Words on Quilts - AHIQ Challenge

Ann of Fret Not Yourself shared this quarter's

Ad-Hoc Improv Quilter's ("AHIQ") 

challenge in THIS POST.

I've done a lot of quilts with free-pieced words

and I wanted to try something different this time.

But what?

I spent a lot of time browsing photos of quilts online

as part of my contemplation process.

When I chanced upon the quilt shown above

I knew I was onto something.

(the quilt was a previously sold item from Etsy 

without any information on the maker)

A while back I shared this photo of the starting point

for this quarter's AHIQ challenge quilt,

so I was looking for an inspiration quilt

that was somehow related 

to the KF charms I have in abundance.

Last week, I finally found time to sit down

and start stamping using Kaja's tutorial.

The ink is meant for fabric use and once heat set

is washable in cold water.

I tested a couple of words and it seems that will hold true.

I also played around a bit with the positions

where I would insert the words

in order to create quilt top in the 48" x 60" range.

In these photos,

I've grouped the stamped words into sets of four.

All of the words relate to me as a quilt maker.

Some describe my attitudes.

Others describe my preferences.

As I was stamping words,

I decided to change the plan for the quilt's scrappy back.

The blues shown in the earlier photo

fell out of favor in lieu of these purples.

Time will tell if this group makes the final cut.

More stamped words.

I actually scrolled back through blog posts

looking for words that appeared frequently.

"Listen to your quilts" prompted the word LISTEN.

And my gestation notebooks

prompted the word Gestation.

The quilt that hangs above my sewing machine

reminded me to include PLAY in the collection.

It took several hours to stamp all the words.

But it was a day when I was physically tired

after being sick so sitting and stamping was perfect.

And, in the midst of stamping, the quilt named itself:

WORDS TO LIVE BY

There are now forty stamped words for the quilt's top.

I stamped a few more to include on the back,

but before I worry about that step in the process

I want to get the top sewn together.

Stay tuned!

* * *

Linking up with Ann and Kaja 

for this month's AHIQ gathering.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Creating art is an affirmation of the 
conscious nature of our existence."
Ian Semple