2015 Goals - A Review

The last day of the year. I can safely say that this year hasn't gone like I expected. Then again, I'm not sure what I expected? Setting goals are a good way to find some focus and keep on track. But when the world does not cooperate with you it is also important to be flexible.

I did not meet all my goals. A part of me is certainly sad about that, no doubt. But being able to respond to changes in family conditions is important too. And no matter what, my family does come first. So, for example, if I have to back away from something I don't see it as a failure because I didn't meet my goal. It can be frustrating, but it isn't a failure.

Here goes. How did I do?

1. Start, and possibly complete, the next two quilts in my Alberta series.

This one is never far from my brain. I would really like to get on this. My Mountain Meadows quilt is one of my favourites and it is received so well when I show it. These quilts would be the closest I get to Art Quilts too. That, in and of itself, is a personal challenge I like. It is always good to get out of my comfort zone.

Working with a local shop, My Sewing Room, I designed the background for their Row by Row Experience. We went with a Prairie sky/landscape. This is one I definitely want to expand upon. And a recent winter drive had me thinking about snow on the Prairies a lot too.

It is quite likely that this goal will carry forward, with some more focus.

2. Record at least 1 new online class or set of classes.

Finished this in the first quarter.

My CreativeLive classes are available and so much fun. 
Improv Quilting Basics
Quilting With Low-Volume Fabrics
Translating Inspiration in Quilting
Playing With Pinwheels in Quilting

Online classes are a great way for me to reach more students with teaching. I cannot teach in the US right now, as much as I would love to, so this way more people can have access to me.

And coming up is an entirely new experience. The Mighty Lucky Club is a monthly challenge and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. The first month is about to come out. I've seen a sneak peak and it is awesome!

3. Launch 2 more print patterns.

The Sewing Machine Quilt will launch next week!

I will fully admit to this being a tough one for me. Not designing patterns. That, I can do. It is the step  to printing that I seem to procrastinate on. I'm still deciding whether this is something I will pursue further. But I committed to this pattern and the work is done. Look for the launch.

4. Attend 1-2 quilting retreats as a guest and not a teacher.

Nope. And I'm pretty sad about it. I can't even squeeze out the time for a guild sew day. 

Thankfully, I am finding time to retreat into myself for some creative inspiration. I've been stealing mornings and taking advantage of the inconsistent naps my son takes. A few days or whole days would be awesome, but I will take every moment I get. It is amazing who one can recharge in only 15 minutes when sewing is involved.

5. Pick up 3 new freelance clients.

This was one of the ones that had to change. I love freelancing - the constant creative challenge of new articles, the editors I work with, the ability to inspire and educate. It does, however, take time. And my time to work was drastically reduced this year. I had to pick and choose and this is one thing that had to scale back significantly.

I am going to be writing for another publication in 2016 so it is good to add another magazine to my portfolio. It should be a great experience. 

6. Celebrate the launch of You Inspire Me to Quilt, because I never did that for A Month of Sundays and I missed that.

Well, there was never a big party and that's okay (You only turn 40 once). I am, however, still totally celebrating You Inspire Me to Quilt.

Right now I have a promotional giveaway going on. 

Share a photo of the person or people in your life who bring you to the sewing table to create. Tell us why too. It  may be your partner, your kid, your grandmother. It might also be someone famous who inspired you or another quilter. Share it all. Tell us, who inspires you to quilt?

Post your photo on Instagram or Twitter, using the hashtag #youinspiremetoquilt. All posts will be entered to win one of these amazing prizes.

7. Explore print and pattern making through regular sketching, play, and learning design programs.

Oh my goodness! So much fun. I haven't shared much of anything about this on the blog, but this creative play is amazing. And there are some fun things coming on this front in 2016. And still so much more I want to do.

8. Lose 20 pounds. Actually, closer to 25 if we count the holiday weight. I lost 20 pounds last year and want to continue on the road to health.

Not. Even. Close. In fact, I am nothing if not consistent in my weight.

I will say that I think I've mostly succeeded in adding exercise to a regular schedule for me. It isn't as much as I would like, but I have to realistic with the demands on my time. There is just too much to do in the time I have. But I do carve out 20-45 minutes most days now. 

So the weight isn't changing. If I got real serious about my eating I'm sure it will come. But seriously? I love cookies so much.

