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Showing posts sorted by date for query quilting. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query quilting. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Animal Books & Crafts for Earth Day

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books (digital for stories and physical for crafts) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Happy Earth Day! I am one who believes every day is Earth Day but today is the day the world celebrates this amazing planet and the nature that fills it. To celebrate today I am sharing three new children's books about animals with perfect messages for Earth Day and craft round-ups to go with them as well as two craft books with animal themes. We will start with the first two books. They are from the Surviving Wild series by Remy Lai. The series are graphic novels for ages 6 to 9. The first is Surviving the Wild: Rainbow the Koala

Meet Ketanji Brown Jackson for Women's History Month

 


I love March! We have Women's History Month, Pi Day, National Quilting Day and National Craft Month!! All my favorite things!! I always love to learn about new women who made a difference in our world. Today I thought I would learn about a woman who is in the current news, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. 

Origami Art with Origami Paper 1000 Sheets Color Bursts with Origami Butterfly Tutorial

 

Disclosure: I was sent a box of this origami paper in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

I have shared I have been on an origami kick since I subbed at Hazel's school for the geometry teacher. I have had a piece of origami artwork I have been waiting to share. For some reason I thought the paper I used wasn't released yet, but it was, so I am finally getting to share it with you. I will also share the tutorial to make the butterflies on it. 

Fun Facts about Quilting with Quilt Book Round-Up

 

Disclosure: I sent digital copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I will receive a small percentage of purchases made through the links provided at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share. 

I love making quilts. However I do it rather slowly most of the time. I have had four quilt books that I haven't shared with you sitting in my review folder and to be honest I haven't been motivated to start any of the quilts. I picked out quilts to make in each one but didn't have a bed or person to make them for and just didn't have the time to do them without the motivation of a reason. I also have had a lot of family things going on and am hoping to start making a classic double wedding ring for my own bed. So with all of that I thought I would do a quilt book round-up with fun facts about quilting first.

Fun Facts about Quilting

  1. The word quilt comes from the Latin word culcita which means mattress or cushion. The English word was first used around 1250.
  2. Quilting as we know it, where stuffing goes between two layers of fabric, started in France.
  3. Rudimentary quilting dates back to China around 3000 B.C. Their ancient warriors quilted chest protectors together.
  4. Ancient Egyptians quilted clothing.
  5. The world’s oldest quilt in existence is the Tristan Quilt. It is in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is believed it was made between 1360 and 1400.
  6. Le Tristan quilt Noble et son hérault 1395
    Tristan Quilt by Unknown 1395, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


  7. Early American quilts were made by the English and Dutch settlers. They used them to keep warm at night while sleeping but also to keep out drafts from doors and windows.
  8. The world’s largest quilt is the AIDS Memorial Quilt. It weighs 54 tons and spans 1.2 million square feet. In 1987 it contained 1,920 panels commemorating people who died of AIDS. Now there are 48,000 panels. Most blocks are rectangles measuring 6 feet by 3 feet or roughly the size of a grave.
  9. Aids Quilt
    AIDS Memorial Quilt Photo by National Institutes of Health, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


  10. The largest patchwork quilt measures 270,174 square feet. It is called Manta da Cultura (Patchwork for Culture) and was made in 2000 by Realizar Eventors Especialis in Portugal.
  11. The world’s largest historical quilt is in Antler, North Dakota. It depicts the state as a colorful map. It is 11,390 square feet.
  12. In 2020 the U.S. had approximately 21 million quilters. They had an average age of 63.
  13. Paducah, Kentucky calls itself the quilting capital of the world. It is home to The National Quilt Museum.
  14. A summer quilt is a quilt that does not have the stuffing.
  15. During the 1800s there was a custom for a girl to make a baker’s dozen of quilt tops before she engaged. 12 were utility quilts and one was a masterpiece for her bridal bed. After her engagement she would complete the tops into quilts.
  16. A mother would often make several quilts for her children for when they left their childhood home and became adults.
  17. In the mid 1800s the introduction of the sewing machine changed how quilt tops were pieced. However even with the invention of a separate quilting attachment hand quilting was still favored for another century.
  18. The US postal service has featured quilts from Gee’s Bend, Amish and folk art on its stamps.
  19. It is said the most famous quilts in America are the Gee’s Bend Quilts
  20. Gee's Bend, Alabama LCCN2010639065
    Gee's Bend Quilting Bee photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


