Inspiration

“Hi Mrs. Mack. Can Kathy come out and play?”

“Oh no, not today. She MUST finish her pattern first.”

I’ve been working for the last several weeks on creating my first sewing pattern. After a week of Classroom in a Book, endless searches on the Adobe forums, and generally ignoring absolutely everything else going on in my life I now have a logo that I like. I also have a pattern sheet (easier than I thought) and the beginnings of an instruction booklet (much harder than I predicted). Stay tuned and wish me luck.

What does this have to do with being tagged by Judy and Mary Anne and inspiration and blogs that make me think? It’s all the same thing to me. After passing the one year mark with my blog I did a lot of thinking about why I blog and why I choose to participate in this wacky alternate universe of women who write about their craft and their lives. Discovery, focus, drive, inspiration, doing, moving forward, embracing self, embracing motherhood, reaching, striving, making it happen…just a few words that come to mind.

I have a very large blog roll. I LOVE everyone on it for different reasons. Big ones, little ones, you all make me think. Here’s a random slice of my roll:

Hillary Lang. OK, I know she’s big. Like REALLY big but I just couldn’t do this list without putting her at the top. About 2 years ago I did a google on ‘how to stuff a softie’. That fateful search led me to Wee Wonderfuls and the world of craft blogging that I never knew existed. Since then I’ve been eternally inspired by Hillary’s originality, production (man that girl knows how to crank it out) and her professional quality, self-published line of patterns.

Marci Senders. Marci was one of my Back Tack III buddies. She lives in New York (seems so far from my own life) and has posted for Illustration Friday EVERY week since I’ve known her. Discipline. She’s got it. Her art is so original and just speaks to me, you know what I mean? It makes me smile, it makes me laugh, it makes me think.

Kristin La Flamme. Kristin is an art quilter, mother, all around striving-for-greatness type of person. She’s the kind of woman I’d like to have as a big sister (I’m the oldest in my family). She’s always two steps ahead of me with issues she posts about. I love her subjects and her ability to convey her thoughts into words.

Megan at The Scent of Water. If you read Megan’s blog on a regular basis you know she always has something to say. Her writing is honest, provocative and melodic. Always a surprise waiting there. I like her too. She loves her kids, loves to sew and loves to take photographs. She’d be over at my house having tea right now if she didn’t live in New Zealand.

Lisa Call. One talented artist and one outspoken woman. Lisa’s quilts are beautiful and inspiring to look at. Her hand dyed fabric colors continue to amaze me. She’s definitely the most ‘tell it like I see it’ blog I read. No stone is unturned. Quilt shows, gender issues in art, and making it as a working artist. She’s always on the tip of what’s going on and isn’t afraid to state her opinion about it.

I’m preparing for a weekend retreat (only 4 days away, yippeee) with my ASG chapter. 3 days of sewing with someone else making all the meals. Does that world really exist? Looking forward to swapping the keyboard for my sewing machine and catching up with my projects.