9. Find an agent/publisher for the children's books I wrote.

It's probably too early to report, but there is definite movement on this particular goal. And I am ridiculously excited by that. Not only that, it has inspired new possibilities and ideas in this genre. Too. Much. Fun.

10, Spend at least 1-2 hours a week working on one, any one, of the outstanding Quilts Under Construction. Focused, steady progress should move some of those through the list, even when I'm starting new quilts all the time.

Okay, so it didn't happen every week, but I definitely moved some of these quilts through the piles. Then others stayed exactly where they were with nothing more than a sideways glance of guilt. Oh well.

Yes, oh well. I am not going to get hung up on the number of quilts in the pile. every single one represents creativity and the pursuit of joy at different times and in different ways. 

Overall, I am pleased with 2015. It was a good year for me personally and professionally. I responded to challenges instead of cowering. New things are always tough, but I truly believe it is worth facing new stuff to keep ourselves going forward. Like an ever changing river, not a stagnant pond. Sure, the pond can look pretty (but probably won't smell great) but it doesn't have the power and energy of the river.

Having defined goals kept me on track professionally and I will definitely be gathering my imagination for the year ahead. Watch for the 2016 post.

Quilt Local (Weekend Reads)

One of the most common questions I get asked is "Where do you find your inspiration?" I'll admit, it is a frustrating question. Partly, because the answer - everywhere! - seems trite. But mostly because the answer itself frustrates many. So many of us seem to think that inspiration is some magical creature that touches only a select few. Like the Greeks and their Muses, that is comes from something else and not within. Poppycock!

If you open your eyes and your heart to seeing the world around you, if you listen to the people talk and the love you feel, the inspiration is right there. And if you get your butt in the sew it can come to life in a quilt.

Quilt Local, by Heather Jones, is a book that walks the reader through noticing the world around and capturing it in a quilt. It takes you through her thought process on everything from colour, capturing inspiration, designing a quilt, and decision making. For a quilter wondering how it goes from planks on a dock to a quilt, this is it.

Heather is a lovely woman, a quiet and reflective soul. I've known her through the industry for a few years now. She was gracious enough to contribute to You Inspire Me to Quilt. Her quilts are bold, even if their colour schemes are usually more muted. It is her emphasis on line, translated with large scale piecing, that gives her a unique voice in quilt design.

Where Heather is restrained and focused in her palettes, I am all over the place. Neither is better or worse, just different. In many ways I am drawn to her quilts because of this contrast. Only a handful of fabrics, muted colour ways and straightforward constructions. Not my usual more is more mentality when it comes to fabric selection!

In Quilt Local I was particularly drawn to her quilt Indian Hill. I loved the bright colours she used in both versions of the quilt. A difference for her and probably what made it more appealing to me. I also quite liked the angles of the design. What I found interesting is that when I read her construction method I was surprised. It isn't how I would have put the quilt together. Now I'm not saying her way is wrong, not at all. It is more about noticing and remembering that each of us approach a design challenge and pattern making differently, from our own experiences. It is the same with inspiration - we see the world through our own lens and what we find fascinated, another might be bored. Where we see a quilt, someone else just sees a misty mountain. The important thing is to see.

This is one of the final stops on the blog tour for Quilt Local. Check out the other posts for more inspiration and insight.

10/5: Creative Bug

10/6: STC Craft Blog  

10/8: Robert Kaufman

10/9: Melanie Falick

10/10: Sew Mama Sew

10/12: Plaid Portico

10/14: Modern Sewciety

10/16: Pellon

10/19: The Tattooed Quilter

10/21: Amy’s Creative Side 

10/23: Diary of a Quilter

10/26: Film in the Fridge

10/28: Tall Grass Prairie Studio

10/29: Okan Arts

10/30: Kara Sews

11/2: Crimson Tate

11/4: Dainty Time

11/6: Nap Time Quilter

11/9: Spoonflower

11/11: Aurifil 

11/13: A Gathering of Stitches

A few details about the book. Heather runs through an extensive colour discussion. She also details her approach to design. It really is like sitting with her as she explains a quilt from start to finish. The photography is beautiful. My one issue is that the original inspiration image is not all that large. It is included, as are Heather's sketches, but I would have liked to have seen more of them.

