Around the World Blog Hop

My friend Lin over at Lin's Quilts tagged me as part of the Around the World Blog Hop! You should go check her out, she is hilarious. Our first conversation consisted of all the funny scenarios that would lead to the invention of color catchers! Let's just say her imagination can run wild and it shows through in her quilts.

Favorite Quilt of the Summer: Baby Harper's

Next, I am tagging two of my local buddies to keep this going!  Jennifer @ Never Just Jennifer and Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty. They both are awesome, below is a bit more of a description of awesomeness. 

Never Just Jennifer

Jennifer and I meet through the New Quilt Blogger's Blog Hop this spring. We have quickly become friends, she is sweet and kind, always saying the nicest things! We are both part of Round Trip Quilts (you can see the beginning of things on instagram #roundtripquilts), if you want more information look at either of our tabs.  Jennifer also designed our logo, she gets a virtual high five! Crazy talented, right!?

From Bolt to Beauty

Michelle and I meet IN PERSON (yep, still excited about that) at the last New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild meeting. She's been sewing for years, but has recently started quilting. On her blog, she shares both quilting and garments. At our last guild meeting, she showed the most adorable little bag, and also enjoys making small accessories. Michelle also has been suffering from a case of low volume stash envy!  Guess it might time to start a low volume swap :)  Who's with us???

What am I working on? 

The biggest project I have going on right now is my Farmer's Wife blocks... even though I haven't made much progress this summer. Once fall comes around and I "need" a new quilt, this will take priority again. The goal is to hand quilt the whole thing, so it may take some time! Below are some projects I have worked on or finished this summer.

Summer 2014 

1. Needle Book, 2. Modern Maple Blocks, 3 & 4. Notting Hill, 5. Teddy Bear 6. Patriotic Star 7. Modern Maples. 8. Sugar Block Club 2014, 9. X and + Charity Blocks

How does my work differ from others of its genre? 

Not sure my works is original, but it's a reflection of me. So, in that sense I would say it's different than what any one else has done. Many times I will see something I like, and put my own color spin on the pattern or tweak it so it's just a little different. Overall, I tend to gravitate towards bold modern colors, while using traditional blocks. From the collage above, this summer was brought to you by the color red!

Why do I create what I do? 

Growing up I have always been a creative person and if I am not creating something practical (like quilts) I am using my creativity for mischief, pranks are one of my creative fortes. For example, my teammate left her cell phone in the lunch room one day and I had student deliver a lengthy ransom note with a list of "demands" one of which was a homemade meal with pictorial descriptions of said phone in custody. Pretty sure my students thought I was either brilliant or insane. Through quilting I am able to have a creative outlet, and keep myself out of trouble. Although, I did just photocopy a ton of prank cards from the principal's desk I am dying to try out! Hello new school year ...

 How does my creative process work?

My creative process consists of me sketching out most ideas, which come to me at the most inconvenient of times. For example, driving and in the shower are my most frequent places. My latest, somewhat brilliant idea, was my Thimble Blossom's Sampler. Realizing, I would never have enough time to make all of Camille's beautiful quilts, I decided to come up with a sampler to showcase her blocks. After spending too much time with some graph paper and all her patterns I was able to draft out a large lap quilt of my favorite blocks. Other times it's simply pulling inspiration from Pinterest. 

Thimble Blossom's Sampler

Many times I come up with more ideas than I have time for ... seriously need to invest in minions, especially for grading papers.  My sketch book if is full of ideas I do not have the time to complete. The problem is, I keep coming up with more new ideas!

Sew long for now,

Patch & Chels