A Colorful Thread: January 2023
Weaving together my life as a maker and other spheres of life.
Best of Stitched in Color {January}
On My Mind
Experimenting:: with template plastic. Template plastic is a thin, sturdy plastic that quilters use for making their own reusable templates. I enjoyed using the mylar circles from the Perfect Circles set for making appliqué circles, so I thought I’d try template plastic for my Nineteen Thirty quilt. I wanted to use it for pressing purposes, so it should be heat-resistant like the Perfect Circles.
So far, no luck. I bought a mylar plastic sheet at a local art shop, but that melted/warped with the first press (left). Unfortunately, I had the same disappointing experience with EZ Quilting template plastic, which is touted as heat-resistant (right). My iron was set to cotton temperature. Hmmm? For now it’s back to thick cardstock from cereal boxes and postcards for my pressing templates. Have you had better luck using template plastic for pressing appliqué shapes? If so, I’d like to know what brand you recommend. Thanks!
Reading:: The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. This was a tip from a friend, and a good one. It’s a unique story set at the turn of the 20th century. The Dictionary of Lost Words doesn’t have a traditional plot, and in fact the novel is designed to highlight the changing role of women at the time. If you like language, you will especially enjoy it!
Celebrating:: Guess what? My Geesey quilt pattern was chosen to be the We Quilt This City quilt pattern for their spring 2023 edition! The Confident Stitch has even created a quilt kit so that you can make the same super springy quilt. Super fun!
Now is the ideal time to subscribe to the We Quilt This City swatch experience. It mails out next week! As a subscriber you’ll automatically receive the quilting cotton needed to piece the exterior for the pouch that Kate is holding above, plus paper instruction, and access to a video tutorial! Subscribers also score a special coupon code to get 10% off the quilt kit and my Geesey quilt PDF pattern.
Anticipating:: starting a new quilt! I know that is no surprise, but it’s true. I have been feeling that itchy, need-to-start-a-new-quilt feeling. It could turn into a scrappy fling or it could be based on the delicious Pie in the Sky bundle that’s been lounging on my desk these past weeks.
I enjoy actually enjoy not knowing yet! When the time is ripe, it will be fun to choose from the heart.
To be honest, January has been a difficult month. We have been sick a lot, including a round of corona. But more than that, we’ve had a considerable amount of family stress and drama. For privacy reasons I won’t elaborate, but suffice it to say that parenting young adults can be heartbreaking. It also continues to prompt me to understand and process my own past anew, which is exhausting. So.
I am certainly thankful for the refuge that I can take in the color and beauty and endless discovery of my work. In February I am looking forward to two finished quilts, starting at least one new one, celebrating my son turning 16 years old and the birth of my friend’s baby!
xoxo,
Rachel