One of my favourite things about the book is that Heather made two versions of each project. That means you see two different colour ways. This makes a huge difference for the reader because we are less likely to get hung up on making that quilt, or dismissing a quilt simply because we don't see the colours. It also shows us the power of fabric selection in quilt making.

My camera and phone are filled with images that may one day become the basis for a quilt. I can't stop seeing the potential. Once you open up you will indeed see that inspiration is everywhere.

Peacemakers/Piecemakers

"Mom? Who was the lady on the bus again?"

We're driving down the road to get to swimming. I've felt busy all day long with wonderfully middle class privileges of baking snacks from scratch, walking the dog, and trying to get some work done at home. The kids, picked up from school and play dates, are in the back of our large wagon and we are chatting about their days. The Monster is telling me about the unit they are doing on Peacemakers. There is Craig Kielburger from Free the Children, Malala, and the lady on the bus. She just can't remember her name. Or, frankly, why she is a peacemaker.

This one bit of information is all she gives me but I know exactly who she is speaking of: Rosa Parks.

For the rest of the drive we talk about segregation, racism, The Civil Rights movement, the role of children, all their friends of many colours, and just why Rosa Parks is a peacemaker. The girls thought about their school and imagined life without some of their friends, without learning about the places we've all come from. I thought about the same thing. We were all very sad. I had to explain that despite all the work that there are still ugly people doing ugly things to people just because of the way they look or who they love. Again, we were sad.

But then we talked about the peacemakers. The people who were willing to stand up for the good and the right and the just. The people who fought for those who couldn't fight. And I was proud. Proud of them for understanding the importance of that action, for getting exactly what injustices they were/are fighting, and for wanting to fight themselves.

A quilt can be a statement. It isn't a call to arms nor is it going to change the world. It really might only be for me to process and remember the peacemakers. Regardless, it needs to be made. I need to make it. And I will share it with my kids and you, for the lady on the bus.

... I went back to these blocks a few weeks ago, on the anniversary of the 16th Street Church bombing in Birmingham. I added skirts, I changed directions. Now I think I know where I will take it. There will be, appropriately, a Courthouse Steps final layout. There will be some peace with my piecing.

Looking for the Light

We often hear about people feeling more down from looking at the beauty in abundance now shared via the internet (and our phones) than inspired. I remember the first time I heard these discussions. It was in reference to Martha Stewart and her magazine. People tried so hard to emulate her and felt left down when they didn't achieve her level of perfection. They did so forgetting that she has staff and a whole lot of money behind her. When blogs were really big and now with Instagram this has grown. Sure, we might understand that there are real people behind our feeds, but we still think the grass is greener for them. Only now instead of money and staff we have filters and easy photo editors. And we forget that they are likely standing with their back to the mess and only giving us the good stuff.

Other people's lives haven't made me all that jealous or even grumpy with my own life. (Other things impact that, but I'll save that therapy session for another time.) I am, by nature, competitive. That means when I see the gorgeousness of other people's feeds I am, more often than not, trying to figure out how to make a shot like that or style like that. Full confession: I will certainly admit to jealousy over success. But other than a having a kitchen that isn't falling apart, I'm not jealous of other people's lives. No, I just want to be better or as good as them.

To that end, I do try to seek out beauty and aspiration. Not inspiration, but something in the way of technique, skill, or even eye that I aspire to mimic, learn more about, or learn from. So I still read blogs, I gather gorgeous magazines around me, and I seek out sigh worthy Instagram feeds.

Here are a few of my favourite spots of late.

Geninne... I learned about her when her first fabric line with Cloud 9 launched. Since then I am daily captivated by her Instagram feed.

Me & Orla... Sara first popped into my email via an automatic update I get for tags with A Month of Sundays, my book title. I won't lie, I was a bit annoyed at her Month of Sundays photo project, but that quickly passed. Instead I've been captivated by her style and approach to sharing. 

True Bias... My need to sew clothes continues to be fed. Up currently is the Mini Southport from Kelli at True Bias. I adore her honesty in making clothes, her style, and her patterns are so easy to work with. From this mostly beginner garment maker here I can say her patterns are incredibly well written.

Completely Cauchy... Chawne Kimber is a genius. I've had the pleasure of a too short sit down with her to discuss making statements with our quilts, otherwise I only know her genius from what she shares on line. You should definitely watch what she does with tiny piecing, making a statement, and simply being creative.  

