Patch and Dot

Day 46, the last line of a poem by Wisława Szymborska (swipe to see the whole thing). It's about death, for sure, but I think it's also about you (me, us), at any given moment in life. How you got to where you are was probably hard won, and no one can take it away from you. (And yes, it is not a coincidence that I chose this @rubystarsociety fabric for this project - “Add it up” for the background, and “Alma,” designed by @alexiamarcelleabegg for the letters - after they gave us such an inspiring example of what it means to gather all your creative resources and keep going.) Poem published by Harcourt Brace & Co. #the100dayproject #100daysofquiltWIPs #rubystarsociety #almafabric #quilting #wordquilt #quiltpoem #WisławaSzymborska #poetry https://www.instagram.com/p/CAfrsQ_HhOY/?igshid=hzhlcahflf2w

I had a bee in my bonnet. All proceeds from this pattern go to the Daily Bread Food Bank. (Foundation paper piecing, link in profile.) Fabrics are @robertkaufman Essex from @_theworkroom and Glitter Litter by @tulapink from @sewsistersquiltshop 💗⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #hope #quiltblock #paperpiecing #craftivism #blackletter #calligraphy #gothic #alphabetquilt #etsy https://www.instagram.com/p/CATHFoMnUi2/?igshid=i5s1fn06jo95

So here's a little roundup of the quilt wips I plan to focus on for my #100daysofquiltWIPS ... in general my rule of thumb is going to be to work on 'whatever I feel like at the time' ... thinking this will increase my chances of success. But by limiting my options to this "shortlist" (believe me, there are many more WIPs in my queue), I should eke out at least a couple of finishes by the time I'm through.⁠⠀ In order, these projects are:⁠⠀ 1) Two tops that are finished that I am going to quilt at home: Pixel Posies and Chamomile Quilt (the latter is a pattern by @woodberryway) 2) Two versions of the Sugar and Spice Quilt (pattern by @megancollins_a )⁠⠀ 3) Heather Ross economy blocks⁠⠀ 4) Miss Lizzy quilt (pattern by @gnomeangel)⠀ 5) Starry Brights quilt (pattern by @woodberryway)⁠⠀ 6) New project using my Ribbon Letters pattern⁠ https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rf-HunIvm/?igshid=1p1ai204b723l

Back in January I started mulling over the possibility of doing a #100days project this year. Now we are in April, and even just writing the words "100 days" feels ominous, a kind of jinx. What will the world look like in 100 days? ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ But seeing all of your sewing projects every day is such a bright spot right now. And personally a little structure and continuity seems like just the thing when the days are all blurring together. I have some dream projects I want to work on later this year, which means the decks must be cleared. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ So with that said, tomorrow will mark the first day of my 100 days project: #100daysofquiltWIPs. My plan is chip away at a handful of quilts that I've already started, posting at least a block a day. And I hope that along the way I can also introduce you to some of my favourite pattern designers in this community that we all love so much. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ The only rules I have for myself are:⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ - don't get bogged down by any idea of having to perfectly trim and press blocks for posting⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ - don't start anything new!⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Tune in tomorrow when I'll share the "short list" (ha ha) of WIPs I plan to focus on. xo⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ #the100dayproject⁠⠀ https://www.instagram.com/p/B-pCi2eH-Ma/?igshid=87ed05a7nx3h

Block for @loewensewen and her #socialdistancingquilt ... I just want to send a big shout out to Laura for such a well conceived project. The block design is such a perfect reflection of the situation we’re in, and the act of sewing a collective quilt is a good remedy. (Adding hand embellishments was also just what my brain needed right now.) So thank you! All the info is over on @loewensewen ‘s page if you’d like to join in. #quilt #collectivequilting #quiltblock #applique #quilting #handmade #isolation #isolationcreation https://www.instagram.com/p/B-nJiXDnoDf/?igshid=1ph3jdn18fymg

This is @sewing_tracy ‘s rainbow mini in her window, over in the UK, where people have been putting rainbows in their windows for passersby to see. Swipe to see a couple more versions (and thank you @quiltingtwins for spreading some cheer ❤️❤️❤️ - the link to this free pattern is in my profile for anyone who doesn’t have it yet 🌈🌈🌈). https://www.instagram.com/p/B-SFH6aHFua/?igshid=xqoa0e0j921h

