connect the dots crafts

Modern Sampler Quilt Blocks So Far

2012-01-11T12:39:00.000-05:00

I made a giant list of blocks I want to try, so I'm checking them off one by one for my Fun-A-Day Providence challenge. (And yes, I realize that this project entails three things I've resolved to stray away from this year: lists, quilt blocks, and structure. But it's my just my warm-up to lots of exciting projects this year.)

Block #1: Sew Mama Sew Modern Block of the Month - October 2011

Block #2: Scrap Border Block

Block #3: Half Square Triangles

Block #4: Sew Mama Sew Modern Block of the Month - August 2011

Block #5: Windmill Whimsy, Block #6: Wonky Cross

Block #7: Roman Stripe

31 boxes, filling them in as I go...

Happy New Year

2012-01-08T12:17:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed that I skipped my usual end of year goal check in this year. I set out a very ambitious set of goals for myself in 2011, and ended up learning and accomplishing many things - many of which weren't on my list. I wrote a guest post on Heart Handmade UK blog, attended the Fletcher Farm School of Craft for a week-long quilting course, and participated in a quilt show. But I didn't check off everything on my list - my interests shifted a bit over the course of the year, and I ended up taking on some new projects (in non-crafty areas of my life) that pushed me in new ways.

One of the things I learned over the course of the year is to allow these shifts to happen - to allow my course to change directions, and be flexible with my expectations of myself. I have come to realize that I have no shortage of ambition and motivation to push myself. I know that I am continually going to learn and grow and pursue interesting projects. My inclination is always to fill up my time, set goals and benchmarks, make lists, and set up structure for myself. But I don't think I necessarily need to do those things. I know that I'm skilled at them - maybe overly so - because I fill up my whole calendar and neglect a really important piece of my life: rest and renewal.

In 2012, I have just one challenge for myself: to place more value on rest, relaxation, and recharging myself. (Thanks to Erin at Big Girl Feats for her awesome blog post that helped me articulate this.) I want to adopt this challenge in how I approach my life - try to not strictly schedule my time and projects, stray away from structure and lists, etc., and I also want to bring this into my creative work. I want to make sure that I spend time in my studio on a regular basis, because being away from my creative practice for a few months helped me realize that sewing is essential to how I process life, reflect and recharge. I'd like to stray from the usual structure that I impose on my work by experimenting more with improv quilts and designs that don't rely on blocks.

For my first project of the year, I'm getting "back into shape" by spending some time in my studio daily. I'm loosely participating in Fun-A-Day Providence, where anyone can sign up to do something creative every day for the month of January. I hesitated to commit to the project, since I'm trying to stray from structure, so I'm committing to participate only to the extent that it feels right. And so far, it's felt great to be in my studio each day, and to have a new creative project underway.

I assembled a collection of fabrics (above), and each day I'm creating a quilt block design that I've never created before. Together, I'm hoping the 31 blocks will come together as a modern sampler quilt. Check back later this week to see the results so far.

A Final Quilt in 2011

2011-12-29T15:47:00.000-05:00

Just in time for the end of the year, I completed another quilt. This has been a work in progress in my studio for a while now.

This one is a gift for Ian's Grandma. Her husband, Ian's Grandpa, passed away in July. I collected a couple of his articles of clothing (a checkered blue bathrobe, white linen shorts, and his red velvet hood from his doctorate degree). I cut them up and remixed them here to make a lap quilt for Grandma.

I really love the back of it. Just like my Super Square Quilt, I kind of think the back might even be prettier than the front. I should try making my quilt fronts look a little more like my quilt backs. Something for 2012.

I busted out the super special label - just for Grandma.

I saved the pockets from the bathrobe and shorts and attached them to the back of the quilt...just in case she wants to tuck away some tissues, or reading glasses, or anything else that comes in handy while curling up.

We're having Christmas with her tomorrow. Can't wait to deliver it!

Holiday Gift Guide: Handmade Kindle Case

2011-12-16T14:54:00.000-05:00

The holiday season is upon us, and I'm creating a list of my own picks for great holiday gifts for giving - each Friday I will feature some handmade goodness that is bound to suit someone on your list!

This week's pick: a vintage wool tartan kindle (plus other devices) case by Lilac Blue Designs made with a combination of new, vintage and reclimed materials.

Check back each Friday for more handmade gift ideas! View other featured gifts here.

Baby Shoes

2011-12-14T14:46:00.000-05:00

My co-worker is due today. I am so excited to know another new baby, and to welcome him or her into the world. I was thinking of her last weekend, and I worked on these little felt baby shoes during quiet moments in front of the tv. I found the tutorial here at The Purl Bee, and embellished a little. Aren't they sweet?

Some custom aprons

2011-12-11T14:42:00.000-05:00

My friend Maria commissioned me for a fourth time to create some custom gifts for her. This time around: barbeque aprons for three special men in her life.

We always have a great collaboration, because she comes to me with a clear direction and ideas for how to make the gift personal to each giftee, while leaving me a lot of space to determine how the design will come together.

Maria appreciates this, too. This time when I delivered the finished products, she told me: "Whenever I come to you for a custom project, I have a clear idea in my mind of what it should look like. You always take that, and make it even better. You so wonderfully bring creativity and function together."

I'm really excited about how they turned out. They're so specific to each person, and so durable for continued use.

Thanks Maria, for thinking of me for this project!

Holiday Gift Guide: Hand Knit Beanie

2011-12-09T13:00:00.000-05:00

This week's pick: an olive green victorian hand knit beanie with a mohair crochet irish rose by ebruk. Cozy and cute!

Check back each Friday for more handmade gift ideas! View other featured gifts here.

Holiday Gift Guide: Wire Wrapped Bird Nest Necklace

2011-12-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

This week's pick: Wire Wrapped Bird's Nest Necklace by Poppy and Pine. This handmade bird nest pendant is wrapped in steel wire and features three darling beads.

Check back each Friday for more handmade gift ideas! View other featured gifts here.

Holiday Gift Guide: Bookish Tote Bag

2011-11-25T13:15:00.000-05:00

It's that time again! The holiday season is upon us, and I'm creating a list of my own picks for great holiday gifts for giving - each Friday I will feature some handmade goodness that is bound to suit someone on your list!

