A bad day in your studio is better than the best day in the office

I may have retired six months ago, but I clearly remember the stress some days at work could feel like.  Since I did Sales/Account Management with long cycle times, it was tough to feel a sense of accomplishment.  You know, that pick it up, touch it, see what you did at the end of the day feeling.  That is why I sooo love making things.  It’s tangible, and tactile, and soothing.  Whether it’s a handmade from scratch loaf of bread coming out of your oven, or putting a finishing coat of wax on a newly made wood cabinet, or the final stitch on a quilt, there is nothing so satisfying.

Today I had some help in the studio…..Buddy helped me pick out some fabrics. It was more like ‘put Buddy in the bag of Kona solids scraps and see him play’ mode.  We compromised on some of his selections, some clearly too dark for this project. 

I began by making basic random width strip sets.  Then I slit them into small slivers.  Next I sewed the slivers with sashing strips, producing a piece roughly 10” x 14”. 

Then I inserted the narrow black and white strip fabric on irregular diagonal lines.  I finished with self-backing, turn inside out and a few whip stitches and black quilting and it’s ready to frame.  The final 7”x14” piece will be hand sewn onto white mat board with a white mat outer frame and finally black outer wood frame.  Soon to be hung on my studio wall…..or perhaps sold.  Either way, a great day in the studio indeed.