July 8, 2021 – Greetings from Flower Box Quilts!
It’s definitely summertime here in the Pacific NW where we’ve had 100+ degree weather (unusual for us this early) with no rain in sight! Thank goodness Tom put in AC 3 years ago, but my sewing studio is in the basement so it’s normally cooler here. I hope all of you are happy, healthy, and being creative either by hand or machine this summer!
“Doing the best at this moment puts you in the
best place for the next moment.” – Oprah Winfrey
Our next Stitching with Michele is this Saturday, July 10 from 8 – 11 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time) If you’d like to join us or for more information, please click this link https://flowerboxquilts.com/stitching-with-michele/ Once you’re signed up you will receive an email each month!
Come join the fun; learn something new; ask questions; and possibly win a door prize!
For planning ahead: My EPP Stitching with Michele is Saturday, July 24 from 8 – 11 a.m. (PST). My August Stitching with Michele is Saturday, August 7 from 8 – 11 a.m. (PST).
I enjoyed reading an article, “Pandemic Year Drives Popularity of Hand Sewing”, by Abby Glassenberg of the Craft Industry Alliance where she discusses the nostalgia, reflection of values, economics and portability of hand sewing. “I think when times are stressful, handwork is a way to cope,” says quilt designer and author Becky Goldsmith. “It can take you out of your head and give you something pretty to look at, and it allows you to make progress on something when nothing else is happening.”
Glassenberg also wrote, “The craft world has welcomed new books, online classes, kits, and more, all focused on the age-old tradition of pulling a needle and thread through cloth with our fingers, one stitch at a time.” Liz Aneloski, who edited Goldsmith’s new book, points out, “Hand stitching takes you back to a simpler time before we were so dependent on technology.”
Also in this article, Glassenberg interviewed Sarah E Woodyard who believes, “I encourage people to hand sew for 15 minutes a day as a way to ground themselves and reconnect to their body,” says Woodyard. “Hand sewing can be extremely therapeutic. My tag line is ‘remember what your hands can do’ as a reminder to others, and myself, what humans are capable of creating with our bodies and simple tools.
I have done handwork since a child whether it was counted or stamped cross stitch, wool embroidery, crochet, or knitting; and love to be able to stitch anywhere I am. About 3 ½ years ago, I started doing English Paper Piecing as a form of hand stitching, and it is also a super way to be creative with my fabric scraps – like making puzzle shapes with fabric.
Have YOU embraced hand sewing in any way in your life or especially in the last 1 ½ years?
Some news in the quilting world:
~ Quilts, Inc. is planning their annual in-person quilt show, Quilt Festival, in Houston, TX on October 28 – 31. https://www.quilts.com/
~The Mancuso Quilts Shows will be in person again starting with Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza September 16-19: https://www.quiltfest.com/
~ Northwest Quilting Expo is planning their 20th anniversary show in Portland, OR on September 23 – 25, 2021. No classes will be held this year though but there will be lots of free lectures. https://www.nwquiltingexpo.com/
~ Road to California is planning on their annual in-person show in Ontario, CA on January 19 – 22, 2022. I have vended and taught at this AMAZING show for 5 years, and hopefully will be back in 2023.
https://online.roadtocalifornia.com/
I have just started sewing with the grandsons: Dylan (9), Logan (6) and Chace (6); and we are making sleeping bags for their “stuffies”. They chose the fabric; pinned, stitched, removed the pins, and pressed their “works of art”.
I do all the rotary cutting, and finishing work. It’s a great way to spend some quality time with them, and they love sewing on my 87 year old Singer featherweight!
I would love to lecture and/or teach virtually for your quilt guild; and all my classes, lectures, contract and resume are on my website. Just call or email me to set-up a date and time that works for your group!
My virtual classes for July are on my Events calendar! If you enjoy piecing, then Summer Posies on July 27 will assure you of flowers in your home year round!
Or for those who are more advanced in EPP, then join me in learning how to create the infamous apple core shape in Scrappy Apple Core on July 29?
As a subscriber, I truly value YOU, my readers, students, customers and friends very much, and would like to offer you another free pattern of mine, Star Table Setting. Notice how different the finished products look in different colors and fabrics! Please click here.
Whether it’s piecing, machine applique, counted cross stitch, hand embroidery or English paper piecing, I’ve designed a pattern, book or class for you to create a quilt that will “bloom from your heart”! Please email me if you have any questions, comments or want to chat more about quilting!! Thank you!
Happy quilting! Thank you!
Piece,
Michele Crawford
Meet Daisy, my 8-week old golden retriever “quilt helper”!
