Friday, January 06, 2006

Mavericks

How does one determine if they are a Maverick quilter, if they color outside the lines? Is it in how we put our quilts together, the blocks we scatter helter skelter, the colors we choose or are we "mavericks" because we don't conform to the standard of what a quilter should be? Is it because we act independently, we do our own thing?

Everyone has a different definition of what makes them a "maverick". Mine is in the colors I choose rather than how the pattern is set. My imagination lays in color rather than pattern. You and I could take the same block and by the very fabrics we choose we imprint our quilts with our own signature and originality. How many times do we take a pattern and choose the color of fabric making it different and not what the pattern called for?

What is a style?? Is it the fact we choose the bright vivid yellows, the turquoise, the oranges or the browns, grays and tans? Is it how we set our chosen blocks to the quilt top? Are we Mavericks only because our imagination allows us to see something different than anybody else, to "color outside the lines"?


Autumn leaves blowing in the wind. Scattered over this quilt with no rhyme or reason, with thoughts of leaves falling and rising in the wind.



My son is a free spirit. I called his quilt "Birds in the Air" I spent days laying these blocks out and shifting them around until I made it his. This was the second quilt I ever stitched all by hand with hand quilting. It's one of my favorites quilts. That's me standing by my handiwork. VBG






My favorite niece was graduating from HS, she wanted a quilt. As a beginning quilter I chose a log cabin block, it was easy. I didn't like the standard log cabins. She wanted black and green, I wanted different, something that would grab your eye. It did and I still like the effect.


This is a closeup of the handquilting.








I remember my grandson when he was a little itty bitty boy. He was a clone of his father. He's now a 6'7" handsome young man. He grew out of his young child's quilt and wanted granny to make him a bigger one. He wanted a blue and white, his favorite color is blue. I had these "drunkards path" blocks. I think they look like flower blossoms, I didn't tell him. He's grown out of it again.




When it all comes together, we are mavericks because we do our own thing, be it a "style" or being able to adapt what your vision is to the fabrics you have at hand or take your vision to a higher level of design.

I want to belong to the "Mavericks" but if I don't qualify, I can live with it, it wasn't meant to be.
I'm not a traditional, art, scrap quilter or designer. I do what peeks my interest changing that to be my own. I don't belong in a catagory, I have my visions. I am a "Maverick" in my own mind.

12 comments:

Bonnie K. Hunter said...

You are definately a Maverick! I'm so glad you added these pictures to your blog! I have sent you info on joining the ring. If you have any trouble, please let me know! WELCOME!

Bonnie

Granny said...

Dona, you snuck in when I wasn't looking! Love your quilts. The Birds in the Air is gorgeous and I'm so impressed that you did it all by hand!

Welcome to the Mavericks ring!

Judy L.

Quilts And Pieces said...

Welcome to the Mavericks! I had such fun checking out your Maverickness! So keep those pictures coming! We LOVE pictures!

Joanne said...

Glad to see ya, Dona!

Anonymous said...

I love your Birds in the Air quilt - quite stunning - and all by hand! :-)

Darcie said...

Welcome, Dona!

I've been a bit behind with my blogging...and what a great suprise to find that you are new to the neighborhood.

I can't wait to find some more time to check out your previous posts to your blog. What terrific pictures!

Finn said...

Hi Dona, welcome to our wonky neighborhood..*VBS* Nice to have you with us..*S* From what I have seen so far, you make great quilts and have that maverick spirit..good to have you with us..*VBS*

Lucy said...

Welcome Dona !! I am happy that you want to share your quilts. They are really interesting.

Quiltgranny said...

Love all the pictures - so many to comment all at once! And even though I've been away for a couple of weeks, I am still quilting in my head! And now, you've added more to my list!

Welcome!

The Calico Cat said...

Do you do "cat quilts?" I do.... Pieced cats, appliqued cats, cat prints, realistic, funky - you name it....

And my two furbabies appreciate it!

Dona said...

Thank you all for the wonderful way you have welcomed me to my new neighborhood.

Do I make cat quilts, haven't as yet, but was toying with the idea just the other night.

Lynn Dykstra said...

Welcome to the mavericks, though, if you read my past anti-cat posts, you will have to take me at my word that I am happy to have you here!
Lynn