Around the World Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Around the World Blog Hop.  Kindly nominated by the sweet Collette who sews and teaches over there in Bonnie Scotland, I hope you'll enjoy spending a few minutes to learn more about the why and how of why I do what I do here in this stitchy corner of my life.

1.  What am I working on?
Um ... do I need to pick one thing or should I admit that actually in my WIPs box I currently have 3 quilts started, 2 quilts cut and a number of small projects loitering between them?  Okay then, let me show you these two as they are the ones I'm busiest with just now.

This is my Kaffe Fasset Sparkling Gemstones quilt which I am desperately trying to get into rows and bordered in the next 10 days.  I am enjoying the vivid saturated colours even though I wouldn't normally say they were my "thing".

This is a baby boy quilt which I am feeling a little undecided on just now but am pushing ahead anyway.  My hope is that once I alternate more of these wonky star blocks with the 9 patches it will deal with my reservations so far.  Cross your fingers for me!

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?
This questions sounds a little bit grand for me, I think, because I'm not sure that my work is so different from others.  I enjoy being inspired by what I see happening in the quilting world through various social media sites, and, while I don't always jump on the bandwagon the minute it's passing, all those designs and fabric vogues can certainly be found to influence what works its way out in my later creations.  I don't think I'm in this to be different, just to find what styles suit me and I think I'm learning that often that's a little bit of this and that, a modern/traditional mix up.

3.  Why do I write/create what I do?
Since my aunt taught me to knit when I was about 7 years old I have been in love with making things with stitches.  I taught myself to cross-stitch and embroider and then to EPP and crochet and eventually found myself with a sewing machine I could really only mess around on due to lack of skill and knowledge.  So, I attended some classes, tucked the techniques and new skills under my belt and have never looked back.  Creating with stitches is honestly pure pleasure for me (even through the tricky bits).

Being even more honest, stitching is good for my soul and my head.  A year or so ago my son made me the icon above for my blog sidebar and it's not wrong.  This hobby really does give me time and space to keep myself together.  It allows me headspace from the routine and pressures of everything else that's going on.  At times, sewing has also been a lifesaver from loneliness providing focus and creativity in empty times and spaces.  Thankfully, sewing has also brought me connection especially through classes and blogging and latterly through Instagram.  It's nice to connect with like-minded crafty people and I am very grateful for the generous, creative community out there and the folks who have become real friends as a result.  I never imagined that!  So if you want someone to argue for the mental health benefits of creative hobbies, I'm your girl!

4.  How does my writing/creative process work?
In orderly fashion, of course!  Those of you familiar with me through this space will know I like to be organised and get a bit flustered when I'm not (that goes for the rest of my life too).  "OCD-ish" is how I like to think of it!

Mostly, I like to take my ideas and shape them into designs and to do lists so that things are nice and controlled.  I love calculating quilt measurements and getting everything 'just so' before I begin methodically working through the stages of the project.  However, I haven't completely escaped the creative wandering spirit that becomes diverted by some new inspiration mid-project and then, yes, I make another set of plans and designs and lists!  I'm radical like that! ;-)  It also explains the 5 quilts mentioned in answer no 1!



So now you know a wee bit more about me, wouldn't you like to hop along and hear about another stitcher?  Annabella lives and blogs from Marrakech and I love her sense of colour and scale and I have to confess, I am also in love with the glimpses of beautiful tiled floor that occasionally peep out from behind her quilt pics too!  Hop on over to Life's Rich Pattern and read all about it next Monday!


I apologise now to the Around the World Blog hop folks that I have been unable to find the requisite three bloggers to pass this hop on to, but hopefully even a little hop at a time will be able to keep things moving.  Thank you Annabella for allowing me to hop over to you!