My first pick: "I Like Big Books And I Cannot Lie" illustration by Pamela Fugate Designs printed on a 100% cotton canvas tote bag.

Check back each Friday for more handmade gift ideas!

hello.

2011-11-13T21:54:00.000-05:00

Hello again, after weeks away.

Hello to busy days, to more hours at work, to projects moving forward my professional career, but unfortunately overshadowing sewing & creating.

Hello to a new apartment. A beautiful apartment. Hello to a big work room that is all mine!

Hello to arranging all of my materials and tools in an inspiring and functional array.

(Hello fuzzy but essential photo of my sewing machine in its new home.)

Hello to cutting tables! And floor space for basting quilt sandwiches.

And last but not least, hello readers. Sorry I disappeared for a bit! Time for creating and blogging is still sparse, but I've come to the conclusion that this life/work balance is not working for me, so here's to more time in the sewing room as soon as I regain control over my schedule.

What have you been working on?

It's the small things...

2011-10-11T13:38:00.000-04:00

Small projects are all I have space for these days - both physically in my apartment, and when it comes to time in my schedule. I've been running here and there, working more at my day job. So I'm enjoying the small projects and quiet moments that I do have time for.

What have you been up to? Don't forget - enter to win a handmade mug rug by the end of this week!

Mentors

2011-10-06T13:31:00.001-04:00

Working through The Artist's Way has prompted me to remember and reconnect with mentors from my past. My first and dearest thought is of my advisor during my junior year of high school, Jill. She was 27, and I was 16. But we had many things in common: we shared a birthday, had the same exact eye glasses, and connected over our mutual love of writing (back then, I was a poet).

I dug through a box in the back of my closet to find this note that she wrote to me at the end of that year, just before she left for a new teaching job. She was in a faculty meeting, but her mind wandered and she wrote this poem for me.

Part of moving forward

is understanding what’s behind.

Like trees, we grow from essential elements,

the nutrients of our youth seeping

through our stretching skins.

Like leaves, our hair will come and go,

like boughs, our limbs may even break,

But our stories, like seeds, will forever be fed

by the heart’s rich soul,

telling themselves again and again

through the truest light in our eyes.

The light in my eyes today tells of meeting

a girl whose roots have mirrored

the pattern of mine, twisting around

the same boulders of fear, exposing themselves

at the edges of the same hopeful, vernal pools,

spreading like a net of chance and faith

to clutch at the core of what keeps us alive.

And as the rings of our years spiral outward,

gaining texture and heft, we’ll know

that we were grafted together back then,

and this is part of what has made us so strong.

-Jill, May 2002

There simply aren't words for how I feel about this poem - its trueness, and the hope and strength that I feel from it, even many years later.

I treasure it.

Mug Rug Giveaway

2011-10-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

Here's the small project I started last week - a zig zag mug rug from this tutorial from Sew Happy Geek. It was fun to make something tiny, and to experiment with some new techniques for the binding.

I'd like to give this away as a thank you to one of my readers! And I'm really into creative inspiration these days (to refill my well), so...

To enter to win this mug rug, leave a comment below with your favorite inspirational quote.

I'll randomly choose a winner next week.

Thanks for reading!

Changing and Balancing

2011-09-29T13:16:00.001-04:00

I'm on week three of my twelve week creativity course, led by the book The Artist's Way.

It's a slow process, but so far so good. And I'm surprised to find much of it applicable to my professional life as well as my creative life.

Things are shifting in my world right now. I'm working more than before - I gave up my studio day during the week to take on more hours at my day job. And I'm working on another really cool project that's taking up a lot of my time.

This all means less time for sewing, and less time for blogging. With my studio day gone, I'm seeing my weekends quickly taken over as well. And I've found that I can't create in windows of two or four hours...I really need a whole day carved out so that I can create at my own pace.

It's been hard to adjust to this new schedule, even though it comes with exciting beginnings. By Friday of last week, I was really weary of running here and there, from meeting to meeting, and not getting any time in my studio. This ugly self bubbled up inside me, and I felt ready to blow. I was daring bicyclists to ride up behind me too close and cars to not be patient as I crossed the road, so that I could direct my frustration at something.

On Sunday, I took myself on an artist date (one of the book's assignments) to my favorite tea shop to read and people watch.

While reading this week's chapter, I came across this nugget:

Anger is a map. Anger shows us what our boundaries are...It tells us we can't get away with our old life any longer. It tells us that old life is dying. It tells us we are being reborn, and birthing hurts. The hurt makes us angry.

I like the idea of anger as a map. Of realizing what I need to fiercely protect in my life. Of using it productively. Balancing out all of the new pieces of my life is both exciting and painful. But I have faith that it will all settle out, and that I'll set new boundaries and find a balance again soon

Back in the Saddle

2011-09-26T13:10:00.003-04:00

This weekend, I got back in the saddle. I uncovered my machine and started a small project. It's nothing fancy, or perfect, but it's something.

After a month of no sewing, I felt so...relieved. Results coming soon.

Capturing Inspiration

2011-09-22T13:12:00.000-04:00

I've been continually gathering inspiration - I joined Pinterest to capture little bits of beauty that I find around the internet.

How do you capture inspiration?

Inspiration

2011-09-19T13:48:00.000-04:00

To refill my well, I'm capturing some images that inspire me.

I want to translate this wall into a quilt.

I pass it on my walk to work everyday. It's next to a parking lot.

I love how random but somehow intentional it seems.

Gallery | Harvest Moon Garden Delights

2011-09-16T13:05:00.000-04:00

For my Gallery post this week, here's a treasury created by WakulaWorks that features one of my aprons. I love this collection of garden goodness!

