by Sherri Sylvester | Sep 22, 2014
So – you thought I’d never get back to the Quiet Book Sew Along? I know, I’m really not being consistent with these posts, I apologize. I seem to have treated it like a lot of other projects I take on – it gets done on time, but generally very close to the deadline! (Taking on too many projects and procrastination much?)
But, have no fear! We have exactly enough weeks left to finish by the end of November, I’m just going to change the format a little.
We’ve gotten through 6 pages (7 tutorials) – halfway there – so we have 6 pages left to make with 2 tutorials on finishing the book. Here’s a list what we have left to finish. Never-mind the names… I’ll come up with something better when I actually post them!
- Tie the Shoe
- Puzzle Match-Up
- Put the Teddy Bear to Bed
- Button the Flowers in Place
- Fasten the Belt Buckle
- Road with Cars
- Sew the Pages Together
- Sew the Cover & Assemble
The plan is to start next week or the week after with one page/assembly tutorial posted per week until we are done on the last week of November. In early December I am hoping to be able to post a pattern PDF of the entire Quiet Book. The tutorial will still be available, but the PDF will be much easier to follow and will have all pattern pieces and page instructions in one tidy place. Plus, it will look pretty! Bonus!
I hope you’ll forgive my tardiness and come back and sew the last few weeks. I’d love to post some finished projects here in December! Email me and we’ll sort it out.
by Sherri Sylvester | Sep 17, 2014
Friends of mine had a baby boy a few weeks ago and I found a great “need” to make him a little quilt. Seems that since I have found this new skill of mine I am anxious to spend lots of time quilting, though the faster projects seem to win out. I think I’m going to have to get good at writing progress posts, instead of only posting finished projects!
I also have a great desire to rid myself of my overflowing scrap bin – so, I landed on making an I Spy quilt with over-sized squares. It was really a lot of fun going through my stash and scraps to find the 6″ squares with the most fun boyish prints and kid-friendly designs. I even finally found a good place to use a small piece of my mustache fabric!
The whole thing was inspired by some multi-coloured Origami Sprouts yardage I recently ordered from Double Decker Fabrics and this quilt from Blueberry Patch. The Mixed Bag collection by Studio M for Moda is perfect for kids and works really well in a little boy’s project. I had 1/2 metre, so I used it for the top of the pieced backing. Thankfully I’ve got a little scrap left to stash for another project, it’s so cute! I also had the blue stripey fabric (some Dear Stella from a stashing trip last year). The pieced squares on the back made the other two larger pieces just long enough to fit the length of the quilt.
As I talked about quilts being slow earlier, that’s actually not the case with this one – even though it did take me a month from start to finish. I know this because of the internet (as usual) since I Insta-documented the beginning on August 15th. Sewing the little squares together and piecing the back doesn’t take long, especially on such a small quilt. Even the wonky “graph paper” straight line quilting (does that have a real name?) only took me a few hours. I likely could have finished the whole thing in 6-8 hours had I been able to find one sewing session that long!
I have to admit, that while I was arranging and piecing the front of the quilt I was a bit skeptical and didn’t figure I would like it. Even after straight line quilting it parallel to the long edge it still looked random to me. It was only after I quilted it in the other direction that I started to like it. I think the last lines of quilting brought the whole thing together. I have learned through this process that I like modern “random” quilts (like the amazing ones Cynthia Frenette makes). But I don’t as much like so many random prints and colours pieced together in such large blocks, because they don’t have any semblance of continuity. Even the colourful “scrappy” vibe is hard to find.
Thankfully, with the quilting in place this one has grown on me and I think it will be fun for the baby to lie on and look at – goodness, it’s got enough going on to keep his attention for at least a little while! Anyhow, if the parents hate the busy side, it’s got a lovely toned-down backing that could be used as the front instead.
In other news, some BIG happenings I have neglected to let you know about for tooo long… The results of the Crafting Con Avengers month competition were posted earlier this month and I get to be the proud first place winner! I was so excited when I heard the news and I get to find myself some new patterns from PeekABoo Pattern Shop and something from Fabricworm! Hooray! The kids are still carrying around those bags and there might be a plan to make the little round one into a proper sale-able pattern. (yippee…!) You can see my post about the competition here.
Reader Feedback: What is your favorite new baby sewing project?
