Around the World Blog Hop

Alisa of A Stitch In Between asked me to join in the Around the World Blog Hop, and I couldn't be happier for the invite from her. Alisa really embodies the theme of the hop, having lived in five countries, and currently hailing from Taiwan where she blogs about her sewing life. She makes all sorts of nifty things, but since I'm mom to two kids who just built a rocket ship out of our new vacuum cleaner box, this cool jetpack tshirt she made for her son is my most favorite recent finish of hers!

Without further ado, my hop interview:

What am I working on?
This is the part where I tell you I have the most amazing book deal up my sleeve, or that I've just created the next "it" quilt trend replete with pattern release and super popular QAL, right? If only that were the case.... 

my current WIPs: triangles, bee blocks, and Supernova swaps

At the moment I have three paused projects on my design wall (my full size Triangle QAL design, my halfway swapped Supernova Friendship Blocks, and the beginnings of my-month-as-queen Stash Bee quilt). And I say paused because just last week I decided to rededicate August to family and home instead of my originally planned sewathon. I'm enjoying every last minute of family time before my husband's and children's summer vacation ends while simultaneously purging every single room in the house of clutter and chaos. We spent the weekend rearranging three beds and a longarm, so the family camping trip we're leaving on this afternoon is happily subtitled "Escape from the Allen Wrench!"

a little appliqued bird of mine

How does my work differ from others?
If you'd asked me this a year ago, I'd have had no clue. Today, though, a year of projects under my belt has me seeing more clearly what my style and focuses are, and they're not all what I was planning when I set out: I enjoy making small quilted projects for kids, and I seem to have been bitten by the applique bug!

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Why do I create what I do?
I have notebooks full of sketches for full size quilts and projects for myself, but usually my kids are my inspiration and they win top billing when it comes to prioritizing my sewing. Even when I work for clients, the finishes are often for kids, such as nap mats, baby and doll quilts. 

How does my blogging process work?
I try to post regularly, but I've stopped aiming to write on a set schedule because it made blogging and my quilting and sewing a lot less enjoyable. I enjoy posting what I'm working on, participating in hops and QALs, and writing when I have something to share in a voice I think is truly me. Beyond that, my process looks a lot like typing furiously late late at night because I was to busy quelling a mutiny between savage hungry children at 5 pm when the idea struck and simply must get it all down now that the little angels are sleeping ; )

shhhhh... see? this is when I get my best work done

For next Monday's Around the World Blog Hop,
I've rounded up not one, not two, but
THREE wonderful bloggers for you to visit!

First is Heidi from Fabric Mutt. Heidi hails from California where she creates all sorts of sewing projects, but I especially love her patchwork piecing, like this adorable pouch. 

Second is Mara from Secretly Stitching. Mara joined me for my 30/30 Sewing Challenge last winter, and I've been following her not-actually-so-secret stitching ever since! 

And third is Heather from QA Creations. Heather's blog originally caught my attention because she's a fellow milspouse and professional longarm quilter based out of North Carolina. I contacted her to ask a million and one questions about how she chose her longarm (that will inevitably have to be moved) so I'd have some ideas about how to choose my longarm (that will inevitably have be moved), and she sent me loads of very helpful information. (Thanks again, Heather!) 

Happy hopping!

~ Sarah