quilting 911 - hanging with the zig zags

i've been hanging with the zig zags.  just chilling out...you know...zigging here and zagging there...going with the flow.  i got all my hst's sewn up last week & i started to plan out my quilt.  i thought it would be quick and easy. boy was i wrong....lol.

i think the pic above is about my 20th layout.  i haven't changed anything for over 24 hours now so i think i am close.  it took a while to decide what tones to move with and where to start and what and how to mix the prints.  i kept focusing on the row of zig zags but then would stand back and remind myself it's also a block of four charm squares that make the point of the zig zag so i had to start looking at it in 2 rows instead of just one as well.  tricky i say.

thankfully one of my pals at knit night gave me a wonderful tip.  i was moaning and groaning about how hard it was to plan the schematics of this quilt by laying it on the floor and always having to take pics of it, look, change it and then put it away and start all over again the next day when i have a chance to lay it out again.  pain in the butt.  i was fed up.  she told me i needed to start a quilt wall.  she suggested getting a cheap blanket/picnic blanket and hang it from the wall with pins so that i can stand back and really see the quilt and also not have to take it down.

let me tell you, this has changed my whole quilting experience!  thank you so much sarah!  i have a cheap ikea polar fleece type blanket at home and hung that puppy up on the wall and pinned my hst's to it as fast as i could.  the best part about this blanket is the fabric actually clings to it.  i really could have prolly got away with not pinning them but was worried the kids would grab them off.

i have spent a lot of time in what i like to call "creative land" feeling like the dude from a beautiful mind trying to solve some intense puzzle.  i keep getting lost in the lines and the patterns.  then, when i'm done...i'm exhausted...lol.  my brain hurts...lol.  anyone else get like this when trying really hard to solve a creative puzzle?  my mom says this is one of her favorite parts of quilting and i can see how some would love it but i find it hard to push through.

i think my favorite part of the quilting process, has been so far, the actual sewing.  i love starting with all these pieces and then ending with a quilt top.  i adore the actual quilting.  so fun.  what i don't adore is all the decisions.  i know that sounds weird but with a quilt it all feels so permanent.  like once it's sewn you are stuck with it.  where as with clothing i change and alter as i go.  i guess i have to get used to feeling confident in my eye and my own creative process.  i think it's a great way for us creative peeps to strengthen different parts of our creativity by challenging ourselves regularly by doing what we wouldn't normally be doing.  it's one of my new year's resolutions this year to challenge myself, push myself and step out into the unknown a bit.  i want to flex a bit more creative muscle and really jump in head first (in a somewhat controlled manner..lol) and just see what happens.  i'm excited, a tad scared but i've also have been having a heckuva lot of fun! 

so grab yourself a cheap blanket, pin that bad boy to the wall and have some fun!  but most importantly get quilting!  go ahead...give it a try!  it's fun and oh, so addicting!  thanks again sarah!  i owe ya one my dear :)

what quilt are you working on?  what's your favorite part of the quilting process?  do you find one area challenging for you?  c'mon...spill the beans my friends :)

* just in case you missed it you can see my first post about my zig zag quilt here.