Use What you Have…. A Lesson From Harriet Powers

This week, we are looking into the life of quilter Harriet Powers.

One of the things I admire most about Harriet Powers was her ability to create extraordinary quilts from ordinary materials.

She didn’t have coordinated fabric collections, specialty rulers, or a sewing room filled with supplies. She used what was available to her — scraps of fabric, simple tools, and a powerful sense of creativity and storytelling.

I think modern quilters sometimes forget that beautiful quilts do not begin with perfect fabric. They begin with imagination and a willingness to start.

I love this quilt that my Grandmother made…..

Many of the blocks use the same grey fabric, and most have one greyish fabric and one colored…

BUT THEN THERE IS THIS ONE…..

I don’t know why she made this one, or why she included it in her quilt, but my guess is that she wasn’t willing to throw ANYTHING away.

She knew that EVERY FABRIC would work!!

So today’s quilting reminder is simple:

Creativity grows when we stop waiting for “perfect” and start sewing.