Not doing a ton of sewing these days but here’s a little detail of the #popblocksquilt ... this was a baby sized, planning to make a queen size this spring 💕 #quilt #modernquilt #babyquilt #neonquilt https://www.instagram.com/p/B811fS5nkgQ/?igshid=fw7mkt3uw7j8

In the newsletter today, probably one of my favourite makes this year for a bunch of reasons (not least of which because it was a present for my lovely mom), using a free pattern from @purlsoho #handmade #purlsoho #riflepapercofabric #essexlinen #sewing #quiltedvest #memade #sewingpatterns #quilting https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vsa00nOCM/?igshid=7z4yi1d0m1ic

A few doll makes from Christmas. The vests were adapted from Simplicity 8818 - I used pre-quilted fabric, left off the collar, rounded the corners and finished with bias tape. The other two pictures are the tunic from Simplicity 8282 in Rifle Paper and Lizzy House fabric respectively. #simplicity8282 #simplicity8818 #americangirl #americangirldoll #18inchdollclothes #dollclothes #dollclothespatterns #americangirlpatterns https://www.instagram.com/p/B6r0pqonjkj/?igshid=26zxh9lxbuit

Definitely feel like the highlights of 2019 were all connected to community projects, so this top nine feels right: the #iheartyousewalong + #pantonequiltchallenge2019 + testing some of your patterns + working with wonderful testers on the #littlebirdquilt (I’m well behind on #ayearwithmisslizzy but plan to make it up!) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6qd3VZnwj9/?igshid=17axg7tdkcnwk

#littlebirdquilt https://www.instagram.com/p/BzN-2DOnhjm/?igshid=1xsngtmtdpw2q

Le stack #newproject #littlebirdquilt #rainbow #fabricaddict #fabricpull #modernquilting #quilting #sewing https://www.instagram.com/p/BzF6R1mn1uD/?igshid=edkhf2k02xyg

Book duo! I took a bit of a shortcut on this one and skipped the skinny piece between the two books - you lose some of the 3D effect but I think it still works. #summerbookclubqal #tallertalesblock #talltalesquilt #paperpiecing #quilting #quiltblock #quiltalong #fabricaddict https://www.instagram.com/p/BzBUeGinUhr/?igshid=1f0kohafra8nn

Thank you so much everyone for all the love on the past couple of posts about this quilt! Have been thinking up a name and went down a real rabbit hole about coral reproduction and then plant and animal reproduction in general ... and so I present ... the Parthenos Quilt (in Living Coral). I've loved seeing all the amazing entries so far for #pantonequilt2019 and now I'm off to enter this one in the "Just the top" category. Thanks to @nohatsquilts and @bryanhousequilts for running such a fun challenge #parthenosquilt #pantonequilt #pantone2019 #livingcoral #modernquilt #modernquilting #patchanddot https://www.instagram.com/p/BylExg3Hh2v/?igshid=1x90jofcaui5b

I spent my sewing time this weekend doing some exercises from Josef Albers' Interaction of Color. There is something very relaxing about playing around with color for its own sake without worrying about how it might feed into a specific pattern or creating some larger finished project. ... though of course, in the end the exercises sparked tons of other ideas. I wrote up instructions for the simple block that I made based on Chapter 4, which is all about experimenting with how colors influence one another. Link in my profile if you'd like to try it! ⁣⠀ .⁣⠀ .⁣⠀ .⁣⠀ .⁣⠀ #interactionblock #interactionofcolor #josefalbers #modernquilter #modernquilt #bauhaus #colortheory #freepattern #sewingexercise #creativeworkshop #makersmovement #modernquiltblock #quiltblock #konacotton #solids #patchanddot⁣⠀ https://www.instagram.com/patchanddot/p/BvtmVI-HV0X/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=k0vxvubchhjn

My first Shimmer block for the #shimmerquiltalong - pattern by @cluckclucksew ... I switched up my palette a bit from what I’d first planned and going to go with these more powdery pinks and blues. That plus the black should help me meet my goal of sewing this entirely from my stash. #shimmerquilt #quiltblock #quiltalong https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEZNKQHVG3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=n9i719s6t29d

Free pattern alert! Newsletter subscribers got their copy of the #plantingseedsquilt block on Sunday, but it’s not too late for you to get in on this. I've added this block to my free patterns page - grab yours at the link in profile! #patchanddot #paperpiecing #heartquiltblock #heartquilt #valentine #valentinecrafts #freepattern #quiltsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BtgK-P9nwpY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=lrs96nujeoxm