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!

posted by Sarah | January 20, 2012 | Life | Quilting | 13 comments | link

It feels really good to finish a quilt! Despite sewing my fingers sore over the past year, it had been since last March since I worked on a quilt. That was too long.

I spent a week after Christmas hanging out in my sewing room, going through my fabrics, and knowing that I wanted to start a quilt, but I just couldn't put together in my mind what I wanted to make. I think I was overwhelmed.

Then, after one day back at work (and feeling so frustrated that I hadn't really done any sewing over my vacation) I knew what I wanted to make. The colors, the fabrics, the backing...I was so excited to get home and start.

It took me five days to make this quilt from start to finish. I've never finished a quilt so quickly before! And it turned out to be a perfect gift for my friend Allison. I'm ready to get started on another!

posted by Sarah | January 9, 2012 | Quilting | 6 comments | link

I'm starting to learn that good things really do come in small packages. Even small quilts are really, really good. In fact, it's as good or even almost more gratifying than a large quilt right now.

I've been wanting to do more quilting for a while now. The problem is, I never seem to finish what I start. I have more quilt projects than I'd like to discuss that are sitting in the unfinished pile that just sit and wait for me to have more time to commit to them. But when I have so much other sewing to work on (I have three upcoming, two day craft shows that kick off next weekend). I just can't justify working on my bigger projects. And I SO want to.

Instead of pulling out bigger projects, I'm starting small. I can still quilt, but I can finish a project in a day, or, even better, a few hours. I'm planning on taking them to my upcoming shows, but I haven't decided if I'm going to try selling them or not. I just think they'll look great hanging above my table.

Now, instead of people coming to my tent and then walking away and then thinking to theirselves, "oh, look at all the mediocre bags and pouches," they'll say "oh, look at all the mediocre bags and pouches AND QUILTS." And then they'll walk away without stopping.

Sigh.

posted by Sarah | July 7, 2011 | Quilting | 7 comments | link

If posting about a finished quilt three months after I finish it is somehow wrong...well, then I just don't want to be right.

So, then.

Back in March, my nephew Vaughn, turned one. Ben made him a beautiful, cherry wood toy box, and I wanted to make him a small quilt to go along with it. I had picked up this Riley Blake fabric earlier in the year, but at the time, I had no idea what to do with it. It was just too cute to pass up.

It's certainly nothing fancy. Strip quilts are about my least favorite kind of quilt--they seem like such a cop out, but I just really wanted to make something so that the fabric would really show. There's a couple of big prints in the bunch, and I wanted to make sure that Vaughn could really pick out the cars. So, strip quilt it was.

The one thing I was please about was my second real attempt at free motion quilting. It's still not perfect, by any means, but I think I did even better than on my Log Cabins In the Snow quilt. It felt more natural while I was sewing it, and I certainly wasn't as stressed out about making mistakes this time. It makes the whole process a lot more enjoyable.

posted by Sarah | June 20, 2011 | Quilting | 4 comments | link

If I thought the few weeks of creative block was bad this past month, I had no idea what was to come. I was down for the count for a whole week of a stomach virus, complete with an itchy rash that kept me in bed for too, too long.

But finally today I'm feeling lots better, and I am READY to get back to sewing.

I've got a lot on my mind right now...I need to finish projects for people, craft shows must be applied to in the next several days....there's loose ends to tie up everywhere. But after work today, I came home and worked again with those little fabric strips I was telling you about last time.

I don't know how it's possible, but those strips have pulled me out of my slump and I'm ready to make so much again. Tonight, I worked on a few pouches and journal covers and everything came together without stress. It's the kind of feeling where you're excited about the project of the moment, but you can't help but think about the details of the next three projects as well.

I wish I had more photos to show you, but I promise there will be much more in the days to come. I'm so ready to get back to work.

posted by Sarah | February 28, 2011 | Quilting | Sewing | 2 comments | link

I've been unblocked!

Now, if only I hadn't have run out of white linen, this project would be going much smoother.

posted by Sarah | February 17, 2011 | Quilting | Sewing | 9 comments | link

I am insanely fed up with being at a creative block.

Today, out of sheer frustration for not making progress on anything, I forced myself to start cutting pieces for....something. I don't even know what I'm making. I just felt that if I didn't do anything, that I'd feel even more behind and blocked. I'm not sure it really helped. I'm doubting choices in colors and sizes and I don't even know what I'd like for it to become.

Yesterday I spent the majority of my time in the sewing room looking at what I have, and not being able to make any decisions. Finally, I cut up some green, brown and white 3 inch, half square triangles and sewed them together to work on a bag idea I had some time ago. I wasn't happy with the colors together, and so now they're just sitting and waiting for me to decide what I should do with them. I don't know though.

I should be spending my time working on my half-finished lunch sacks, but after a series of pretty major mistakes in the process of making them, I'm frustrated with them. I'd like to finish them and get them off to their respective new homes, but I'm overwhelmed with finishing them.

I'm genuinely frustrated with my mindset these days. I want to work on projects and make strides in finishing things, but I'm having a lot of issues with self-doubt and second guessing. I'm having a lot of trouble shaking that feeling and just getting on with the making process.

(Finally, to wrap up my last post about my oops fabric--it has gone to a good home. A friend mentioned to me very quickly after the post went up that she'd have a perfect use for it, so I told her it was hers! A loving home was indeed found!)

posted by Sarah | February 13, 2011 | Quilting | Sewing | 3 comments | link

I'm back to working on my 9 Patch quilt top, and I'm having a lot of trouble making up my mind with how I really want to finish it.

After last week's debate over whether or not to add more blocks, I've finally decided that I'd be upset with myself if I left it as is, and have begun making more blocks. I'm happy enough with the way the blocks are turning out, but I just feel like I could be doing more with this design.

I'm considering making the top a little more in-depth by adding more white lines and simple blocks in the centers of sashings. As much as I think it could look neat, I'm just not sold on it. If I add too much I feel as though it could look messy and cluttered instead of sleek. BUT, if I leave the top as is, I know it would look fine. My concern is that I will always be thinking that I could have done something more with it to make it different and more unique. I'm just frustrated with it.

I'll continue to weigh out my options after I finish the rest of the blocks. Feel free to input with your suggestions and ideas.

posted by Sarah | January 25, 2011 | Quilting | 4 comments | link

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.

posted by Sarah | January 21, 2011 | Crafting | Etsy Shop | Life | Quilting | 5 comments | link

I'm not sure how I managed to do it, but I've somehow finished my second quilt in one week. I ended up having impeccable timing in putting both pieces into the state of finishing at the same time--I don't expect for this to happen again anytime soon.

I know it seems like I polished this quilt off quickly, but it's been in my progress pile for really, many years. I first started working on these blocks around 2005 after being (obviously) inspired by Denyse Schmidt for the first time. As blocks, they sat in a pile for a loooong time, until I finally pulled it out again last spring and completed the top. I don't know why I seem to do this with projects, but its a case of distance making the heart growing fonder. I grow more in love with what I make when I put it away for a while.

So last April or May I started the hand quilting. And then, yet again, I stopped. The quilt sat patiently for me on the back of the couch for about 6 months--until after my holiday craft show blitz ended last month. Slowly, I picked it back up again during quiet evenings on the couch, and stitched the last of my squares at the beginning of the week.

I know that I can't keep up the pace of finishing two quilts a week, but I'm invigorated by all of this productivity. It feels like a race where I'm only competing with myself and I don't have to be skinny to win. I just have to have a speedy sewing machine and a lighting fast rotary cutter.

posted by Sarah | January 20, 2011 | Quilting | 6 comments | link