Hopeful Homemaker

The Day of Small Things

January 5, 2023 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

I turned on my sewing machine today for the first time in many weeks. Let me tell you, it feels good! The project I’ve returned to is past due but makes me smile, and it’s good to have fabric in my hands again. I’m feeling off center, the kind that always happens when I’m away from making things for too long. So it’s good to be back, both at my machine and here at Hopeful Homemaker. We’ve said farewell to 2022 and welcomed 2023. In all of it, I’ve been pondering a question found in the Old Testament, in Zechariah 4:10, “For who hath despised the day of small things?”

The day of small things. We don’t talk much about those. They’re not impressive and generally don’t make headlines. In the new year goal-setting season of dreaming big and making big things happen, the day of small things is easy to despise. Don’t get me wrong: I believe in big dreams and big goals. But this question has reminded me that all the big things are built on the foundation of days of small things. Every once in a while, we get a day of big things. Sometimes those are dreams realized; others they’re brick wall challenges. But it’s in the living of ordinary days that we build a life.

We’re not alone because God is playing the long game in our lives. The game plan emerges over time, mostly in a series of small things. Day after day of them, in fact. No one is likely to write my biography. And yet, He shows up in my small days. I love Him for it.

So, as I write my goals for the year, I’m seeing my days of small things as gifts. Twenty minutes a day will finish the quilt. Or the book series. Or root out weeds from the garden. Organize the cupboards. I guess you could say that everything starts small. As I’ve shared previously , diligence is the attribute I’ve focused on for the last couple of years. I’m obviously not done learning it because it’s still the dominant thread in all my goals. What I’m trying to do is master it, extend the reach of this principle into everything, and use it to build bigger things.

While big things grow, I’ll respect my days of small things. I hope you will, too. They’re nothing to despise since they let us see God’s hand and become the foundation of all the big things that matter.

A new year full of days comprised of hours. Make them count! Win the next ten minutes. We’re in good hands and things will work out!

Stand Quilt Option Two

November 15, 2022 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

I shared the Stand Quilt , my newest quilt pattern , as well as my thoughts behind it, last week. Today’s quilt is the Stand Quilt option two, which is the Stand Quilt pattern made without the small blocks as side borders.

It’s smaller (48″x64″), but equally dynamic. This quilt is a lot like my Hunter’s Star patterns ( here and here ) that you can make with just two fabrics. Color placement and other steps are simple with only two! The design is also great for any gender. A great choice for social sewing, you can get everything cut, and then sew the same blocks without too much thought. I like taking projects like this to retreats or sew nights with friends.

I made this version with a lovely, deep green, called Everglade by Kona. It’s paired with a print from Carolyn Friedlander. Her fabrics and patterns appear often in my studio!

In fact, you see a peek of another print of hers on the back. I sent this one to Melissa at Sew Shabby Quilting , and she chose a fun swirl pattern. The same green binding finishes it off nicely.

The Stand Quilt option two is a nice thing to have, since it makes the quilt such a fast finish. I’ll probably make one or two more as gifts before Christmas. This smaller version requires just 2.5 yards of each fabric, plus 1/2 yard more for binding. So fabric selection is a breeze. While I’m a huge advocate of auditioning ALL the fabrics to find the perfect one when designing my quilts, I do love making them when it’s simple, too. A quick decision and you’re off! I’d like to make one with a juicy floral as one of the fabrics.

So that wraps up my introductions for the Stand Quilt pattern . The Resolute pattern collection is coming along. You’ve seen Awake (with a second version here ), and Arise ( another one here ), Stand (with side borders) and this Stand quilt option two. Listen and Serve patterns are underway. Look for them soon!

Happy Sewing!

Stand Quilt – 3rd Pattern in Resolute Collection

November 10, 2022 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

Awake , Arise , and… what’s next? Stand. I’m here tonight to show you my newest pattern design, the Stand Quilt . It’s the 3rd pattern in my Resolute Collection, which is a small collection of quilt patterns inspired by simple but powerful words. A few favorite definitions of “stand” are “to remain upright in a moral sense, to be fixed or steady, to endure, or to maintain one’s ground”. Life offers us countless opportunities to stand, therefore, we must choose where and how we do it.

Stand is a simple design, made complex as block sizes grow and shrink. Standing for something that matters is a lot like that. A simple act, but we have to grow and shrink the ways we do it if we want to make a difference. It’s simple but complex. Easy and hard. Consistent yet changing. It’s a two color quilt, making fabric selection simple (3.25 yards per color). It also has an option to remove the borders on the left and right sides. If it gets tedious, you can skip them. I’ll share photos of a quilt like that soon. With the side borders, it measures 56″ x 64″.

This pattern collection has been fun for me to work on. In many ways, it’s me, being more “me” than ever before in my quilting. Bringing together things I love deeply: quilts, and words, feels very authentic. I’ve loved words all my life. Choosing a word, or a sequence of them, based on where I am and where I wish to go, bridging multiple facets of life, was fun. And totally ME. It’s probably a series I could continue forever, but I won’t.

Picking a word and then designing a quilt for what that word means to me, was challenging. A challenge I enjoyed thoroughly. I’m sure all of us would design something totally different if this was a group exercise. But I’ve enjoyed the process, learned good things, and each design has surprised me in its own way. I used my scraps to design the quilt back.

I’m learning to be intentional and careful about what I stand for and how I do it – big and small ways, obvious and subtle, private and public. The Stand Quilt pattern is now available here in my Etsy shop . I hope you’ll make one with me!

Happy Sewing!