by Dorie on February 2, 2012
We talk about process when we make things—the why and how of piecing together a quilt or making the pieces of a pattern fit. I always find others’ process posts interesting because they’re such good windows into who that person is. They’re little stories about about something made. And so, I want to talk a little about why I made quiltr.
At my job when I lived in Illinois, making work “good” was important to us. We wanted to play to our strengths and give individuals space to develop their own ideas. We talked about Daniel Pink’s Drive and how people are motivated. (Possibly you’ve seen this video? It was a top you tube video for some time. Really interesting. Go on and watch.) It turns out we’re motivated by three big things: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. We talked about these things at work. It was great.
Then I moved. (You know, moving takes a heck of a lot more time and energy than you think it will, even if you understand that it will take a heck of a lot of time and energy.) During the shuffle I thought, what if I took this time to work on things near and dear to me, what would I do? That’s where quiltr bubbled up. It just fit so nicely into what motivates me: Autonomy – that’s obvious. I was choosing what I wanted to work on. Mastery – I really wanted to make quiltr and be the one who actually made it. I didn’t just want to have the idea, I wanted to put it together and execute it. Through the process I’ve come to understand the HTML5 canvas tag, oAuth, and lots of other little things. Purpose – I wanted to make quiltr for this online community. I thought other people who like what I like would think it was fun. Making quiltr became important to me as an expression of my motivations—it allowed me to join my crafty and my code-y sides.
It’s so interesting to me that it turns out making a web app was a lot like making a quilt, or sewing a top. I didn’t expect it to be as creative a process as it was, and I didn’t expect myself to be turning to my text editor when I had a full day to myself and could have grabbed the rotary cutter. Gosh, I sure do enjoy the work I’ve been doing for years. Funny how that is.
Now where do I go from here? I liked making quiltr so much that I want to do more of the same. I’m piecing out where to go next.
by Dorie on January 29, 2012
This is the second time I’ve made this hat, same yarn and all. I don’t think I’ve ever done a repeat knit project like that before. The first time I knit it was for my sister for Christmas, and I so liked the way it came out that I cast on for another for me. Then my grandmother saw my sister’s hat and liked it, so this new hat is for her. How often is there an actual thing, let alone a handknit, that I can give to make her smile?
The next hat will be for me, a different pattern I think, though, and maybe red. Other people at the shop are knitting Ysolda berets, so there’s a pretty good possibility that I’ll be sold on that too.
This hat is Rosebud from Brooklyn Tweed. Rav link.
by Dorie on January 27, 2012
You all know Mimi Kirchner, yes? Really, no one does dolls like Mimi does dolls—the detail, the texture, the shape, the cleverness… She does patterns too.
I wanted to make Eva a special softie, and even though I had been thinking of one of the many knit critters I have in my ravelry queue, Mimi’s owl pattern won out. I’m so glad it did, because let me tell you, even two days before leaving on Christmas vacation, with all the assorted finishing and packing, it was still a pleasure to work on. The instructions were smart and detailed and I felt inspired in a way I hadn’t been for some time. It was very gratifying work.
by Dorie on January 24, 2012
Are you having fun with quiltr? I do hope so!
Meg pointed out that quiltr really ought to have a flickr group. Duh, of course it should. The quiltr flickr group is here. I hope you’ll add your quiltr quilt images. I’m working on making that easy for you and putting it right in the “upload to flickr screen”. Tidy, right?
by Dorie on January 22, 2012
I have been working on something, a big project. I’m thinking (hoping!) that it will be a lot of fun for you, and I’m really happy to be able to share it today.
Professionally I’m a web developer, and when we made our big move to Michigan, I decided to take some time to work on dev project ideas that had been stewing in my head. Quiltr is one of them.
So what is it? Quiltr is a website that lets you make little digital quilts (quilt images, that is) using your flickr photos and a color picker. It’s somewhere between a tool and a game for quilt lovers and those who just like to play with color, pattern, texture, and shape. Interested? Find quiltr here.
