I Spy in January

I spy a rainbow in my sledRed gas canYellow diesel canBlue tarpLittle green parkaLittle pink parka And my big indigo-purple snowpantsWith orange lining. Outside my sled Is monochromeUntil my eyes adjust to the contrastBlack rocks on white snowSage lichen on black rocksOrange fungus on sage lichenSlate ice with aqua fissuresWhite sky with a rim of … More I Spy in January

Friendship Stars

The next step in Stringbean’s quilt was the other half of the blocks. These are called “Friendship Stars,” a block that has a similar nine-patch construction, but with a twist. Out of each set of nine squares, four are half-square triangle blocks! HSTs are a special kind of fun to make. You just stack up … More Friendship Stars

Dressed

It took years to learn to dress myself. Mass-produced underwearSweatshop shirtBut then it gets interesting. My hat is a handmade gift from an parishioner Who was blessed by my predecessor. My sweater is self-made Using knowledge from booksAnd a friend in Vancouver. My boots are brand newTop of the lineA Christmas giftFrom generous in-lawsWho reach … More Dressed

Irish Chain

I have a deep love for efficiency. One of the biggest draws to quilting, for me, is the way quilters have developed techniques and tools to produce huge textiles with great efficiency. The moment that I learned about chain piecing was the moment I knew I had to try quilting. Chain piecing piles up this … More Irish Chain

Git ‘Er Spun

I’m pleased to announced that the first of my Make 9 projects is crossed off the list. I did a sweater spin in two weeks! I had this pile of orange and brown fibers that I bought in May of 2010. These decade-old fibers have spent all that time waiting for me to turn them … More Git ‘Er Spun

Hashtag Box Day

It’s January, and this January seems to be the time for starting Big Projects. Back in November, I ordered a large quantity of quilting fabric, with the epic goal of making twin-sized quilts for each of my girls. The box finally arrived on Monday. Here’s what I did: I worked out how much total fabric … More Hashtag Box Day