  21. Quilting bees originated in the Midwest US during the 1800s . There was a need for socializing due to lack of neighbors. It drew women together to finish quilts and make new friends.
  22. The most expensive quilt ever sold was a Civil War-era piece purchased for $254,000 in 1991.
  23. Dedicated quilters are defined as those who spend more than $500/year on quilting buy on average 99 yards of fabric a year which is almost enough for an entire football field. Dedicated quilters usually spend $3,363 on quilting supplies each year. They spend almost 8 hours a week on-line visiting quilting sites and groups centered on quilting techniques, supplies and news.
  24. Beginner quilters spend 6.9 hours quilting a week on average. Advanced quilters spend around 17.6 hours.
  25. The average quilter in 2020 is a retired woman in her 60s and she owns four different sewing machines.
  26. Quilters answering a survey say they quilt to relax, relieve stress, be creative, and connect with family and friends through gift-giving.

Sources:

Now onto our books. Since my mother gave me many different size strips, I wanted to look at various strip quilts including jelly roll ones. A jelly roll is usually 40 2.5-inch strips of coordinating fabrics. Three out of the four books I am sharing involve strips. The first is Love of Jelly Roll Quilts by Love Patchwork & Quilting. 

From the Publisher: 


Tantalizing, tasty, sweet . . . sew up something good enough to eat!

From the pages of Love Patchwork & Quilting and Today’s Quilter comes a delicious collection of 13 bright, bold quilts that feature the perennially popular jelly roll strips. Strip piecing, basketweave, pinwheels, appliqué, and more—use 2 1/2-inch pre-cut fabric strips in exciting and unexpected ways. Whip up quilts in a range of project sizes and complexity, including a suite of baby projects, a pillow, wall hangings, and bed quilts. Top designers like Susan Briscoe and Jo Avery are featured. Finally, get the best from the pages of the UK’s most popular quilting magazines!
  • Jelly rock-’n’-roll! This project-stuffed book is an easy and affordable way to own stylish patterns from the best-selling modern quilting magazines in the United Kingdom.
  • Piece thirteen projects from 2 ½” precut strips, ranging from bed-size beauties to quick-sew projects
  • Take strip-piecing a step further with innovative techniques and tons of variety

From Me:

This book gives thirteen different projects that range from bed quilts to nursery quilts and accessories. Some are twists on more traditional patterns and others are a bit more modern. Of course any can be made more modern depending on the fabric one chooses. 

I love that the quilt has many strip quilts as well as ones where the jelly roll strips are cut into squares or triangles to make more complex designs. I also love that there are the baby quilt, matching pillow, and a comforter (which Hazel would have loved as a baby). There are some fun projects in this book.

Our next book is String Frenzy by Bonnie K Hunter. 
https://shrsl.com/2oqg6

From the Publisher:


Once you go scrappy, there’s no turning back!

Are you buried in scraps—big pieces, small pieces, hunks, chunks, strips, and parts? Bonnie K. Hunter fans will love her newest book of playful string-quilt projects! Sew a dozen vibrant quilt patterns using the small leftovers from other projects that seem too tiny to save, yet too big to toss. Learn Bonnie’s basics for foundation piecing narrow fabric pieces 3/4” to 2” wide, turning them into dazzling scrappy blocks and one-of-a-kind quilts.

