The Universe and Me

When I stop to consider it, I'm appreciative and amazed at the hand of the Universe in the work I do.  From the beginning, another spirit steps in, if I only allow it.


I have to admit that I didn't like the theme of "maps" for the small quilt that I'm doing.  I waited until very close to the deadline to  begin.  And then, the dance began.


*I decided to use beige Kona as the base fabric and went to the store and found exactly what I needed.  And then, I couldn't find it.  What?  How is that possible?  And yet I know to not look too hard because my eyes keep coming back to a piece of muslin


*I went to the art store for a pigment pen and in my happy search for just the right color I picked up a brush pen instead of a micron.  When I start my words, the lines are too bold.  At that point I can easily start on another piece, but the art store is ways away and I keep going.


*At the quilt show, I bought a tube of Smooch Spritz, with this quilt in the back of my mind but with no real plan.  It's just the right color to add an antique look. 


*The piece is way out of balance, the "continent" white spaces aren't right.  The map lines and quilting do nothing to restore balance.  I'm not happy.  Someone gives me gentle advice about just starting over when the piece just doesn't seem right.  I appreciate the advice but I don't take it this time.


*I make the accent GPS pieces and I like those, just what I wanted.  I arrange them on the quilt but the balance still is not right and even though the area is large, there are too many GPS pieces.  I leave it for awhile and come back and take off my favorites, the ones I did first, and it's better.


*I've had a hand-dyed piece of fabric laid aside for the border from the beginning and now it just isn't right, it's going to just disappear.  I know just how that binding is going to look, straight edge, conventional but with lines of beads interspersed along the edges.  I think several times about looking at my bead inventory to see if I have the beads I need, but I don't do it even though it's a pleasant thing to do.


*Maybe, perhaps, a curved border would be better.  Nothing seems right.  And then I spot a remnant that I got last week.  Bright turquoise with leaf outlines that could just read as waves instead.  I haven't done a border like this in years, and yet . . .  More width on the tops and bottom than the sides.  Gentle flowing curves.  And just like that, the balance is here.  The boredom of the piece is gone.  It says what I want it to say, shows the evolution of the map.


And I can free motion on that border, how fun is that, just the opposite of what normally happens.  And then the beads.  This is turning into fun.  But what should I put on the label?  Made by me, and the Universe?