'Harvest Moon Garden Delights' by WakulaWorks

Break New Ground poster... joeseppi $12.00	Garden Tool Pins susanmulveyjew... $55.00	large Cantaloupe Bowl vegetabowls $26.00	Garden Basket repurpose... RoseGardenEmbr... $16.00
Vegetable Flags WindsparrowStu... $29.00	Utility Apron - Forest ... connectthedots... $30.00	Hand-DRAWN Garden Marke... CampPineNeedle $9.00	Vintage silver plated s... BeachHouseLivi... $7.50
Plaid Tote Basket joannascollect... $45.00	SWEET PEAS in a POD Let... YeeHaw $16.00	Colander, Footed Star, ... quirkyessentia... $10.00	Seed saver envelopes - ... redcruiser $12.00
Gardening compost sifte... andrewsreclaim... $48.00	cbd03 Natural Edge Spal... ArtWoodz $55.00	Permaculture Principles... hardtravelinq $20.00	bottle and preserve - a... sevenstar $21.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

What I'm Reading | The Artist's Way

2011-09-15T13:21:00.001-04:00

About a year ago, my creative friend Valerie gifted me with this book: The Artist's Way: A course in discovering and recovering your creative self by Julia Cameron.

It's been sitting on my shelf, ready for a moment when I need it. Since coming back from quilt camp, I've been feeling pretty creatively blocked. It's strange to me that after such a wonderful and inspiring week I haven't felt inclined to touch my sewing machine.

So I pulled this book off of my shelf, and started reading. This passage really spoke to me:

Art is an image-using system. In order to create, we draw from our inner well. This inner well, an artistic reservoir, is ideally like a well-stocked trout pond. We've got big fish, little fish, fat fish, skinny fish--an abundance of artistic fish to fry. As artists, we must realize that we have to maintain this artistic ecosystem. If we don't give some attention to upkeep, our well is apt to become depleted, stagnant, or blocked.

Any extended period or piece of work draws heavily on our artistic well. Overtapping the well, like overfishing the pond, leaves us with diminished resources. We fish in vain for the images we require. Our work dries up and we wonder why, "just when it was going so well." The truth is that work can dry up because it is going so well.

As artists, we must learn to be self-nourishing. We must become alert enough to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them--to restock the trout pond, so to speak. I call this process filling the well (20-21).

So I'm starting this twelve week course, guided by this book, to replenish my creative resources.

What do you do when you need to refill your well?

I wonder...

2011-09-12T13:41:00.000-04:00

I haven't felt the urge to uncover my sewing machine lately, and I'm not forcing it.

Instead, I've done a lot of reorganizing so that when the mood strikes me, I'm ready to go.

I wonder how long I can keep my fabric stash this organized....

Woah.

2011-08-31T19:07:00.000-04:00

It's been so much sewing, sewing, sewing lately.

After all the hours in the studio during quilt camp - 50! - I'm a little burned out and am having a bit of a rest.

Even in these quiet moments, when my sewing machine is all packed up, creativity is happening. Brewing below the surface.

Super Square Quilt!

2011-08-25T10:07:00.000-04:00

And now a look at something I was working on at quilt camp...

I finished up my newest creation of my own design, which I'm calling my Super Square Quilt!

Lots and lots of hours of free-motion quilting to make all of these wiggly lines. I'm getting better at this!

I might like the back even better than the front!

I used all the scraps from the quilt front to make an improvised and uneven row across the back.

I like looking at it from a distance!

I also started a new and really exciting project while I was there - I'll post a preview of that next week...

Quilt Camp | My Teacher

2011-08-24T10:22:00.000-04:00

Susan demonstrating quilt basting

Here's a peek at some work by my teacher, Susan Damone Balch, whose quilts are "inspired by a life-long passion for fly fishing, a meditative sport that provides a powerful connection to the natural world and an abundance of wonderful imagery."

Though she said that she's come to be known as the "fish lady," she has truly found a way to combine her two seemingly disparate passions - fishing and quilting. (Her website is even called www.fishnquilt.com!) I admire her work so much - both the fact that she connects her interests through her pieces (as you know, I'm all about making connections), and her incredible skills and technique.

She guided me though a lot of learning last week, and I'm excited to now have a quilting mentor.

Here is just a sampling of some of her pieces:

Fantasy Fish

Japanese Sunset

Home from the Sea

Check out Susan's website to see more of her work.

Quilt Camp | My Classmates

2011-08-23T10:38:00.000-04:00

The most wonderful part of my week at quilt camp was meeting the other talented and devoted quilters. I may be the youngin' by about twenty years, but we had a great time, and I learned so much from these women.

Unfortunately, the only photo I have of the whole class is a little blurry, but here we all are!

From L to R: Donna, me, Susan (teacher), Viola, Beverly, Lori, and Janet.

Beverly's bajillion squares and half square triangles were coming together to be a baby quilt.

Lori finished up the quilt top for a really large and impressive queen-sized wedding quilt.

Janet created a couple of really beautiful quilted landscapes.

Viola worked on these incredibly pristine log cabin blocks. She put together a dozen, and has many more to go to make a queen-sized quilt!

Donna designed this very personal quilt for her sister, who is a potter. She took photos of pieces created by her sister, and printed them out on fabric. Down on the bottom are some photos of her sister's hands as she is throwing pots. I love this quilt!

More tomorrow on my teacher's work - amazing quilts! And later on this week: a finished quilt by me!

Back from Quilt Camp!

2011-08-22T10:10:00.000-04:00

I'm back from my intensive week-long quilting class at the Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts in Ludlow, Vermont.

It was wonderful and transformative. It was exhausting and intense!

There were six of us in the class, with a wonderful teacher. Everyone worked on their own projects, so there were many different types of quilting going on at the same time, and so many things to learn.

Above all, my eyes were opened to what an extensive medium quilting is. There are art quilts, traditional quilts, modern quilts, portraits, landscapes...so many colors to consider and techniques to choose from, and so many different cultural traditions to draw inspiration from.

It was incredible to have the space and time to explore my own interests and to be inspired by the instructor and the other students!

Stay tuned this week for some photos, and a look at what I was working on!

Gallery | Vintage Sewing Room

2011-08-12T13:12:00.000-04:00

This week: a gallery of beautiful and unique vintage sewing room furnishings.

