I've been wanting to practice further with piecing, so today I cut a few curves and when I pieced them by carefully matching registration marks and pinning every half inch then keeping to about an eighth of an inch seam, I still had several spots that were pinched. I got out my seam ripper and then resewed these portions but I found myself wondering if I will ever be able to do this. Any curved piecing I've done in the past has been more gentle and I didn't encounter problems even though I didn't do any pinning at all. So then I consulted one of Ruth McDowell's books on piecing and it looks so deceptively easy. I just sat and enjoyed the photos of her quilts and her incredible skill with putting fabrics together, though, because I've tried one of her pieced squares with detailed instructions - and I still couldn't put it together properly. Which brings me to a question. The other day I heard a quote on the radio saying that our style is a reflection of our limitations. The quote was directed at musical composition, however, I wondered if it might also apply to fibre art. My current limitation is this piecing business - and it's a challenge I want to meet and overcome. The quilts I've made to date are largely collaged and appliqued, although I do have several that are pieced. The pieced ones were made as I developed them, not with a pre-existing plan. So one aspect of my style that could be a result of limitations is to not preplan. If I was an excellent piecer like Ruth McDowell - would my style change to one where I pre-planned quilts? If I keep attempting to learn piecing and master it - would I still naturally gravitate to working without a plan? Maybe certain people are just more likely to be drawn to one way or the other, based on what comes most easily. I imagine that those who are impatient to get their ideas concretized - like me - choose methods that are the quickest.
Here's another type of piecing I tried today - and I realized that I could place this new block above the one I did yesterday for a vase with abstract flowers effect - the flowers being in the central square of the new block. I've played with many possible backgrounds and connecting the vase to the flowers with ribbons or a striped fabric piece - also trying out an orange poppy button in the flower square to draw the eye - but I haven't hit upon the 'right' combination yet , so I'll let it sit for awhile. Maybe I won't even combine them at all! On another note, I am thrilled that some others entered the dialogue about whether our limitations determine our style, and I have a few further thoughts. With complicated piecing, for example, that is only a limitation if I keep it one - I can learn it, even though it would require alot of discipline, will take time and may not be easy. So what I consider to be a limitation can change and my style might alter as I master new skills, which does seem to link my style to my percieved or actual limitations. On the other hand, I do think we are born with something unique to each one of us and that that aspect of ourselves will come through in all we do. It's a complicated question because we continue to grow throughout our lives and I would think that my style will also evolve, even as it maintains something of the original seed - like how a tree adds new branches each year but you can see that it's still the same tree. I've been making art quilts for two years now and since I don't have a history of previous quilting or sewing experience other then a home-ec class long ago, perhaps I am still developing my style - trying new things and coming to understand what works for me and what doesn't. At some point, I imagine I will hone in on something and expand my skill in one area - or maybe I will just call my style 'eclectic' :) . 