• Have a string piecing party with a best-selling author, the great Bonnie K. Hunter
• Love your leftovers! Become a scrap quilt addict, sewing fabric strings and crumbs into brand new blocks
• Hunter fans will love this offering of twelve “use it all” patterns in her signature style


From Me:

This book has twelve quilts to make. Bonnie uses foundation paper when piecing the blocks. This will make points more clear but also take longer. The creativity in the styles however is amazing. There is even a pumpkin patch one. Most of the quilts use random sizes of strips and not the 2.5-inches of a jelly roll, so these are good patterns to use on scraps or some of the strips my mother gave me. She gave me ones that range from about 1-inch to 6-inches. 

There is a huge variety of styles of quilts in this book and the instructions are easy to follow. Bonnie is very creative with the quilt patterns combining a bit of modern and traditional styles. 

Our next book is Strip Quilt Secrets by Diane D. Knott.

From the Publisher:

Transform fabric strips into unique and interesting quilts

Get ready for some of the best-kept secrets in strip quilting! You’ll start with the basics of cutting, storing, and piecing fabric strips from 1½” to 3½” wide. Explore five techniques to make strip-pieced rows, triangles, and more advanced blocks. Then make the most of your stash by turning precut strips, sliced yardage, and even selvages into fifteen innovative strip-quilt projects. Customize the look of each quilt with blank coloring pages, laying the foundation to design your own strip quilts.

• Sew fifteen quilt projects from fabric strips, in every look from planned to scrap-tastic
• Bust your stash and your scraps! Use extra-wide strips, skinny selvages, precuts, and yardage to sew innovative designs
• Start with easy strip sets, advancing to triangles and interesting layouts that might surprise you



From Me: 

This book has different techniques and is divided up by those techniques. There are strip sets, triangles from strips, resewing strips, individual strips and more. There are a total of fifteen projects in this book, and there is a lot of variety from traditional to modern quilts. She uses different size strips and even has some with the selvages. In the beginning of the book Diane shares about her strip collection and how she creates the strips. 

The quilts in this book range for scrap quilts to well planned color wise quilts. Some of the quilts use a fabric foundation piece but others are just piecing the strips. The instructions are very clear and there are great pictures also to help.

Our final book is a nod to my former life as a geometry teacher. I a tend to love to check out books about optical illusion quilts and 3-D quilts. I believe it is because I taught about them in geometry classes for so many years. It is Stunning 3-D Quilts Simplified by Ruth Ann Berry.

From the Publisher:

Sew three-dimensional quilt illusions

Create a stunning quilt that will have your friends asking, “How did you do that?” Believe it or not, these attention-grabbing projects come together with straight rows of simple shapes. You’ll learn how to sew 12 visually arresting quilts each in 4 colorways giving you dozens of dynamic options. Build your confidence in bias piecing, as you pair light, medium, and dark fabrics for heavenly hexes. Don’t be intimidated—just follow the easy assembly diagrams and watch your quilt come together one row at a time with no inset seams. These 3-D illusions are so impressive, you won’t know whether to keep them on the bed or hang them on the wall.
  • Sew 3-D illusion quilts that have your friends asking how you did it
  • Arrange 60-degree triangles in rows for easy piecing with no inset seams
  • Build your confidence in bias piecing, mixing color values for dimensional effects

From Me:

Most of the patterns in this book offer different sizes however almost all of them are at least a twin size. They are big. I wasn't sure I was ready to make such a big 3-D quilt design which is why I haven't made one of them yet. The book provides the pattern in one set of colors however shows color alternatives at the end of each quilt instruction. Again there is a huge variety with the quilts. They all tend to be pretty modern but some are busier than others. Most of these quilts are made with more solid-ish fabrics and the designs on the fabric help with the shading and thus giving the 3-D look.

The patterns are fun and the color choices really make the quilts pop. I love that they give some color inspiration for each quilt. There is also a table runner which I may play with soon. The book provides a "graph" of each quilt as well so color can be explored a bit. 

So I hope you will get quilting and check out these books. Did you know September is National Sewing Month? It is the perfect time to start a new quilt project! Will you join me? Be sure to check all of my quilt posts for even more inspiration!







