Author: Nanette Zeller

“A person who makes something today, isn’t the same person who returns to the work tomorrow.”
~Rick Rubin

I have this small collection of indigo fabrics that I dyed. I took a class in shibori a number of years ago and since then have played several times with the indigo dyeing process. Thanks to a friend who sent me some seeds, this year I’m growing indigo plants in my garden. The same blue in the Shibori is the blue that I love in my jeans.

As I pulled out the fabrics, I thought back to when I last worked with the indigo. It has been awhile. Memories flushed through me. I flipped back through my photos looking for photographic evidence of how long ago it was. A lot has changed, yet everything seems the same, but then again, it is not. I am different. The quote (above) from Rick Rubin says it all.

Right now I’m working on some new artwork. Although it is a familiar design, it isn’t the same. As Rick notes, I’m different each day. The project effects who I am. My thought process changes. My confidence or sometimes the lack of confidence changes.  Yet no matter what I’m doing or feeling, I remind myself to continue. There’s a new day ahead, full of new opportunities. It is important that no matter what I do, I must keep trying. Keep learning. That’s how we grow. That’s how we thrive. And, just because I’m getting older, doesn’t mean I should stop learning. I feel the urge now, its time to make something. Its time to learn something new.

Six weeks ago I started a Step challenge. Basically, a group of people got together and decided to meet a weekly step (walking) requirement. Our personal daily step counts were calculated using the average from our fitness watches.We were required to reach our daily goals 6 days each week, plus one rest day. Don’t meet the goal for a week you’re eliminated from the challenge. It was a doable, yet challenging activity and definitely a personal challenge versus a competitive challenge.

I found each day had its own set of complexities. Some days I felt tired, some days I was bored, some days my body ached, and other days I had a lot other things I needed to do. The challenge reminded me of making art.

There are always excuses. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons to not meet our goals. And other times, it is just a head game and we have to get over ourselves then do what needs to get done! And, if we find we can’t get something done, we either have to give up, find an alternate plan, or make up for it another day (if we can). Giving up feels like a failure and that’s a hard pill to swallow. However, it is important to show grace with ourselves. Whatever happens it is ok.

What I learned the past month is, if I put my mind to something I will get things accomplished. If I chose to, I can stop making excuses and get to work. I CAN accomplish my goals. I definitely have some big goals to accomplish before the end of this year. I successfully completed my step challenge (Yay!). So, now I’m going to take that mindset into my work, because mindset is everything. It is time to “Get R Done.”

Have you ever looked at someone and thought they were lucky? I know I have on a few occasions. Sometimes luck is just being at the right place at the right time. For example, when you’re in a hurry to get somewhere and you get across the railroad tracks just as the crossing gates come down. Or, you play the lottery and win a bunch of money. That’s being lucky.

But, what about when you see someone receive opportunities that you wish you could have. Is it just pure luck? Maybe you think they were lucky to be born with pure talent and that’s why they get these opportunities. You may know people who seem like they never have to work to develop their skills. I’ve had people say to me “You are so talented [creative]. I wish I had your talent.” I don’t know if talent/skill/creativity can be simplified into the luck of the draw. We are each born with unique abilities. How we think and process information is somewhat hereditary, but it also has to do with exposure to concepts and our own personal experiences.

I think my family is gifted with creative talent, but many of us don’t pursue it. I’m a very left/right brain thinker. Besides my lifelong interest in the arts, I also had interest and skill in science and math. My parents took us to museums and camping. From a young age, my dad taught me how to use tools and work around the house and my mom introduced me to textile art. They both taught me to cook. I think my luck comes from being born into a family that exposed me to a variety of things. I found comfort in learning new art and textile skills. Yet, I felt self-sufficient knowing how to change a tire, or oil, in my car. We didn’t have a lot of money, so definitely not much “luck” there. I had to work to pay my own way through college.

Although I admit to thinking some opportunities seem lucky, I’m learning that these opportunities are usually based on how someone used the resources they were given. I’ll never get accepted into an exhibit, if I don’t apply. My skill as a textile artist wouldn’t be what it is today, if I stopped after first quilt. And, I wouldn’t be able to knit socks, if I didn’t read a book to learn.

Fact is, if you dream something and don’t work toward it, the dream won’t come true. So I encourage you to avoid making comparisons with yourself to other people. What they have, you may not have (yet). However, if you want to have it, look deeper into their story to discover how they got there. Learn from them, because their roots might go deeper than you think.

I don’t know about you, but I have a huge list of things that I want to accomplish. My limitation in task management is time. Some things take a little bit of time, some take a lot of time. Other things require a great deal of mental concentration and others require just some automatic motor skills. For me, juggling the priority of things on my list is a daily game.

What task is most important on any given day? Looming deadlines add urgency to some projects and sometimes someone is waiting on the project to be completed. Then, there are other things meant only for personal satisfaction and can wait, until … whenever.

