10 Tips for Quilting at Home + Fall Flashback + Day of Service Sewing Ideas

Greetings friends!

Let's kick of this week's email with a fun announcement:

In honor of my favorite month of the year as well as that "back-to-school" - or back to non-summer routines - time of year, I love hosting my biggest sale of the year. This week ALL PATTERNS (both printed and PDF versions) in my shop are 20% off with the code SEPTEMBER.

This is rare for me. I only do it twice a year so if you've had your eye on something, now's a great chance to get it with a discount. Sale ends 9/20.

Charities in Need of Fabric or Handmade Donations

Quilter’s are good-hearted people. ❤

SO many of you are involved in sewing for charitable causes. I love hearing about the ways that you are helping people in your local communities and around the world. The world needs love and so does your community.

As we remember the 25th anniversary of 9/11 here in the US this week, I love that we've built a tradition of honoring that tragedy with a Day of Service.

With that in mind I thought I would put together a list of resources for finding charities in need of donations including handmade goods or fabric.

Of course, opportunities to serve and help our local or global community are never restricted to certain days or places.

Feel free to pin this post to Pinterest to use as a resource if you're looking for charities in the future.

10 Tips for for Quilting on Your Home Sewing Machine

Guest contributor, Delia from A Stitch is a Stitch has written an excellent list of tips for you to use to build confidence and skills quilting on your home sewing machine.

Fall Flashback and Intro to Felted Wool Applique

I have made so many Fall-themed quilts over the years, I thought it would be fun to do a flashback to one of my favorite Fall Quilts. I just pulled it out to hang this week and it still makes me happy!

Click below to read about this Lori Holt-inspired Autumn Love wall-hanging that is a unique finish of mine because I incorporated felted wool for the applique blocks. I love how the wool adds to the cozy, fall vibe of the quilt. Click below to read about this project and find the free pattern.

Have you ever tried wool applique? I think wool is dreamy to work with. It's such a forgiving fiber (and therefore easier) for applique than working with traditional cotton. And feels so good in your hands. I've written up some helpful tips to make the wool applique process portable and a perfect handwork project for cozy cooler months.

Looking at those blocks again has me itching to start another wool applique project. Click below to read more specifically about the wool applique process and how Felted Wool is different than Wool Felt. (Silly, I know, but there's a big difference.)

Fun Finds on the Web - More Fall Ideas

Bev McCullough has a fun, scrappy pillow project perfect for fall along with a video tutorial.

I love this free quilt tutorial called Prairie from Amanda from Material Girl Quilts. I love this fresh take on a traditional block and fall quilt and it's perfect for using Fat Quarters.

Here are a few mini Halloween applique designs perfect for wool felt from Amy Chappell of Ameroonie Designs

Sharon Holland has a free printable pattern for a really clever handmade needle and thread case.

Finally, if you're at Garden of Quilts this week in Lehi, UT and you see me, please stop and say HI! I'll be giving a trunk show in the gardens at 10:00 on Friday and at the Meet the Maker event that night. I'd love to meet you!

Times and Seasons

I've been having thoughts recently about times and seasons. Those thoughts naturally come during a seasonal change, for example, as summer turns to autumn. There's something about the gradual change in the light, temperatures, air, etc. that feels exciting looking forward to events and opportunities that the new season brings, but also a little bittersweet at saying goodbye to the things we love about the last season.

As the weather starts to change, my garden is starting to fade as well. Plants aren't thriving like they were, some are looking a little (lot) bit shabby, and to be honest, my energy and excitement for taking care of it is starting to fade as well. 😆

Life itself is full of times and seasons.

At this season of my life, my garden has been a place of enjoyment and serenity. That's not to say there weren't frustrations like battling pests like squash bugs (I hate those guys) or trying to keep things alive during a brutal drought + heat wave, and a lot learning through trial and error (a lot of error). But it was still my zen place for the first time in my life. (Thanks for letting me overshare about it this year.)

There were a lot of years when the thought of having a garden sounded lovely but I honestly didn't have the physical energy or mental bandwidth or actual time to manage any additional living organisms because I needed to be present for the humans in my life - especially the ones living in my house.

Now that there are fewer humans living in my house, I had the energy - and, currently, the motivation - to tackle something I'd thought about doing for years. I tasted the joy of nurturing plants - not because I felt obligated or guilted into it - but because it just sounded fun!

I guess I'm sharing these thoughts to say, don't feel guilty or beat yourself up because you see someone else doing something that sounds appealing but this season of life isn't the right season for that activity in your life.

And don't let yourself feel guilty for not doing something just because other people are doing it or you feel like you "should" be doing it too. Ain't nobody got time for that. Especially if it's a leisure activity. It's okay - good, even! - that we've all got different likes, talents, interests, skills, etc.

I know it sounds cliche to offer the saying, "live in the moment" but honestly, that's all we really can do. Find peace and enjoy the parts of living in summer when it's happening, knowing summer ends and fall will come and there will be things to enjoy - and lament - about that season too. I'm not saying it's easy to do that, but when I slow down and try to keep that perspective, it helps.

So there's the deep thoughts for today from Amy Smart. 😉

See you all next week.

xo,

Amy

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Remember! 20% off all Patterns This Week!

Use code SEPTEMBER at checkout.

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