I remember clearly the first day I read about fusing, as opposed to piecing. So many lightbulbs went off in my head that I stumbled home. It was a long and very boring day at work. There was plenty that had to be done, but I was feeling resentful and unwilling, so I spent the day googling art quilt websites and surfing to my heart's content like a naughty child. I could have kicked myself for not thinking of it earlier, because I had fused for applique many times, so it was not new to me. Yet I had never taken the step from seeing the fusing as a temporary glueing measure, to seeing it as enough. I chanced upon Melody Johnson's blog, Fibermania.... and my life changed. I soaked up another 30 or so blogs that day and the next until my head was ready to burst. I could not wait to get home, but was too tired by the time that came, and cried again with the frustration of having to have this soul-less day job for survival that most days left me too tired by the end of the day to do what I really wanted to do, HAD to do.
I'd felt restrained by piecing for the longest time, yet I liked the way it looked. I liked the neatness and the finish. But so SLOW, and curves were just SO much effort. I didn't have the patience for curves, so everything had to be straight. As I was reading, it dawned on me... and suddenly all the shackles fell away! I could just piece. I just just fuse. I could piece AND fuse. I could already see pursed, disapproving lips in my future, but I paid them scant attention, so gleeful did I feel.
And once more, I am filled with gratitude that I belong to a sisterhood rich with the generosity of sharing. Fabric, textile, fibre is so accessible, so relate-to-able, that I will never tire of this medium. And there is so much variety, so many permutations that we'll never be 'done' :)
No comments:
Post a Comment