At the start of this week, the Washington governor mandated a stay-at-home order. I was already feeling a little bit of cabin fever from sharing 600 square feet of small apartment with my dear husband and this ratcheted my nerves up a few notches. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling this way.
So in order to relieve some of my anxiety, I thought I’d share some of the things I've done throughout the week, the cool things other makers are doing, and hopefully give you some ideas on how to spend your new found time at home without going stir crazy-aka the Homebody Weekly.
To start off the week, I rearranged my living room and all of the numerous plants in it. This new set up has me feeling less anxious and more excited to dig into things like that quilt I've been working on since last November... who knows, maybe I'll finish it and the other two I picked up fabric and patterns for. That might be overly ambitious though- I'll keep you updated.
This week, I also put the finishing touches on the April Pattern Club design and launched 2 new stitch kits! With so many of us staying at home, I figured now is the time to try embroidery. The Pattern Club design will be a secret until April 1, but the two pin kits are out and makers can choose from a Pacific Northwest Mountain pattern or a Cactus Desert pattern. I love pins because they're small enough to finish in a few hours and I always feel accomplished afterwards.
Along with pin kits, I created an easy embroidered patch tutorial. Patches have been on my "I should make those" list for a while and I wanted to share an easy way for makers to create their own.
Outside of making, my husband and I found a box of Fisher scone mix (Washington State Fair scones anyone?!) in the cupboard and made breakfast for dinner. Along with embroidery, baking has been a meditative artform for me. Plus, baked goods are always delicious. That being said, we ran out of flour, and the stores are also out, so I probably won't be doing anymore baking anytime soon. Not that that's the worst thing ever, because I don’t really need two dozen double chocolate peanut butter cookies to myself. Are any of you stress baking or finding baking relaxing? What recipes are you loving?
I’ve also seen some of my maker friends doing really inspiring work that gives back to their community.
Friend and fellow stitcher Sara Barnes of Brown Paper Stitch launched a free heart kitty pattern for you to stitch. It’s adorable and she offers 2 different cutie cat pattern options. Plus, take a peek at her Instagram stories to see her own fluff ball.
Fellow fiber artist Sarah Frost of Collectanea has also found a cool way to give back to the community and support local small businesses. For every plant hanger or geo wall hanging bought in her shop, she’ll make a $30 small business purchase! That’s like a double win!
And embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning worked with a bunch of makers (including myself) to compile a Keep Your Hands Busy DIY Craft Giveaway. Check out the 16 small businesses who are giving away diy kits and supplies for you to stay crafty while at home. Giveaway is open through Friday, March 27, 2020.
What inspiring things are makers doing in your community? I'd love to give a shout out to creatives finding inspiring ways to giveback.
Until next week. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay home - Melissa