And Sew It Goes

Tag: creativity

  • Lifelong Learning

    I love to learn. I always have, though I’ve not necessarily wanted to learn what was being taught in school. Heresy from a lifelong educator.  Years in schools with children who are eager learners and those who are not proves this time and again. When we want to learn something nothing will stop us. When…

  • Babies

    One of the most common reasons to sew a quilt is to welcome a new baby. As we prepared for a new addition to our family, I considered how I might share a quilt that parents and baby alike would enjoy. This particular branch of the family has a ‘thing’ for giraffes. So, I thought…

  • Lessons Learned

    After returning from the Gee’s Bend Quilting Retreat in late March, I was excited about the possibilities ahead. I imagined quilts made with methods I had never tried before and the fun that I could have. The one piece of quilting advice I keep thinking about is ‘don’t think.’ Easier said than done! That is…

  • Gee’s Bend Quilting Retreat: Day Three

    The final day of the Gee’s Bend Quilting Retreat was a beehive of activity. It was filled with last minute additions, finishing touches- hand and machine quilting-, and new projects being started even though time was running out.  ‘Show and Tell’  was a memorable part of the last day. It was a feast for the…

  • Gee’s Bend Quilting Retreat: Day Two

    Quilters love to quilt. You can feel it in the room. Watching them design quilts blocks and figure out next steps, is nothing short of inspiring.  I’ve made a few blocks, none with a purpose beyond practicing sewing quilting blocks in the tradition of Gee’s Bend quilts.  I’ve cut fabric into squares and strips. Gathered…

  • Good Old Pythagoras 

    Binding a quilt is something that many quilters avoid. It can be tricky and, at times, frustrating. I learned to bind a quilt by watching a series of YouTube videos. This was super helpful, but they didn’t explain the why. Why does this work?  Because I love math, I couldn’t leave it there.  Why does…

  • Precision and Practice

    What better way to encourage and use math skills than through sewing? The precision of math is lovely. The precision of my sewing, however, varies. Sometimes my seams wander. Other times, a template slips and the pieces I thought were cut to perfection are anything but. It keeps me humble. No matter how carefully I…

  • The Math of It All

    I love math. I know– it’s not a popular thing to admit, but there you have it. I’m a math nerd and I embrace it. The love of math has come in especially handy with sewing. I enjoy the math involved in measuring, cutting and piecing. I don’t always get it right the first time,…

  • Where the Road Leads

    I’ll admit it—I spend too much time scrolling through Instagram. I love images, art, and learning, and I’ve learned to curate my feed so that it mostly reflects what inspires my creative work or delights my quirky sense of humor. Somehow, I began seeing posts from Walk for Peace, USA, which follows Buddhist monks walking…

  • Balancing Color & Style, A Creative Challenge

    When my nieces each asked me to make quilts for their daughters, I was more than happy to say yes. Through this process, I learned something important: there has to be something in each  project for me, too. Selfish? Maybe. Sensible? Absolutely. I worked with the color palettes they gave me based on their children’s…