A Look at Korea with Bojagi and Food

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This week I thought we would look at Korea through a craft and food. So far this month we have looked at China and Vietnam. We will also begin looking a Japan but I will continue the Japan resources into June with the Summer Olympics in Tokyo coming up in July! So today we look at Korea. Now over the years we have explored Korea with books, stories, crafts and food. We even have looked at the Korean language. Now I have had Korean Patchwork Quilting by Choi Yangsook sitting on my shelf for awhile. I have been meaning to share it for Crafty Sundays but haven't gotten around to it because I am fascinated with discovering bojagi. I have not tried any of the projects yet but plan to. Then when I was looking for something to make for dinner tonight with ground beef, I found this recipe for Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls. I figured it was the day to share the book and look at Korea! First here is our Korean Ground Beef and Rice dinner. My family LOVED it!! I only used half the red pepper because we don't like too much heat. 

Quilt Books for Crafty Sundays

 

Disclosure: I was sent digital copies of these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own. I will receive a small percentage of a purchase made through the shared links at no cost to you.

March is National Craft Month. I have not had much time to craft but did start working on a quilt today, so I decided to share some of the quilt books I have been thinking about trying today as well as the one I did try. We will start with Sew Very Easy Quilt Favorites: 12 Skill-Building Projects from Laura Coia.

Reading Thursday: What I am currently reading...

 

Disclosure: Some of these books I was sent in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As a book reviewer I find I need to schedule time to read the books. I am not a fast reader. I insist on novels being physical books. I can only do digital books for craft books and picture books. Otherwise the reviews won't get written because I won't get through them. As I thought about what to share today I decided to share with you what I am currently reading. Some of these books are for future reviews and some are for myself. The first book I will share is one I was told by my gynecologist to read because I turned 50 this summer and am starting menopause. The truth is I wish I read this about five years ago!! If you are in your 40s you want to get a copy of this book because the changes start happening well before you realize it. The book is The Wisdom of Menopause by Dr. Christiane Northrup. 


From the Publisher:

Dr. Christiane Northrup’s #1 New York Times bestseller The Wisdom of Menopause has inspired more than a million women with a dramatically new vision of midlife—and will continue to do so for generations to come. As Dr. Northrup has championed, the “change” is not simply a collection of physical symptoms to be “fixed,” but a mind-body revolution that brings the greatest opportunity for growth since adolescence. The choices a woman makes now—from the quality of her relationships to the quality of her diet—have the power to secure vibrant health and well-being for the rest of her life.

Now completely revised, this groundbreaking classic draws on the current research and medical advances in women’s health, and includes

• a new section on sex after 50—and how, if need be, you can rejuvenate your sex life
• updated mammogram guidelines—and how thermography improves breast health
• the latest on the glycemic index, optimal blood sugar levels, and ways to prevent diabetes
• dietary guidelines revealing that hidden sugar—not dietary fat—is the main culprit in heart disease, cancer, and obesity
• all you need to know about perimenopause and why it’s critical to your well-being
• a vital program for ensuring pelvic health during and after menopause
• strategies to combat osteoporosis and strengthen bones for life

With this trusted resource, Dr. Christiane Northrup shows that women can make menopause a time of personal empowerment—emerging wiser, healthier, and stronger in both mind and body than ever before.

From Me:
I need to make more time to read this one. I was hooked on it when I read the first page. It resonated with me and what has been going on in my own life/body. I definitely suggest it for anyone in their 40s or more.

The next book that I'm reading is for personal reasons. It is The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. It is the next book from where I left off in the Elm Creek Quilt series. 

From the Publisher:
The New York Times bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series continues, with a novel that celebrates one of America's most romantic and enduring traditions.

Sarah McClure arrived at Elm Creek Manor as a newlywed, never suspecting that her quilting lessons with master quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson would inspire the successful and enduring business Elm Creek Quilts, whose members have nurtured a circle of friendship spanning generations.

