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“Sew nothing new . . .”
I took inventory a couple days ago.
I have sixteen completed quilts, ready for photography and posting on the site . . .
I have four quilts to bind, photograph, and post . . .
I have several pieces that just require further work . . .
I have twelve quilt tops to quilt . . .
Now, where did the UFOs come from?? Obviously, in my haste to make my next quilt, I set aside my current one.
Needless to say, I won’t be working on anything new in a manner of speaking. My new motto is, “Sew nothing new until you’ve sewn everything old.”
While sorting through the projects, I found a small hand-basted quilt sandwich that screamed, “Quilt me!! Quilt me NOW!” and I walked directly to the sewing machine and started quilting.

I think I made this about ten years ago, using a patch that’s unfamiliar to me. I used 6-7 teal fabrics to make the entire surface background for a fish-shaped tessellation. I began quilting the fish with several different threads, but abandoned the project.
There’s still a perfectly good pattern in the background though. I decided to quilt along all the seams with a wide decorative stitch to draw attention to the pattern. I may have to come back to this pattern and play with the shapes.
My Patreon page is now live!!
People have often told me how much they appreciate this site.
They tell me I provide a good value at no charge.
Here’s their chance to prove how much value I actually give.
I have launched a Patreon crowd funding campaign. The goal is to raise funds to continue creating art.
Would you consider donating??
Hello, Patreon. Goodbye, Starving Artist . . .
Making art is work.
Sure, I love coming up with new designs and seeing them come to life in fabric, but there’s work in the midst of the play.
But, it’s like I can’t afford to be an artist . . . I work a job to pay my bills, then buy materials and equipment for my art with what’s left.
I could do with a little more month at the end of the money.
A reader once suggested I place a “Donate” button on the site, but I wasn’t sold on the idea.
I rejected kick starter crowd-funding campaigns because I needed funding for ongoing projects, not one big project like a book or video.
Then, I ran across Patreon.com.
The site consists of a community of artists (and the fans who love them). The fans pledge a recurring amount (as low as $1 a month), and become the artists’ patrons, funding ongoing projects. The artists reward the patrons in return with premiums.
One week from today, September 1, 2014 (Labor Day in the U.S.), I am launching a Patreon page. I am asking for pledges for the following projects:
- Complete online publication of a library of possible patchwork designs from a single patch. The ultimate one-patch quilt has millions of possibilities, but I only want to publish a thousand or so.
- Commence a series of small (24″ by 24″) miniature quilts featuring designs from the library that feature bird-shaped tessellations.
- Make my art available to a wider audience by making them more affordable (less than $100).
- Develop methods and techniques to share with other quilters and artists.
- Dream up new ideas to try out.
I am asking for a pledge of only $1, $5, or $10 a month. For all tiers, donors get access to my private news feed for breaking project news (before I post anywhere else). For $5 a month, donors get a 10% discount on all quilts for sale. For $10 a month, donors get a free custom quilt (valued at $180). Other rewards may come to mind (or suggested) in the future.
Because the bulk of the donations will fund the “Book of Birds” quilts, I will donate 10% of funds collected to bird and wildlife sanctuaries and organizations (I’m open to suggestions, if you’ll share them).
It sounds like a Win-Win-Win situation to me.
I hope you’ll join me and help me debunk the “Starving Artist” myth.
The adventures of Flapping Birds
Will our wanderers find a roost to call their own??
Will our wanderers find color in their lives??
Stay tuned . . .