Hip To Piece Squares: Life Archives

published!

I've been published in the Spring 2012 issue of Stitch Magazine!

At the advice of some wonderfully sewy friends, I decided to submit my Patchwork Lunch Sack pattern to Interweave Press' Stitch Magazine last summer. Honestly, I didn't have high hopes of actually hearing anything back from them, but to my surprise, they accepted my pattern! Talk about being excited!

I've been eagerly awaiting the new issue, and I couldn't be any happier. It's a beautiful issue, with lots of really great projects. And I seriously think that my bag looks better than I could have ever made it look on my own--the styling is fantastic. I am truly on Cloud 9.

So, I definitely need to thank some wonderful friends for convincing me to take this step and do this. Andrea, Laura and Rebekah--thank you for believing in me!

my new alter ego

Conversation tonight with Ben on our walk:

Me: "....I like it because it's patchwork-y."

Ben: "Do they work at State Farm?"

Me: "????"

Ben: "Pat Schwirkey. It just sounds like someone who probably sells insurance at State Farm.

Me: "YES! That's totally my new alter ego!"

So yeah. Here's something patchwork-y made by the very un-insurance selling Pat Schwirkey.

summer rolls on

It's hard for me to believe how quickly this summer has flown by. I still have much to do before I go back to work for the year. Recently, I've been working on a few projects related to the blog and my Etsy shop.

I guess the biggest project so far has been with my shop. Today is my 6th (!!) anniversary of my original Etsy shop. I suppose that in celebration of that, I finally made the decision to begin closing it. My new shop is pretty much exactly the same as the old, but I've changed my user name to "hiptopiecesquares." I'm hoping that helps people find me a little better. I'd love it if you'd be willing to stop by and give it a little love.

I should mention, though, that I'm having a moving sale. All of what's left in the old shop is 25% off, with the code Move11 at checkout. If you're interested.

Also, I've been working here! Take a look at my new main page! All of the links aren't working just yet, but they will be soon. I'm excited to finally have my own domain name too! Makes things feel a little more professional around here.

Finally, if you haven't and have a Facebook account, you can "like" Hip To Piece Squares there too! I'm trying very hard to keep that updated as well.

Enough of all that! I'll be back with a real post again soon.

try, try again

I'm not sure what the problem was, but I was in a funk on Sunday. The previous day I had some trouble with the lunch sacks that I've been working on, and it landed me in a grumpy, un-creative mood all day. I tried so hard to pull myself out of it, but things were just not meant to be. I needed a little break.

I finally managed to pull it together late in the day and I put this little fold over clutch together--not perfect, but a decent first try. I bought the pattern from Keyka Lou and although I think it's a well written pattern, I'm just not sold on the usefulness of it. Do people really carry clutches? I'm not sure if I could classify myself as a clutch-carrier. I thought they'd look really cute all patchworked-out, but I'm not sure if it's worth my time to make more. I'm just feeling lukewarm about it.

So although I'm not feeling so grumpy, I feel like my inspiration is still dwindling. I know the deadlines for spring shows are just around the corner and I'm trying to get a jump on having things made.

Is it the cold weather that's making me feel so sluggish? I'm wishing for spring warmth to sneak in and melt my frozen bones.

happiness is...

...home from work, Friday afternoon. A sunny sewing room. No other plans for the weekend other than to spend my time here.

Happiness is making things. Sometimes it makes me so happy that I can't even believe it.

Happy Friday, Friends.

snow day, part 1

Hurray for a snow day!

We got a lot of snow and even more wind last night up through mid-day today. It's hard to tell how much we really got since it blew around so much, but I think it's a safe guess at around a foot. Not quite as much as the weather people were calling for, but it's certainly more than we've had all winter.

As much as I had wanted to do today on my day off, I ended up doing a lot of snoozing and movie watching to try to knock out my cold instead. Hudson and I did make it out to play in the snow together this afternoon and I was glad for that. I'll have another shot to make a day off worth it in the sewing room tomorrow--I've already received my phone call letting me know that school is called off for tomorrow too!

posted by Sarah | February 2, 2011 | Life | 1 comments | link

on a sunday

I seem to be hit by my first winter cold this season, and I'm showing it. Despite big plans, Saturday's biggest accomplishment was going out for a walk with Ben and Hudson. Early evening found me surrounded by handwork and other projects on the couch, but instead, I spent my time with my head back, snoring.

Today though, I figured if I could sit while I sewed, instead of standing at my work table, I'd probably be able to get more done. I dragged out my machine to the kitchen, made a pot of tea and actually got a few things done. It wasn't the sewing blow-out that I had hoped for, but I'm okay with that for now.

I can't help but be a little excited too--they're calling for up to a foot of snow here by Wednesday. Let's just say that the adults at school wouldn't mind a little mid-week snow day...possibly even more so than the kids would. My fingers are already crossed.

need a little color?

Despite winter being AWFUL right now (the windchills were so low today we couldn't even go out for recess today at school) it was finally sunny, all day long. It helped break up the monotony of what has felt like weeks of cold, gray depressing-ness.

I rushed home to take some natural light photographs in my warm kitchen so that I can begin listing the items that I have left over from my holiday shows in my Etsy shop this evening and through the weekend. I only got about 5 items photographed, but the sun felt so good through the window while it lasted.

I hope you too find warmth and color on this winter weekend. Happy Friday.

good help is so hard to find

It's hard to find reliable help these days.

It seems like everyone wants to walk all over you. And stand in the middle of where you're trying to bind a quilt at.

And if they're not walking all over you, then they're laying on your legs so that you can't move. Then your feet fall asleep, and then it's your legs and up to your rump, and then you've become so disabled that you can't quilt anymore.

(That's 120 pounds of brown dog right there.)

Binding on quilt #2 of 2011 is almost done. I hope to have finished pictures to post tomorrow!

a little better

Organization, you are a cruel temptress.

It still looks messy to me, but I think this is much better than where I was at this weekend. There's still too much stuff stuck in one small room, but I have to admit, as much as I think I'd like a light, airy space, I love having everything at my fingertips, shouting colors and patterns at me while I work. It keeps me on my toes.

If you came over to visit, I wouldn't open the closet for you. Just saying. But everything else isn't too bad--the fabric is put away, notions are in their spots and the floor is even pretty clean. I was even able to keep my Nana's rock table set up (and mostly clutter free) and I'm very happy about that.

Now...can I keep it this way for longer than a week?