My Latest Projects

I have been trying to make a point to create more often.  I had a period where I was just too tired to complete anything.  I know how much better I feel better I feel when I make a point to create.

My recent projects have included a mug rug swap, embroidery for my daughter's room, some English paper piecing, some Valentine's day projects, and most recently a Japanese stab binding book.  I am really trying to do something create every day!

Fairy Embroidery for my daughter's room

2nd Fairy (not yet complete)

English paper pieced flower hexagon

English paper pieced flower

Valentine's Day fabric card

Inside of Valentine's day fabric card

Valentine's Day post card

Glued English paper pieced shaped

English paper pieced solar system star

All the Valentine's day projects I worked on

Japanese stab binding book (I've been wanting to learn more about book binding.  I already have a tool case with book binding supplies!)

Some quilt history reading

Some fabric painting reading

Some fabric dyeing reading

Mug rug I made for my swap

Not only have I been actually making things, I have been reading about how to color my own fabric and learning about the history of quilt making.  I am hoping to buy some fabric dyes and paints and start creating my own fabric.  

I have been having a great time being creative and can't wait to continue!

Happy Creating,

Amy

History

If you can't tell, I love to create!  I also love to know the history behind things I create!  I have friends/acquaintances, more friends/acquaintances than I realized, who like to make hand made items too.  The funny thing is, I don't know if any of them are as interested in the history of the things they create as I am.  I am also more of a traditionalist when it comes to creating things.  I can certainly appreciate more modern patterns, but when it comes to things that I love, I am much more traditional and classic in my taste.

I would love to teach the history of hand crafted items.  I've already read a little about civil war quilting, but no where near enough to know really anything.  I recently started looking at english paper piecing and the history behind it.  It's actually kind of funny how little info I am finding on the history.  The one fun fact that I found is; early on, women would use old letters or newspapers as the paper pieces and use old scraps of material to make their paper pieced quilts.  The other fun fact is that this allowed people to date these quilts, as women would often leave the paper pieces in the quilts for extra warmth.

I'm looking forward to reading more about quilting history, and can't wait to learn more about the history of other crafts that I enjoy.  I'm going to start reading http://www.womenfolk.com and see what kind of information I can learn.  Personally, I can't wait to the how the things I enjoy came about.  Maybe I can, in time, become someone who teaches the history as well as someone who can teach how to make traditional projects.

I have a ton on my plate right now, with the kids, work, husband, and household stuff.  I am contemplating not putting my twins in preschool and doing some homeschool stuff with them and use the money that I would spend on preschool on other types of learning activities that will hopefully teach them and allow them to have fun and learn at the same time.  I am also hoping to add in some learning about hands on activities not just phonics, spelling, math (all of which are important, but I believe there needs to be a balance of hands on learning too).

Too much to think about right now.  I just want to keep learning about the things that I create and teach my children to appreciate handmade things.

Amy