Dear Daria,
I love September’s box of bits. I needed a hug today (this nasty cold has gotten the better of me) and all these soft, snuggly fabrics seem to be doing just that. I think recycle is the perfect theme for me right now, although I feel as if I must admit that there has been some recycling in previous boxes I’ve sent to you, but this one is the legit recycle one, right?
I’m seeing a swatch from the lovely smock you recently finished, from a girly corduroy jumper, a knit shirt (or maybe a few), some Denyse Schmidt County Fair (would you believe I just made a purse in that same fabric??).
I’m off to think about what I will do.
Blair
Dear Blair,
You know, if months actually went at the pace they seem to in my little eightbyeight world, I’m pretty sure I would get a lot more done.
When we were making our topic list, last December, I thought that thread was a really cool idea. I still do, WAY cooler than buttons, but I am not sure exactly how to — well, never mind, I just got an idea.
Also, the grey fabric you sent is just gorgeous.
And I really like the floss colors too. I’m working with a lot of rich, plummy brown fall colors in my other projects right now, & I like how different, how cool & smooth these are. (Not that the rock postcard is influencing me, or anything…)
D
Dear Daria,
Fresh off the rejuvenation of July’s project (which is prescisely what I’d hoped this project would do, rejuvenate!), I open your August box. Such a contrast from last month, but it feels very in line with the world outside right now (although isn’t this indian summer we’re having incredible?). The contents are full of textures and depth of brown and navy blues (I’d love to see the Jedi costume these came from, did I miss it? It must have been fabulous!).
Thread… when I thought about this theme, I immediately thought of Lisa Solomon’s method of drawing with thread, like these pieces in one of her newest shows (scroll down). I am also thinking about everything I can DO with thread in general, like on cloth, of course, but also things like helping Ian hang a paper mobile. I was struggling a bit with this month, and thread, but then when I talked to my sis-in-law about it, she helped me brainstorm into an idea that resonated with me. So, I’m all a-go. Hope you are finding inspiration out there (and in the box I sent).
Blair
Daria,
I really love this tiny painting you sent in the July box. (For those following along, we are just now starting our July projects because we took a small summer break). Everything you sent in the box just sings of this little capture of water.
First and foremost, thank you a zillion times for sending me no buttons ; ) I think this little box of watery inspiration will be going on the road with me soon, I already have some ideas…
Blair
Dear Daria,
Well, I have to admit that I really wanted to skip June altogether. I mean, buttons?? I’m still wondering if we had some sort of sudden button/fastener inspiration the day we decided this, that I can now not remember for the life of me. But then I got your box.
Your purples make me like purple. They really do. I love everything you sent. The fabrics could be the perfect palette of squashy cushions and chair covers for my backyard. Add some white lights and we’ve got a party. It feels just like you described in your note. Of the summer we are looking for here in Seattle…lemonade, berries, blue sky….
I’m looking out my window today and thinking we may finally be seeing it. The summer stuff, I mean. Not the inspiration for the buttons. I’m still working on that.
Dear Daria,
I welcome the green color this month. Such a good solid, overused and well loved shade. I’m not begrudging overuse of this color, no way, I mean, it is my favorite. I look forward to using the greens you sent in some new way. A way I haven’t exactly defined yet.
I love how many shades of good green there are in the box you sent. Some demure, some much more outspoken. But all willing to work together.
And then there’s the matter of those two tiny pots of the shiniest, greenest fabric paint you sent. A very fun little twist.
Dear Blair,
Yeah, I’m totally the black-clad kid slouching around in the back of the eightbyeight classroom, hoping that the assignment wasn’t actually due until Monday. (Also, I have not posted in so long that there’s a whole new generation of wordpress interface, so give me a minute, here.)
But, look how cute, my assignment!
I know from experience how hard this box was to put together (yes, drunk on coffee HAS to be the excuse for square!), but I think the set of fabrics you sent is just charming, all crisp vintagey colors & patterns, plus I am impressed by how many different types of square patterns you have in your stash. I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but then I had a different idea! No, wait, a different idea! It’s much easier to think of a project than it was to think of materials for this one — now I think I remember why we thought square would be a good idea.
(By the way, the way the fabrics I sent fit into the theme? They all come from charm packs. Square, see?)
D
Dear Daria,
April’s theme of square threw me a little, did it you? Were we drunk on coffee the day we decided that? Anyway, I took an afternoon to concentrate on what became the contents of the box I sent to you. And once again, I am delighted and surprised that you sent me a totally different set of square things to play with. There is a really nice feel to these patterns when they are all together like in the photo above. Big and little…blues and greens…and browns… (and I didn’t forget the darkish gray embroidery floss you included that I just realized is not in this photo). I think I’m forming an idea, I’d like to really play up the patterns against each other. I’ll ponder it further while I eat the square of chocolate you included. B
Dear Blair!
The auction is done! I can breathe! I thought there would be time to sneak some 8×8 earlier in this month, but I also thought that I was taking on a reasonable amount of work for the auction, so there you go.
First of all, lo these many weeks ago you sent me this:
I would just like to point out that not only is half of our palette basically the same, but that we sent each other the exact same Denyse Schmidt fabric (which continues to be one of my favorites in that particular colorway). I love this tonal bunch of fabrics, plus I love how differently we approached the theme (aside from our shared devotion to DS).
Even though I haven’t been around on the computer, I’ve found a second here & there to do some sketching for this month, only apparently sometime in the last two days I put a bunch of important things, including my eight by eight moleskine, somewhere very safe, so I’ll have to get back to you about my project plans. I think they involve foundation piecing, just because after all of the big quilting I’ve been doing lately, I am in the mood to work smaller & fussier, plus I’ve never tried it before.
Speaking of never having tried something before, can’t wait to see how the paper bag situation works out for you. That quilt you posted is my absolute favorite project in the entire book (are you surprised?), & I think something along those lines could be pretty fantastic in a stripped down two-color palette.
Ok, actually, only ONE auction is done, so I’m off to finish up my (much smaller) projects for the second one. I’ll be back soon, I promise! Maybe I’ll even find my moleskine before then!
D
Dear Daria,
The package you sent has been sitting here…tempting me…but I promised myself I’d open it when I could give it the time it deserves. I *l o v e* this one the most so far. Just so pretty! The patterns, the textures, they will be so fun to work with. I don’t have a clear inspiration jumping out at me for this one as I did in the other 2 you sent, it will be interesting to see what the outcome with be.
I interpreted this theme a little differently in the package I sent to you, with a more tonal color pairing. It will be interesting in how we switch gears from the color contrast we sent to the color constrasts we received. Have fun!
B