Frequently, I find my plans get thwarted by other priorities. The good old “The best-laid schemes of mice and men, go oft awry” (Robert Burns,1759-1796). I’ve realized that being steadfast to my priorities, things do get done, just maybe not in the timeline I originally envisioned. Sometimes it is a matter of stop and go workmanship, but if I continue working I get it done. Sometimes I have to put something aside and then come back to it when time is available again. When I do this I feel a bit scatter-brained and it feels stressful. However, I’m always happily surprised when things get completed. There’s a proud sense of accomplishment there.

What gets me down, is when the project doesn’t produce the results I expected, in the time I projected. However, if I stick with it, I will start seeing results and then I’m motivated to keep going. So, in order to keep going …  I must keep going. Its a struggle some days, but I know that I should continue following through with patience and dedication. To reach our dreams, we must first fly before we can soar.

Argh! Sometimes I just want to move forward. I think I have all my ducks in a row (in this case, its goldfinches). Its all about patience, paying attention and maybe taking some time to think things through before I go headlong into the execution. Sometimes, I don’t always use my own advice.

I’m trying to make 3 identical quilts. I have the bird pattern from another quilt I created a few years ago. When I started the project, I thought I found the correct pattern. Unfortunately after making the 3 larger bird appliques, I realized this pattern was too large for the design I was creating. So, I re-sized the pattern, then created 3 more birds. Ready! Well uh, … no! I fused a couple of pieces in the wrong order. No one else would see the issue, but me. And…it bothered me. So I decided to try again.

After 2 sets of mistakes, now my confidence was high! I could do this. I found the original small pattern. I was ready to try again to finish this with a positive ending. Three more birds completed and … uh oh! I realized I used the placement guide as the pattern, which means…they all face the opposite direction. Sometimes I’m the queen of making it work. I told myself, just make the entire quilt in mirror image. It will be OK. I placed the bird in its new position on the fabric. It “felt” wrong. I decided to sleep on it and move forward.

Today, my solution is … I have to make another set of birds (4th time is the charm, right?). There is something uncomfortably “wrong” with the mirrored placement of the birds. I know I could execute the design, but for me creating art is a gut feeling. Mistakes happen all the time, you have to be flexible and it can be challenging with fabrics. But whatever the solution is, I have to feel right about it.

Earlier this year, I watched a mural artist create a fabulous design on a building wall using layers and layers of spray paint. If he stepped away from the piece and noticed something he didn’t like, all he had to do is spray over the offending area and re-do it. That’s not so easy with fusible fabric applique. Removing the layers just damages the fabric and there’s the glue residue left behind. It is best to just start over. So in order to win this battle with myself, I’m starting back at the beginning. First, I’m going take a moment to focus my attention, think things through, then with patience I will carefully start again.

 

 

 

At the SAQA conference last month, we were gifted with a small bag of shirting fabric swatches and a spool of thread. Attendees were asked to bring samplings of buttons, fibers, findings or other notions to share with participants (see photo with green baskets). We were also welcome to swap, grab, or collect materials from a stash pile of fabrics. We were encouraged to stitch up something during our time together. The activity was designated as the “Community Stitch Project.”

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that I find myself increasingly fascinated with slow stitch fabric collage. And, you’ll know this project was right up my alley.

Most of the fabrics were slippery and probably some sort of synthetic. I didn’t care for that, but it was all that I had. I found a piece of batting and started arranging a base layer of fabric shapes. Then over the courses of a few days, I ripped and stitched shards of fabric to make this free-form design.

To me it is nonsense work; there is no plan. The design builds itself on a whim. It is slow work, with no reason and no purpose. And, is not how I handle most things in life. It is liberating to start something and let go of results. It reminded me to let go in life, spend more time experimenting and enjoying the process. Life is too short; find time to play.

I recently returned from a week in Toronto, Canada were I participated in a SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Conference (my 5th conference). This conference was originally scheduled for March 2020. At that time, I was on a roll of good things happening. I had been traveling alot. Traveling is something I enjoy doing but wasn’t able to do much of prior to that era of my life. I was super excited to visit Eastern Canada. Then, a few weeks before the trip, it was cancelled; Covid was a thing … a scary thing. It was safest for everyone to cancel that conference.

Between 2020 and 2023, SAQA continued to have conferences, but they were virtual. I didn’t participate in those online events because it involved too much computer time. During those years, I missed the connection with people who understood the life of an art quilter. People to talk to without having to explain the details. When SAQA announced a re-do of the Toronto in-person conference, I had to go.

The conference proved to be all that I expected (that is, minus the delayed flight and subsequent lost luggage). It was fun to catch up with old friends, make new friends and be inspired by the presentations. I even got to be a runway model for Chunghie Lee’s “Bojagi Walk” (see her Pinterest images)

I think it is important to be inspired by other creative people, but it is equally important to be with like-minded people. To me exploring a city with people who appreciate the same things is a bonus to these events. Trying a iconic local restaurant, exploring street art, visiting museums, and exploring textile exhibits were all enhanced by the company I kept on the journey.