*This is not a sponsored post, though this blog is proud to say that Double Decker Fabric is a current sponsor. I wanted to share where I got the fabric from so you could find it if you need some. And… an unrelated note to self, iron the quilt before photographing it next time!
by Sherri Sylvester | Sep 15, 2014
You know how the most exciting thing (pretty much ever) is getting that package in the mail. You know the one – it has your name on it and it’s from the fabric shop you recently placed an order with? To top things off, you know there’s a carefully curated surprise bundle inside! Now – how would you like to get one of those every month from Fridays Off Fabric Shop? (Oh yeah!)
I know this feeling well because Fridays Off owner, Alanna, sent me the September Le Club Bundle to play with. (Woot, woot!) I could not wait to see what she included in the bundle, and of course, I was not disappointed. It’s a great mix of summery orange and yellow with splashes of lime, navy and blue. (Of course, it also has the requisite amount of gray mixed in!) I’m so excited because Alanna is giving away a bundle as well, so one of you will be able to play too! Check out the end of this post for your chance to enter to win. If you can’t wait and need it now, you can also purchase the bundle from her shop.
More about Le Club? It is a brand new fabric subscription program shipping to Canada, started this September by Fridays Off Fabric Shop. Sign up and you will receive a new bundle every month! Then you can stalk your mailbox and wait in suspense until you can open the package and see what has arrived. Oh so much fun! You can even choose “The Full Stash” of 12 fat quarters or “The Half Stash” of 6 fat quarters – perfect for building your fabric collection. Now all you need is the perfect fat quarter mini quilt pattern for it – any ideas?!
To enter to win the bundle, use the Rafflecopter widget below. There are options for entry even if you don’t use social media, so give it a shot! The giveaway will be open for Canadian residents only, from September 15 – Monday, September 22, 2014 at midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Reader Feedback: What colours and fabrics would you use if you were to curate a fabric subscription bundle?
* Please note, I received the September Le Club Bundle as compensation for writing this post. As always, all opinions are my own, and I would not recommend something I did not love! *
by Sherri Sylvester | Sep 12, 2014
I’m so excited to tell you all about an amazing event I am fortunate to be part of, happening September 26-28th in Toronto. I had a super “eeekkk!” moment a few months ago, when Esmari from Warp and Weft asked me to be part of her first ever Warp & Weft Weekend. This weekend will showcase the work of surface designer, Elizabeth Olwen, and will be hosted by RE:Style Studio in their workshop space. (And I promise all of this has to do with gorgeous fabric and sewing!)
It just so happens that Elizabeth lives in Toronto as well. Who, aside from her other amazing clients, designs beautiful fabric for Cloud 9! Her second collection Wildwood is set to be released around the end of this month and people, it is so gorgeous! I have had the AMAZING opportunity to sew with pre-released yardage from Wildwood and to design a project specifically inspired by it. (Just pinched myself, not dreaming!) And so… (drumroll please) I get to introduce the Forest Glen Satchel to you! I’m going to be teaching this project as a workshop during the weekend and you all are invited to join in.
The Forest Glen Satchel workshop will be taught on the Saturday, September 27th during the event’s Creative Sewing Afternoon Tea. SOOoooo great! Each satchel sewn will be made using the new Wildwood collection. This means that if you come to the workshop you are able to leave with a finished Satchel in one of three Wildwood collection combinations chosen by Elizabeth! If you’d like to sign up to attend the workshop, please click over to the Warp & Weft Weekend event site to register. (But wait, there’s more!)
RE:Style Studio Workshop
The weekend also includes a Maker’s Talk on Friday evening, complete with cocktails. I can’t wait to hear what Elizabeth will say. I have read a bit about why she put this collection together and I can’t wait to hear more! And, as if that wasn’t enough, there is a Trunk Show and Pop-Up shop happening all weekend long in the RE:Style Studio space. The Pop-Up shop will feature Warp & Weft fabric and products, the RE:Style Studio collection and Elizabeth Olwen’s other design products including items from Madison Park Greetings and her Brika prints!
As I read through this I know it sounds a lot like an advertisement, but in all sincerity – this event is one of the most amazing opportunities that has happened in my blog’s life and I am so, SO pleased to be part of it. The people I have been able to meet and interact with through the process have been amazing and encouraging. Most of all I hope that I will be able to meet some of you who live around Toronto. Sign up to attend the Maker’s Talk, drop by the Pop-Up shop or register for the Afternoon Tea Workshop. I’ll be there throughout the weekend!