What about you? What are the just beautiful spots on line that you like to visit? Not just informative, but gorgeous. Not necessarily sewing or even quilting, but the ones that bring beauty to life? Share the links in the comments. 

The Opposite of Grounded

Flighty.

Scattered.
Chaos.
Distracted.

Whatever you want to call it, that's how I've been feeling lately. It's been hard for me to focus on anything, let alone quilting. Yet I think it is because I haven't been quilting that I feel this way.

My best friend leads meditation and teaches yoga, among other things. She is a very grounded person. Quite often we've discussed the comparisons between a yoga practice and quilting. I get the same benefit as a committed practice from sewing. It is a meditative process, this sewing stuff. I calm down and gain focus. At the end of the day, quilting grounds me.

I found this definition from a random article. Regardless of the source, the sentiments describe the exact feelings I have. It wasn't until I was talking to my friend that I realized that grounding was what I didn't have.

"To me, being grounded means being fully present: physically, emotionally and energetically. It means your mind is not wandering or pulling your energy elsewhere. Your heart and soul are not searching somewhere in the past or looking into the future."
- Catherine Warner

The spring was quite momentous. I turned 40! You Inspire Me To Quilt came out! My childhood home was sold. So much going on. A lot to celebrate and enjoy. I spent so much time with friends and family, never have I felt more loved and happy.

Other than some hand sewing, however, not much has happened in the studio. Not only are the girls are on summer break, we helped my Mom move and went on a 2 week road trip. My soul is calling for a few days tucked away into my sewing room with no interruptions.

Too bad for my soul, it isn't going to get that. Instead I need to piece together little bits of time and put it in the schedule. The reality of 3 kids and summer break means there isn't a lot of time. Especially since my guy isn't in the mood to nap much anymore. So a little bit of PBS kids here, skipping the Daily Show... oh wait, and an early morning there to feed my soul and bring me back to grounded.

Quilting keeps me focused on the present, on what is right in front of you. In fact, if you don't pay attention you can seriously hurt yourself! And now that quilting is my business my mind is constantly on other things and I am forever planning, plotting, and perceiving things incorrectly. It has taken me away from the immediate process and the benefit of that. At the same time, my desire to quilt is taking me away from my family and the focus they deserve. Not to mention the state of my house.

Long story short, I need to get my s*%$ together. Clean and create a space both physically and mentally for all the things I need to focus on. Keep purging in the house to make the space clear of the extra, distracting things. Carve out a dedicated time for sewing and stick to it. Internalize my influences and inspirations for the time being. And hang on to my family now, laugh with them and make life epic all the time. Even if epic means nothing but playing with the sprinkler.

In the meantime, here are a few snippets of our recent road trip. Calgary to Vegas to Arizona (oh, Arizona!) and back. With stops in Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming for good measure.

Translating Inspiration in Quilting - on CreativeLive

Oh, the elusive inspiration. Or the overwhelming inspiration.

As quilters there is inspiration everywhere - other people's quilts, fabric stacks, a pattern jacket, books, and even the buildings, flowers, and colours around us. It is one thing to see and feel all this inspiration, it is quite another to turn it into a quilt.

As a teacher and long term quilter (coming up on 17 years now) the way to turn inspiration into a quilt is a frequently asked question. It can't, however, be answered in a FAQ section on the blog. It can be taught. Rather, the tools and steps it takes to turn inspiration into a quilt can be taught. That is precisely the point of this class on CreativeLive.

If you've taken a webinar with me or a class on intention, this is a more literal interpretation of the process. In this class I break down the steps required to go from idea to quilt. Better yet, there are tonnes of examples - from me and the studio participants. It was great to work with the ladies in the studio with me at play with their ideas. Watching the class, you get to hear and see their thought process. It feels more like a workshop session where we feed off each other as opposed to the teacher at the front of the room.

One of the examples I brought to class was all about a bridge. We have an amazing bridge here in Calgary, called The Peace Bridge. I've loved the lines of it every since it was announced. Not surprisingly, it is often photographed! During the class you can see where my thoughts went and how I played with fabric. You will also see that I never quite landed on what I want. That is totally part of the process though - translating inspiration is an iterative process. So some day soon I will revisit those blocks again and see what it needs to be.

In the meantime, don't hesitate to check out the free preview of the class on CreativeLive. This is such a treat, to see exactly what you are signing up for in this detailed first lesson. 

