Finding Inspiration

I’ve not been posting many projects lately because I am working like a dog on my book. Do dogs work hard? Most dogs I know don’t, but maybe if you’re a sled dog in Alaska or something. Anyway, since I can’t give you many details about the book, I thought I’d share a couple of  things that have been inspiring me lately.

Quilts of Gee’s Bend: I can’t remember what year I first laid eyes on these amazing quilts, but the power that these women put in their work is amazing. I think these quilts speak volumes about the beauty of necessity. Pictured below is Mary Lee Bendolph’s Blocks and Strips of 2002.

mary-lee-bendolph-quilt

Children’s art: As always, I’m influenced and inspired by my children’s art. There’s something about the simplicity and directness in the work of a child that can’t be imitated. My seven-year-old’s apple drawing is pictured below. She was working on a cardboard box, which created those great textural lines.

apple-drawing

Liberty of London: Always an inspiration. And I will definitely be making a trip to Target on March 15 when their new line arrives. Look at this adorable girl’s dress. You can see a few other images on the Oprah website. Thanks to Laura for sending me that link!

liberty-of-london-for-targe

Oh, and one more thing that I wanted to mention. The very talented Kristal of The Rikrak Studio is holding a fun competition called the Handmade Olympics and I was nominated in the category of Favourite Blog with a Handmaking Focus. So I wanted to say thanks to Kristal and to Tara of Scoutie Girl for putting me on the list of finalists. If you’d like to vote for me here, I would be grateful.

handmade-olympics

Handmade for the Holidays

There’s still time to make your holiday gifts.  Here are some fabric sales to get you started:

sew-la-fabric

Sew L.A. Fabric: 15% off for readers of The Long Thread. They have a great selection of designer and imported fabrics (see image above), including Echino, Lecien, Heather Ross, Joel Dewberry, Amy Butler and more. Enter code LONGTH09 at checkout (now through December 5).

Sew, Mama, Sew! is offering free shipping on all domestic orders today only.

J. Caroline Creative: 15% off through today with coupon code THANKS.

Plus some great sale fabrics from The Fabric Bar, Purl, Superbuzzy, Reprodepot and Fabricworm.

No time to make your gifts?  Shop my handmade gift guide here.

Etsy Finds Friday

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All fabric today!

Sweet Pea by Jackie Shapiro, half yard for $4.50 from Mountain of the Dragon.

Marchioness Poppy, vintage, half meter for $20 from thriftypyg.

Kokka Scandinavian set of 3 half yards, $20.25 from Fabric Supplies by Charlie and Lindsey.

Moda’s Wonderland by MoMo, 5 yards for $40 from the fabric bar.

Morning Glory Block Printed Fabric, 55% hemp, 55% organic cotton, $26 per half yard from Home Sweet.

Arcadia by Sanae for Moda, layer cake, $30.95 from Whipstitch Fabrics.

Weave, Hand Screenprinted Fabric, 9 1/2″x14″, $6.50 from summersville.

Mushroom and Deer by Kokka, 1/2 yard for $6.50 from Matatabi.

Japanese Import 1/2 Yard Set, four for $34 from fabricworm.

More Amy Butler

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More from Amy Butler?  Seriously, does this woman sleep?  Fabric, china, paper, stationery, gift wrap, and now a new organic line of bedding.  Quilt available online now, more to come in March.  Since she seems to be going green with her gift wrap, paper and now this, here’s my vote for her next project — organic quilting weight cotton.  There’s not much out there and the design choice is minimal.  And maybe it could be made in the good ole USofA?

Echino Placemats

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More Japanese fabric.  I’ve had this Echino fabric for months now and although it was originally intended for another project, I made my daughter a new placemat for school.  I made some of these for her last year and posted the tutorial, but this time she insisted on having adult-sized mats since that’s what all the other kids have.  Yes, we’ve entered that territory.

Oh, and I wanted to mention that Bee Square Fabrics is having a promotion this month for 25% off the Echino fabrics with coupon code FebSale_Echino25 to be entered during checkout.