Working Slowly and Happily

When I was an EQL (emerging quilt learner), I focused on getting things done as quickly as possible.  Before I became an ardent hand quilter, I would make fun of hand quilters and remind then machines were so much faster.  Oh, how wrong I was. And oh, how I have learned to slow down.   I also have been focused on function by making only useable things, no art quilts.  And again, to my surprise, I have been wrong.  There's a Windham artisan fabric challenge for the MQG.  You see the six colors at the left.  Generous guild member Rob treated several of us to six fat quarters.  and not to sound like a broken record, but - again - I decided I wanted to play and began to think about what I wanted to do.  And then?  I spent three days looking at various web sites and using my scraps to make practice pieces.  This is not the way I normally work!  But it's been fun. I'm eager to get back to my notes and this project. Fabric manipulation is something that intrigues me but its not practical for quilt.  But I'm tamping that practical side down for what will be an art quilt. 

While I was working on how to manipulate fabric, I was also working on this Park Sloan backpack by Sew Sweetness.  It was a tricky pattern but I love how it turned out.  My niece has this small version but I am also making the same bag in the bigger version.  

Great niece Eloise is the perfect model and will use this as her dance bag.

That lovely set of fat Cherrywood fat quarters is almost a quilt, and I'm thankful for my design wall. It's like instant gratification before I actually sew the blocks together.  I just barely had enough of the light background fabric.  And I was actually two blocks short of fabrics so there are two improve scrappy blocks in the corners.  

Life's rhythms are changing. I'm working differently.  And it's ok.  

Finding My Mojo

Breaking rhythm has always been a problem for me.  Certainly that was true of the school year and summer vacation and then trying to get back into the swing of things in September.  And this has carried over into my quilting life.  On a week- long cruise of the Columbia River in Oregon, I did absolutely no handwork or plotting or planning.  The most quilty thing I saw was at the Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon.  These silk pieces, about 20” x 20”, were carried by Japanese soldiers and pilots during World War II and were made by their family members.  Some of these flags/pennants were returned to families, and some are on display here in this museum.  I think these are lovely pieces.

In approaching the studio once we returned home, I’ve been overwhelmed with how poorly I am using my fabulousstudio space and how much stuff I am holding onto that I just don’t use.  So I started to purge.  I came across a Noodlehead Trail Tote kit, complete with Carolyn Friedlander fabrics.  Of course I had to stop and make it.  The piping joining the purse front and back is a great design feature.  

Quilty buddy Lauren gave me a packet of Cherrywood Far quarters last October.  I love these gentle colors and have been pondering what to do with them.  Each colored rectangle is 7” x 9” and will get a bit bigger with the shadowing and neutral sashing.  I love having a project like this going because once the math and cutting is done, the sewing is kind of automatic.  On those days when I am not sure what I want to work on, I know this project is all ready to go.  A full size quilt is my goal.  

One project that has been on my radar for quite a while is the Park Sling backpack, shown below.  Sara Lawson’s projects are always fun to do, and my great niece in Ann Arbor is at a perfect age for this.  Below the pattern picture is a range of fabrics that I’ll be using   To be determined…! 

 

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Look! I made a backpack!

 

I just finished a couple of quilt tops, and now I’m getting ready for a September Sew Powerful Purse-a-Thon.  But first I am rewarding myself by doing a back pack.  I started it yesterday and finished it today.  I made several of these a few years ago, including two minis.  This is the Denver backpack by Swoon.  It’s a difficult pattern with lots of parts - pockets and straps and closures. But I have really enjoyed working on this - like a jigsaw puzzle in 3-d.  This is the exact twin of the one I gifted to granddaughter Natalie. 

Project Dreams

 

I’m in the best space - purses are done for the time being, I just made a pile of masks, the studio is clean, I’m finishing a hand project and happy to be starting a new one, and I have several projects I’m excited to start.  

        This pattern caught my eye.  It’s similar to Interwoven, one that I made last year.  This pattern uses 2.5” strips instead of 1.5” strips.  It ought to go together nicely.  Below are the fabrics I want to use

The above jelly rolls are going to be a chevron quilt.  Eileen gave me the idea and shared her Mr. Domestic chevron design.  And then I found the picture here.  This design spreads the chevrons out, and I think that’s what I want.

This backpack design intrigues me.  I don’t need another backpack, but they are great for sewing that demands a lot of concentration, a perfect diversion from the current political scene.  I’m appalled by Trump and his GOP Enablers. See?  time for a back pack.

Last - and this is sad - I have a pattern for a Retreat Bag.  Even though there are no retreats scheduled.  But a girl can dream, right?

As I’ve said before, I have never been personally happier and never more unhappy politically.  These days leading up to the election will be very productive for me. 

Eighteen Years

What a melancholy day.  It's horribly hot and humid, and I'm just now getting over my sulking about the cancelled Newfoundland trip.  I really am thankful the tour group had the foresight to cancel the tour - Sunday was when Dorian hit Newfoundland with rain, winds, and downed electricity.  But still...changing gears is hard.  And it's nice to have this new-found time. 

Once I sent the big batch of purses and notes off to Sew Powerful, I needed to celebrate by doing a project "just because."  This backpack is a pattern by Swoon.  I've never had a backpack in my life, but this pattern just looked fun.





It turned out so cute that I made my sister-in-law a backpack, too.   But I had to finish them before turning the studio into a guest room for her Labor Day visit.

 Closing down the studio in preparation for guests really broke my rhythm and impetus.  The best outcome so far of the trip cancellation is that there is now room to breathe on the calendar.  So nice. -
But here it is - 9/11.  Jon Best stopped by for our annual visit - we were on our way to school and listening to the radio.  There are a whole generation coming up who don't know the impact of 9/11.   So glad to have backpack patterns.

So cute - Number 1

So Cute - Number 2