And speaking of bridges... Random aside from my trip to San Francisco to film the class. Totally cliche, but I walked the Golden Gate Bridge and it was really cool. Even when I got caught in a windy downpour just as I hit the other side.

Announcing My CreativeLive Experience

It's been a few weeks since I filmed my CreativeLive classes. It was such an intense experience prepping and filming. I wanted to deliver classes that you've not seen from me before. Some are an extension of things that I do and have done, but with more details or a different twist. Some are totally brand new. That's what made the prep so much work. Totally worth it though, I think these classes are awesome. If I may say so myself.

If you've ever met me or taken a class from me you know that I can talk. But wow, filling two straight days of airtime was tough. That means you get a lot of stories from me throughout each class, on top of my direction, tips, and lessons.

CreativeLive is a well oiled machine. They know what they are doing in filming and delivering classes. It was quite phenomenal to work with them. Commitment, enthusiasm, and professionalism. From my producers to the camera operators to the assistants who kept me in tea and my voice cracked, everyone was wonderful.

If you've not heard of CreativeLive before I think you will be very pleasantly surprised by what they have to offer. Most of their classes are first broadcast live. And when they are live they are free to watch. You can then purchase from their catalog if you want to hold on to the class. 

And the catalog is filled with some amazing classes. Their Craft and Maker section is growing, but don't hesitate to check out the Photography and Money & Life sections (my favourites) too.

Oh, make-up! I'm a mascara and lip gloss kind of girl, when I do get dressed up. So having my hair and make up did was quite the treat, if not adventure. But I had a great make-up artist who made me look just a little bit more so. Such a simple thing, but it was nice to know I didn't have to worry about my looks when being immortalized like this. Such vanity, but definitely a part of the stress. I won't lie about that. Much thanks to my best friend here at home for helping me pick my outfits.

One of the really fun things about CreativeLive is the studio audience aspect. As a quilt teacher it can be really difficult to teach without the response from students. For my classes I had 4 incredible women join me in the studio. Karen, Michelle, Nicki, and Tracey were all from the Bay Area and took time off work and their family schedules to join me in the studio. I had so much fun with them! Such enthusiasm and they really embraced what I was trying to do both in the studio and for everyone watching at home. 

The other great thing about having an audience is that all the concepts I teach get demonstrated different ways. So it isn't just my work that you see. I really find that we feed off of each other in a classroom environment, so getting to see their work helps everyone who watches.

(And that is Kris with us up there. He was a lovely director!)

Aren't these lovely? Michelle made a crane for each class we filmed. It was such a lovely feature on the set. While I didn't get a chance to take many pictures throughout, I couldn't resist snapping this pic before everything got packed up at the end. A perfect end to our time together. A perfect reminder to let your creativity take flight.

In the coming weeks I will talk more about the classes in detail, but you can still check them out now.

Talking Quilts... Inspiration

Keep your eyes open.

Keep your spirit open.

Carry a phone, a sketchbook, a photographic memory.

Never stop dreaming.

Look up, down, and all around.

And then...

I can never think of such cool things.

There is no way I could turn that into a quilt.

My brain just doesn't work that way.

(The texture of these boards with the mix of colour has me thinking about the woodgrain fabrics I've been collecting.)

Today I'm talking about inspiration. Namely, the inspiration for quilts. The colour combinations, patterns, and ideas that get us buying fabric, cutting it up, and sewing it back together. All in the name of a warm end product.

Quite often I am asked just where I get my inspiration. Frankly, it is kind of a hard question to answer. That's because, for one, there isn't a single answer. And two, you really never know when you will be inspired. Inspiration isn't something you can teach. Translating it, yes, but not finding it.

That means I will answer that it can be anything like...

... a toddler's scribbles (Inspired Improvisation)

... a handful of crayons and some painful experiences (2+2=4)

... family property (Roots)

... the tool of my trade (Sewing Machine Quilt)

... a hike with the family (Mountain Meadows)

... my flag (Oh Canada!)

... a necklace (Austin Circle Sampler)

Among others. 

(I've never actually made a rainbow quilt, but the lines on this sidewalk art for Pride have me thinking of trying something a little different when I do feel motivated to do one.)

There have been bundles of fabric that get me excited, colour combinations dancing around and waiting for the right pattern. It can be a feeling I get that needs to come out and fabric is the way. It can be a tile floor, a comment or request by my husband. Frankly, it can come from anywhere and you never know when it will hit. 

