Book Chat: Sentimental Crafting

Who’s up for some impromptu book chat? I just read two crafting books with similar themes of sentimental sewing projects and can’t help but share!

Both books feature cameo quilts, which is what set off the lightbulb to do a double review!

Making something useful instead of storing sentimental things like fabric or artwork appeals to both my nostalgic streak and practical side, so both of these books are right up my alley. Even deeper than that, I think they both speak to the amateur spirit in which I started this very blog. I use the word “amateur” not because I don’t think I’m good at what I do (be it crafts or mothering or career) but because I like the idea of casting off the inhibitions of perfectionism and just jumping in anyway.

So let’s jump into the reviews! (How’s that for a segue??)

First up:

Wise Craft Quilts: A Guide to Turning Beloved Fabrics into Meaningful Patchwork, by Blair Stocker

“I had never made a quilt before, yet I was uninhibited by my lack of technical skill.”

Start date: 9/25/2017

Finish date: 9/25/2017

Genre: Crafts (Quilting)
Format: Library book

Source: Library

4 stars

As a quilter, I often get sucked into the never-ending cycle of new fabric lines releasing each season, and never venture beyond the quilting cotton fabrics made specifically for my craft. Bt when it comes to sentimental fabric, there are so many unconventional fabrics out there – from clothing to tablecloths to upholstery samples. Blair Stocker showcases quilts utilizing non-traditional fabric choices and gives tips for working with each unique type of fabric. She sums it up best in this line: “I will show you how to be inspired, not inhibited, by the limits of your own special collection of fabric.”

Of course I want to make the baby clothes quilt! I love how the pattern uses value to give a simple patchwork pattern so much more depth.

Another favorite is adding embroidery to traditional toile fabrics for some cheeky fun.

Add to my (never-ending) list of quilts I want to make: the Cameo Crazy Quilt, the Star Quilt out of men’s dress shirts, and the Cyanotype Sun Printing Quilt to immortalize childhood drawings. I’ve got baby clothes, handkerchiefs from my wedding, a couple tablecloths that seem like worthy candidates, etc. etc. …

I might not be ready to cut up my wedding dress, but I love Stocker’s aesthetic and willingness to think beyond traditional quilt “rules.” I reluctantly returned this book to the library, but I’m glad it’s waiting for me when I’m ready to attempt one of the projects.

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Stitched in Time: Memory-Keeping Projects to Sew and Share by the Creator of Posie Gets Cozy,  by Alicia Paulson

“Sewing, like so many domestic crafts, is so much more than a means to an end. It is an act of caring, and of taking care.”

Start date: 9/25/2017

Finish date: 9/25/2017

Genre: Crafts (Sewing)
Format: Paperback

Source: Posie Gets Cozy blog

4 stars

Sadly, this book is out of print now, but when I was searching online for a way to make silhouettes, the “Silhouette Stack” project came up, and I had to have it. Thank goodness for third party sellers on Amazon! Now I want to make all the things. I definitely have a sentimental streak a mile wide, but making practical things to honor memories really appeals to me. Or, as Paulson puts it: “Celebrate the everyday, with items you will use every day.”

There are projects for little ones, every day, and special occasions, ranging from quilts to banners to aprons to softies. For Amelia, I want to make the family tree, the silhouette stack, the baby clothes quilt (I love how she incorporates the tactile bits like lace and pleats), the townhouse growth chart, and the birthday banner.

Posie Gets Cozy is one of my very favorite blog, for her attention to the small details of life and her dreamy photos. I love this quote about blogging:

“The best thing about having a blog is that, if you do it every day, you start to see every day as an opportunity, not just to take a picture of and talk about jam, but to look at things differently. An opportunity to gain some perspective on the prosaic aspects of our lives, those we tend to take for granted. If life has ever thrown you a few lemons, and you’ve found yourself longing for the luxury of an unremarkable Tuesday, then you know just what I mean. I think sewing things that celebrate the Tuesdays, the cloudberry-jam days, and the nothin-doin’ days makes them special days, after all.”

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