DILBERT'S SYSTEM (NOT A GOAL)...AND POUTINE!

A couple of years ago I read Scott Adam's book (the creator of Dilbert), "How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life". I bought the book on a whim before my flight as I was flying home from Edmonton. I'm not even sure what made me pick it up... Dilbert was never my thing. Out of all the books I've read this one has really stuck with me. The biggest take away from the book was to create a system - not a goal. 

The funny thing about creative work is the only way to get better is to make A LOT of it... and there are A LOT of things I'd like to get better at. Since the beginning of January I've taken a hard look at my routine and have decided that each week I need to build a system and make room for certain projects, like:

• make one surface pattern design every week.

• sew one 12"-ish free-motion block (there might be a lot of pot holders given out next Christmas, if any are worth saving). 

• AND to draw/paint/experiment everyday. I've been taking Lisa Congdon's Creative Bug Daily Painting Challenge: 31 Painted Patterns class and I'm LOVING IT! It's been a long time since I've painted. I bought some very yummy gouache paints but honestly I hadn't touched them because they scared me... you know the way beautiful pristine white blank paper can. It's such a relief to finally be using them and to let go as I follow along each day. 

Yep, so that's my plan: make little adjustments each week that nudge me in the direction I want to go. 

This week I also have not one, but TWO recommendations! The first one being DARK POUTINE, a podcast by our friend Mike Browne (who, along with his wife Carol, are extraordinary photographers!). If you're into  Canadian True Crime & Creepy Tales, Dark Poutine will be right up your alley. Personally I'm a fraidy-cat but my husband LOVES it! So put on your toque, grab a double-double and a Nanaimo bar... then scarf down some Dark Poutine! 

RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR PLAYLIST- Kiwi by Harry Styles. I love the song but seriously have you seen his floral suits? I'd watch the video for just that... and the food fight. That too.

SNAP TO GRID

I'm beyond thrilled to see SNAP TO GRID finally hitting the shelves! Honestly, I've never had so much fun sewing with a collection before! When Kim Kight asked me to sew for her 80's inspired Spring 2017 collection I happily through myself into the design challenge. I had planned to make a SEWING MACHINE BOOMBOX at some point BUT when I saw this collection it just HAD TO HAPPEN! And with many cheers of, "I want to make one too!!"... I'm pleased to release the official BOOMBOX SEWING MACHINE COVER TUTORIAL today! You to can get it HERE.

As soon as I saw the Big Pill Dot in Black I knew the CASSINGLE also had to happen. This 60" lap quilt (brilliantly named by Kim), tickled every Memphis Group bone in my body. It's the largest, simplest and fastest to make of all my patterns. (It's only 14 weeks to Christmas... WHAT! Did I really just say that?!)

Cotton + Steel have the BEST selvages, am I right?! Which lends themselves so well to the The CASSETTE TAPE mini quilt cassette labels AND it allowed me to showcase ALL of the collection! FUN FACT: Jonna came up from Washington to sew this quilt with me! There were many giggles, squeals and most importantly much dill pickle dip! 

Second FUN FACT: The CASSETTE TAPE pattern is needed to make the zippy cassette pouch. Make it to fit inside the Boom Box Sewing Machine Cover or just to have all by it's self. (More about that next week-wink, wink!) 

Speaking of endless possibilities with this collection, you saw Kerry Goulder's Hot Skates Quilt right? SO GOOD!

When I went to Spring Market this past May, I wanted to take some bags with me sewn in the Snap to Grid collection BUT I had run out time. Instead of scrapping the idea I commissioned Reece Montgomery (www.happyokapie.ca) and Sherri Chalke to make some.

Reece modified Sara Lawson's Polaris Bag along with my CASSETTE TAPE pattern piece "D". The result was this stunning bag! I HEART IT SO MUCH! It makes me SO happy just to look at it!

Sherri and I went to Quiltcon 2016 together. For the trip she had made a bag using Sonja Callaghan's, Bag PDF Pattern AND CASSETTE TAPE pattern pieces (I posted about it HERE). I've always loved Sherri's bag, so you know what I asked her to do right. The bag was PERFECT for the trip. I was always getting stopped in the isles with people asking about it.

Phew! So much to chat about this week. And I haven't even mentioned the SNAP TO GRID thread pack. Gah!!! How do Cotton + Steel always get it so right?!

RECOMMEMDED FOR YOUR PLAYLIST: Just like the Snap to Grid collection, the possibilities are endless... so I've settled on, THE CURE: Friday I'm in Love. Happy week everyone!