Omakase II: Out On The Town
Above: Omakase II: Out On The Town. Deconstructed garments (new and vintage) and additional cotton fabrics, machine pieced and quilted. 42 x 63 inches. $1140
Omakase II: Out On The Town
Omakase II: Out On The Town is now available for sale! Click here to purchase.
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Continue reading for the story behind this quilt.
Do you ever get decision fatigue?
Are you ever faced with so many choices, either good or bad, that your brain just wants to crawl under the covers and weep? We've all been there. Don't ask me to order from a case of baked goods because I want one of everything. And two of those.
Luckily, there's another approach.
Omakase Quilting
Omakase is one of my all-time favorite words. It comes from Japan, and has no direct translation into English. We can get kind of close by saying things like pre fixe, dealer's choice, or surprise me.
The phrase omakase, literally 'I leave it up to you', is most commonly used when dining at Japanese restaurants where the customer leaves it up to the chef to select and serve seasonal specialties. The Japanese antonym for omakase is okonomi, which means you are choosing what to order. In American English, the expression is used by patrons at sushi restaurants to leave the selection to the chef, as opposed to ordering à la carte. The chef will present a series of plates, beginning with the lightest fare and proceeding to the heaviest dishes. The phrase is not exclusive to raw fish with rice and can incorporate grilling, simmering and other cooking techniques. - Wikipedia
Omakase is an expression of mutual trust. I trust the chef to bring me the most delightful selections available, and the chef trusts me to appreciate the meal and pay whatever they charge. (Full disclosure, I've never actually done this at a sushi restaurant, but it's on my bucket list.)
I've been applying this principle to improvisational quilting. I dip my hand (literally or metaphorically) into the Cosmic Fabric Bin, pull stuff out, and make something with it. I trust the process. Enter the Omakase series.
Omakase I: The Blue One. I made this during the summer of 2021 and donated it to the Palliative Care unit of my local VA hospital.
Quilters call this a stashbuster. Most of us have more fabric than we will ever use (guilty). My rational brain wants me to use each fabric in a highly specific and planned way. My intuitive brain wants me to grab a handful and just go to town.
This fabric pull was mostly from donations, and became a quilt that I made and donated around 2015.
This is the essence of improvisation: I trust myself.
I trust my intuitive brain to make decisions and connections that I wouldn't otherwise make. I let go. I park my verbal brain in front of Netflix or an audiobook so it doesn't interfere with the creative process.
Omakase II includes bits that were trimmed off of Omakase I. Because food metaphors are my love language*, here's another one: It's like the pot of soup that never gets cleaned all the way out, so the soup's "secret ingredient" is the history of every soup it's ever held. Scraps from one quilt often go right into the next one.
* Think sourdough starter. Or a well-seasoned iron skillet. I could go on.
Like what you see, but want it in a different size?
Or with purple and green fabrics?
Or as a square instead of a rectangle?
Start your custom quilt order today!
Step 1: Click here to answer your questions about ordering your custom quilt.
Step 2: Ready to start the commission process? Click here for sizes, prices, and payment terms.
Step 3: Book your call with me and we'll finalize the details. After I receive your deposit, I'll create your custom, made-to-order quilt!
So You Want to Donate Some Fabric
Above: deep thoughts. deep fabric-related thoughts.
Too Much Fabric
If you have any quilters in your life, you've probably heard them joke about how much fabric they have in their stashes.
When a quilter passes away, dollars to donuts they're leaving behind some fabric and unfinished quilt projects. Their loved ones may be tasked with cleaning out their home and dealing with the miscellaneous items that make up a life. I've been through this more than once. I know how difficult it is.
Maybe you are a fellow quilter, or just a fabric lover, and you're taking the opportunity to downsize your collection. Bravo!
For whatever reason, you are rehoming fabric. Excellent! There are a few different ways to go about this.
Maybe you already know a quilter and want to offer the fabric to them. This will probably do the trick, because it's hard for us to say no!
Don't know any other quilters? Buckle up, because you will soon. No matter where you live, there is a quilting guild within driving distance (probably within spittin' distance). Here's a worldwide directory of Modern Quilt Guilds. Here's a directory of other Quilt Guilds within the U.S.(Not in the U.S.? Fear not! Google quilt guilds in your area.)
Quilters tend to get together for monthly meetings, and there's often a "Free to Good Home" table! Contact your closest guild and ask if they're accepting donations. We love to share!
There are also charities that accept fabric donations, such as local chapters of Project Linus or Quilts of Valor. Google "donate fabric" and you'll get lots of options. Different charities have different guidelines, so again, it's best to ask what they need and can use.
Be a Mindful Donor
You may be going through a period of grief and stress. I understand, I've been there. Maybe rehoming these fabrics is difficult for you for emotional or logistical reasons. If that's the case, try and recruit a friend for help.