Then there will be times where nothing comes, nothing seems exciting, nothing gets you wanting to sew. For a creative person those times are really, really awful. Burnout, stress, being overwhelmed. When there is too much other stuff crowding your heart and stealing away your energy then the inspiration doesn't find you. Rather, you don't see it.

That's because it is always there. As people who work in colour and shape on a regular basis it is impossible to not see quilts in so much around us. When people ask me about finding inspiration the answer is truly in being able to see it for yourself. I can't give you my inspiration and expect you to get jazzed about it. I can only encourage you to see it as something you can do for yourself. The inspiration is there.

(One of those aspirational magazines you find in expensive hotels, but I loved both the art and the layout of this article.)

Those platitudes about opening your eyes and your heart are true. When we are closed off and walking around with blinders on we can't see everything that is around us. (I'll admit, there are times when this is a good thing.) To see the inspiration we need to be open to it.

I truly believe that we all need a way to capture the inspiration. A dedicated sketchbook works for me, as do pictures. The main reason I believe in capturing everything is that when the darker times come, you have reference material. You can show yourself things that once got you excited. It is also handy when a deadline of a baby or magazine looms, you have something to call on. Inspiration on demand is a hard thing.

Not everyone tracks things this way. Some prefer to let the good ideas stick around as they need to while the others trickle away as less exciting. Whatever works for you.

(Inner tubes, for my circle obsession. Plus, who doesn't love the turquoise of summer pools and Caribbean beaches?)

Quilt stores try to do a lot of this work for you. So do magazines, books, and pattern designers. Inspiration doesn't mean you are creating your own unique designs all the time. It is still inspiration when you are drawn to the cover of a pattern or the bundle the store put together. Does it get you excited to quilt? Does it make you want to create? Then it is inspiring. 

Inspiration isn't magical or ephemeral. Bluntly, inspiration is something pretty that makes us want to create. How and what you create is up to you. So, yes, keep your eyes open. Then get your butt in the seat and sew.

This is the first post in a monthly series on all the steps of making a quilt. Musings and thoughts on the process. 

Goals for 2014 - How Did I Do?

I'm a big fan of lists. Every week I create a to do list/schedule for what's on deck. It helps me remember and keep me focused on tasks. I don't lose sleep when something gets transferred week after week to the next list. It will get done. That regular check in, though, does wonders for keeping the tasks front of mind. And the reason they move onto the next week is more than likely because I procrastinated on something I didn't really want to do.

My quilting tasks make their way on to the lists as well. In fact, they gets their own list. No point mixing them up with the boring stuff like scheduling doctor's appointments!

What I did not really do with my weekly lists, however, is compare them to my annual goal setting. Oops. They kind of operated on a short term thinking, instead. But I still need to check in and see how I did. Then come up with a strategy to combine the short term and long term thinking. Here are the goals as I laid them out in January, and where I got to with them.

1. To turn all quilt tops sitting in my closet as of right now into completed quilts. There are 10 of them. And 2 others already being quilted.

Nope, not even close. A few got done. Or are in the process of getting done like the Voile Quilt, or Antonio's quilt. But most of the quilts I finished in 2014 I started in 2014 as well. The exception being There Is Peace in Pattern.



2. To distribute all the Just One Slab quilts before the end of winter.

So, so close... There are about 10 quilts in my studio, a few needing binding yet. Then the last quilts will be distributed. I delivered 30 of them in a big batch to a seniors home in October, I still need to tell you all about those. Soon.

3. Stay on top of my accounting with a monthly sit down in front of a spreadsheet and a pile of receipts.

Well, it didn't happen monthly. It only happened twice. Totally worth it though and motivation to get on track for monthly work in 2015. I had some big thinking to do a month ago as we looked ahead as a family to the coming year. Knowing exactly where the money came in from this work I do and where I was spending the most was very worthwhile. It completely focused the discussion. Money isn't the only reason I do this as a job, but you can't ignore it.



4. Revamp my website and blog (with the input from all of you!)

Oh man, this work is nearly done... I am not one for web design and this constantly got pushed to the bottom of the lists. But it is close. I am really hoping for a January launch.

