Author Archives: mlwilkie

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About mlwilkie

Software Developer, Mother, Wife with keen interest in art, design and crafts of all kinds.

Book Journey {an update}

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Back in December, I started letting you all know about the my goals and timelines for my book. Well, let me tell you I am really impressed by those that can get a book together in 6-12 months. Let me say with full-time job commitments, family life, other quilt project deadlines and teaching events, giving the book the priority it needs has not been easy.

As I am writing this, I am telling myself constantly that it is ok. As my lovely editor says “Your book will be ready in August”. August when, who knows. Obviously not 2018. I hope it is definitely 2019.

The biggest discoveries I made:

  1. That to have a book the projects really need to be finished, before you can finalize content.
  2. Support from your circle is important. In June, I was able to share more of my ideas and direction with my inner circle helping on the book. It was good to get feedback and reinforce the direction is going the right way…..no matter how slowly.
  3. This touch point was fantastic, and I feel it helped clear my mind somewhat and refocus.
  4. Capturing good notes now as I develop each quilt, has been extremely important in telling the story for each project.

Where am I at, you might ask….

The Introduction – Notes and Outline are complete, photography concepts included.

Tools chapter – Notes and Outline are complete, photography concepts included.

Project 1 – Manicured Gardens quilt is complete, I’ll post about it shortly. Graphic Design/layout rough draft reviewed.

Project 2 – Group quilt binding is underway. This will be for a side bar; group activity segment.

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Project 3 – Rotating Spokes Quilt is being quilted.

Project 4 – Art Deco Medallion quilt is being pieced. Friends are helping out with some of the hand work based blocks.

Project 5 – Broken Trellis Quilt is being pieced. Friends are helping out with some of the  block piecing.

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Project 6 – Coliseum quilt top is complete.

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Project 7 – Cairns quilt design is complete. This was a major break through this past weekend and inspiration from Leon Polk Smith’s work helped this go in the right direction.

Project 8 – 12 are still percolating and evolving.

A list of photo shoot places is underway (though some maybe wishful thinking ;-)):

  • Downtown Apex at the white brick wall
  • Biltmore Estate Gardens (visiting in May next year)
  • Yates Mill Historic Park
  • Rome (Coliseum) / back up location would be the ruins in Beaufort, SC
  • NC Old Barns both wood and corrugated iron backgrounds
  • Lisbon, Portugal (just b/c its my favorite place)

To keep this project moving forward I need to set a couple of goals for the rest of the year. So, I want to do the following and have these goals done by the end of the Christmas break:

  1. Finish first draft for introduction chapter
  2. Finish first draft tools chapter
  3. Touch base with my editor and graphic designer.
  4. Complete Project 2 (1 3/4 sides of binding to go).
  5. Complete Project 3 (Quilting and binding)
  6. Complete current border for  Project 4.
  7. Complete Project 6 (basting, quilting and binding)
  8. Project 7, trying out the design concepts on a test project.

 

Why take a break from Social Media??

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This year, I have felt like I’m in some kind of funk.  I have been lacking motivation and ideas. I get in front of my sewing machine, sew a couple of lines and then take a break. As the year progressed, I noticed the time spent on social media (especially Instagram) increased and by the beginning of June it was at least 2 hours a day. The constant visual stimuli of Instagram, and watching what others were producing (which felt like over productivity) was feeding the inadequacy I was feeling. I was feeling anxiety about not making progress around my own work.

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With my birthday being around the corner, I decided to take a break from social media for the month of June. My hopes were to take time to find me again. My goals for this month were:

  • Take some me time
  • Take an Instagram break
  • Work on my book for 1 hour each day
  • Spend a minimum of 1 hour sewing every day

Everyone was so supportive about taking a break. I lost only 2 followers on Instagram after the announcement. Those that might be wondering about how it all turned out, I got some mixed results. The biggest lesson I learnt was I need to expand it to all electronic use, unless I need to use it to accomplish the tasks I sent forth. Why? Well, you might all of a sudden binge watch all episodes of House and Dawsons Creek. 😉

Some of the positives, I was more present and more focused. I found I was more open to some design inspiration and did collect more of my book thoughts. I got some quilt this done but not as much as I would have liked (due to the binge watching).

Being Present

I did manage to add a new cubby to my solid fabric storage and its all stored based on color card order.

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I was more present in my life. I visited Saxapahaw, NC for my birthday …

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…and my little one graduated elementary school. So proud of him, as he was awarded the technology award for his track and grade.
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Quilt Design

I did find that my mind is more open, so designs came fast and hang around in my head until I got them down on paper. I found my expressing some of my feelings in some of these. Captions are provided to explain some of the inspiration.

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Crack of Light – inspired by hope of light that shines through when times are dark.

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Pressure – pressure on an object causes it to give, become divided or split.

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Road markings inspired by temporary lines that were drawn due to road closures.

Grate

Inspired by a image of a vintage tractor grate.

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Playing with lines, inspired by volume sound bars.

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What my minimalist Log Cabin design would look like.

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Improvisation lines and frames inspired by ladders steps

Quilts

 

I did make some progress on a few quilts. I have multiple projects in different stages.

I worked on some binding projects. Two of which are book quilt finishes.
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…finished a couple of quilt tops.

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Coliseum Quilt – A book project

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Correlation Matrix – work on my 100 days of colored angles.

… worked on some straight line quilting for my rotating spokes book project.

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…and finished of one quilt that was shipped off to a magazine. It should be published in November, when I will have a big reveal.

So, all in all pretty productive. I will definitely be considering another one this year. I am thinking that it should be something I do at least once every six months.

Have you tried a social media break? What worked and what didn’t work?

Phased Circles {Pattern Release}

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Phased Circles is a very special quilt for me. It was the first quilt that truly identifies who I am. It really made me realize quilting is something I want to do, its something I love.

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It was designed from a doodle and plays with color and volume. I recently had a great time teaching the block at Cary Quilting Company. It was so great what other people could do with the pattern using their fabric choices.

Now, it can be your turn. The digital pattern for Phased Circles is now available for purchase, in both my Payhip shop and on Craftsy.

I would love to see what you make, so tag me on Instagram (@ml_wilkie) and use the hashtag #phasedcirclesquilt.