I had an idea in mind and 4 projects under my belt, but absolutely no idea how to write an entire book. So I started by thinking about how I live with quilts.
My youngest son once commented that other peoples' homes don't have quite so many quilts. It may have been constructive criticism, but I took it as a compliment. He was right, I do have quilts everywhere! Tiny quilts that I hang from door knobs, quilted pillows in chairs and on benches, mini quilts hung on the walls and displayed on tables, lap quilts draped on the couch or over the stair railing, and oh, the table runners... I LOVE table runners!!
And while I have a few favorite quilts that I keep out year round, for the most part, I change out my quilts depending on the holiday, the season, or even my mood. I love the rhythm of packing away and pulling out quilts as the year progresses.
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| Think Spring Pillow |
I decided that my book would have four seasonal collections of quilts, with projects that could be rotated as the seasons changed. In addition to the Little House quilts, I wanted to make a pillow, a mini quilt, a table runner and a lap quilt for each season.
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| Strawberry Blossoms Mini Quilt |
I wanted projects that would convey the look and feel of a season not only through the use of color, but with different quilt blocks and wool and embroidered embellishments. I also wanted to make sure to vary the complexity of the projects to make them accessible to quilters of all levels. And because I enjoy experimenting with different quilting techniques, I thought it might be fun to include a bit of paper piecing, raw edge appliqué and dimensional appliqué for quilters looking to try something new.
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| Pumpkin Spice Table Runner |
In the end, I decided to just make what I love and what I wanted to have in my home. The projects in Stitching for the Seasons make my home feel warm and inviting, and remind me to savor the season I'm in. But there's more: when I look at the quilts I've made, I remember the experience of making them and the sense of accomplishment that I felt when I finished and I'm inspired to continue creating.
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| Flurries Lap Quilt |
It's my hope that Stitching for the Seasons will inspire you, my fellow quilters, to warm your homes with quilts, to personalize your projects with wool and stitching, and perhaps to try a new technique, but most of all, to celebrate not only the seasons, but your craft.
—jen
