Saturday, July 30, 2016

Sewing Therapy

While re-reading part of a book by Rayna Gillman titled Create Your Own Free Form Quilts, I noticed that she mentioned "therapy sewing."  I like that and it struck a chord with me. Having recently started organizing and ironing scraps to store neatly, I found pieced units also.
Some of them were rather bland.  So, using ideas and techniques from the book, I sat down and played.
A simple square framed with muslin became this:
No, it isn't squared up because it still isn't finished..but it is certainly more interesting than the burgundy and white square.

I have the ends of a strip set that looks like hand dyed fabrics, so it got framed and slashed to add a diagonal strip. 
Again, not squared yet
The a set of three rectangles that made one rather boring piece got  the treatment

None of these are squared yet because I may add more to them later.
The freedom of sewing this way is very therapeutic.

Every one of these has solids or near solids that make them pop nicely. I have ordered many solids or near solids from Connecting Threads Quilter's Candy line of fabrics.  At $4.96 a yard, they really are a great bargain.  So if you need solids to add a pop to your stash, a little shopping therapy may be what you need.


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5 comments:

Marjorie said...

My sewing therapy is never quite that creative, but nothing calms me more in times of stress than sitting and stitching straight little seams over and over and over again one after another. :)

Colourist said...

The "treatment" is working! Keep letting it come out and play. I love the free form pieces and highlighting the very special fabric by putting it on the diagonal.

Barbara said...

You could have written this book, Gene! This is yet another form of a broader field I know about from college days, Art Therapy. I love the slashed/strip sections. They took imagination. I don't think I will ever press and organize my scraps, but I may now have tucked away in my brain new ways to use them!

Linda C said...

Looks like you are having fun! Good that you are so multi-talented and can ways to play with other areas in life. Better than organizing scraps or pressing them---sew and express yourself!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

We are truly lucky people to have and enjoy this therapy. I would have to use a LOT of my stash before I could take the time to wash, press and organize. As a stitcher that is new to quilt block piecing, I may get to that point in a few years, lol.
xx, Carol