'Vintage Sewing Room' by connectthedotscrafts

Vintage Wooden Sewing B... PeppermintNatt... $10.00	Vintage Singer Treadle ... rhapsodyattic $550.00	Antique SINGER Treadle ... AtwoodVintage $20.00	Strawberry Topped Vinta... TheOrangeColle... $42.50
Antique Sewing Machine ... HilltopTimes $62.00	Vintage Button Box for ... BeeJayKay $16.00	Vintage Strommen Bruk H... 4TheLoveOfVint... $35.00	Retro Sewing Stool/Box jamary92 $65.00
Wicker Sewing Basket mandylopandy $30.00	Sweet Little Sewing Dra... scoutandrescue $18.00	Antique One of a Kind S... OrWaDesigns $300.00	Petite SEWING Basket - ... bluepearls $12.00
Circa 1900 Antique Hami... oldnewhouse $375.00	Early 1900's Antiqu... gareb28 $500.00	Antique Sewing Drawer mygrandfathers... $18.00	sewing machine drawers olliesfinethin... $46.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

This is Awesome | Off to Summer Camp

2011-08-10T13:37:00.002-04:00

Fletcher Farm School of Craft - Ludlow, Vermont

My friends, I am so excited: On Friday I am headed to Vermont for 10 days to attend the Fletcher Farm School of Craft. It's sort of a summer camp for grown-ups (though they do offer kids' classes, too), where artists of all different craft mediums converge for a week of creating. I'll be focusing on quilting for the week (surprise, surprise)!

I plan to take next week away from blogging, but I will have so much to show and tell when I come back!

Sewing Machine Cover

2011-08-09T13:21:00.001-04:00

My new machine was crying out for its very own cover - a quilted one, of course!

I created this with some scraps with the mod mosaic method.

I was dying to try out a straight, random, diagonal lines quilting method with the walking foot on this machine. The result - these fun yellow lines.

It Almost Feels Like Cheating

2011-08-08T13:05:00.000-04:00

So far, my new sewing machine is wonderful (though still without a proper name). It almost feels like cheating, some things are so easy.

Here are a few of its fabulous features:

- You can set the machine so that when you stop sewing, the needle will stop in the down position. This is great when you stop in the middle of something and you don't want the fabric to shift around (especially during free-motion quilting).

- With 99 stitch selections, there is a stitch that automatically tacks back and forth at the beginning and end of whatever you're working on (#90).

- It has a top-loaded bobbin case, so that you can see when you're about to run out of bobbin thread. And you don't even need to pull up the bobbin thread before you start sewing!

More features to come...

Gallery | Sewing Machine Love

2011-08-05T13:51:00.000-04:00

In honor of my new sewing machine, here is a gallery devoted to sewing machine love.

For those who might be interested: the vintage singer sewing machine charm necklace - gorgeous. I might need it....mmmmkay?

'Sewing Machine Love' by connectthedotscrafts

Old Small Hand Crank Se... AmyKristineVin... $85.00	Featherweight Sewing Ma... norajane $4.50	SEWING machine BETSY RO... dustylorraine $224.00	Singer sewing machine i... Rebekahleigh $15.00
An Old Singer -- a fine... SweetEventide $25.00	Mini Sewing Machine Box... LoveButlerVint... $15.00	6pcs 12mm Antique Bronz... moumoualwayssm... $2.80	Vintage Sewing Machine ... UniqueShiny $14.20
the silver stitches nec... barberryandlac... $12.00	4pc HANDMADE Wooden RUB... BeHappyDaily $10.50	Stitchery Love Vintage ... UptownAvenue $15.00	antique style sewing ma... GeluguAccessor... $5.00
I AM SEW CREATIVE - (It... ParadaCreation... $19.00	Large Emery Pincushion ... dottyral $12.00	Amazing vintage sewing ... johnnyvintage $375.00	Linen Storage Basket Se... zakkalover $17.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

Hello, Lover!

2011-08-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

Shh! Don't tell Silas, but I bought a new sewing machine! It's a Singer Confidence Quilter - a step up from my Singer Simple - and it has a quite a few features specifically for quilting.

This month is all about getting to know my new partner in crime - I'll be posting about my progress, and about all of the fancy good stuff that it can do.

I've posted before about how it's very important to name your sewing machine. And so far I have Silas and Winnie.

But I need your help...what should this machine be called?

There's a special treat for someone who can help me think of a good name!

This is Awesome | Connect the Dots World Record

2011-08-03T13:35:00.000-04:00

Mona Lisa - 6,239 dot to dot drawing from Thomas Pavitte on Vimeo.

Artist Thomas Pavitte created a poster-sized connect-the-dots drawing of the Mona Lisa in an attempt to create the world's most complex dot-to-dot drawing. The drawing has 6,239 dots, and it took over nine hours to connect them all. Check out this time-lapse video of the project!

My Creative Friend | Sandy

2011-07-30T13:09:00.017-04:00

My creative friend Sandy is a Cape Codder who happened upon my booth at a craft fair last year, and we've stayed connected by following each other's blogs ever since. Sandy documents her creations through her blog The Old Bag - she quilts, she knits, and finds crafty ways to transform antique treasures.

Sandy at Waterfire

What does art making mean to you?
I grew up in a creative home with both of my parents being very artistic people. For me it's such an important part of who I am and what I love to do. The art of creating and getting such self satisfaction from being able to make it yourself or your interpretation of someone else's idea. Hopefully I passed the creative passion along to my daughter by showing her the how much gratification can come from being creative.

How do you make time for your creative practice?

Some days it's easier than others. Creating is a form of relaxation for me so I will squeeze it in just about every day. It could be only for 15 minutes or a couple of hours. One project I almost always have going is knitting a pair of socks. It's an easy travel project and something you can work on almost anywhere. Basically I will take whatever time I can find to either work on a project or to sometimes just spend time in my craft room.

When you work, do you love the process or the result? Why?

I am learning to love the process. In the past I have an idea and can't wait to finish so I can move onto the next. I realized I was missing out on such a great experience by being so impatient. This is still in the works, but I am trying to enjoy the whole experience. As I learn to do this especially in quilting I find that I am more relaxed and more precise in my technique. Also I am finding a lot more satisfaction in the finished project by enjoying the process more.

Where do you get your support?

My family and friends are a tremendous source of support and encouragement. My husband is always willing to help out with ideas or making something to help me with one of my crazy ideas.

Have you ever been in a creative rut? How did you get out?

