Have you every seen something that seems to vibrate when you look at it?

This is because your eye does not know where to look first. We have all seen those quilts that make you feel hectic and tired just looking at them.

Working with quilts, picture walls or scrap books all involve arranging things. Here is how I have learnt to tackle it.

Start by arranging the images from lightest to darkest with darkest at the bottom. Blurring your eyes will cut out the detail and just let you see the overall lightest or darkness of each block or picture.

This tells your eye start at the top and move to the bottom.

Next arrange horizontals so that like images are separated. Try to create contrast. A busy block or image next to a simple one, bright next to dull etc.

This part is about trying to avoid visual holes that look particularly flat or busy.

Now go over the vertical line of images or blocks looking at the same contrast issues.

Finally choose a colour - yellow is great one but it can be other colours too. I try to create a zigzag line of images or blocks that contain that colour. Ideally that line should be from the top left to the bottom right.

Your eye will pick up on even the most subtle of path and follow it through the overall quilt or whatever you are arranging.

That process is sometimes enough to resolve the overall effect into a stillness. It’s more likely that you’ll have to keep moving a few pieces around.

One quilter I know will always devote at least two hours to this process of block arranging.

I’ve seen people take digital photos in case they get it right and then lose it again. I’ve seen others stand on stairs and look down - just to get an overall effect.

There is definately a magic moment when the quilt or set of images suddenly look very still. It is worth the time to get there.

Maybe you have some arranging tricks you would like to share. I’d love to hear from you.

My early hand sewing often ended up in a depressing tangle of knots. Stitching projects were left unfinished and pretty soon I concluded that I wasn’t much of a hand sewer.

So how is it that I now have my own completed tapestries, embroideries, and handquilting around the house. What changed?

Several years ago I attended a sewing class by brilliant designer and quilter Jan Mullen. As she demonstrated some hand stitching to the class her thread got tangled in a knot. Jan stopped and spoke to the class about knots.

She told us that she often gets knots in her threads. She told us that if she relaxed and played a little the knot would nearly always come undone. She told us to tease out the thread - no pulling or tugging. Jan demonstrated a light and playful touch.

This turned it around for me. Firstly if an experienced stitcher like Jan got knots in her thread it wasn’t some unique failing of mine. It was just part of a sewing life.

My knotty problems were no longer a cue for feelings of frustration and self reproach. Jan’s few words cast a magic spell over my attitude to knots. Each knot was now a playful possibility.

As is often the case in life, success built on success. If I get a knot in my thread now I feel confident I have a 90% possibility I can tease it out. If I can’t ..well, that’s just life…it is certainly no reflection on me.

I am sure there are a few zen masters out there who have been able to extend this understanding to their whole lives. So far I’ve only mastered untangling my sewing thread.

I am studying the work of a woman whose standard of dressmaking is very high.

She is teaching me that it is important to choose to take control of your sewing. Let me explain.

There is a rush of excitement at the start of any sewing project. Our spirits soar as we imagine our creation finished and looking incredible.

Sometimes it can be difficult to slow down and walk through the necessary steps. Corners are cut, things are good enough.

Excitement is the driver and at times we are swerving all over the road. So what if the stitches aren’t straight. What if we don’t pin first?

There are no sewing police. It doesn’t matter does it?

Well no, it doesn’t matter if it ended there. However, if we judge our ability by what we produce it certainly DOES matter.

If we never wear the clothes we make it matters a lot.

“I am not a good sewer” Is the frequent conclusion people come to. Each of us can be a master sewer if we choose.

Master sewers have control of their excitement. They follow the logical steps. They measure, they pin. They take time to check their work.

They sit forward at their machine and put their hands on the fabric. They steer, they are in control of what is happening. They concentrate on each step until it is resolved. They will unpick if something is not right.

You may not describe yourself as a precision driver but when you are stuck in a tight corner you choose to concentrate and drive like one.

To master sewing clothes we need to let detail matter. As in life, if we choose to slow down and really focus, we can master what is important to us.