Space, to process and grow
Time, space, patience - these are my weaknesses. I have, for so long as I can remember, tended to rush through life. My instinct is to run, not walk towards the next good thing. When I find myself in a place that doesn’t suit me, I move.
Mostly I like this active dynamic about myself, but I also realize that it goes too far sometimes. I know that a slower pace can offer advantages. Stillness and contentment are virtues. Taking time and space to reflect, to process and to grow is a sort of grace we can give ourselves. I have at times experienced how patience with ourselves and others can soften the rough edges of life.
How I approach life is also how I approach my quilts. I like action, movement, progress with quilts, and I tend to make designs that are chock full of life. Negative space is not my strength in quilt design.
When I designed Positivities I envisioned a consistent background with floating and overlapping motifs. Negative space was a must, obviously. As I sketched I realized that I needed to include less-dynamic patchworks, bits of “boring” if you will. These simple, rhythmic elements brought something critical to the work - space.
And so the last patchwork group in the Positivities block-of-the-month is called Space. These are the least-showy elements, some truly meant to fade into the background.
With the addition of Space, my Positivities patchworks are complete! Now for the great satisfaction of putting it all up on the design wall - - -
I see fireworks!
This quilt is an explosion of positivity.
And what a fantastic vibe in my sewing room now, with Positivities alongside the Drummer Boy Dresdens blocks. So cheery!
Sponsor of the Week
Nanno Creative
Wow - Nanno Creative was recently awarded Best Local Quilt Shop for The Netherlands! And I can see why. They stock such a great selection of modern quilting fabrics, quilting notions and an impressive range of By Annie products for bag and pouch making.
Congratulations to Rianne and team!
Now I am puzzling together the different sections with the odd partial seam, here and there. I actually love sewing partial seams. They tease my brain just that little bit and come together without any trouble. They are so much more dependable than piecing curves and oh-so-useful with this kind of grid-free patchwork.
Don’t worry club members - I will show you how to sew partial seams, and it will be WAY easier than learning to foundation paper piece. Actually in Positivities club we sew the harder elements at the first half. It just gets easier as we go along! Keep that in mind.
The 2024 Positivities Pattern Club is now available as a complete pattern. Sew this modern sampler quilt of beautifully interwoven patchwork.
Star Web, Kaleidoscope, Sunbeams, North Star, Optimisms, Expansion, Big Sun and more - each patchwork group is its own particular delight. Together they make up an ode to patchwork pleasure that’s as delightful to behold as it is to sew.
At life’s most challenging moments, creating keeps me open to the possibilities that change offers. The beautiful shapes and colors in quilts remind me to slow down, listen to my heart, follow my joy, lean into my community and shine on. Each patchwork group in Positivities goes along with just such a life lesson. For example, the Kaleidoscope group reminds me to take a fresh look - new possibilities emerge if we’re brave enough to look from another perspective. I share what each patchwork group means to me, along with the patchwork instructions for each leg of the journey. Enjoy a monthly dose of patchwork + positivity!
Skill level: Suitable for intermediate quilters. During the course of the club, you will learn techniques for foundation paper piecing, strip piecing, simple curved piecing and partial seams. No prior experience with these techniques is assumed. Advanced quilters will also enjoy the journey, I’m sure!
Size: 63” x 75” throw quilt
Fabrics: This is a scrap-friendly quilt! With your purchase, you’ll immediately receive the introductory Prelude PDF for quilt planning. It discusses tool, yardage and scrap needs, possible color palettes and includes a blank color sheet.
You’ll also receive all 6 monthly club PDF’s at once, to open at your preferred pace. Each PDF includes:
2 patterns for patchwork groups
A dose of positivity
Lessons in technique: strip piecing, foundation paper piecing, curved piecing and partial seams.
Inspiration from our community
Tips for each leg of the journey
Plus, 3 extra quilt patterns, each of which is a spin-off from one Positivities patchwork group to create an entire quilt. The final photos show these patterns: Kaleidoscope Groove, Inhibition and Collaboration quilts.
Are you eager to sew your own positivity explosion? Sign up now for the 2nd round of Positivities BOM, which will begin in April. Start brainstorming your colors and fabrics or order the same Tilda Solids that I used, to follow my lead qua palette. The same shop also stocks that showy Anna Maria Horner print that is perfect for the Visions blocks. So that could be convenient!
This 2nd round of Positivities includes the exact same content as the first. The instructions will be delivered over 6 months instead of 12, so you can go at a faster pace and finish before the holidays. That’s totally my style!
In fact, I am considering starting a new Positivities quilt in that mint color scheme above. Looks like an ice cream dream, don’t you think? Tempting, tempting.