Absolutely! Going thru some pattern books, magazines or even browsing online till that project just jumps out at you and you can't wait to pick up the knitting needles, sewing machine or whatever to begin the next project. Sometimes just going to local quilt shop is so inspiring to view the quilts other's have done. I'll stop in and see what's in the works, talk the women that work there and that will usually get the ideas jumping around in my head. Whatever it takes to get the ball rolling again.

Thanks for sharing, Sandy! Keep up with all of Sandy's projects by following her blog, The Old Bag.

**My Creative Friend is a series of blog posts featuring the creative practices of creative women in my life, (usually) posted on the last weekend of each month. By sharing our processes, my hope is that we can all learn, grow, and be inspired in our own work. If you're interested in being featured, please contact me!**

Gallery | Rhode Island Red

2011-07-29T08:11:00.003-04:00

This week brings a gallery in tribute to Rhode Island's state bird: the Rhode Island Red.

This was a fun one to put together - it goes out to my girl Jess who keeps chickens in her backyard in Cranston!

'Rhode Island Red' by connectthedotscrafts

red felt hen MilePost13 $23.00	Vintage Hen and Nest Sa... fatcatvintage $17.00	Charlotte the Hen - Pai... ArmadilloDream... $7.00	Cute little blue chicke... snis $13.50
Wood Toy Chicken on Whe... greenbeantoys $13.00	Rhode Island Red Chicke... snugbugshop $22.50	Country Rooster and Chi... tweetheartwall... $20.00	Rustic kitchen - Chicke... TiffinyDesigns $12.00
Rooster Kitchen Towel -... ooladesigns $11.00	Farm Chickens (set of 6... TessaAnn $10.00	Dylan the chook. AllisonFranksd... $20.00	ROOSTER tiles (tiles to... mosaicmonkey $6.25
12.95 SALE - Pair of Ch... KGsKreations $12.95	Pincushion Hand Embroid... JewelryKaleido... $6.00	Clasp Change Purse Chic... fieldofroses $15.00	Needle Felted Chicken a... Furritales $17.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

This is Awesome | "M-provisational" Quilts

2011-07-27T19:11:00.001-04:00

I recently came across a wonderful article on The Beautiful Chaos of Improvisational Quilting on Collectors Weekly. Here's a teaser:

What would jazz look like if it had a physical presence? According to Sherry Ann Byrd, a celebrated quilt maker who posts on Show & Tell, it might look something like the hand-made “M-provisational” quilts produced by six generations of her family, who descended from a former slave named Edward “Ned” Titus in Freestone County, Texas.

Like jazz, improvisational quilting is about letting go and seeing where your creativity takes you. “You can’t be uptight when you’re making improvisational quilts,” Byrd says. “You got to just be relaxed, take your time, put the pieces together. If you don’t like them, take them apart and redo them. Don’t be afraid to chop a piece out or add a piece on. That’s what it’s all about. It’s like mixing up a recipe; you just keep at it until you’ve got something beautiful. You can’t be afraid to experiment because that’s what improvisation is all about.”

Beautiful, historic, quirky quilts. You have to check out the photos.

Read the full article here.

2011 Finished Quilts

2011-07-25T13:49:00.000-04:00

Annie's Bunny Quilt - January 2011

Kitchen Window Quilt - March 2011

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Mini Quilt - March 2011

Pink Ladybug Baby Quilt - March 2011

Striped Queen Sized Quilt - April 2011

Topiary Gardens Landscape Quilt - April 2011

Baby Hexagon Quilt - May 2011

Striped Experiment Baby Quilt - May 2011

Brittany's Mug Rug - May 2011

Strawberry Lemonade Disappearing Nine Patch Baby Quilt - June 2011

Baby Crazy Nine-Patch Quilt - June 2011

House-Warming Wall Hanging Quilt - June 2011

Pastel Color Block Nine Patch Baby Quilt - July 2011

Quilted Sewing Machine Cover - August 2011

Super Square Quilt - August 2011

Mug Rug - October 2011

Grandma's Quilt - December 2011

Gallery | Making Waves

2011-07-22T13:14:00.000-04:00

Another gallery of creations, in honor of the Ocean State...

'Making Waves' by connectthedotscrafts

Surf's Up - Art Pri... CoralDesignCo $20.00	vintage Crown Trifari w... ShoponSherman $8.00	Into the Waves, A Playi... FiberFancy $13.00	ocean wave flower--Remo... wiwicoco $28.95
passport pocket cover c... jackandbeedesi... $16.50	SALE... Nuno Felted woo... Baymut $62.00	FORTY PERCENT Sale- Opa... MayaOr $55.00	Wooden Toy, Ocean Wave ... theenchantedcu... $38.00
Lino Block Print - Yuze... BigRockPaperCo $5.50	Blue WAVES (tiles to mo... mosaicmonkey $7.25	earrings lampwork puffy... bythebead $19.00	Rolling Waves Small Can... emmaallard $10.99
Whale throw pillow - De... mengseldesign $48.00	Undercurrent - shawl pi... thatBluCat $23.00	5 Silver Plated Smooth ... FavoredMemorie... $3.25	Inspired by Hokusai'... surfingsilver $95.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

The Fine Art of Recycling

2011-07-21T13:38:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I hinted that I was working on a BIG project that involved lots of milk cartons. Here's the full story:

National Grid, in partnership with the City of Providence and the Environmental Protection Agency, is proud to announce the 'Fine Art of Recycling' art exhibit, designed to encourage citizens to save energy and money by recycling their old refrigerators. Start practicing the fine art of savings today by recycling your old fridge. Then visit all eight decorated refrigerators in downtown Providence. Each refrigerator was given a new life using paint and creativity from local artists.

There are eight fridges total, transformed by local artists and on display around downtown Providence through October. You can see all of the designs online, and download a walking map at the Saving is an Art Website. You can also vote for your favorite design, and enter to win an energy efficiency gift basket. Visit the site to vote!

Here's my fridge!

My sculpture is called "Windmill Whimsy." Here's some of the thinking that went into my design:

I am a crafter/quilter and I enjoy transforming repurposed materials, vintage notions, and patterned fabric into decorative and beautiful art. In this piece, instead of using new fabric, I collected colorful, recycled milk and juice cartons and used them as "fabric" - I cut them up and reassembled them into "quilt blocks" covering the fridge. The quilt blocks are a traditional pattern - a windmill block - which reminds me of the possibilities for renewable energy.

