Fresh and Interesting

I'm currently pouring over Helen Parrott's Mark Making ~ Fresh Inspiration for Quilt and Fiber Artists, which may be one of the most different inspiration/guidebooks I've found about textile art. So fresh definitely applies.

Very few inspiration books I've read align with my own stitching and surface design process, so it was neat to find another maker who seems to take some of the same paths I do with my work. Ms. Parrott's is far more sophisticated (and very intricate). Yet everything I'm reading resonates with me on multiple levels, from sketching stitch designs to taking inspiration from patterns in nature and the world around us.

I think plenty of quilters and textile artists can learn a lot from this book, too. There are techniques for both hand and machine stitching, and ideas that would work for anyone at almost any skill level.

Although the author provides plenty of insight, this isn't really a step-by-step how to. It's more in keeping with the mindful aspect of slow stitch, and how you can develop and refine your own creative voice. I think it will help me a lot.

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