Do you dare to break the rules?
 

When making quilts for people outside the immediate family I try to follow their color and design preferences. However . . . lately I've decided I'm going to make some quilts for us that are just whatever I want them to be. I'm piecing a box kite pattern in odds and ends of scraps. I really don't care if they work together or not. I just love the variety. I have an oddball piece of yardage I bought years ago on sale and have never known what to do with, and I plan to use that for a border. It's a black background with white paper dolls and tiny bits of red and pink. I had planned to use it for a kid's quilt but thought maybe it wasn't colorful enough. But I think it will set off the colorful scraps in the body of the quilt very nicely. And for the backing . . . maybe a whole lot of orphan blocks! Doesn't matter if they match each other or anything else. And even partial blocks can be made to fit in somehow.

Anybody else ever just make a quilt however you wish, with no great regard for color planning or design? Seems to me it's very freeing.

If it's something I intend for us, I do what I like. If it's intended as a gift for someone else, I follow their preferences (as best I know them). If I were to make something for someone else without regard to what they like, then I cannot be offended if they opt to pass it on/give it to Goodwill/use it as a dog bed/etc.

Darwin describes color variations in nature. It takes many many colors blended together to make a whole. I’m getting bolder with my color choices. Never make a quilt with the colors suggested. I’m fully enjoying the adventures of color. And what I notice is that everyone sees colors through their own eyes. Each of us is attracted to and drawn to different colors. But, I will make a quilt in the colors requested.

The only people I take quilt direction from are my grands. They will want a dino, truck, hero, or bright color quilt at any given time. The others get what I want to make if they want a quilt.

Of course. That’s the fun of quilting. Something for everyone. I also don't follow rules for techniques after I try something new as in I press seams open even thought “I was taught to…”. It’s a creative
process. Of course there are times precision counts in a project whether color choices or process

I break the "rules" as often as I can. I want to be creative and refreshed when I complete a quilt. Quilting is fun and even if it is a commissioned quilt I want it unique.

I agree with following your heart. I used to make baby quilts in colors and themes requested. Well you know those babies outgrow those things. So why not just make what I want and hope the quilt will be used until it is worn out.
I just took a stack of quilts to a dear friend to choose from. They were a mix of “just using stash” and scrap quilts. They were all loved with no thought of what will work with their decor.

Yes! Quilting is such "adventurous" art form to me. Maybe that's true of all forms? The possibilities are endless. I'm the only quilter in my whole family and they are very easy to please.

I think not feeling like I have to follow any "rules" is the number one reason I rarely make quilts that have an intended recipient to start with.

I rarely make something for someone else where they have chosen the pattern or fabrics. I make what I like to make and have a stack of quilts ready to go. I then let a quilt worthy person choose from that stack. I don't let anyone reach into my quilting room and tell me what I have to quilt.

I make quilts that I want to make (often breaking "rules"), whether they are meant to be show quilts, or meant to be quilts that are daily using quilts. I don't make quilts on request - ever. I did commissioned work for jewelry for a while and always found it nerve wracking- worrying whether the work would meet the vision of the person who commissioned it. I enjoy the process of quilting and exploring new things, and know from my history with jewelry making that the idea of trying to satisfy someone else's vision or color scheme adds too much stress to my daily life.

Rob

I think the rules are guidelines that save us from going through experiences someone has already learned from. I look at them as shortcuts. Still, I've written many articles (published!!!) about better, faster methods. If you can think of a method more suitable, of course you should use it. And I hope you'll tell us about it!

Like Toverly, I make what I want to make and allow others to pick from what I have. If you’re in my quilt stash selecting a quilt , then you are indeed quilt worthy! If someone has a request for a quilt, then I will give them the price for a custom made quilt with a timeline. I have yet to have someone give me their colors and a deposit, with the deposit being the cost of the fabric upfront, I will not be left holding the bag. Besides, quilting is my sanity, I don’t think I would like the pressure of quilting for others.

Rules?!?
 

Rules?!? There aren't any "rules" in quilting! Suggestions, maybe. But no rules! A true artist is never constrained by rules!

:D :D :D

Don't be shy! Speak right up! Quilt police not allowed!

YES!

I always follow my own inspiration. Otherwise, I would not have enough motivation to make the quilt.

