Snowy mornings are always such a weird mix of housework and cozy activities -- filled with contemplative activities with a sense of productivity. I finished the Hankie Quilt, which is desperately in need of a new name but I've got nothin'. I'm very pleased with the improvised quilting and piecing of this quilt. It has turned out better than the quilt I imagined in my head when purchasing the hankies, but it is just as soft and puckery as I hoped. There is something about that type of vintage cotton, you find the same stuff used in vintage undergarments like cotton slips and camisoles. Its thin, but sturdy and oh so soft. I think it might be my very favorite material on the planet. The quilt is up in the shop, and ready to keep someone very cozy on a snow day!

I've had quite the interesting week. It's been a volatile mix of terrible and wonderful things all at once, but much to my relief this afternoon feels like things are settling again quite nicely and only better lies in the near future. I was feeling as though the city was really kicking me when I was down, but trying to keep my chin up knowing this big (sometimes rotten) apple is just giving me more character. You certainly have to hold your own to make your own place here, and I'm convinced that the road to stake my place is a rewarding chance to know myself, finding confidences and inspirations I never knew I had inside of me. I was reflecting on that today hand quilting the "hankie" quilt in the afternoon sunlight of our studio, and felt so rewarded to find the rhythmic contact with my project and the sunshine reminding me that I'm still here and time is pulling me upwards and onwards.

Sorry if this post is a little vague. I feel like sharing the specifics of my recent experiences might actually detract from my attempt to express this overarching feeling of momentum that my work gives me through tough times. Hopefully you'll reflect on this gift too while you're making this week.

I found these vintage hankies in pristine condition in Pennsylvania a few weeks ago. They're so wonderfully soft, and I loved the corner shapes on each hankie. I cut them into smaller squares and arranged them in such a way that their plaid patterns could interact then I pieced the remainder of the quilt with subtle variations of neutral linen fabric. I've started quilting the quilt with a really great industrial/vintage feeling dark blue thread, and i'm accenting some of the lines in the hankies that inspired me to piece the quilt. The linen parts will probably be quilted in improvisational lines so I don't really have exact lines drawn out.

I decided to make this quilt a crib quilt size, because I love the idea of creating the connection between generations with quilting. A modern improvisational design with vintage, found fabrics can tell a story and can remind people of something intangible while offering a use to old materials in our contemporary domestic space. I also feel disdain for most manufactured children's items: their limited color palettes, the designs that a child/baby grow out of so quickly (making the items sort of disposable), and limiting a child's experience to all things "cute". I want to make one of a kind pieces that are more than that --- to grow with a child, objects that aren't just "cute", and offer new uses of color and pattern to expand a (family and) child's experience with color, texture and pattern.

More handmade gifts... I'm nearing the bottom of the stack. I'm sure you can guess which I haven't shared yet, and I'll be honest it isn't quite finished yet. Haha, poor Tim and his scarf are at the very bottom of the barrel.

This quilt I made for my step-father to use in his favorite chair while he's cozied up with the dogs. He's a big hunter and outdoorsman, so I couldn't quite make him a wussy quilt. I tried to go with and old school hunting cabin feel, and I think it worked out okay -- matching my mom's living room.

I did a combination of hand quilting and machine quilting for this quilt. The detail shots on the left show some of this. I added some nature inspired motifs like leaves and deer tracks in the hand quilting areas. I love the way this quilting looks on the back of the quilt where there is a little more linen.

My brother received a "moving blanket" quilt for Christmas, and you can get your hands on one too if you click the link!

All finished editing my friend's wedding photos! Check them out here.