January Morning Make 2022

We’re coming up on 2 years at home. Everyone is tired, frustrated, and annoyed. Some lash out, some quietly move on. Most of us are just living our lives as best we can. I fall into the latter category and chose to use my Morning Make this past month as a moment of reflection.

Quilting as a professional author, speaker, and teacher has taken me to some pretty amazing places over the past decade. I’ve travelled all over Canada, hit a handful of US cities, and even went across the ocean to Australia. I really do hope to add travelling for quilting back on my schedule again down the line. This reflective process does have me truly appreciating even more that quilting has given me. That’s because it’s given me all the people in the places, the creativity and laughter in the room, the morning walks before the work begins, and the ability to share my love of play and fabric with so many.

The project actually began years ago. One day my oldest and I were talking about the places I’ve been and we decided to make a list. It was like the twenties version of former lovers, but this place name list is MUCH bigger. I kept adding to it too. Every now and then I would make one of the places on the list. Then, when I started teaching online during the pandemic I would pick one of these places when I was demonstrating techniques for my Make Words Not War class. Every time it was a moment of reflection and appreciation. Needing to extend those thoughts and feelings I decided to make these place names the focus for January Morning Make.

I won’t lie, I’d hoped to finish all of them. I can only get up so early and these days that isn’t very early at all. But I did get through 18 of the place names on the list. Only 11 more to go.

Frankly, I have no idea how or when this will come together. I do know it will be a massive quilt! Maybe I will make it double sided? All I do know is that it’s been fantastic to take daily trips back to these places. I’m recalling people or the weather or even specific projects from events. I’m in awe of the depth of this travel. For quilting? Yes, for quilting!

Quilters' Playcation Adventure Sewalong 2022

The joys of insomnia. Seriously. When the brain won’t shut off at night I find it better to just get out of bed and let the thoughts out before I try to tuck myself back in. So there I was, one night over the holiday break with visions of quilt blocks swirling in my head. (Who even knows what sugarplums are anyway?) I got up, sketched them out, and developed the idea that was keeping me awake. Add a mug of warm, honeyed milk and I was able to return to bed with my creative burst satiated.

That’s how the Quilters’ Playcation Adventure Sewalong for 2022 began.

Each week in 2022 I am going to offer you a free block tutorial via a live event on Instagram. That's right. Me, live on Instagram, demoing a unique improv block, 52 times this year. Tune in each Tuesday at 10 am Mountain, or watch the replay when it works for you. Sew right along with me or just watch and hang out.

This qualifies as an improv adventure in my books because I have no clue what it is all going to end up like! Sure, I've sketched out a couple of dozen blocks, but there is no specific plan for a quilt here. We're just going to sew and sew and sew and see what we come up with. You can make all the blocks, some, none, or even your favourite one over and over again. Then, in January 2023 we will get together and put them all together. Each quilt will be unique. Each quilt will be awesome. Each quilt will be full of fun.

I am actually making each block twice. Once in a group of solids, once in prints. I wanted to be able to share the possibilities of fabric changing and supporting the design. Not to mention, encourage everyone to play with their fabric choices too. This way I can make one block to build the tutorial then make another live to show how it comes together.

This middle of the night idea is taking off. Using the hashtags #qpadventuresewalong and #quiltersplaycation people are sharing their blocks. So much fabric play and twists on the designs. The excitement is there and it thrills me that is getting people to play. Think of me as the guide on this adventure, but you are going to make it work for you in the way that gets you going.

New Playdates Announced!

It’s taken me a bit to get back into the swing of things for work life this fall. (That’s a long story for another time.) Now that I am here though I am totally energized by it. Aside from trunk shows and a few Zoom classes for guilds, I’ve had a chance to think about new Playdates for Quilters’ Playcation.

Up first: Improv Braid.

A Prairie Braid is an old school quilt technique, often used for borders. My version uses scrap strips as they come. It’s full improv!

A Quilters’ Playcation Playdate is a short, fun event online. I spend some time demoing the improv technique first. You can sew along with me or just watch. Then we hang out in break out rooms where you get to relax and chat with quilters from around the world. We come back together for a bit more on the technique and last words from me.

I may be making some extra long rainbow versions of this Improv Braid. Stay tuned for those!

Up next is the Scandi Village Playdate. These little houses and trees are so stinkin’ adorable! They come together quickly and can be made in any size. I’m very excited to show you how in the upcoming Playdate. Be warned though, they are very addictive once you start sewing them. This Playdate will include a discussion on piecing these together once you’ve made a few.

To register for either or both of the Playdates check out the Playcation Store

Improv Braid: October 29

Scandi Village: November 26

Tree of Life Vintage Quilt Inspiration

What better way is there to spend a late winter day than immersed in a vintage quilt collection? Back in March I had the opportunity to explore part of Heritage Park’s collection of donated and gathered quilts. It was all in anticipation of the Festival of Quilts, taking place in August. Delayed twice because of Covid it was a special experience. My goal was to identify a quilt to inspire a modern interpretation for a special class at the Festival of Quilts. Let me tell you, it was hard to narrow it down!

In the end I chose this pastel version of the Tree of Life pattern. I took a million pictures then came home to sketch. My goal to was make a straightforward version of the block, one easily made with a rotary cutter and one that lent itself to play. I wanted students to be able to play with colour, fabric, and scale, creating their own modern version of the block.

The first version I made tested the pattern. It was also an opportunity to play with fabric and scale. This particular block finishes at 36” square! I dug into the stash of both purples and the low volume black and whites. I love the combination of warm purples and cool purples. Together they make the block very dynamic.

This size proved popular in the class itself. It’s a great way to get far with a project.

The block itself can be set with a straight set like this or on point. It’s hard to decide what you want until you make the block. For example, I debated making 3 more blocks this size to make a four patch in this straight set, maybe all pointing to the four corners. However, I think I will add another round of black and white patchwork squares to make it a bit bigger and turn it into a baby quilt.

Here’s what it looks like on point, like in the original.

You can see I am having fun playing with fabric. Exploring variations in the colour green and playing with value placement keeps this from being boring. The entire block is made from half square triangles and squares. Super easy to make! But also a bit tedious. So having some excitment with the fabric sure helps. So does a good show in the background (I am currently watching Sex Education on Netflix.)

In the class itself students worked in all sizes and with a wide range of colours. It is always so exciting to see people play!

A huge thank you to Heritage Park, curators and staff there, as well as the Festival of Quilts volunteers for making this happen.

PS Don’t follow those pattern instructions, it contains errors that I fixed later.