Using quiltr, I made this:
And this:
And this, using my flickr photos.
I want quiltr to be the beginning for other similar projects. I’m having a lot of fun with this technology (I’m using the HTML5 canvas tag), and I see the possibilities for projects that are even better tools. I would love to have real fabric libraries, and more options for scale and placement, and yardage calculators, and on and on…
I hope you think its’ fun. I’ve done a lot of testing, but if you run into problems, just drop me a line.
by admin on January 20, 2012
I’m pretty sure I made it through that blog update. It got a little dicey there for a minute or two, but ta-da, here we are! I’m now running on Wordpress and looking forward to some easy upkeep. I am hoping you are seeing this post in your readers!
As a reward to myself for making it through this (and a reward to you if you were trying to access the site over the last hour), I get to share these little felt tea bags. I received the book softies years ago, but this is the first pattern I have made from it. I’ve always thought it was cute, and I decided to make up three this past Christmas for friends’ three girls. Eva helped with the color choices and the all-important who-gets-which.
by Dorie on January 11, 2012
I’ve done something new (for me) in knitting—the Baltic braid. It’s also called the Latvian braid, at least I think they’re the same exact thing. I love how it looks as a border or a trim, and it’s really easy even though it looks like it could be complicated.
My Baltic braid is part of the Inspira Cowl I just started. I pretty much love every Inspira I’ve seen, so I though I had better knit one for myself.
Lookout though. I may be putting Baltic braids on everything from here on out.
Pre-braid crazies, I knit some little things for Christmas presents. This cowl and this hat. I enjoyed them both, really, and I liked the hat so much that I’m knitting another one exactly the same for myself.
I’m on twitter now, have been for a bit, and I actually do some hanging out there. Find me there as @tumbling_blocks, if you’d like.
by Dorie on December 15, 2011
A move will really suck up all your energy and free time. It should not be surprising—it always sounds like a big effort—but I am still amazed by how much attention a move needs. I’m happy to say we’re done with that for quite a while.
We’re all tucked into our new house, mostly unpacked and trying to figure things out. It’s going to be a good fit, even if the cats are still freaked out. More craft stuff soon.
-Dorie
by Dorie on November 12, 2011
I’m putting things together here, getting some projects kicked into gear. First comes Anita’s Carpenter’s Wheel Quilt QAL. I am a little behind the group, but I almost have all my pieces cut. I don’t mind Y seams, but I’ve always winged it in the past instead of marking my seam allowances. Anita says that I will really, really regret this shortcut, so this time I am going to mark them. What a good influence she is.
We’re hoping to move into our new house before the end of the month, so I guess that means I’ll soon be packing again. Blech. I’m so happy about the little town we’re moving to. On Friday I went there to drop off paperwork, and city hall was closed (duh, Vetran’s Day), but I wasn’t glum long because a house on the square had a big “Fiber and Wool Sale Today” sign. Squee! The whole town was having an annual craft sale open house thing. I love that. The fiber sale was put on by a group of local sheperdesses. I bought this pretty BFL/Dorset cross skein from Happy Goat Lucky Ewe. The whole thing felt like the “I think I’m gonna like it here” song from Annie.
by Dorie on November 2, 2011
You may know that the bugs and I, we don’t get along. Keep this is mind when I show you the beetle sweater I made for Eva—I sure do like her a lot (and yes, the beetle motif is cool and not creepy). Eva is actually wearing the sweater for a second time today, which means she really likes it. Such gratification!
In other exciting news—we’re getting a house! It is awesome and old, and it needs a good amount of work. Perfect—Elie has been bored without projects to do, and this house is so deserving of his attention.
I also got a job. So much happened in the last week or so. I am very pleased to say that I’ll be working part time at my new LYS, Rae’s Yarn Boutique. I get to spend some time each week working in a knitterly atmosphere, and I’m really excited for all the people, yarns, and projects that come along with that.
