Sew Organized for the Busy Girl

It's a cold, dreary Autumn day here in country Australia. I have two sick kids sitting in front of a movie, a baby asleep, and I have hidden myself away in my sewing room with a coffee and Easter egg to have another flick through Heidi Staples' new book, "Sew Organized for the Busy Girl" before I sit at the computer to write this blog post. Am I allowed to say it? I'm in heaven.

I'm so glad to be part of Heidi's Busy Girl Sews Tour. Partly because I really like this girl and I'm honoured to support her in this way, but also because reading her book has been like taking a deep breath.

I love to collect sewing books. I love the feel of curling up in a corner of the sofa to read with a coffee. They're much softer than laptops, more tactile than phones. And what I love especially about Sew Organized is that Heidi has taken a different route to the usual sewing how-to introduction which precede the collection of projects. Her arguement for taking up sewing, even in today's busy lifestyles, and her gentle and firm approach to organising a sewing area for maximum creativity and efficiency, has felt a little like Heidi's been over at my place, seen my mess, and has graciously given me some tools to make the whole thing run smoother.

In my stage of life, I often feel like I have to choose between tidying up and sewing, between sewing with a baby hurricane let loose, or not sewing at all. So I've appreciated the reminder that there might be some simple things I can tweak (like buying a playpen, maybe?) that will make for more making and less stress.

The project from the book that drew me first was Heidi's Mini Starlet. It struck me as a great two-three colour block, but also well suited to colour-play or scraps. I pulled out four colours' worth of fabrics in different shades, and then settled on purple and teal with the golden highlights. Oh, I would love to make a whole quilt from this block! I do love how a simple change in colour placement gives a completely different look. I finished the quilt in a day, picking the colours in the morning while the light was good, and then coming to it in fits and starts, as is my usual routine, and completing it in the evening after the kids were in bed. If there's one thing that makes sewing really work for me, it's that I have a permanent set up for my machine. I'm sure I would never sew (or we would never eat dinner) if I had to use the dining room table, and pack up regularly!

Be sure to order Heidi's new book here! and follow along the rest of the blog tour. There are lots of simple, yet beautiful and practical projects to inspire you!

March 30 - Lynne of Lily's Quilts (Tour Kickoff & Book Giveaway!)
April 6 - Jodi of Tales of Cloth & Angela of Cut to Pieces
April 13 - Lindsay of Craft Buds & Debbie of A Quilter's Table
April 20 - Leanne of She Can Quilt
April 27 - Fat Quarter Shop
May 4 - Erin of Why Not Sew?
May 11 - Jennifer of Ellison Lane Quilts
May 18 - Svetlana of SOTAK Handmade
May 25 - Lucy of Charm About You
June 1 - Maureen of Maureen Cracknell Handmade
June 8 - Becca of Bryan House Quilts
June 15 - Beth of Plum & June
June 22 - Jessica of Quilty Habit
June 29 - Caroline of Sew Can She
July 6 - Heidi of Fabric Mutt (Tour Wrap!)