with a fabric challenge. And almost all of my 10 "originals" that are still UFOs started with a technique or a fabric, rather than a theme or concept. Next, I considered which quilts were mostly a joy to make and which pleased me the most when they were finished. The ones that scored best under those two criteria taught me what has worked for me is to first have an intent (the WHY) and a subject (the WHAT). Having in mind a technique I want to try almost always produces a pleasing result, too, unless it's something that takes years or great talent to perfect, such as Hollis Chatelain's dye painting technique.

Of the finished quilts I rated highest (enjoyment of both the process and the outcome), exactly 50% were designed on paper in detail and 50% were done by cutting fabric without any detailed plan on paper. That might seem to indicate that it doesn't matter which way I approach the design, but that's not so. I found that eight of my ten UFO's were designed on the design wall without sketching them out on paper first.

Of my original quilts done outside workshops, most were gifts for others. They began with themes most often, sometimes with format or colors to suit the recipients. Technique was almost always the last consideration -- much like Rosalie's approach. The kiss of death for me has been when someone else dictates too much for me -- size, colors, theme -- and I am left without the freedom to let the Muse (or Spirit) lead me. The other similarity of my approach (to date) with Rosalie's: I do put words on paper much of the time -- definitely for the quilts that end up pleasing me the most.

So, today -- Day 2 -- will be interesting. I'll keep you posted and will add photos!