The Wedding Quilt opens as the wedding day of Sarah's daughter Caroline approaches. As Sarah has learned, a union celebrates not only the betrothed couple's passage into wedlock, but also the contributions of those who have made the bride and groom the unique people they are. Thus Sarah's thoughts are filled with brides of Elm Creek Manor past and present-the traditions they honored, the legacies they bequeathed, and the wedding quilts that contain their stories in every stitch.

A wedding quilt is a powerful metaphor: of sisterhood, of community, of hope for the future. The blocks in Caroline's wedding quilt will display the signatures of beloved guests. As the Elm Creek Quilters circulate amid the festive preparations with pens and fabric in hand, memories of the Manor-and of the women who have lived there, in happiness and in sorrow-spill forth, rendering a vivid pastiche of family, friendship, and love in all its varieties.

From Me:
I'm loving how this book is full of memories from the earlier books in the series. It honestly feels like I'm catching up with old friends.

The next book I was hoping to review today but I just haven't had enough time to finish it. It is Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood by Gary Paulsen.

From the Publisher: 
A middle grade memoir from a living literary legend, giving readers a new perspective on the origins of Gary Paulsen's famed survival stories.

His name is synonymous with high-stakes wilderness survival stories. Now, beloved author Gary Paulsen portrays a series of life-altering moments from his turbulent childhood as his own original survival story. If not for his summer escape from a shockingly neglectful Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead at age five, there never would have been a Hatchet. Without the encouragement of the librarian who handed him his first book at age thirteen, he may never have become a reader. And without his desperate teenage enlistment in the Army, he would not have discovered his true calling as a storyteller.

A moving and enthralling story of grit and growing up, Gone to the Woods is perfect for newcomers to the voice and lifelong fans alike, from the acclaimed author at his rawest and realest.

From Me: 
I am enjoying reading this book. It is so interesting to hear the details of his life. It is well written and pulls the reader in. I'm about a third of the way through it and the truth is when I start reading it I have trouble putting it down. I just haven't had enough time to read it. I hope you will check it out and stay tuned for my full review.

My final book is the book I'm hoping to share on Monday for our final Black History Month post. It is The Awakening of Malcolm X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Tiffany D. Jackson. 

From the Publisher: 
The Awakening of Malcolm X is a powerful narrative account of the activist's adolescent years in jail, written by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz along with 2019 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe award-winning author, Tiffany D. Jackson.

No one can be at peace until he has his freedom.

In Charlestown Prison, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, Malcolm drifts through days, unsure of his future. Slowly, he befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. And as his time in jail comes to an end, he begins to awaken -- emerging from prison more than just Malcolm Little: Now, he is Malcolm X.

Here is an intimate look at Malcolm X's young adult years. While this book chronologically follows X: A Novel, it can be read as a stand-alone historical novel that invites larger discussions on black power, prison reform, and civil rights.

From Me:
Again I'm enjoying it. When I pick it up I have trouble putting it down. Steve noticed it and asked to read it after me. I was shocked. He hardly reads novels and doesn't pay that much attention to Black history. I am hoping to get this one finished for my last Black History Month post for this year! Tune in Monday to get my full review of it!

Jennifer Chiaverini's New Quilt Book to go with Elm Creek Quilters Series -- Mommy Time Review

 

Disclosure: I was given a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Some of the links in this post will give me a small percentage of anything purchased through them at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

Who are your favorite authors? Do you have a favorite book series? I have a few but the truth is I don't always pick up my favorite reads since I'm so busy reading children's books. I want to get back to my favorites. I was sad to hear my favorite author, Mary Higgins Clark, passed away in 2020. I use to read her books as soon as they came out but stopped doing that when I became a mom. I didn't have the time to always read as much as I use to and I tend to get into her books and not be able to put them down and stay up half the night to finish. I can't exactly do that anymore. I also love Jennifer Chiaverini. I fell in love with her Elm Creek Quilters series. It tied my love of reading with my love for quilting. I will admit as I spent time remembering the book from which today's quilting book is inspired, I saw she has written more books in the series than I have read. I have some reading to do for me. She also has historical novels. Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker was very popular when it first came out. Today's book however is about making the sampler quilt that is discovered in the ninth novel of Elm Creek Quilters, Circle of Quilters, by Maggie Flynn. Maggie finds an old quilt at a yard sale and is able to purchase it for $5. As she begins to research the quilt she discovers the story behind it. Today's book helps you make a replica of the quilt which Maggie does in the book herself so she can return the quilt to the descendants of the quilter. 