5. Produce at least 1 new pattern for sale.

It is being designed as I type. So look for it in the new year. It will be available for print, but I'm not sure about the PDF as the new EU VAT laws are making a mess for small businesses like pattern sellers.

6. Finish one of my novels.

Not even close. In fact, I barely worked on them. I did get a bit of a creative breakthrough on one of them recently that has me excited to find some dedicated writing time in the coming months. If only The Garbage Truck would go back to sleeping in to at least 7 again so I could get back my quiet mornings alone.

I did, however, write two separate children's books. I'm pretty excited by those stories and am looking forward to moving forward with the potential for publication.

7. Complete at least 3 quilts in a series I've got planned. This Mountain Meadows would be the first one in the series, but I have sketches for many more.

Only got Mountain Meadows done. I am totally thrilled with it. And finishing that one does have me motivated to try the others. I'm looking forward to some play on those this coming year.

8. Teach the girls, as they ask, how to use the sewing machine on their own.

Woohoo! This one came true. I'm thrilled beyond belief. I let them come to it on their own. And because I got a new machine they clued in to the fact that they would get more access to sewing. Of course, sewing still takes a backseat to watching Marvel movies with Dad or Dutch Blitz tournaments, but they are in there with me from time to time. No complaints at all.

9. Make exercise a daily part of my life again. (I consider this a Studio Goal because it is part of my overall time management for work.)

Um... okay... well... Exercise didn't exactly become regular. But it has creeped back into my life a bit more than it had been before. Not as much as even I would like. It went in fits and starts, honestly. On the plus side, we got a new family dog in the summer so at least there is some regular walking in the schedule.

10. Start and finish my third quilting book.

And done. In fact, my last edits were due on the 23rd. You Inspire Me to Quilt will be published this coming spring. My work on it is done, the publisher is finishing up their last bits, and then it heads to the printers.

There is absolutely no disappointment on my end in not achieving all my goals. I worked hard this year, and I enjoyed the work. In there I also managed, mostly, my family. There was also some fun, some travel, some unplanned experiences, some tears, and a lot of joy.

The goal setting process certainly provides long term focus. The review process is great for reflection and going forward. If I didn't reach the goal, should it still be on the list? I'm not a big corporation, no one's bonus (ha!) is dependent on whether I get 80,000 words written or work out 4 times a week. As an independent business, however, having focus for my determination keeps me from chasing rainbows, or rainbow covered fabric bundles.

My next post here will be about my 2015 goals. And stay tuned through the newsletter (sign up on the right there) for regular updates on my goals, lists, and extra motivation for work.

Modern Meadows Quilt

Inspiration to finished quilt. This is Mountain Meadows. Fully improvised, made with scraps from my own stash and shared by quilty friends and blog readers.

It started with a family hike. The wildflowers were in bloom all over the mountains. Little pops of colour dotting this hillsides. And so many greens. Not to mention the light and shadows dancing across the meadows. I wanted to capture the visual as much as the feeling. 

I think I did it.

Mountain Meadows

52'' x 68''

We went to Banff yesterday, a pleasant afternoon of brunch, a soak in the hot springs, and a little jaunt to take these pics. As you can see, I missed the window of opportunity for photographing this with the real inspiration. Snow has arrived!

But those grasses were still poking through the snow. And the sun played across the field. My kids threw snowballs at each other while Hubby helped me take the pics.

I quilted this one on the long arm. It isn't a big quilt but that quilting is dense. It took me nearly 5 hours straight. I wanted to mimic the movement of grasses. And here and there is a flower. Not difficult, but time consuming to execute. For thread I used Auriful 1147, a perfect olive green. It blends in parts and pops in others.

For binding I went with more green scraps. There was a moment where I thought about facing the quilt instead. I see this quilt, however, as the beginning of a series and part of me wanted it to be very, very clear that it is a quilt. So it needed a traditional binding. I did roughly match the binding with the top. If it was a dark section then there was dark binding, light got light. I didn't obsess about it perfectly matching, but made it work.

How I love a high contrast back! In this case the contrast comes thematically. This fabric is Jay McCarroll's Center City line. He was inspired by urban centres, so talk about contrast with my inspiration. But I had to have it and this quilt sat until I tracked down enough yardage. I'm thrilled with the result because of the contrast and because the quilting blends so nicely.

Remember, if you want to know more about this quilt you can listen to the Webinar I did with the Modern Quilt Guild on Improv With Intent. It's free to all Modern Quilt Guild Members.