It's in a great spot - right next to the river downtown! Stop by and say hi! And don't forget to place your vote!

This is Awesome | Sewing & Rocket Science

2011-07-20T13:03:00.000-04:00

My friend Jess was telling me today about a story she heard recently on NPR about a seamstress at NASA.

Theresa Haygood worked at Kennedy Space Center, sewing small, quilt-like blankets using glass thread and special heat-resistant cloth. The thermal blankets protected the shuttles during re-entry to the earth's atmosphere.

Now that the space shuttle program is coming to an end, she's looking for a new job. But it's interesting to see the crazy and unexpected ways that sewing (and even quilting) intersect with fields I never would have imagined. Quilting for rocket science. Hmmm.

The full article, Crafting Shuttles: Labor of Love, Vanishing Art can be found here.

What I'm Reading | Staying Put

2011-07-19T13:21:00.003-04:00

Growing up in a small town in Vermont, there was a pervading narrative that success for the young people in town meant that upon graduation they would leave for bigger and better destinations. Having moved on myself, I only recently started questioning that measure of success. One of my dear friends from childhood has moved back to our small town, and is teaching dance classes at the very same studio where we took ballet together when we were twelve. She has a house, a family, a child, a garden. I hadn't thought about the possibility of moving back home until I visited her recently, and was overtaken by a wave of need to return to my roots.

Thus my theme this month of loving Rhode Island. I was easily swept up in envisioning myself in the green mountains, forgetting that I've lived in Providence for eight years now, and have a whole life happening here.

Though I've lived in Rhode Island for eight years, I find it easy to tell myself that I don't actually belong here, that I'm some kind of visitor. Especially as a twenty-something, there is this idea that only possibilities lie ahead, and I can live wherever I'd like, move whenever I get bored of this place and then the next one. I always have one foot out the door.

Last week, I came across a book called Staying Put: Making a Home in a Restless World by Scott Russell Sanders. It's a beautifully written love letter to putting down roots in a place, and of making a commitment to a house, a neighborhood, and a community in the same way that the author thinks of his commitment to his marriage. The idea of having that kind of groundedness really appeals to me, and I've been taken with his lyrical reasonings.

He argues that in American culture, we tend to be a nation of "restless movers"; from the beginning, our "Promised land has always been over the next ridge or at the end of the trail, never under our feet" (104). He writes:

If the shine goes off our marriage, our house, our car, do we trade it for a new one? If the fertility leaches out of the soil, the creativity out of our job, the money out of our pocket, do we start over somewhere else? There are voices enough, both inner and outer, urging us to deal with difficulties by pulling up stakes and heading for new territory...I wish to raise here a contrary voice, to say a few words on behalf of standing your ground, confronting the powers, going deeper. (102)

In turning my focus to all of the wonderful things going on in my now home state, along with reading this book (so far, I'm halfway through), I'm starting to see my future right here. With all the goodness around me and the community that I've created for myself, I'm thinking of putting down my roots right here. Or at least, in a new apartment close by that has some grass. There's still a lot of Vermont in this girl, after all.

What about you? Have you put down roots or do you feel restless?

In Progress | Wonky Small Plates Quilt

2011-07-18T16:13:00.001-04:00

Blue Kona spectrum pack + blue fat quarter pack from the Waterwheel Quilt Shop

+ Pink/Purple Kona spectrum pack + pink/purple fat quarter pack

= my latest project.

Blocks made, quilt top finished. Time to assemble the back and quilt! Results coming soon!

Gallery | Made in Lil' Rhody

2011-07-15T13:04:00.000-04:00

This week, a gallery of creations made by Rhode Island artists...

'Made in Lil' Rhody' by connectthedotscrafts

Ethereal Roses ultra lo... joyinmystudio $50.00	Carved Ring-Double Peta... amieplante $120.00	Textured Shell & Freshw... DaVineJewelry $55.00	Pocket Mirror Maps Prov... LiteraryTease $4.99
Europe Travel Journal kristincrane $24.00	Whimsical Trees Bugs & ... apiarydesigns $14.00	The Original Baby Geniu... periodicallyin... $10.00	button earrings - hot p... itssewyou8 $7.00
RECLAIMED BURLAP TOTE B... ApRi $42.00	Jewelry Box, Stationary... MalcolmStudioS... $89.00	Crane Tree Wall Plaque hijackedcerami... $95.00	Stitchers Earrings ... markaplan $68.88
earrings - atomica LuckyBird $22.00	E X O T I Q U E Wristl... pinklemonadebo... $32.00	Wooden Claw Rattle- Map... sevenacretoys $30.00	Vintage Book Journal / ... angelawehrle $24.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

RI Love | Food Glorious Food

2011-07-14T19:09:00.000-04:00

On my quest to be all about the love for Rhode Island this month, I indulged in Food Truck Tuesday in downtown Providence and had my first Hewtin's hot dog! I was accompanied by my friend Jess, a Rhode Island native (and yet another reason to love lil' Rhody).

And then Ian and I took full advantage of Providence Restaurant Weeks with a stop to Mill's Tavern for peach/apple risotto, fillet mignon, and chocolate lava cake.

Yup, it's been a good week.

What was the best thing you ate this week?

This is Awesome | Find Your Own Voice Challenge

2011-07-13T13:16:00.000-04:00

Last week, the Modern Quilt Guild announced their fourth Project Modern Challenge:

Make a quilt that is all you! Like all of the other challenges, use of other designers’ patterns is not allowed but this time, find your own voice. Spins on existing techniques, improvisation, fabric manipulation – any and all of it is allowed and encouraged. Stretch and push yourself to make something that you’ve never made before! Why not skip using a ruler? Why not be open to changing your initial plans and ideas along the way? Innovate! Make this quilt your voice and yours alone!

And the judge...is Denyse Schmidt, who is like, a really big deal in the quilt world!

As I've been building my quilting skills, I'm starting to get to the point where I'm really ready to discover my own style. I've got something in the works already...and I'm really excited about it!

