Days 17-31 explained:
Please remember to tag me @heidi.parkes and to use #BlueMoonQAL and #MoonImprovQuilt when you post.
10.17 *Bleed: How have you responded to this prompt? Did you use a traditional quilt pattern, or do you have a traditional quilt pattern? In her Creative Bug classes, Sherri Lynn Wood speaks beautifully about looking for ‘bleeds’ and ‘natural fits’ when she improv quilts, see her videos here.
10.18 Waxing Crescent, Planning: After beginning again with the new moon, this is a transitional phase for making plans. In a recent interview with Create Whimsey, they asked me about planning vs improvisation, and I responded that I do both in the article, here. How do you balance improv and planning? Today could be a great time to use #ImprovQuilting Now is also a great time to start planning the way that you want to quilt this quilt top. I like to leave negative space when I piece that can be filled in visually later with hand quilting. I believe it’s important for me to start contemplating the quilting by the time I’m half way into piecing a quilt top.
10.19 *Ida: What are your plans for this step in the quilt pattern? Did any of these aspects resonate with you? How does it feel wading into this tangle of mental attachments with ‘the feminine’ and ‘gender’ as separate entities? I felt empowered by thinking that both the masculine and feminine live within me simultaneously. I’ve learned to adapt my use of the English language by saying, “I’m in my feminine when I ____________,” or “I’m in my masculine when I ______________.” This could be a good day to use #DivineFeminine
10.20 *Pingala: How did this side of the quilt resonate? What element of the masculine do you plan to highlight in your quilt? After so much focus on the feminine, did it feel good to sew something connected to solar, expansive, protecting, goal-oriented energy? #DivineMasculine
10.21 *Milk: How did you respond to this prompt? I think it’s still one that makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, and I’m working on unpacking why that is… Looking at art that connects with the topic is hugely helpful for me. Here are links to some of my favorite works: Emily Zarse, who makes quilts about motherhood, here. Linda Marcus whose piece “Strained” is in the show I co-curated at the Portrait Society Gallery, here. Sonia Rose’s torso based pottery, here. If you’re not ready for this step yet, consider sharing the work of an artist you love.
10.22 *Spell: Yep, this one’s pretty similar to the manifestation block in the Scavenger Hunt Quilt, how does it feel different this time around? How are you approaching this prompt? Are you casting a spell, or has a spell been cast on you?
10.23 First Quarter Moon, Action: The resting, inward focus, and planning phase of the moon is over, and now it’s time to act! This is also the end of piecing our quilts, and the time to get ready to start quilting! What are you bringing into action this week?
10.24 Baste: What’s your favorite way to baste a quilt? I like to make a 10” grid on my quilt with safety pins, and can usually get all the pins in within about 10 minutes. Frankenbatting takes longer though!
10.25 *Glue: Let’s connect today! Register here for a Zoom hangout at noon Central, where we’ll meet each other and I’ll answer questions about previous and upcoming steps.
10.26 Waxing Gibbous, Refine: This is a time to prepare for the full moon by refining your goals, tightening your focus, and editing. What are you letting go of so that you can achieve your goals? Or, how are your goals becoming sharper or clearer now than before? As you start quilting, how is it changing the look of your quilt top?
10.27 Gush: Share a story today about a quilter that inspires you or a fellow member of our QAL! Lifting each other up is one of my favorite things about social media, and today is a day to celebrate the community that we’ve built together. It could be a great time to use #VisibleHandPiecing, or another community building hashtag. Have you found an accountability buddy in this process? Let’s celebrate each other.
10.28 Hands: How do you care for your hands when you quilt? Have you learned a hand yoga tip from me that has helped you? Big news: I’m making it my 2021 goal to share a lot more hand yoga videos on my YouTube Channel, you can subscribe here.
10.29 *Bind: How are you sealing the edges of your quilt? Did the action phase of the moon allow you to be ready for this step by now?! If not, share your plans, or a past quilt? Does your moon improv quilt have an unconventional silhouette?
10.30 *Mollycoddle: I love this step so much! I probably spend half my time mollycoddling my quilts… What’s the title, dimensions, materials, artist statement, documentation photography, display, and plan for this quilt? Also, my mom is the best at mollycoddling me, I’m so grateful for that, she is a gentle port in the sea, always ready to support me. Do you have a person like that in your life, or you do that for someone? Do a little something extra for your quilt today.
10.31 Blue Moon: Can you believe it! Savor today. If you’re an American, make sure you’ve voted or that you’re ready to vote! Do you celebrate Halloween or have a tradition to remember your ancestors? I may have to show some photos of the Halloween costumes that my mom used to sew for me and my brother. A blue moon is rare and special, do you have something of that nature that you’d like to share? If it wasn’t part of your mollycoddling day, please share a glorious photo of your quilt! The full moon is a time to reap the benefits of the seeds you’ve sewn, and today is a Hunter’s Moon.
Stay tuned for the 11/30/2020 Frosty Moon Lunar Eclipse, and get ready to notice all 8 of these moon phases on a regular basis. Thank you sooooo much for participating in this QAL with me, it’s already been amazing to see the first few days. If you’ve gotten behind, don’t worry, you can still share these prompts on your own timeline, or perhaps in sync with another moon cycle.
xoxo, Heidi