Monday, December 31, 2018

Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019!

2018 was the best year for my family since 2012, and I'm grateful for it. My husband and I were just recently reflecting on this fact. It was a big year namely because I got a new job that I love. This brought big changes to my quilting pursuits: I stopped writing The Wonky Press email newsletter after 3 years and as of this month have paused all lectures and workshops indefinitely (more about this here). I think it's safe to say I am no longer trying to be a part of the quilting industry.

The relief these changes have brought is indescribable. I've been pulled in many directions for a long time, and it's time to just focus on one thing for a while. In the past, with deadlines for teaching, patterns, lectures, and blog hops I felt compelled to quilt in nearly all my free time and more if I could swing it. And truth be told - I loved it. While I'm very grateful for those opportunities and all the people I have met and worked with, now that I'm taking a break, I'm enjoying quilting more as a hobby (and have more time for other hobbies). This makes me really happy - happier than I thought I could be.


This year I finished 16 quilts (5 haven't been shared online yet). Several of these just had finishing touches added on this year. A few baby quilts, one community quilt, a few explorations of minimalism (see the Quilting Modern Quilts Blog Series), 3 other gift quilts, and one for myself (Kintsugi, which embodies a lot of what I mentioned at the beginning of this post and my feelings about craft). You can read full blog posts for all those pictured above right here.


 Here are some of my favorite "small" makes of 2018. :) Most were towards the end of the year.

This year I also tried some new crafts. I got really interested in painting murals, and completed my first, on a piano (!), no less (check the latest issue of UPPERCASE magazine - you might see a familiar face!!). This project would have been difficult to complete at other times in my life, but it was the right place and the right time. Thank you to SOPAC for that amazing opportunity to contribute to the community of South Orange, NJ.

 Read the full post about the piano project here. The design is based on one of my quilts!

My main focus right now: I'm currently working in conjunction with the Windows of Understanding public art project through Rutgers University and the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA on 2 quilts for exhibition. I am excited. :)

3rd block for Raspberry Applique BOM, in progress through 2019

I decided NOT to set goals for 2019 - more like plans. I'd love to attempt another Kintsugi quilt. Maybe I'll start garment sewing again, maybe not (apparently I really have to be in the mood for that; I just love quilts!). Maybe I'll knit more; I'd like to finish my Hufflepuff scarf before I see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in March! Maybe I'll be able to complete a wall mural. There are definitely more felt crafts and hand sewing in my future. I'll likely be finishing some WIPs and working on my Hawaiian applique (which deserves its own post - see photo above!). I'd love to have another chance at a community quilt this year.

I'll be posting about the 5 other quilts I still need to share publicly, plus the upcoming exhibitions. But who knows, really? I'm leaving it open otherwise.

Do you have creative goals for the new year? Happy New Year and Happy Making 2019!

Linking up:


Sunday, December 30, 2018

Handmade Holidays 2018

Handmade holidays (and birthdays) have become a large part of my making for the year. As long as I can swing the time, I'd much rather make something for someone (if I know they'll appreciate it) than wander aimlessly around a store or click "buy" online. This is just my preference, and one way of gifting isn't better than the other, of course! This post contains the bulk of all the things I've made the last 3 months.

Winter tablerunner - long put away out of disinterest and finally finished this year (for me! Yay!)


It's a wonderful feeling to be told by people (namely my mom, sister, and two oldest nieces) that they'd prefer I make them something. Handmade holidays has its downsides, too. It means time management and proper fabric buying/preparation. It's probably more pricey when you factor in the time it takes to make something. For the winter holidays, it means starting in September or October. Over the last few years, I've relied on my quilt guild's early November retreat to get as much done as possible in a weekend, and it's great!


Pillow for my mom - the sashiko ginkgo leaves (pattern from Easy Piecing) on the right were done early in the year. Always knew I'd make it into a pillow for her; I've made several sashiko pillows at this point and one other just for her! :)




Next up: pouches! First, a Hamilton the musical-inspired pouch for my sister's boyfriend, who now LOVES Broadway (and Hamilton). I quilted the lyrics to his favorite song "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" on the back the pouch, and included NYC fabric on the inside (he loves NYC, too!).



I also made 5 emoji-inspired pouches for my older nieces, depending on personality (for example, one of the oldest got the stars because she loves performing). In the holiday crazy I forgot to snap a picture of these finished, but I was super pleased with them! Each niece also got cute holiday socks inside their pouches. These were made up as I went using HeatnBond Lite for the faces and fusible fleece to give them structure.


What do you make for really little kids? I've tried several tactics and now I know you can't go wrong with hats. I used a pattern from Fleece Fun and just altered it to use knit scraps and felt. I was a bit nervous as I'd never made a hat before, but my tiny niece and nephew put them right on and didn't take them off for hours! Example A:



I made these little embroidery wall hangings for my husband and his best friend, who love Pokemon and especially the infamous Surprised Pikachu meme.


And finally, onto the felt flowers - my newest craft obsession. I've been posting a lot about felt and felt flowers on Instagram, and this will definitely continue! I love it - I think I was a florist in a past life. Working with felt is so different from fabric but I'm enjoying the challenge of trying new flowers and making surprise wreaths for friends. Here's an example of the several winter-themed wreaths I made recently. The best part is being able to use one embroidery hoop for two wreaths!


I also made my mother-in-law her own terrarium. She'll never have to worry about watering these succulents (tutorial from Benzie Design, where I get my felt!).



Usually I have no idea what I'll make year to year, but next year's niece and nephew presents are already cemented in my mind. That's a big relief though, because I don't have to worry about it. I can just start making - once I've taken a proper break from this year's holiday, that is. :)


Friday, December 28, 2018

Moana: A Disney Mini Quilt

This is the fifth year I've made my sister a custom Disney-themed mini quilt upon her request. It's an exciting challenge for me every year, and I wouldn't make them for anyone else but her!



 "See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me..." from the song "How Far I'll Go" from Moana


She's been hinting about how much she loves Moana for over a year now (okay, we both talk about it fairly often), so I knew she would enjoy a Moana quilt. I knew immediately what scene I'd recreate: Moana standing on the edge of a boat, dreaming of the day she'd leave her island (which obviously she does - most of the movie takes place on the sea!).

I really wanted the colorful, lush island to be part of the landscape, so that was the best choice. Plus, how can you go wrong with a scene from the movie's best song, "How Far I'll Go?" To be honest, whenever I sing the song, I mess up this lyric pretty badly. :) It's a gorgeous song, though.


The quilt didn't come without its challenges. First, I made the background, which consisted of the sky, improvised waves, and beach. After that, it was all applique and free motion quilted details. It was very important to me that I choose the right skin tone for Moana; the fabric I originally chose didn't contrast enough with the background. So, I stitched on some lighter "sand" on top first. Much better and not noticeable unless I tell you (which I just have).

 Moana with her friend, the ocean wave. My husband had the idea to quilt sea foam. It's the perfect touch!


Quilting those little palm trees was a challenge; they're about the size of one segment of my finger. Small, intricate quilting has always been difficult for me. But I persevered and took breaks (some of those beach pebbles are really small, too). Worth it.


The sidekicks, of course - Pua the pig and Heihei the chicken. They were the last touches on the quilt before it was done (I added them after I had finished quilting everything else). I even added Pua's little tail and the oar he was holding during the song.


The backing print by Denyse Schmidt. Reminiscent of all the flowers from the movie.

And a happy recipient! :)


 



Past Disney mini quilts all together!: Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Tangled, and Beauty and the Beast - blog posts linked. Each one depicts each character's dreams and the lyrics that tie in. Looking forward to whatever gets made next November!



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