https://shrsl.com/2oqfv

Today's book is Harriet's Journey from Elm Creek Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini. Maggie found this beautiful sampler that had embroidered on it "Harriet Findley Birch. Lowell, Mass. to Salem Ore. 1854." She wants to find out about Harriet and her life and researches her. The quilt itself is 100 six-inch blocks in colors of the time. Of course the quilt is filthy when she purchases it and needs to be cared for but she is able to do this. Since her journey takes her to find Harriet's descendants she realizes she needs to give them the quilt but wants to keep a replica of it for herself. She makes the replica and now you can too with today's book.


The book shares a bit of the story of Maggie and the quilt in case the reader has not read Circle of Quilters. Then it has the 100 blocks and instructions on how to make each one. Jennifer even codes the block so the reader can put the blocks in the order of the "original" quilt. The code is easy to understand--a letter for the row and number for the column. After the block instructions there are general instructions for sashing and quilt assembly. Then there is a gallery of quilts made by different quilters using these blocks. 


The one above was done as a Christmas quilt. The one below only uses a few of the squares. As you can see the patterns can be used however the quilter wants to use them and it does not need to be a replica of the original quilt. 


The blocks are traditional blocks from the time period of the 1850's. They are beautiful blocks and can give a quilter some basics to work with and create their own masterpiece. I hope you will check out this fun book (as well as Jennifer Chiaverini's novels) and her other quilt books to go with the novels. Plus share with me your favorite authors and book series. I am hoping to take more time for myself and doing some self care during these crazy times. 

Craft Books Galore! Review and Round-Up of Craft Books--Quilting, Embroidery, Paper Quilling, Origami, Knitting and more!

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books and kits in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links where I will receive a small percentage of products that you purchase through them. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

As I have been doing the last few weeks I am trying to share all my books with you before Christmas. Although it is getting late now to order you can still get some by Christmas. So today I am sharing three craft books with you and then a round-up of the craft books I have to review still. We are going to start with our craft space and organizing it! 

Mommy Time Posts--Otomi Journal and Quilt Update

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this journal in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you make time for yourself? For self care? As mothers we tend to have the weight of the world or at least of our homes, families and work on our shoulders. It is hard to find time. A friend recently shared a post on Facebook of a conversation between two women. It involved finding time to meet God in mountains. In the Bible men are often climbing mountains and meeting God. Women however are back tending to the house and family. Does this mean women do not have God in their lives? No, the conversation shared that God knows the role women play and meets them at home. God is always with us to care for us because we don't have the time to just take off and climb a mountain. However it is important for us to take the time to take care of ourselves. I have decided to try to share products, activities and things about self care and mommy time on Fridays. First a quilt update. A few weeks ago I shared a review of Wintertime Shimmer. I decided to try the wall hanging option and instead of winter try to capture the beautiful autumn colors outside. I still have to do the applique on it and am planning on putting a female cardinal on instead of the male. (Yes I have an obsession with the female cardinals.) Anyway, here is the pieced portion of the quilt.


 I have to say it was very quick to piece and I love the pattern. I may make a winter one as well. I do find quilting, sewing, and crafts as part of my self care. I have a strong need to create and if I ignore the pull towards crafts I find myself lost. 

One of my favorite self care activities is journaling. There are times when the emotions are too much and I just need to let them out. I find my journal helps with this. Do you love journals? Hazel and I love them and tend to collect them. I was fortunate enough to get sent this beautiful Otomi Journal to review. 

https://papress.com/collections/journals-notebooks/products/otomi-journal-embroidered-textile-art-from-mexico

This journal has embossed Mexican embroidery design all over the cover. It is based off the traditional embroidery of the Otomi People in Central Mexico. They are an indigenous group to Central Mexico.


