Sewing Wishes

Dear Lola,

Do you think it’s too late to share my list of sewing wishes for 2013?  It’s still pretty early in the year and you know I love my lists! A few years ago, I gave up making “traditional” New Year’s Resolutions like losing weight, exercising more, and keeping the garage clean in favor of creating a list of life experiences I hope to have in the upcoming year.  This new system works much better for me and of course, it’s definitely more fun!  The list isn’t law, but it sure will be great if I can accomplish it!

Here’s this year’s list of sewing wishes:

Charity Quilt

I want to make at least one charity quilt.  For starters, I totally believe in karma and I adore the idea of making someone feel happy. 

Master Electric Quilt 7

This year I want to learn how to design a quilt in Electric Quilt 7.  I am just enchanted by the thought of using this software to create my own quilt design and then ultimately bringing that design to life!  I promise to post about my experiences!

Attend Quilt Market

This has been my dream for a couple of years now.  Education, inspiration and creativity all rolled into one amazing experience!  Enough said!  I might even get to meet Alex Veronelli from Aurifil or Leah Day from the Free Motion Quilting Project.  They are two of my quilting world "idols"!

Make a T-Shirt Quilt

I’m ready to give this fun project a try.  Everyone loves a T-Shirt Quilt!  I know this isn’t a super ambitious project from a technical standpoint – but heck – everyone deserves some whimsy.  Another motive for doing this - getting rid of old T-shirts to make room for more fabric!  lol!

Hand Stitching

Just saying this makes me nervous!  I have a bonus project in my Michael Miller Clubhouse this year that requires hand stitching.  It’s time for me to tackle my irrational fears.  If I don’t – I’ll definitely never improve!

Machine Embroidery

I have a great machine that is capable of doing in the hoop embroidery, but I honestly don’t use it enough.  I am going to embroidery at least one project a month.  I promise to post my projects here for you to see! 

Through my job at Wish Upon A Quilt,  I am reminded my little sewing world is full of possibilities.  I love every learning opportunity I am given.  I also honestly believe there is not a more giving community than the sewing community.  Sewists and quilters love to share not only tips and techniques but also heart-warming stories of their sewing adventures.  When I took up sewing, I had absolutely no clue that I would come to adore my sewing peeps as much or more than the actual sewing!

It is thanks to my sewing peeps that I am always being introduced to new patterns and techniques that I want to experience at least once.  I also believe that some sewing experiences can be more successful when given more than one trial.  Like heirloom sewing – I gave it a try a few years ago and I honestly don’t think I was ready.  I just didn’t have confidence in my ability to maneuver the fabric accurately.  Now that I practice sewing almost daily – I think I could give it a try again in the future with better success.  I am praying there is a grandchild in my future that will be Christened in a gown I have sewn.  When my kids are ready – making that gown will definitely make the list!

The hardest part of making a list of sewing wishes is being realistic.  Like an enthusiastic Labrador puppy – I want to chase the ball until I fall over!  Luckily, I’m Sew Sleepless!

Being Part of Something BIG

Dear Lola,

I’m so excited.  I decided to take a job in a fabric store!  I am thrilled I was hired at Wish Upon A Quilt.  It’s a great little fabric store with a big, big heart.  I started shopping there a little over 4 years ago and met the owner, Cathy McKillip during her first week as the shop owner.  The minute I met Cathy, I knew she was a kindred spirit.  She runs her shop as an extension of herself – happy, bright and cheerful.  She welcomes everyone with a smile and amazing guest service.  She cares about her customers and it shows. 

I recently attended a Mystery Quilt Retreat she hosted in Winston-Salem.  We had a conversation and one thing lead to another and kismet intervened and here I am working in a perfectly heavenly place for a fabric lover to be!  I know, of course, that absolutely nothing of my paycheck will ever leave the store, but hey at least I’m buying local!

I started working at a perfectly wonderful time on the Sewing Calendar in my community.  The Quilt Carolina Event was poised to begin and I jumped right in and remerchandised the Notions Wall.  My coworkers said I did a great job and it was music to my ears! The newly organized wall was a big hit with customers too.  I hope to keep learning and contributing to this dynamic little shop.

During the event, we awarded prizes and had lots of happy customers to help. It was a wonderful week of fun and excitement. All in all it was a great reminder of just how big the sewing and quilting community is and just how much I love all the people connected to it through their love of fabric.

This past week, I was filling orders for our online customers.  I had the pleasure of cutting fabrics for customers in Hawaii, Australia and even South Africa.  I loved seeing what people purchase and how they cleverly choose great color combinations and find fabrics they have been searching for on the web.  We get to call and/or write to people to let them know how much we have on hand of the fabrics they need and it’s great to hear the little happy dances they do when we have what they need.  One lady was so happy she would finally be able to finish a quilt for her first grandchild; another lady had been looking for this one fabric for 6 months to repair a family quilt; while another customer was just desperate for some bright green “Maxine” fabric that said “Blah, Blah”. 

While filling a particularly large order that was going to the other side of the globe, I got all excited about having a hand in something big - not a big order - something BIG.  While I don’t know how the fabrics will be used, I know as a sewing enthusiast – they are likely to be turned into projects filled with love and hope.  I know the fabrics will be manipulated into works of artistry; they will keep people warm at night; they will delight some special person; they will adorn someone's home; and they will fill people’s hearts with joy and laughter (“Blah, Blah!”).  It all made me proud to be in the circle that is sewing and to have an anonymous hand in making someone’s day! 

Lola, it’s so easy to look at life through the blinders of our own small needs.  I’m glad I joined Wish Upon A Quilt so I can be reminded that the entire world needs fabric just as much as I do.  It’s a wonderful thing to be part of something BIG and to make somebody's sewing wishes come true!

Hugs and stitches,