Alabama Studio Style Blog Tour

Natalie Chanin's Alabama Studio Style blog tour begins today. Here is the schedule:

Feb. 9:  http://www.burdastyle.com/blog  Inspiration Contest Launch

Feb 12: http://eco-chick.com  Fan Love

Feb 15: http://www.ecostiletto.com  Eco-Luxe Story

Feb 17: http://houseonhillroad.typepad.com  Projects and Palettes

Feb 24: http://www.trueup.net  Sourcing Sustainability

Feb 26: http://whipup.net  Launching Your Own Line

March 1: http://www.purlbee.com  Quilts That Tell a Story

March 5: http://heatherross.squarespace.com  Sweet Home Alabama

March 9:  http://www.etsy.com/storque  How-To Tuesday and Craft Night Preview

March 22: http://www.melaniefalickbooks.com  Special Post

Leave a comment on this post by noon on March 9, 2010--about the book, the tour, or something you're making--and earn a chance to win the STC Craft book of your choice. Three winners will be chosen at random and contacted after the noon deadline on March 9. (We will add you to our e-mailing list if you leave a comment unless you tell us that you do not want to be added. Thanks.)

P.S. I reopened yesterday's box and here is a photo of the contents. Isn't it amazing to think that this pile of fabric, thread, and beads will become the Spiral Applique & Beaded Camisole Dress (except my base fabric  is black instead of green)!

Alabama Stitch Book Swing Skirt Finished, Alabama Studio Style Camisole Dress to Begin

 At the beginning of the new year I posted about my resolution to craft for at least 10 minutes a day and about one of my first projects of the year-- the Beaded-Applique Swing Skirt from Alabama Stitch Book. Well, I managed to work on it for at least 10 minutes a day for most of January and then to finish it, I think I worked on it for about 10 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, I don't have anyone around to take a photo of me wearing it and my attempts at photographing the whole skirt as a still life were disappointing (to put it midly), so to show you that I finished and as a placeholder, here is a detail. I'll post a pretty photo of the whole skirt as soon as I have one.

I put some pressure on myself to finish the skirt because last week the kit for the Spiral Applique & Beaded Camisole Dress from Alabama Studio Style arrived and I really wanted to start it but felt compelled to finish the skirt first. In fact, when the box arrived I opened it and carefully pulled out the fabric, thread, and beads, then put everything back inside. I placed the beautifully stenciled box where I could see it, so it would continue to inspire me to focus on the skirt. Now I just need to get all of my work done today so I can reopen the box and start working on the dress tonight. Photo of the contents of the box to come soon (I hope).

Quilting for Peace in Haiti

After writing my last post I decided to Google "quilting Haiti" and immediately found a link to Peacequilts.  According to its website, this organization works to relieve poverty in Haiti by establishing and supporting women's quilting cooperatives. Members of Peacequilts were literally at the airport getting ready to board a plane to Haiti when the earthquake struck and the flight was cancelled. On the Peacequilts website you can learn more about what is happening in Haiti right now and how you can support Haitians by getting involved in their efforts (including sending donations, fundraising, and/or purchasing beautiful quilts made by the women of Haiti.)

Quilting for Peace--About the Cover and Getting Involved

We looked at a lot of cover variations before we chose a design for Quilting for Peace by Katherine Bell. We knew we wanted the cover of this book to be related to the cover to the first book in the series Knitting for Peace, but didn't feel like it needed to be identical. More than anything else, we wanted the cover to catch people's attention so that they would pick it up, and then feel inspired to quilt for good causes.

The cover above (a runner-up) features the Sawtooth Star Quilt, designed according to the guidelines of Quilts of Valor, an organization devoted to making quilts for veterans.

This multi-image cover (another runner-up) features (from left to right) a detail of an Easy, Striped Baby Quilt adapted from a pattern by Binky Patrol Founder Susan Hinch; the Sawtooth Star Quilt (see above); Mirabel the Owl, a softie made following a design by Softies for Mirabel founder Pip Lincolne; and a Recycled Sleeping Bag adapted from the Sleeping Bag Project pattern.

This is the cover we chose. It features the Preemie Pinwheel Quilt, adapted from a Quilts for Kids pattern.

 To see a few interior pages of this book, click on the book cover in the right margin. To learn about STC Craft's Quilting for Peace campaign, click here.

My Winter Strategy

I'm one of those people who tends to get down during the winter, but I have a strategy for dealing with it that really does help. Here's what I've got going on inside my house right now.

These flowers don't make more sunlight, warm up the temperatures outside, or take away bad news, but each time I look at them, I pause for a moment and feel some goodness. Today I decided to take some photos in hopes of spreading some goodness around.