sewing

I only just discovered the Make Nine hashtag at the end of 2020/beginning of 2021, but I was so inspired and intrigued by the posts popping up on my Instagram feed that I couldn’t resist doing my own round up.

Picnic Skirt by Gertie Sews // I feel like I’ve had this skirt on my to-do list forever, and now that I accidentally ended up with the perfect amount of fabric for it, I’m hoping to get to it sooner rather than later.

Calico Socks by Morgan Panich // This pattern is just so cute and cottagecore that I have to add it to my sock drawer, y’know?

Ashland Dress by Sew Liberated // Hello, farm girl dress of my dreams. I’ll almost definitely make the skirt a bit longer than in the photo, but I love the bodice shape and think it could be perfect for summertime wearing.

Red Moon Sweater by Born & Raised Knits // I’ve had this beautiful moon phase sweater in my Ravelry queue since last April, and can’t wait to find the perfect shades for my own version.

Gather Apron by Sew Liberated // This is the year we once again add chickens to our (outdoors) household, so what better way to celebrate and prepare for that than this adorable egg-collecting apron?

Oak Hollow by Diana Walla // One of the things that I fell in love with when we found our house was this oak tree in the back, and since then I’ve been obsessed with all things oak tree related (thank you, Brigid). These mitts are irresistible.

The Pippi Pinafore by Jennifer Lauren Handmade // I’ve been dying for some kind of pinafore dress for about a year now, and if I feel comfortable enough by the time I get to this one, I might try to frankenstein it into something with a little more swish to the skirt, but if not–still a cute as heck pattern to add to my wardrobe.

Folklore Cardigan by Amy Gunderson // I mean… Obviously.

Axis Tank by Sophie Hines // Confession: I have had all the pieces to this cut and ready to assemble for about four months and I just haven’t sat down to finish it. Here’s to getting it checked off the list before the end of the year.

To be fair, I’m a huge mood maker–it’s part of why I’ve been scrapbooking so much instead of most other things. I’m excited, though, to try and have a focus in my making this year, and I look forward to seeing what my Make Nine looks like at the end of 2021.

About a year and a half ago now I started learning how to quilt thanks to my friend Lydia, and for this past Christmas I made my third completed quilt as a gift for my friend Katie.

One thing I love about quilting is the creative opportunity that it presents. Each quilt that I’ve completed so far has started with the same general idea, the half-square triangle, and each one has turned out completely different in the end. Learning that approach alone creates so much possibility for design, and half the fun for me is in sitting down with a handful of HSTs and moving them about like a puzzle to create a design that really jumps out at me for the current project. It’s just so cool! And it’s beyond satisfying when I find something I like and stick with it.

I actually haven’t used a pattern to make any of my quilts yet, and on the one hand that is so much fun because I get to put my creative muscles to use–but I’m also looking forward to the day that I find a pattern I love (or that I think someone else will love) and trying my hand at something more than winging it. The funny thing is that I’ve been knitting for years and have never made a pattern of my own from scratch. I’ve never really had the patience or the desire for it. But with quilting, I haven’t much bothered with patterns, besides the occasional bit of browsing, because it’s an entirely different kind of satisfaction when I’m quilting without that kind of guidance or restraint.

So much of this quilt came together as I was working on it: the square patterns, the addition of the black space, the quilting pattern. I even chose the quilting thread in the middle of the project, debating between black or purple for the top. When I went to Joann Fabrics to browse thread colors, ultimately deciding I’d be choosing a purple, not only did I get a purple but I got a variegated thread with beautiful shades. It added such a cool dimension to the quilting design that I never would have thought of if I hadn’t given myself the freedom to just browse thread colors halfway through the project. (And, no surprise, I am now more than a little obsessed with variegated thread.)

I see so many more quilts in my future–I’m pretty sure we’re going to be buried under throw blankets in our next house. If at some point you no longer hear from me, just know that I went in one of the best ways possible: comfortably wrapped in an endless blanket burrito.

#makenine2021

a quilted christmas gift.