Stars and Stripes + Quilting Inspiration and History

Hello friends!

So glad you're here. Thanks so much for stopping by!

New this week:

This week I'm finally pulling out a few July-themed Works In Progress (WIPS) to try and finish up for the 250th anniversary. I've also got a fun new handwork project to share that is perfect for summer stitching and I'm a little obsessed.

Check out all of the latest in my June update of what's on my sewing table.

Stars and Stripes: Free Pattern + Video Tutorial

Some of my favorite quilts to make over the years are red, white, and blue quilts - especially for the 4th of July. If you're in the mood to make something to commemorate America 250, but maybe running out of time for a big project, here's a free tutorial for this Stars and Stripe Pillow or Table Runner.

You may see the pieces for another version of this project in the photos above that I'm finishing right now for a gift. It's still a favorite.

The tutorial for this project includes a step by step video as well as a free printable PDF pattern. It's a great one for using scraps too!

Click below to access the free video demo and printable pattern. I'd love to hear if you make either of them!

Here's a few other fun 4th of July-inspired projects I'm loving right now:

Liza Taylor has a free Foundation Paper Pieced pattern for some cute Flag quilt blocks. I pulled the blocks I started two years ago and I want to finish them up this week for a wall hanging.

Speaking of FPP, I also absolutely LOVE these red, white, and blue Foundation Paper Pieced blocks from Leila Gardunia.

Also, this week I saw this simple reverse-applique flag t-shirt idea (perfect for scraps) on Instagram and I totally want to make one!

Inspiring Finds on the Web: Black American Quilt History

In honor of Juneteenth this week here in the US, I'm remembering the quilters of Gee's Bend. Their quilts inspire me to no end. One of my life's bucket list goals to either see an exhibit of their work or go to Gee's Bend itself!

PBS recently released a new documentary about this amazing community. You can see the free preview of The Quilting Women of Gee's Bend here.

Another formerly enslaved black woman's quilts that I've recently discovered are the quilts of Harriet Powers. Harriet is known for her unique story quilts that combined biblical scenes, African folklore, and celestial events using appliqué and narrative stitching. Her work, created in the late 1800s, is celebrated for preserving oral history and African American heritage through textile art.

Harriet and her quilts were commemorated on a US Stamp in February this year! Click below to read more about Harriet if you missed it a few months ago.

If you're feeling like you're not finding much time to sew this summer, know that you're not alone! I've spent hardly any time at my sewing machine over the past 6 weeks. We traveled - which also includes all of that time preparing to go out of town as well as catching up on all of the mundane stuff after you get back.

I've also been working in my yard a ton. We made some big changes to our yard last fall, taking out a lot of grass, adding grow-boxes, etc. I've been wanting to do it for years and I'm SO excited it's finally happened! I have high hopes (and my new favorite hose 😂) that the yard will be more enjoyable and lower maintenance after this - but it takes a bunch of work to get it all set up.

This week was the final step of getting the automatic irrigation installed and planting final plants once it was in place. Fingers crossed everything becomes less work and more simple maintaining and enjoying for the rest of the season. I'm so excited about this. 🤗

As a personal reward, I harvested my first zucchini and green beans of the season. And I'm pretty pleased about that. 😊 (I did plant a few vegetable plants before traveling and hired neighbor kids to water/keep them alive while we were gone.)

All of that coming and going and outside work has left very little time for my sewing machine. She's been pretty neglected. But the good thing she's always waiting patiently. (And maybe a little extra dusty.) Pulling out the red, white and blue projects in progress has be fired up to start stitching again.

So you see - you're not alone if your machine is patiently waiting.

But don't just take me as a case study. I have 20+ years worth of data to backup this statement.

I worked in a quilt shop for over 8 years and I can tell you that foot traffic always slowed down in the summer. People were busy working in their yards, or with family reunions, or summer vacations, or a house full of kids out of school, or a myriad of other activities (often outdoors) that are prevalent in the summer months.

And every September that foot traffic would come roaring back as everyone who was getting back into routines and kids back to school, was ready to start a new project.

And you know what - I've watched the exact same pattern with my internet traffic over the past 18 years. It always dips in the summer and rebounds in September.

So: no one out there needs to feel guilty or frustrated (myself included) if sewing time is minimal during summer months. Soak up all of those activities and people (and fresh foods) that are only available during this season of the year. 💗☀️

As always, thanks so much for stopping by. See you next week!

Amy

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