I’m happy to be announce that my Corner Windows Quilt is in the Mar/Apr 2017 edition of Modern Patchwork magazine. I’m a teensy-weensy bit excited (and a whole lot humbled) by the honor.

The quilt, Corner Windows, was inspired by a photo challenge in a group I play with on FB called Quilt Design A Day (QDAD).  We typically have a photo spark and a color palette to design from.  This particular one was announced as a challenge for a photo by Michelle Wilke…and the colors were defined.  The challenge meant:  take the photo, the color palette and make a quilt using your original design.

Corner Windows is my QDAD design.  When I entered it into the competition (to be hung in the Modern Quilt Guild annual show, called QuiltCon East,  in Savannah this year.  Feb 23-26, to be exact!) I had no idea it would be chosen for the exhibit.  Then we were notified that the QuiltCon magazine was looking for quilts to publish for their show. So, I submitted mine.  The magazine wrote and offered me a spot…so I had to get busy writing a pattern and all of the details that it takes to become published.  It was fun!  Big fun!  So, my first magazine pattern is out there and I’m amazed!

So, let’s back up a step to let me say: I had absolutely no illusions about being chosen for the magazine and not even for the exhibit.  Why?  Because I’ve submitted entries to the MQG quilt shows and have been rejected each and every time.  “Thank you for your submission but…” (Key words always follow the but…)  Wait….wait, before you get the wrong idea, it’s okay. Really.  Truly okay.  Perfectly okay.  The way I see it is that I’m learning and growing and developing as a designer and a quilter.  In the beginning, a rejection stung for a minute but now it’s quick, temporary and, for me, a motivator.

Another truth:  I’m more critical of my own work than I’ll ever be of yours or anyone else’s.  I see my flaws.  I know when I leave something in a quilt that bothers me or should have been redone. Sometimes I just want it done and perfection takes a back seat.

Thinking back over my whole life, rejection has led me to either improve or give up.  I’ve given up lots of things that I was not good at and didn’t want to get good at – haven’t you?  Like karate. So much like karate.   Or  painting with watercolors – which I love. It is so much fun.  Alas, I’m not good at it.  I don’t want to spend the time needed to really get good. I still do it and love every moment of it but never competitively.  Most importantly, when I am passionate about something… I will do the extra time, rip that extra seam, wait until I get just the right fabric, plan the quilting, go slow on the binding and make sure I won’t embarrass myself.

And, while I’m waxing philosophically, I’ll put this out there:  Some in the local rumor mill (I’ve been told) are saying I am doing this for “fame and fortune”.  Well, those folks are just plain mistaken.  Obviously, they do not know me or understand me well (at all). Look up INFP personality type on the Myers-Briggs  and you will find me.  Fame and fortune are just not my gig.   You want to know what does motivate me?  Creating.  My faith brings ideas that I must make.  I love Learning (spent 31 years in the Training and Dev. career field).  Making connections between disparate things. I love New ideas.  I love to have Fun.  I love BIG, tough challenges.  I love Problem Solving.  I love trusting my intuition.   I love figuring out how to take an idea from conceptual to physical is fun.  Fun, to me, is doing the puzzle.  So, while I’m thrilled to be honored in this way…the bigger deal was (and is) being so deeply blessed to have the opportunity in my life to do this full-time in my very own studio.  I am a blessed woman and I give thanks every day.

If you decide to make the Corner Windows Quilt, please let me know!

May you and yours be blessed!

Annie