In the Webinar I discuss the process of making the quilt - from inspiration to the final top. It isn't as straightforward as one might think. If you are a Modern Quilt Guild Member you can access the Webinar for free now, even if you didn't join me last week. To access it make sure you log in and join the Community site. Then click under Resources and there it is. Not only do you get to see more images and learn about my process, you get to hear my awesome Canadian accent.

Beach Days in Fabric

What a sunny, summery pile of fabric. Perfect as fall is in its peak of colours and winter is probably only a few weeks away. Yes, I am pretending I'm in Australia.

What started as a need to create some samples for a class I'm teaching on my Beach Grass quilt has turned into this. This colour combo has been on my brain for a long time. I thought it was because I saw a few colour pins on Pinterest. That certainly was what got me pulling fabric the other day. That's how that stack above came to be.

I always start this way when colour of fabric is the initial inspiration - just a big, big pile of fabric. I have no idea if I have enough that I might need, or if all of these fabrics will stay. But it is all about that initial burst and frenzied search through the stash. I just need to get it all out, then I can stop and regroup.

Once the initial grab is done I take a breath, often sleep on it, then see what I have and don't have. Is there more structure to be found, some order, a running theme in the fabric I chose? At this point I might also look at my pattern, sketch, or examine my influence to see if I think the fabric will well and truly capture it. (Sometimes I start over at this point.)

With this quilt I decided I wanted to make some value distinctions within the colours. So I started sorting my colours by value, to see how much range I had. I don't want huge value jumps, but I did want some distinctions.

As I did this I also thought this pile looked awfully familiar. So I went into the reserves - the stacks of fabric I made and set aside for a specific quilt. And sometimes those piles sit for a very, very long time. That doesn't mean they are forgotten or abandoned. They are just 'in waiting'. And one of my favourite fabric lines of recent years was waiting for the right project. Turns out, this was it.

Sympatico is now being cut and used and I couldn't be happier. It is a gorgeous organic fabric. And the colours in the line - save for the peach - are exactly what I picked out in my initial fabric pull. Serendipity.

I'm quite excited now to see if what I had in my brain for this version of the quilt comes out. It is such a simple design and easy construction that I hope my fabric selection turns it on its head, just a little.

Sign up for the two day class at My Sewing Room. October 14 and 21, 10-4.

Mountain Meadows Quilt Top

This is Mountain Meadows. A loverly quilt top finally finished. I had to go in the Way, Way Back machine to figure out when I started it. My initial sketch and images were made 3 years ago. And I collected the fabric over 2 years ago to make a few blocks. Then it sat and sat and sat. We had the great fortune of a handful of mountain trips this spring and summer and the original inspiration of the mountain meadows was on my mind.

When The Modern Quilt Guild asked me to do a Webinar this quilt popped into my head. Pulling it out and working on it helped me formulate the presentation: Improv With Intention. So I worked hard to get it done in time for the Webinar. It was well worth the effort.

(It measures roughly 55'' x 75''.)

These were my original inspiration images. Hikes in the mountains on sunny days. Meadows filled with small, colourful flowers. Expanses of grass and weeds and plants in varying shades of green. Vistas so beautiful but little tiny bits of life stealing attention. Just how to capture that in a quilt?

In the Webinar I discuss the process of making the quilt - from inspiration to the final top. It isn't as straightforward as one might think. If you are a Modern Quilt Guild Member you can access the Webinar for free now, even if you didn't join me last week. To access it make sure you log in and join the Community site. Then click under Resources and there it is. Not only do you get to see more images and learn about my process, you get to hear my awesome Canadian accent.

It was actually quite appropriate that this quilt was revealed through The Modern Quilt Guild. All of the green fabric in this quilt was generously given to me by quilters, readers of this blog. I knew I wanted green solid scraps and I had absolutely no green solids. To buy them all would have been impossible. So, thanks to the internet I just asked if anyone was willing to share, and boy did you! Packages arrived for weeks and I had a lot of fun sorting through and organizing by value. Some of you sent pieces larger than 1/2 yard cuts! It was so generous and shows exactly how the spirit and kindness of quilters, not to mention the creativity, is fuelled on line. Exactly what comes to mind, for me, when I think of the Modern Quilt Guild.

Thank you to everyone who contributed. I truly appreciate it.