I would be remiss if I did not thank you all for your amazing comments, advice and reminders on the last post. I am so grateful to have such caring readers and I am so fortunate to be able to journey through my life with you! Thank you!
by Sherri Sylvester | Sep 8, 2014
So, I’m still here! I am never quite sure if you miss me or not, since I know a lot of you follow many, many multiples of blogs across the interweb! As I said at the beginning of my last post, the past couple of weeks have been life changing – literally. I am exhausted, worn out and emotionally drained. So, I’m writing about it today and attempting to begin the fall season with a fresh perspective.
For the past few years the phrase “be intentional” has been floating around in my head. It sounds great and has come up in many conversations (mostly when I’m beating myself up for not being intentional!) I always talk about how great it would be to be intentional – to think about what is going on around me instead of always fighting fires or competing the most urgent task of the minute. But, in the end, it’s mostly talk – and I go back to my fires and my to do list, always feeling guilty when it isn’t finished… and forgetting to remember that it was me who added all of those “importantly urgent” (not really) and “must do, right away!” (nope…) things in the first place.
My brain doesn’t remember that I can’t finish all of those things and it forgets that they weren’t likely all that necessary in the first place. Because – when it’s an idea, it’s great and must be done – right? (Wrong!) Problem is, all of those urgent and so important things tend to drown out the really and actually important things going on around me. I’m just too busy to notice because those other things are quiet, they’re not calling for attention or asking for my time – at least not loud enough that I pay them much attention. I haven’t created space to have time to think about them.
It’s been really tough, now that both of my kids are in school – to actually face the space between drop-off and pick-up. It’s almost scary to me that I don’t have to fight any fires or constantly keep a little one busy and out of trouble/danger or the fridge! The busyness kept me going – now I have to think more about what I’m going to do with my day. Yes, of course there are appointments and to do lists, but I have more control over my time. I have to be intentional or I will just float through the next few years, look back and wonder where they have gone. Wonder why I didn’t do something useful with them. It’s forcing me to slow down.
The last four days especially have been super emotional. My purpose has changed and I don’t know what it is quite yet, so I feel a bit lost. I have things to do, but I feel there is a space now – a place that I need to sort out and fill up with “whatever it is” I am supposed to do with my life. I know my kids still need me in many ways – but with them both in school full-time, they are getting less dependant and I’m forced to sort it out. I’ve been home most of the last almost-7 years. And most of the almost-7 years I’ve fought with myself for “more time”. More space to create the never-ending ideas in my head, more space to spend doing the things I love to do. I’ve worked every evening for so long I almost don’t know what to do if I don’t have work after the kid’s bedtime. I have run out of energy – quite literally, and this past week my body decided it was time to stop. This post is not a big announcement, I just have a lingering cold – but I feel so tired… weary even, emotionally drained.
So… that is why I only blogged once last week. And, why I have decided to start talking about Being Intentional. I feel like I need a chart or a 10 step program or a clean house to begin. When I was younger I even got my family to wait for me Christmas morning while I showered and cleaned my room in anticipation of gifts that “might get lost in the mess” if I didn’t clean up. This time I’m going to ignore all of my organizational wants and start anyhow. I want to do realistic things with purpose. To finish each day happy with what I have done and not guilty that I didn’t finish my list. I want to take time to try to recognize what is really important – and choose to change course – cross things off my list that don’t matter and recognize that I will never be able to finish everything I dream up.
My husband graciously agreed to draw up part of the artwork for a “Be Intentional” printable, and I hope he doesn’t mind what I did with it! Since I’m putting a copy up on our fridge, I thought it would be fun to offer it to you all as a free printable – just in case you would like to print one out for yourself. I hope it inspires you. Click on the poster or this text to download the printable pdf – it has two pages in it, one with a white background and one as a chalkboard image, so you can choose which one you’d like.
Even as I write this I’m worried I will fail – which I’m sure I will – and multiple times at that! It’s even scarier knowing you are reading this. Not because I mind that you know, but because that is a lot of pressure! But, in the name of being realistic, that’s going to have to be ok. And thank you for reminding me to slow down whenever I sound like I’m letting it get out of hand again. I can take it, ready… set… GO!