Are you interested in making a quilt, too? Or, will you give me feedback on mine along the way?

Photos to come...

Pastel Color Block Nine Patch

2011-07-11T13:37:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I promised that something colorful was coming soon...

Not as soon as I had hoped, but here it is!

I started this during my nine patch quilt month last month - a set of nine very clean, pastel blocks created from a jelly roll of kona solids paired with some coordinating print scraps I had on hand.

The backing fabrics is a perfect green with little white dots - something I picked up at my new favorite quilt shop.

Another quilt in my favorite size - 30" x 30" - free motion quilted.

I don't have plans for where this quilt will end up yet...but with all the little ones coming into this world lately, I'm sure it won't be long until I figure something out.

Gallery | Rhode Island Love

2011-07-08T13:29:00.001-04:00

In celebration of my theme this month, here is a gallery of Rhode Island themed beauties. If there's another state that you love, check out these sellers - many create the similar pieces in the shapes of other states!

'Rhode Island Love' by connectthedotscrafts

In celebration of the Ocean State!

Buddy Rhodes - The Rhod... feltlikeit $35.00	hope anchor wax seal pe... suegrayjewelry $37.00	5x7 - Rhode Island Love poppyandpineco... $10.00	Rhode Island State Wall... fluxglass $145.00
Rhode Island Stitched J... therecycledlib... $20.00	Customize Your Home Is ... LilyGene $25.00	Oval Map Locket Necklac... vsc83 $49.00	Lil' Rhody Rhode Is... sundaymorningp... $52.00
Someone Loves You in Rh... noahj $22.00	Handmade I Love Rhode I... DestinysCreati... $55.00	I Love Rhode Island - 8... capow $25.00	Rhode Island State Neck... IntegrativeCre... $40.00
Made to Order RHODE ISL... saltlabs $44.00	Rhode Island Plyboo Cut... AHeirloom $40.00	the littlest state love... goldencalves $2.50	Rhode Island and Provid... katehuot $5.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

A Week of Rhode Island Love

2011-07-07T18:31:00.000-04:00

As part of my Rhode Island Love month, I'm making a concerted effort to get out there and enjoy all that the ocean state has to offer. Here are some highlights from the past week!

Pawtucket Red Sox Game + 4th of July Fireworks

Family Day at the Little Compton Historical Society

Family Day Food - delicious and free!

Plus my first stop at Gray's Ice Cream in Tiverton

Black Raspberry...so good!

4th of July concert in India Point Park - The Might Good Boys were great, and the fireworks even better!

This is Awesome | Muni Pass Art

2011-07-06T13:54:00.000-04:00

Source: Design Sponge

Saw this before and after post on Design Sponge recently - it's wall art created with San Francisco's public transit passes adhered to a canvas. Beautiful, right?

What else could you apply this simple idea to?

July's Theme: Rhode Island Love

2011-07-05T13:34:00.002-04:00

My theme for July is: Rhode Island Love. I've been feeling a pull to go back to my roots in Vermont, and I need to fall back in love with where I am. And there is so much to love about Rhode Island!

I whipped up this pillow cover over the weekend. I used my scraps and appliqued them into the shape of my "home" state. More Rhode Island love to come...

What do you love about Rhode Island?

Gallery | Milk Carton Madness

2011-07-01T12:22:00.001-04:00

I'm working on a BIG project these days, involving tons and tons of milk and juice cartons. Luckily, I have many friends who have been drinking up and saving lots of colorful cartons for me to use.

The result will be revealed soon...until then, my world is full of MILK CARTON MADNESS!

'Milk Carton Madness!' by connectthedotscrafts

1950's Inspired Mil... LaPetiteLucill... $15.00	Lowfat, Chocolate, Whol... spinadelic $300.00	Hello Kitty milk carton... lepetitebonbon $15.00	Set of 6 Mini Milk Cart... tzuzinjak $4.50
White Cat with Milk Car... scrabbledabble $6.00	Milk Carton. Cross Stit... andwabisabi $17.50	Mama's Milk Felt Ca... MamasFeltCafe $10.00	Dairy Free Girl, Nurser... Gingiber $7.00
Kawaii (Cute) Milk Cart... cellsdividing $33.00	SMALL MILK CARTON Appli... LynniePinnie $2.25	MILK CARTON CUTE Boxes ... dramaofgifteds... $18.00	AMIGURUMI MILK CARTON P... pukashell $4.50
MILK IT Handmade Handst... MissBehavinTri... $2.75	Milk Carton Coin Purse connectthedots... $5.00	Best Before (Medium Siz... ricochetstudio $65.00	Milk Carton Charm fullofcharm $10.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous gallery post here.

Label Love

2011-06-30T13:53:00.001-04:00

I posted in March about discovering the importance of labeling quilts. Thanks to some muslin and some permanent fabric markers, it's become part of my regular practice.

How do you make your creations personal?

This is Awesome | Tokyo Quilt Festival Partnership Quilts

2011-06-29T13:26:00.013-04:00

Ayumi at Pink Penguin posted recently about Partnership Quilts for for the 2012 Toyko Quilt Festival (which I posted as a This is Awesome back in March):

Each year the Tokyo Quilt Festival exhibits lots of Partnership Quilts, which are made by quilt blocks submitted by everyone. A theme for partnership quilts is set by a popular Japanese quilter/textile designer annually, and she will put all blocks submitted into groups. Folks there will piece all blocks and make them into quilts accordingly.

Source: Pink Penguin

This year's theme: Triangles and Squares

Check out Ayumi's post for all the details on dimensions, where to mail them, etc. And join this flickr group to see blocks made by others, and post your own! I plan to take part - will you?

Field Trip | Waterwheel House Quilt Shop

2011-06-28T13:54:00.001-04:00

My friends, if I ever disappear from the face of the earth, let it be known where you can find me: I've been swallowed by the black hole of my own personal heaven: the Waterwheel House Quilt Shop in Londonderry, Vermont.

I discovered it on a trip home over the weekend. From the moment we pulled into the driveway, and a sweet, sweet goldren retriever named Gracie came out to greet us, I felt right at home.

This is a modern quilt shop, which makes it different from other country-type quilt shops. Check out this definition of modern quilting to get the full gist. Just my style!

