Virtual Workshops Starting in January

I am happy to announce that I will be teaching virtual workshops starting in January!!

You will be able to take a live class from the comfort of your own home, so don't worry about packing up everything to bring to class. You will be able to use your home sewing set up and have everything you need at hand. You will be able to ask questions just like in an in person class. It won't matter if there is a snow storm - you will still be able to attend!

You can find the workshops in my shop.

Licorice Allsorts - January 12 online class 1:30-5:30 EST

In this class you will learn how to make the Hard Candy quilt block shown in the colorful quilt above. Using the same liberated technique, you will learn several other block variations as well. This is a fun class and there is a lot of room for creativity and play when putting the blocks together in a final composition.

String Theory - January 19 online workshop - 1:30 - 4:30 EST

In String Theory, I will teach my method for string piecing with no foundation. In this fool proof technique, there is no extra layer of fabric in the quilt and no paper bits to pick out after the sewing is finished. You will learn the skills needed to add string piecing to your own quilt designs.  Bring your scrap bin and prepare to have some fun! 

Popup Private Workshops
If you and a group of friends would like to book your own private workshop, contact me and we can set that up.

I hope to be adding more workshops soon.

What's on Your Design Wall

I love it when the projects start to pile up in layers on the design wall.

Erased - domestic abuse quilt # 19

Erased 16” by16”

This quilt comes mostly from my own feeling of being erased. I have a family member in an abusive relationship and I, and others in my family, have been erased from this family member’s past.

An abused person's life before the abuser is often in effect "erased."  Friends, hobbies, interests, family, passions, dreams, etc are all expunged. The abuser may even destroy or throw away old photographs and photo albums that show the person’s life before the abuser. They might gaslight in order to implant their own narratives about the past. Memories, momentos, photos, relationships, whole histories.  All gone.

Someone can feel minimized or become a shadow of themselves as a result of abuse, and their abuser may also work to erase their memories or erase them from others' lives. Their lives can be distilled down to appeasing the abuser at the cost of all else.

This erasure not only affects the target of the abuse but also those family and friends who have been "erased."

If you have a friend or family member who is experiencing abuse here are some things you can do to help. The most important thing to remember is that the choice to leave or not is theirs. You can't make them leave a bad situation but you can be supportive and helpful in their choice. They will need someone they can count on when/if they do decide to end or leave the abusive relationship.

Domestic Violence knows no boundaries when it comes to race/gender/sexuality/age/socioeconomic status/geographic location/culture.

Remember, domestic abuse affects ten million people in the US every year. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please know that the folks at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1 800 799 SAFE or thehotline.org) are ready to listen and support you, as well as refer you to a local program or organization. If you observe someone being abused, you can also call the hotline. A good samaritan call can save a life!

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All of the quilts in the Domestic Abuse series so far can be viewed here.

October Dahlias

My dahlias have been continuing to bloom and an are bringing me much joy.

Interestingly, I did not know that deer liked dahlias so much. There are a few plants that have not had a single bloom because they are continually nibbled and others that are covered in blooms and haven’t been touched. I guess some varieties are tastier than others. Next year I plan to plant them in a fenced area.

String Piece Hexagon Progress

I’ve been doing a lot of string piecing since the pandemic started back in March. I love that I can do a lot of sewing without having to make many decisions. It keeps my fingers busy but doesn’t tax my brain. It’s just what I have been needing for these weird times. First, I made a quilt’s worth of rectangle strips seen below. I don’t have a final plan for how these will be put together yet so they are all in a pile waiting.

After making the rectangle strips I started making hexagons. You can see more of them here.

I’m in a “use what I have” frame of mind so am using this pretty gold Peppered Cotton for the setting triangles.. I hope I measured correctly and that I will have enough for the binding too.

It appears that I never blogged about that quilt on the design wall either. That was an improv experiment that I had fun with. I shared some progress shots on Instagram earlier in the summer.

Looking at those tiny bits on the design wall has me itching to do some more tiny piecing again

Red and White Delight

I’m still cleaning up the home sewing room. I found this small quilt that I made a few years ago. It was basted and I had already done the “in the ditch” stitching along the edge of the red. I’m adding some feathered vines up the muslin sections.

Dahlias

I have been thoroughly enjoying my dahlias this summer. They were slow to get started but I am now able to cut a few fresh flowers each day. The variety pictured above, Melody Dora, is one of my favorites.

The first day I cut an entire bouquet was pretty exciting.

This Cafe au Lait Rose was as big as my grandson’s head and made a fun place for a little green frog to hide.

These flowers have really been a highlight of my summer and I enjoy going out to the garden every morning to clip new flowers and then again each evening to see the growth progress of the day.

Cleaning up the Slow Way

In another effort to clean my sewing room I started making string hexie blocks last week. I didn’t make much of a dent in the piles of scraps but I did fill my design wall. These will finish at 6” across.

How’s your week going?

Emerging

I feel a bit like this butterfly, like I’m finally emerging from a chrysalis.

About 6 weeks ago, my computer had a fatal crash. No, really, I knocked it over with my foot and it died. The hard disc is not operable. I took it to the computer doctor in town and after a couple of days he said he recovered “an ungodly number of photos.” Yes, thank you. I’ve been blogging for 13 years. I take a lot of photos.

I put the photos onto my new computer only about half of them will open. So, the hard disc is back with the computer doctor. He is running a different program to see if they can be fully recovered. My fingers and toes are crossed that they can.

My remote teaching plans have been put on hold but I’m hoping to get back on track with teaching prep soon. I am excited about the classes I’ll be able to bring into your home.

Social Justice Sewing Academy

I attended an excellent Community Quilt workshop by Sara Trail of Social Justice Sewing Academy with the Portland Modern Quilt Guild on Sunday. I am so impressed with the work they are doing. She shared the curriculum they use with the youth artists as well as many of the powerful blocks and artist statements made in the program. At the end of the workshop we had a short time to design and make a block of our own. As someone who can overthink things I found it a little stressful to have such a quick turnaround but in the end I kinda liked working fast. The blocks will next be sent to volunteer embroiderers for stitching before they will be joined into a quilt.

I live in a mostly white (96%) rural town in the midwest. Four years ago our town had its first Pride event that consisted of 5 people. Each year the Pride march has gotten bigger. We had our first Black Lives Matter rally a few weeks ago and they are continuing each week with a march and open mic time after.

I am hopeful for our future but it is also disheartening to see so much push back to the idea that everyone should have the right to breathe, be their true selves, and live in peace. To make real progress we need to address the changes needed to healthcare, economics, housing, voting, and policing.

And on that note, go register to vote!!! And if you already are, go check it again!!