Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Odd blocks and contrariness

We have a quilting guild meeting tomorrow. This marks the beginning of the new year in a way - we elected a new chairman and board in February and this is the first meeting they are in charge of. And with a new board there are new ways of doing things. We have received a mail announcing that we are to make monthly blocks, to learn new techniques (or practise old ones). So why does that wake the contrary child in me? - "Been there, done that" was my first thought. I rummaged through my boxes of odds and ends and found the old blocks from the last round. That's them in the photo. I just grabbed a couple of fabrics for that first meeting without giving it much thought. After six blocks we stopped (or maybe I missed a few meetings?) and I never got around to making anything from them. I'm not so sure I like them, to tell you the truth. But the funny thing is that I realized while looking at them that this Block-of-the-Month thing was one of my contributions as chairman back then!
So what if it doesn't seem all that exciting to be making more blocks, I do remember how difficult it could be sometimes, to come up with a program that would be of interest to the majority of members, and I know that we have new members now who haven't learned the "old fashioned" hand piecing methods. So I'd better get down from my high horse and be positive and supportive!
- It isn't easy to get people to run for office in a small guild, and the least I can do is show interest and take part in the activities offered. Who knows, maybe I can help teach a novice how to improve her skills, the way one of the elder members helped me when I started out. Quilting is about honouring traditions after all, isn't it?
So there we are, I have talked my contrary inner child into participating with good grace, and enjoy the companionship with my fellow quilters. The question now is: do I continue with these fabrics so the blocks I've already made can come out of hiding and actually end up in a quilt, or do I pick some other fabrics and go off in a completely different direction? Hm, I'll have to sleep on that, I think...

1 comment :

Lily Boot said...

well, I think they look lovely -and am so impressed that you are piecing them by hand! But I'm also a great believer in "if you don't love them, don't waste your time" so - buy some new fabric and love the new ones instead :-)