Lots and lots of bright, modern fabrics - a whole section just of dots! It was agonizing but wonderful to choose what to take home with me.

I said to the owner, Shelley, "I know I'm in the right place when I recognize this quilt pattern - it's R ectangle Squared from one of my favorite blogs, Film in the Fridge!"

We talked about all of our favorite quilt blogs, and then Shelley said, "Too bad you don't live here - I'd offer you a job." To which I replied, "Don't tempt me!" Seriously...

Here's a peek at the work room. Le sigh. Like I said, if I disappear...

My Creative Friend | Danielle

2011-06-26T16:02:00.000-04:00

I first met my creative friend Danielle through What It Takes, a program organized by The Hive Archive, a feminist arts collective in Providence. What It Takes is for creative people who want to learn about how to make their art into a sustainable living - all of that sometimes scary, sometimes annoying, and sometimes really fun business-y stuff. I learned that Danielle is a jewelry designer, and it's been so inspiring to see her business, DaVine Jewlery blossom over the past year!

Danielle & her fiance at the Providence Art Festival

Tell us about your medium and how you got started with it.
My love of jewelry started when I was a little girl - I used to love playing with and looking through my mother's and my grandmother's jewelry. When my grandmother gave me one of her old jewelry boxes filled with items she no longer wore I was so thrilled! I used to proudly wear my own jewelry creations to school growing up, starting with beaded stuff and evolving to wire work as I got older. When I first decided to go to the Rhode Island School of Design I thought I was going to major in sculpture, but quickly realized when I took an elective Jewelry & Metalsmithing class my freshman year that that was where I belonged - creating tiny pieces of art that people can wear!

How do you sum up your creative style?

I'd say my creative style is very earthy, and ranges from sopisticated to lovely and sometimes cute. I find a great majority of my inspiration from nature and other artworks that also were inspired by the natural. I love natural forms, patterns, and textures, and I incorporate a lot of them in my work - I'm always on the lookout for any sort of plant materials, shells, stones, etc. to add to my Inspiration Collection.

When you work, do you love the process or the result? Why?

I actually love both! The process is wonderful - with jewelry there can be a lot of repetitive work that many people would find boring, but I find it meditative and relaxing. I love working on a small scale, dealing with precision and intricacies. I also thoroughly enjoy exploring new techniques, finding inspiration in new places, and trying different things - this keeps me excited about my work. The satisfaction of the process leading to a great result always feels good. I'll often find myself looking at an especially labor-intensive piece thinking "Wow, I can't believe I made this". I love almost everything I make, and I love it when other people enjoy my pieces enough to want to wear them too.

What is you favorite thing you've created and why?

That would be a necklace I made to commemorate the birth of a longtime friend's daughter. She wanted something special, and decided she wanted to use a flower and stone from her daughter's birthmonth. I created a tiny waterlily pendant with a delicate ruby set in the center for her. I was very happy with how it came out (so much so I almost wanted to keep it for myself!), but the fact that it was such a sentimental piece made it that much more special.

Where do you get support?

I am very lucky and get lots of support from my family and loved ones. My parents were always extremely supportive of my creative endeavors growing up. My mom kept us busy with fun craft projects on rainy days, and they encouraged me to take any classes or workshops that I wanted. Even when I decided I wanted to go to art school they never once tried to discourage or dissuade me - if they had any fears of me not being able to make a living and ending up a starving artist I never knew it! Nowadays my parents and sister are there when I do shows and very helpful in promoting me when I'm feeling shy. My sweet fiance never complains about all of the house and yardwork piling up these days, instead he does more house and yardwork so that I can spend more of my time outside of my day job in the studio.

What is your creative ambition?

My biggest ambition is to be able to quit my day job and create my jewelry full-time - one I share with many other artists out there! I'd like to be able to have a studio/space large enough that I could have a little shop-front and maybe lead workshops and classes in the back. Sharing and teaching my passion and knowledge for creating is something that I've always wanted to be able to do.

How do you make time for your creative practice?

Dividing my time up between my day job and my jewelry, while still having time for the other things I like to do can be quite a balancing act at times. I try to reserve as much weekend as time as I can to spend in the studio because during the week I'm usually pretty tired out from working all day. I sometimes have to force myself into the studio at those times when I have things I need to complete, but once I'm there I'm usually glad I did that instead of lazing around on the couch.

Thanks for sharing, Danielle! To see more from DaVine jewlery, check out Danielle's Etsy Shop, Flickr photos, and follow her on Facebook!

House Warming Quilt

2011-06-23T13:07:00.000-04:00

My friend Deb is leaving Providence next week to move to Brooklyn with her girlfriend. We've had lunch together frequently as she's been planning her move, and I know she's been dreaming about her new place, and about making a home for the two of them together in the same city for the first time. I wanted to send her off with a small tolken of gratitude for her friendship, good talks, and great lunches.

I went back to the color palette she had inspired back in February - yellow, black, and cranberry - and tried out hand-quilting on a small scale by stitching around each letter.

I hope this little wall hanging will find help Deb and Ann feel right at home!

I'll miss you, Deb! Safe travels and happy new home!

This is Awesome | On the Go Project Pouch

2011-06-22T13:13:00.000-04:00

On The Go Pouches by Angela of Sake Puppets

A few days ago, Sew Mama Sew posted a great tutorial for an On The Go Project Pouch - the perfect little baggy to take your projects to on the road...

If you want to go a simpler, more immediate route, I always save the bags that new curtains or sheets come in - they're wonderfully transparent, so I can see what I've got, and they zip closed so I won't lose any of my supplies!

Field Trip | Purl Soho in NYC

2011-06-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend, I took a trip to visit my brother and some college friends in New York City. My brother John endulged by crafty needs by navigating me to Purl Soho, the store behind the wonderful, beautiful, oh so crafty blog The Purl Bee.

I was entranced by all of the beautiful, bright, and cheerful fabrics!

There were projects from their online tutorials hung on the walls - you know you're a fabric nerd when you recognize things like that!

I couldn't leave empty-handed, of course - I snagged a couple of Kona Cotton Spectrum Packs to build up my stash of solids...