Author: jennifer

Catenary – a new project

Quilting and Sewing



All of a sudden I can’t get enough of needle turn applique.

So, naturally, I started another project.


This is Carolyn Friedlander’s Catenary quilt pattern.  Soon after I finished up the Aerial grove quilt top I was choosing fabric for this one and it’s a color scheme I’m really excited about.  I’m learning that needle turn applique takes some time to cut, pin and baste in place.  Honestly, I think that’s the hardest part – the tedium of getting it all ready so you can actually start sewing!  A good exercise in patience, I suppose.  Still, I must admit that stitching those lovely arches makes me a little giddy.  They actually look good!  {I was obviously worried about my skills for this one.}


This stack of carefully ironed fabric is the bulk of the quilt.  I’m opting to cut the arches and prep each strip after I finish the previous one so I don’t risk any fraying or stretching of the fabrics while they wait their turn.  Even though the prints are wrong side up in this photo, I love this pretty stack.  It always amazes me that a quilt can start so small, in this tiny stack of ordered pieces.


Much of my hand sewing is done in the car while I wait for my children.  I was quite happy to discover that the entire project fits perfectly, pattern and all, in a pretty little tin I bought at IKEA last year.  {Please tell me I’m not the only person who sometimes buys lovely containers just because, with no plan in mind for them. What is it about them?  I always want more!}


I’m on the second of fourteen strips for this quilt and I find myself enjoying every stitch.  These small successes have given me confidence to start on other Carolyn Friedlander patterns that I’ve loved but not felt skilled enough to start.  I would love to make this the year that I use every one of the patterns I’ve purchased from her.

Have you ever tried hand applique?  If so, do you enjoy it?  I definitely think there are some stages in life that work better for it. When my children were babies and toddlers I always had someone on my lap; a needle and thread would have never worked.  But as our family gets a little older I find that I can sit and stitch while they all do their homework – it keeps me in one place to answer questions, check accuracy, and make sure they finish, while still doing something I enjoy.  We’re all together and all productive.  I like that.

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Explore Light: a traveling quilt journey

Quilting and Sewing



Light.

I shared here that it’s my word of the year for 2017.

Another thing I’m doing in 2017 is a traveling quilt project.  Or two.  The first has started it’s journey and I’m excited to see how it looks as others add their interpretation to it.  For this one, my theme is light.


I began with the Facing East block from Carolyn Friedlander’s book, Savor Each Stitch.  At first I planned to make four blocks, but they were larger than I pictured them in my head and it turned out that two were sufficient.


I chose this block because it communicates light to me.  I love the way the white lines radiate from the center.  I hope that using lots of colors in this block will help contributors feel like they can do the same.  I want it to be a happy quilt.


I pestered my sisters with texts seeking their input as I auditioned border choices, and we all agreed that this was best.  It’s a happy Jennifer Paganelli print that I’ve loved sewing with in a few projects.  I also enjoyed trying out that black text print in one of the blocks.  The “once upon a time” seemed appropriate for the story I hope the quilt tells when it’s completed its journey.


I’m really excited to see where this goes, and now I’m scheming an entire Facing East quilt as well.  These blocks were both easier and more fun than I anticipated them being.

Of course, sending my starter block out also means that there’s a bag in my sewing room that I got from a friend to add to.  I’m excited and nervous to start.  It will be an awesome experience in creativity.

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2017 Word of the Year: Light

Musings on Life and Beauty



My word of the year for 2017 is LIGHT.

January has come and gone, and Feburary is underway.  I’ve spent a lot of time in the last few weeks listening to podcasts, studying productivity, pondering the direction I want to move in, and generally doing some soul searching (while trying to keep the circus that is our family of ten moving, of course).

For one thing, I’m not focusing on as many year-long goals.  I’m trying to think of 2017 more as a 52 week project, with each week building on the one before.  I’m also breaking the year down into smaller chunks to accomplish my main goals.  But I do want “light” to be something I focus on all year.

In what ways?

Well, one golden thread that I’ve seen in my life for decades is the truth that if I’m really spending time studying the word of God on a daily basis, the light in my life increases.  Psalms 36:9 reads, “For with thee is the fountain of life:  in thy light shall we see light.”  This is so true!  He is the fountain of life, goodness, beauty, mercy, you name it.  And when I make an effort to move further into His light, I have new eyes to see light.

With those new eyes I see light in my surroundings, meaning in everyday challenges, beauty where before I saw only an obstacle.  I’m more intelligent, more patient, more sensitive to others.  So, seeking light is huge.

But it doesn’t stop there.

I want to be a light, to reflect His light.  I want to fill my life with more service and do a better job of encouraging, lifting, and strengthening those around me.

I have a large, busy, imperfect, but really great family.  Keeping things running smoothly requires constant effort.  I want to do whatever I can to minimize clutter, distractions, and unnecessary time wasters so our lives flow better, and especially so that the bulk of my time is spent with them, focused on them.  A simple way for me to word this is “live light.”  I want to get rid of whatever isn’t a blessing for my family.

The last couple of years have been very heavy ones emotionally.  I’m done letting these burdens define me.  While I know some challenges aren’t going away anytime soon, it’s time to quit letting them have the power to drain me so much.  So I’m also going to “lighten up” and be happy even when things may seem bleak or ugly.

The lettering you see above is something I sketched out a few weeks ago.  I was sitting at my kitchen table with my daughters and we were all coloring.  It felt so peaceful and happy, but I felt hungry to practice some lettering.  My handwriting is something I worked hard on as a child and teenager (I’m left handed and people are always shocked at how nice it is) but I haven’t used it as much in recent years and I miss writing nicely.  I took a class a while ago from the very talented Lisa of Hand Lettered Design but haven’t practiced as much as I intended, so I got it out and was re-tracing some of her lettering when my 18 year old said to me, “Mom, I don’t get it.  If you already have such nice handwriting, why would you try to make your writing look like someone else’s?”

So I put the tracing away and tried lettering one simple word:  light.  With handwriting that is mine.


I appreciated her reminder that in all of it, I need to remember that I have my own set of gifts and talents to share and develop.  So I guess another goal for 2017 is to “honor light.”  I want to honor the light that is uniquely mine and work hard to honor that light in each of my children.

Here’s a quick list of some things I did in January:

I started a topical study on light.
I took a mini class on using light better in my photos.
We went through all the clothing that half of my children own and got rid of everything we don’t truly love and use often.
I focused on getting more/better sleep, including an overhaul of my morning routine to encourage better sleep at night.
We spent more time serving and interacting with some neighbors and friends that we love.
I really did smile and laugh a whole lot more.  I laughed at my mistakes and tried to meet daily mishaps with a chuckle instead of stress.
I started a creative project to explore light .
We spent many hours as a family reading books aloud and simply being together.

Fear and worry plague all of us.  I’m so excited to step away from those emotions this year and live in the light.  I’m full of hope for an awesome experience!

Jennifer

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