Last week, Cloth in Common artists revealed their work reflecting our “Line” prompt. If you haven’t already, check out the amazing group of finished quilts that are now posted here. I loved this prompt because it could be interpreted in so many different ways. Here are just a few idioms or expressions using the word line. Each one could be a quilt.

Fine line, Line up, Down the line, Draw a line in the sand, Drop me a line, Cross the line, Hold the line, Toe the line, Walk the line, Jump the line, Step out of line, Hook, line and sinker, Line of duty, Line of fire, Line of attack, Over the line, Party line, Finishing line.

I also loved this prompt because ‘line’ is a fundamental element of design along with color, shape, form, texture, value and space. Artists think about line, consciously or not, with each new piece. We have vertical lines, horizontal lines, diagonal lines, wonky lines and curved lines. Each line starts with a point in space and magically transforms into something else. You can have continuous lines, contour lines, parallel lines, cross-hatched lines, implied lines and gestural lines. Lines can identify things, create dimension, organize space, and provide movement and texture. What’s not to love about lines? Here are just a few of my quilts using line.

But wait….there’s more! Our next prompt is “Pattern.” Pattern is all about repetition, arrangement, and sequence. It is a perfect follow-on to our line prompt. We can use lines or shapes or motifs to create pattern. So many possibilities! I can’t wait to see the finished quilts for this prompt. I’m off to the studio now to get started.