It's a good idea to at least look at each fabric before you donate. Are they clean and undamaged? Is there water or smoke damage? Mold? Do they come from a home with cats, dogs, or cigarette smoke? Is there any evidence of pests? (Just think how embarrassed you would be if you gave someone fabric that had mouse poop in it.)
Think of it this way: If you wouldn't want the fabric touching your body, it may be best to throw it away. (I know, we try to keep fabric out of landfills as much as possible. If you know of a good fabric recycling source, please tell me!)
If the fabric has that "long-term storage" smell but is otherwise undamaged, run it through a washer and dryer. Did the colors run? Did the fabrics fray a bit? Don't worry about it. Quilters are creative.
Flat fabric is happy fabric.
I’m going to say that again for the folks in the back.
Flat fabric is happy fabric.
If you're not able to iron the fabrics yourself, just fold them into stacks and put them into bags. If you're feeling ambitious, you can even sort them into prints, solids, by color, etc. The recipients will thank you!
Sarah, would you like my fabric?
My answer to this question used to be an unconditional "Yes!" Since then, my boss (me) has had to impose a few rules to keep the stash under control.
These are guidelines for my own quilting practice. Others' mileage may vary.
I will take a look at your fabric if:
It's 100% cotton. (Some wool is okay.) Denim is okay.
It's been washed and pressed.
There is no evidence of pests like moths or mice.
I especially love blasts from the past, i.e. vintage prints!
I'm not able to use:
Fabrics that are stretchy or slick.
Lace, crochet, or knitwear.
Fabrics with a loose weave that will fall apart if I cut into it.
Upholstery fabric.
Fabric that has been damaged by water, smoke, pests, etc.
Unfinished quilt projects with "traditional" patterns, such as Sunbonnet Sue (check your local guilds for this type of thing).
You Are Doing A Good Thing.
If you donate mindfully, you are doing your fellow person a kindness. You are about to make a quilter very happy! Thank you.
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You can also find me at Patreon, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitch.
Avenues of Support
If you would like to support my art, but you're not sure where to find me, here are some suggestions.
I like the internet. Among its many delights is that it offers so many different ways to support artists.
But not every platform is right for every person. I use the parts of the internet that I enjoy. Each place is a little different. But it all adds up to supporting my art career.
If you would like to support my art, but you're not sure where to find me, here are some suggestions.
If you want to see the art I've made over the past several years, visit my website. (You're already there! That was easy, wasn't it?)
If you want to add my work to your collection, visit the Store.
If you want to watch me make things in the studio about once a week, follow me on Twitch.
If you want to see daily-or-so pictures of what I'm working on / cooking / seeing / reading, follow me on Instagram. We can be Facebook friends, too, although that's not my favorite corner of the internet.
And here's a brand new option:
If you want to receive a weekly email including art, stories, links to interesting stuff, and some free goodies, sign up for The Fold. Look for a sign up banner at the top of this page, or click this link to opt in. The first issue, coming in February 2022, contains a free gift!
And please remember, you decide how you spend your time. If you choose to spend a little of it with me, I'm honored. Thank you!
Then Again Podcast Links
Many many warm fuzzy thanks to the folks at the Northeast Georgia History Center for having me on their podcast, Then Again! Episode 84 is called Patchworks of the Past & Present. You can find this episode on Then Again’s website, and also on Spotify (direct link here). I’m sure you can find it lots of other places, too. And while you’re at it, leave them a positive review!
Several times during our conversation, I told Marie I’d send her a link to this and that, so if you’re looking for those links, you’re in the right place! Enjoy.
Sarah's socials: Facebook, Instagram, Twitch
Cerulean Gallery in Amarillo and Dallas, TX
Great YouTube channels for beginning quilters: The Crafty Gemini, Just Get It Done Quilts
Gees Bend Quilters and the Souls Grown Deep Foundation
What is 'modern quilting'? (I'm not actually a huge fan of this organization, but this page does have a good explanation.)
Books I love:
The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters by Sherri Lynn Wood
Rosie Lee Tompkins: A Retrospective (The BAMPFA is currently taking orders for the next printing of the catalog.)
A Piece of My Soul: Quilts By Black Arkansans by Cuesta Benberry (1923-2007)
Godharis (quilts from Western India): This is the exhibition I saw at the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, NE: Collecting and Recollecting
Thanks again to Marie, Libba, and all the folks at the Northeast Georgia History Center! I encourage you to listen to their podcast, Then Again (not just the episode I’m in) for a wonderful, conversational look at history from all angles.
Residency Talk
This is the silde deck in PDF form of my presentation about artist residencies. You are welcome to download, use, and share this deck as long as you attribute Sarah Atlee as the author and do not use it for commercial means. Thank you!