Several years ago I was at a folk art show in Georgia when I found a little doily that intrigued me (photo above). I bought it and always just loved having it. I like texture and color, pushing myself to explore what I can do with fabric to create new effects. I worked with clay for three years and I think I miss the plasticity of the medium and keep trying to make fabric replace the enjoyment I found in hand building with slabs.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4i405WS2Prv6_mBSAqK1i4S4O3sdW7fCVSjKCShoFGzELvvBhjiBVdtFflJ5jmq_LV2HNEaYy4kxJse8JFlAoHrJxjTaCOC0_bTJMnhAhLx0Iv_rjoJM9kxqFd4TYACcXz1NUNq-gUY8/s400/layered+rug+detail+0907.jpg)
I gave up on the rug for a couple of years and then finally finished it. I put several layers of batting in the middle, quilted it with my Bernina (with great difficulty), and listed it on Etsy. (It just sold!) Whew!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMXD3-kPsRPdlO0PzEjnCgHpv0a9i0bz0e0FW-1lLoXBHQxMEovTUvngaQ2xKUyR3owKpzjA3BXLKDYKzrFXtm94-CvKtwP6X3Tf0NG66IG_vo2pzBTSiwtEHkJKanonIx1B_-bZ5neU/s400/layered+rug+best+0907.jpg)
OK, so it's all a learning process, right? How about something smaller? A hat might be cool! Going 3d was different then sewing on a flat surface, so this had a learning curve, too. After months on Etsy, this one just sold a couple of days ago.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvm8e6GJuBuP_93C7GMZQaeTpcpZvurMfmfuaM__L_q90wmb6TsCi1LWA3Ob07mrbr9Wlt_TQPCLNvLVDXg6kaEFCzYtW_XbzNJCPfLMJZXDqOPZmxqTRdvrd0G1c6pKz7WiXlGCtjTo/s400/hat+scales+side.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcacHiVYijaVndllyWuJBTE_4g_-xdadIGOigH8gyQsYGSa8xvJ7eGxp182CPNMQuFE1zw_0Lwj3-7YlBHLOSp9KTHLtTxlnvoMsFzh9GnzvT8KpHu73ZT-VFn4vJaGDsyocjrbUVZ3s/s400/hat+scales+close.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_huh_0xU32xQsvBkiCXR-qaN4GBxh5VNNCPKnDA9AlJPo_-f0a7Q7GVKNqeB1X4OM7tQAcJqev1HUSsOYVQ2m6fbogjA0TEp5KvtmSeBZv4bP-2OtbQyD9lHDjVZi5D__PLGizWHLH8/s400/hat+scales+top.jpg)
There's a reason my little old piece was a doily. Deciding to stop trying to be so "creative", I decided to try one, too. Aha! Much better result! Here we are truly on to something attractive:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitL6vAu8IQCFxUM_7T9BmTpbLWpkEmb1aBYbOkGBFpqymmHCtjNNEv-jpL6KbZc4x77OFNH28GYULe482wmtUOVfAa81pdy5sh36NVvdhu9qNZ5ZOPGr3rKiWdI4TkjbEUuX0oSWMyUIo/s400/prairie+point+centerpiece.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3X39ajqumSpAZZshFK3CCbOtP8RVQMrDXFl0XuAKExFP-r66aIA6GcJw2b7DsubcOz8DueRwReUXcKi2ofxnd9dMAPGXVgxuWHdDMBUm520ubMOrtYRUFAlwdmQfXh9xxZ3vdkRBmmkA/s400/prairie+point+centerpiece+detail+2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ4I6gcdXGpMhM_JUx8GcfOxOpGAHEALJvxOGR68tbpx58aME1ZZ6blObhaHz31F_mO1uhAQNmIaseXS5bUsVx3KZsqai74frB428rcTsny0dHjvOv-t7mLJ3QaZL095U_M8C-TLcAOk/s400/prairie+point+centerpiece+back.jpg)
The problem is always the time factor. This centerpiece is made of linen remnants. I made it about twice the size as my old collectible and it took quite a bit of time.
I noticed that cuffs were a big item on Etsy. How about a scaly cuff? Much smaller, faster to make, interesting result:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharlNrFUT-e2DrXygr-97vei8mbF9kb1WCxmL2yjdJpFe9otxwVjtcOEUj6Tyx6pB7uOQlEiT_XzCKIFAzEV3dcld3S9BJ5Gq6RrmBCPFpXw5O1wNbTcVrM2r5Z-yal_HSmqGhl34ic9U/s400/cuff.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS2IY-Qtfg7aadzKglxPh7pTAyu_dIubxbWeh99_q2sHfLcNjAupcQ_84AD2EFVg2OTIomogvrDuYuI6B206pDqMEeL9gpy583HTIANGSsuv5UmjxogOt0oXbLcct9uIvwfc0qbcPyyI/s400/cuff+open.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bPNlkSToVjzGWUQubBK5sqsRff86XkfPkfgwsqdybbGV_OLC7pIW6AqZ19YeWJ2xBLnciLIMyuu9agdcNoWcYUryPANP5NinTASgjntUAdTUxLSgXoH3jAkm-ouRQjSDQzUqgdvnLmI/s400/cuff+on+hand+pointing+in.jpg)
Finally, I made a series of pillows with smaller centerpieces than the larger one I had made. Yes! Another winner!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhus03bPsZhHlhB9NJkP24zzk_XZi6pzey58DUjHxNK_dTMdZWW9Q67i7y6Zlc-8KrXSJ2QFYP_llgrHlgYIcocDzZykcnrxXKRxCLr4BGFiKrlY8_O6qfZpKeX5dG0vv5Zo0mHr5TFgR4/s400/pillow+6+full.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_6j1EvdT1lRRzfzly3cPmfVaei52hvHvHGozYQI9l9GinJwle4vvohcQdZnVgb6RNdMxIS5fS2DtHJbq9zeefVztUJ5MuooAMkYIMdsuF_Rd8TFAoTwBq_8WblcbwIPSDg-64uxPANQ/s400/pillow+5+close.jpg)
Is it madness? Perhaps a virus? I don't know, but I sure like these prairie points and look forward to exploring other ways I can use them. They remind me of some Japanese fabric origami techniques I have seen, but most people don't make them this dense. As my little vintage piece attests, they do have a historical tradition here in the United States and I am happy to contribute to that record!