Inside the journal there are lined pages. Then every fifth page of so a print from the traditional embroidery appears. They are animals or flowers. 


I love the little surprises of the print. The pages themselves are thick and a good quality. I haven't started to use it but plan to keep track of some health data so I know what to tell doctors when I have appointments. Nowadays they tend to be telehealth appointments so it is important to be able to tell my doctor everything I need to since she is not really examining me. 


Plus if I get my act together I will be able to use it to track my diet and exercise. How would you use a journal? This one is absolutely beautiful. I love the added touch of its culture. They also have Otomi Notecards if you would prefer to send the beauty to your friends and family. I would love to hear how you are doing some self care these days!

Machine Quilting -- 2 Books to Help You--A Crafty Sundays Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in return for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. The links are affiliate links where I will receive a small percentage of any purchases made through them at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

This week it has been about quilting--machine quilting. Today I am going to share two books that will help you with machine quilting skills. The first book is for beginners as well as anyone who wants to learn some new skills and designs. It is Walk, Jog, Run: A Free-Motion Quilting Workout by Dara Tomasson. 

Crafty Sundays -- Quilt Art Chinese Style Review and My First Attempts at Paper Quilling

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This week I have been focusing on organizing my craft room. I'm about half way there! However last night I felt a strong urge to make something. I pulled out a cheap paper quilling kit I bought awhile ago (maybe at AC Moore before it closed). The kit taught how to make three different style flowers. I decided to give it a try. Here is my first one.

Crazy Quilting Dazzling Diamonds -- Crafty Sundays Review

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in return for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. The links are affiliate links where I will receive a small percentage of any purchases made through them at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

I miss Crafty Weekends Link Party. I decided to share my crafts each week on Sunday and bringing back sort of Crafty Weekends but calling it Crafty Sundays but it will not include the link party. Today I am going to share with you Crazy Quilting: Dazzling Diamonds by Kathy Seaman Shaw.

2 New Picture Books Perfect for Women's History Month

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

How are you surviving this crazy new social distancing? School buildings here are closed until at least May 4 and now lessons are on-line for all students. It is a strange time. I have several friends who are nurses at hospitals and both have told me about the lack of face masks. Although I believe the supplies are slowly coming I decided to do my part and make some face masks. Now we all know that homemade face masks will not stop COVID-19 like the N-95 face masks that the hospitals desperately need, but they will help protect some and certainly can be used in other parts of the hospitals. I pulled out the fabric scraps from past quilts and ones my mother gave me. I did some research. I found this article and its links to be very helpful. I combined a few tutorials and had one of my nurse friends try them on so I knew which was best. I used two layers of good quality quilting cotton fabrics and a layer of either a good t-shirt or flannel. 

Japanese Crafts -- Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Disclosure: We were sent these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are our own.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This year I thought I would focus on Japanese crafts. I have written a few posts about Japan and Japanese culture over the years. If you want a general overview of the country and its culture you should check out my review here. When I looked at my shelf of books to review I saw a bit of a pattern and realized I had a collection of books about crafts in Japan. Part of what I love about these books is most of them also teach a bit about the culture.

Quilting with Precuts Handy Pocket Guide--a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: C&T Publishing sent me this ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! I will receive a small stipend for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!

I am happy to report my sewing machine is working again. I'm not sure what was wrong last week, but with a quick clean and reinstalling the bobbin it worked fine today so I can share with you the Handy Pocket Guide: Quilting with Precuts compiled by Gailen Runge.

Sew It! a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Do you have a tween or teen who sews or quilts or wants to learn how? Tonight's book is perfect for him or her. It is Sew It! by Allison Nicoll. 

Mommy Time Review -- 3 Books

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I am going to share three books that fall in my Mommy Time review or are for adults. The first is a non-fiction book where singer/songwriter Lisa Gungor shares her own experience dealing with love, loss and raising a child with special needs. It is The Most Beautiful Thing I've Seen