Changing Taste

Our taste changes. 

I met a woman in The Old Country Store; we were chatting and she casually said, "I only work with Civil War fabrics." I stopped in my tracks. I'd never even thought about using Civil War fabrics. I followed her over to that section and made the first of what would be many purchases. Over the next few years I made a lot of CW quilts and organized a some block swaps using those fabrics. It seemed to me as though these fabrics were crying out to be made into baskets and since I was in my basket obsession period, all was well. One day I abruptly realized that I didn't want to work with CWs any more and gave away what was left in my stash.

There was a time when I needed baby quilts and [almost] everyone knows that 30s fabrics are just perfect for them. I grew a considerable stash of 30s and made a lot of 45" square quilts as baby gifts. History repeated itself: one day I knew I was done and gave away the 30s that were left.

My William Morris period lasted much longer, and I still pause for a deep breath when I see a new line, a new color way of an older line (thanks, Barbara Brackman). I've lost track of all the William Morris quilts that I've made. And yet, there came that day when I called Marsha and asked if she wanted to adopt what remained of my Bill stash (she did).

I'd gone to a quilt show with Bobbi and was shopping at a stand at what was informally called The Renegade Mall when the fabric at a booth across the aisle caught my eye. I nearly tripped in my haste to get over there (y'know, like somebody might buy out the whole place before I could get even one FQ). The colors were so intense, the patterns were so perfect, oh was I smitten! I learned that all of this gorgeousness came from the mind of one Alison Glass. I bought as much as I could afford. I picked up a card from the stand and came home and ordered more. The picture at the top of this blog is from the quilt "Alison Glass meets Tula Pink." I was drawn to Alison like a moth to the flame. I discovered a couple of other designers whose fabrics played very nicely with Alison's. I subscribed to her newsletter. I bought her scrap bags and her new releases. I made quilt after quilt after quilt from these incredible colors; sewing with them brightened the Januaryist days.

And now I'm done.

No offense, dear Alison. You've brought a great deal of redemptive vividness into my life and into my work. Truth-be-told, I don't have a whole lot of your saturated, scintillating fabrics left to give away; that's how fruitful this period has been. The bits that remain will likely make their way into the next Halo or perhaps even into the current Bessie Creek Road. 

It's been grand.