Its all about finding your tribe. It has been challenging to connect with people the last few years, but I’m glad I went. For me, it  fed my soul. It is important to step away, walk outside my comfort zone, and experience new things. And, if we’re open to it, the energy will fill our souls.

Last week my blog post discussed taking on challenges and how they force me to step out of my comfort zone. I have another one to share with you this week. Last December I accepted a challenge from Lesley Riley to take a black and white image that was printed on fabric and do some thread painting on it. At the time, Lesley was compiling material for her new book, “Photo Memory Quilts.”

When the portrait of Helen Louise Gilson (a civil war nurse) arrived, I had to really think about what to do. I couldn’t fill the portrait in like I would a fuzzy owl or cat. And, just adding a few stitches would overpower the tiny details in her face. Also, if I put a lot of stitches in one area and not many in another, the fabric would become very distorted. I really had to think about this. Before I came up with a solution, I ran some experiments on a sample image and then cautiously worked on the final project.

I chose to add some stitches in the detail of her hat brim and focused the denser stitch work in her shawl. I realized I needed to add some other colorwork so that the portrait looked balanced with the colored threads. So, I opted to give Ms Helen a little “makeup” using colored pencils. I feel I succeeded in the challenge and can confidently say I have a new tool to use for enhancing people portraits. And there’s how a new challenge added something new to my tool box.

 

Do you want to hear more about this beautiful book which is filled with inspirational techniques on making photo memories with fabric? Lesley has a NEW podcast Photo Memory Quilts PODCAST. Full episodes start May 2nd and every Tuesday after. She will have in-depth interviews with the contributing quilters, including one featuring ME!

Here’s the line-up:
May 2 – Margaret Abranshe
May 9 – Whitney Dahlberg
May 16 – Judy Gula
May 23 – Susan Price
May 30 – Lorie McCown
June 6 – Anne Sonner
June 13 – Bobbi Baugh
June 20 – Al Krueger
June 27 – Susan Brubaker Knapp
July 4 – Michelle Umlauf
July 11 – Wen Redmond
July 18 – Christine Vinh
July 25 – Beverly Smith
August 1 – Lindy Trenholm
*** August 8 – Nanette Zeller ***
August 16 – Patty Kennedy Zafred
August 22 – Gina Louthing Stanley
August 29 – Clare Murray Adams
September 5 – Katherine Wilson
September 12 – TBD

I sometimes take on challenges that are outside my comfort zone. I’ve been trying to control these impulses, because accepting them means this “adventure” is taking me away from something else I probably should be doing. Frequently, I find I didn’t understand the amount of time the commitment would take. I guess I’m OK as long as a I meet the deadline.

There is a part of me that enjoys trying something new. However, something new means I can’t predict how things will go. I don’t have enough experience. It makes me anxious. What if I mess up? And, I usually do mess up. The challenge is a lot about persevering and looking in my toolbox of ideas for how to fix it.

I was recently asked what sort of things are in my toolbox. On short notice, I was able to recite a handful of techniques that I confidently know; thread painting, applique, piecing, painting, etc. In hindsight I’ve realized the toolbox isn’t always a technique. The toolbox can also be an ability to process things…especially when I mess up.

For example, take this kite shape piece I’m working on. What you see in the photo is the result of at least 4 failed attempts. Every time I messed up, I had to figure out a way to recover and save the project. One attempt required a “start over” and was so frustrating, but I persevered and began again. There was no other choice, so I had to. The other mess-ups I was able to reach into my toolbox and come up with a way to save the project.

What you see is not what I originally intended, but it is what it became. I think sometimes art has its own plan and we just have to just go with it.

I recently received a copy of Quiltfolk magazine. Quiltfolk is a beautifully-produced advertisement-free periodical that is all about quilting. About a year ago, I stumbled on a call-for-entry for dog quilts for one of their upcoming publications. On a whim, I submitted a quilt that I made of my dog, Storm. To my surprise, Storm was accepted into the “Quiltfolk Dogs” edition which is now in-print and should be available soon at newsstands. Of course, this makes me really happy!!

But…there’s more to know. In 2012, Storm was also accepted for the Quilting Arts (QA) Magazine annual calendar [sadly, the 2012 edition was the last publication of their calendar]. Storm was “Mr. September.” He died in late 2010. I created his portrait shortly after that and just in time to submit to the QA call-for-entry.

There are a lot of memories tied into this quilt…more than just the memories of my beloved German shepherd. His portrait was the first time I created a thread painting like this. Now, the technique frequently shows up in my art. His portrait was also the first time my art was accepted into a call-for-entry. There were many attempts before then, but nothing prior was accepted.

The acceptance of his portrait in the calendar was the first time my art was validated by someone who didn’t know me. That means a lot! And, seeing this work published again is a reminder of the journey to where I am now. We create things and hope people like, understand and appreciate what we’ve made. However, there is no guarantee that they will.

We have to have courage to show our work or submit it to exhibits, shows, publications, contests, etc.. For me, it is an important reminder to keep trying and appreciate that not everything can be accepted. But then, sometimes we get lucky.