I always make a quilt in colors that I have, mostly scrappy. I don't make quilts for others except my Grandchildren. If someone wants to look at my stash of quilt and really likes one, I may sell it to them or just gift it them sometime in the future. I gift quilts if a person just "touches" me in a way that I want to do something special for them. For instance, when hubby and I moved into town a few years ago, one of the neighbor ladies immediately invited me over for coffee and was so welcoming. Yup, she got a quilt that year for Christmas. Such a warm feeling to give from the heart with no strings attached.

Reading your post made me think of Gwen Marston! she popularized what she called Liberated Quilting ! She wrote books, I had the pleasure of knowing her and visited a museum once that had a wonderful Gwen exhibition. she didn’t use rulers, just put things together in a very carefree way. She used to have workshops and retreats on her property on Beaver Island, Michigan. I learned a lot about ( not worrying about ***the normal- this is how it’s done—rules mindsets ***) it’s nice to just do what you want, anyway you want without worrying about it. And her quilts are in Museums! Your quilt might turn out to be an all time favorite!

I make what I want to make. Everyone I want to have a quilt already has one to several. Now I make quilts for me and donations to foster kids in my county.

Yes, lately I’ve been making charity quilts using my stash and scraps. I have a few easy quilt patterns that are quick to sew up and I’m also piecing the backing. The fabrics are good quality, nothing ugly, I must have liked them when I bought them, perhaps it’s was a good deal. I think some of my stash was for some projects that I abandoned.

I do have some personal "rules/ quidelines" that matter to me.

Love ya, Julia! Rules are made to be broken!

I think it depends on what “rule” you are talking about. Sometimes you don’t have to flow a rule but that doesn’t mean you can totally ignore it. Just like the Wright Brother could not ignore gravity when creating a flying machine, quilters can’t ignore things like bias and fabric content. Doesn’t mean they have to limit your design choices, but you do have to keep your eye on anything you intentionally broke so that it doesn’t overwhelm your ability to create a flat quilt top that can be made into a finished quilt.

There are rules? Nobody told me!

Hahahaha! Love it!

I'll second this.

So good.
My quilts lay flat and hang without warping. Bias: usually I follow these rules, but sometimes...... Quilting to a stable back usually will hold it in place. Fiber content: if it's a wall hanging, I might put silk, cotton, poly, metalic together.Even broadcloth, fish net, plastic vegetable bags, paint, acrylic spray, lace. If it needs to be snuggled and washed, it's cotton. That's all the rules I can think of.
What other situations do you think of?

I haven't done this yet, but it does sound freeing! Its a great idea and sounds like you are having fun!

One “rule” is that quilting should be distributed evenly over the quilt. If it is a quilt to be snuggled and washed, I would follow this rule. But I saw a fabulous quilt in a magazine recently that had a very closely quilted and intricate design that mimicked the piecing of the whole quilt, but was only down the center, leaving about 3/4 of the quilt more lightly quilted. And I could see doing that in a wall hanging.

The first quilt I ever tried to machine quilt was a panel. I used a bulky polyester batting because it was to be a gift and everyone loves fluffy quilts. It was a disaster. I wished I had used a different batting that was easier to shove under my tiny DSM.

And then there is the hand appliqué UFO I started using poly/cotton sheet fabric. Time to acknowledge that it’s never going to be finished and let it go. Sometimes the “rules” have developed because someone else has already made the mistake. Better to learn from others rather than proving you can do it just as badly.

SuzSLO; does SLO stand for the town in California. I went to University there.

The quilting is usually evenly distributed. Sometimes the quilting is the design. Or maybe I'll ditch it then add decorative quilting.

I learned the hard way about poly batting. Now I use cotton 80/20, bamboo, wool. I'd love to try silk.

Most of my learning is the hard way. I'm trying to learn I don't need to reinvent the wheel.

Yes, SLO is for the town. I didn’t go to college here, but was lucky enough to get a job offer that caused me to relocate many years ago.

I hear you about learning the hard way. We all do it!

I do not like the colour pink, but it is my best friends favourite colour.

I tried to make her a pink Morning Star Quilt, but I could not do it, I had to add purple.

My quilting time is limited, so I make what I want.

I just gifted 26 Xmas quilts, (to use up my Xmas fabrics-didn't work- still have 2 totes) I mixed fabrics, used some patterns or just what I came up with and made them any size they turned out to be-mostly lap to smallish full size and scrappy backs too. I probably broke lots of rules, but my family liked them.