Thanks again to everyone who played along with my last post where I previewed my new book. The winner of the copy of the new Trendy Table book is:
Leslie Sorenson. Please drop me an email at hmulder@wecnet.com to claim your copy. Just include your shipping info and I will get it sent out right away.
For those of you who didn’t win, the books are available now and can be found at independent quilt shops or from our store here.
Today I would also like to talk a little bit about Me Made May. If you haven’t heard about it before, you can read about it here. I first heard about it last year on Instragram and participated a little. This year I signed up and did pretty good job meeting my daily requirements. The goal was to wear something handmade each day, in an effort to make better use of my hand-made clothing. I have a tendency to focus on what’s wrong with everything I make, so I don’t wear them. This challenge helped me to put those thoughts aside and just wear them. I also took the time to alter a few things to make them more wearable. I hate doing alterations, so it was good motivation to get it done.
I also feel like the handmade things in my wardrobe are so obvious, that I sometimes feel like I have a “nerd” alert sign on my back. I like the thought that there are many others joining me in wearing their hand-made things and we can all be nerdy together. And by doing this together, we help make being a Maker more popular. That thought just makes me happy – I love being a maker and love to see others who are also. (By the way, am I dating myself by saying nerd? I’m not sure anybody even uses that word anymore!)
These collages are a few of the things that I have been posting over on Instagram each day. You can find me on Instragram as “ankastreasures” or click here. You can read more about each project on my Instagram page also.
One of the other fun things about this month, is you can use the hashtags to see what everyone else is doing. It’s very inspiring – not only to see the projects, but also the fabrics. I have my eye on a couple prints that I think need to become part of my stash now ;-). Some of the hashtags you can search are: #memademay, #mmmay, #memademay16.
Trends and Traditions 
Oh my. I can’t believe I’m the same way. I’ve made lots of sweaters for myself and I just can’t make myself wear them. I wore one to church and a lady ahead of me said ” Oh wow, a beautiful handmade sweater”. Ummm, thats all it took. I’ve never worn it since. “Handmade”. Grr. I recently sold 3 of my un-worn sweaters to my sister in law, (100.00 ea. Yarn was probably at least that) One was Halletts Lodge… Got the pattern thru your ravelry acct. I now just do baby sweaters. Figure it will get used and I can still knit.
Thank you, thank you Heather. An e-mail with my info is on the way. Besides loving your quilt designs and your darling boys, I also drool over your talents as a knitter.
Are you all kidding?? there is not one thing that you showed that I would not LOVE to wear!!! What is this “flaw” that you speak of? they are beautiful and you are talented. If only I knew how to knit and had more time.
Every thing looks lovely. Wear them all the time, not just to fulfill a pledge! I sew a lot of clothes for myself and always wear them – hopefully I don’t look “nerdy”. I usually get compliments and I imagine you do too.I hope you enjoy wearing them.
You are definitely too hard on yourself–as are most of us who create items that never quite hit the perfect mark in our minds! All your stitching and knitting skills are advanced so don’t short yourself by thinking the simpler silhouettes are not showing your talent!