Kim Hanson

Writing & Quilting

Chicken Soup anyone?

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Good day. Last week, I heard the doorbell ring and sprinted to the front door. I cringed when my lighting-quick husband beat me to it. Peering over his shoulder, I watched him sign for a large, heavy box. My goal is to always be the first one to the front door. . . just in case the delivery is a giant box of fabric. My husband actually  thinks I have more than enough fabric already!

But this box was not fabric; it was way too heavy. Not being familiar with the return address, I ripped it open. Much to my surprise and delight, inside were my copies of  Chicken Soup for the Soul – Making Me Time. My story, Somewhere In-Between is featured within the pages of this inspirational book. 

This is a thrilling first for me; a non-fiction story of mine being published in the Chicken Soup series of books. I am pretty excited that all this is happening. The story in the book comes from one of those times that life overwhelms and you find yourself sitting alone, outside in the dark on the backyard deck at 3 o’clock in the morning. 

The book goes on sale soon; February 16, 2021. It’s available in bookstores everywhere and online.

Thanks so much everyone!

Kim

Perfect Flying Geese

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Good day everyone. I’ve always said, “I’m not a typical quilter. . . a typical quilter is very precise, pays close attention to working in a step-by-step manner and quilts by the rules.” Unfortunately, that’s not me, never has been.

I’ve always been too time conscious, worrying more about getting the project done quickly than getting it done precisely. My rushed manner has always left me with a mistake or two or more. It’s always left me with seams to rip out and many re-dos. Perhaps daily meditation has helped me to see this behaviour? I don’t know.

I’m trying to work in a less hurried and more well defined, concise way. I’ve decided to spend more time on my cuts and my stitches and my pressing. I’ve decided to be a little more detail-oriented and a little less time conscious. I want to slow down in my quilting work and get it right the first time.

Recently, I wrote a profile piece about a mother-daughter quilting duo for an American quilt magazine. While doing my due diligence, I watched several of their online how-to videos on youtube. One of the videos I tuned in to dealt with “how to make perfect flying geese”.

Now ordinarily, I would not have paid too much attention to the content of the videos. I figured my flying geese were good enough the way they were. But, in light of my new “intention”, I paid close attention.

The ladies used a Bloc-Loc flying geese ruler. Basically, all the ruler does is square-up all your geese so that they all measure exactly the same. It doesn’t help with the actual construction of the geese.

I chose to buy a 3″x6″ ruler; but it comes in many sizes. It’s a little expensive I’d say, but I now feel it’s very worthwhile.

The ruler has already come in handy for a quilt I’m making for my book. The ruler also comes with a guide to making flying geese – i.e. what size to cut the rectangle, what size to cut the squares, which is also very helpful. Once the flying geese units are stitched together, the ruler is placed over the unit, and any excess fabric trimmed away. (I used to trim flying geese units using my regular quilting rulers, but they were never all exactly the same). It’s very likely that most of you use a ruler like this already, but for me, it’s different and I love it! I will always use it now.

What do you know? They’re all exactly the same size! Yippee.

Please take good care of yourselves and your family.

Kim

Quick & Easy Quilts

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Good day everyone. I hope both you and your families are well. Prayers for a very speedy dissemination of the vaccine.

Quick & Easy Quilts is a new publication from Fons & Porter. It’s a unique publication; a bit different from other quilting magazines. A few words from their website:

Telling a Story – Yours and Ours

Launching June 30, 2020, this magazine features quick and easy projects combined with storytelling elements that make this publication unique. Quick + Easy Quilts is meant to be approachable and the quilts achievable—something welcoming to beginners and still fun for those with more experience. Mixed in with the quilt patterns are personal stories, tips and tools we love, photos from our designers, and maybe even a recipe or two.

Here is the cover of the latest issue.

Quick & Easy Quilts magazine February/March 2021

My Valentine’s Day fabric wreath is featured in the magazine on pages 25 through 29.

Page 29 Quick & Easy Quilts February/March 2021

I love that the editor has included my story behind the wreath, a pattern on how to make the wreath and photos of the wreath in different settings. It was a privilege to work with Tracy Mooney (editor), Lori Baker (acquisitions editor) and Melina Piotrowski (administrative assistant) for Quick & Easy magazine. They each contribute to making the process “quick and easy!”

Here is my fabric wreath in Christmas fabrics.

Christmas Wreath

And one that hangs in my living room.

Puff pillow wreath

If you are interested in making my wreath you can purchase the magazine here. If you don’t fancy the wreath, there are many other quick & easy projects in the magazines’ pages that you can make in practically no time at all!

Thank you everyone. Talk again soon.

Kim

Oak Bay

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The hazy, grey clouds hung low over Oak Bay, temporarily obscuring any glimpse of either the Chatham Islands or Mount Baker. Listening to the waves crash against the shore and watching the sea gulls fight against the strong breeze brought me an overwhelmingly sense of peace and well-being. The heavy, wet air clung like static to the hotel blanket covering my lap.

Sitting outside at the patio table, my steaming cup of earl grey tea had rapidly cooled off. It was February, after all.

My husband, wrapped tight in his white, fleecy robe pushes open the sliding glass doors and steps out onto the concrete deck. Seconds later, he asks me, “How can you sit out here? It’s freezing!” His intolerance makes me smile. Usually I’m the impatient one.

“I just can’t get enough of this place…I want to stay here forever,” I said.

My husband heads back inside our suite, telling me it’s time for his shower. I’m content to stay put and snuggle further under my damp blanket and finish drinking my cold cup of tea. I know that soon it will be time to fly home, but not before one last, long walk along the sea wall….along the TransCanada trail.

The End

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of a crazy year is now only hours away. Thank goodness and good riddance to the year 2020.

Who doesn’t love the start of something new? As usual, I’ve got all my calendars and agendas and notebooks ready to go for 2021; just waiting for me to pencil in new events and ideas and doodles. The start of a brand new year is exciting. . . a chance to leave everything unpleasant in the rear view.

First of all, I’d like to announce that Jennifer Higby won our December contest. Congratulations Jennifer! She is the winner of the Frozen fabrics. Jennifer of Oliver’s Cottage is a fellow machine embroidery enthusiast and has promised me that she will send me a photo of the project she makes with her winnings. I promise to share it with all of you. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with!

I’ve been working very hard on my book proposal which I plan to present to a publisher in 2021. I’ll be submitting it in January and hope you’ll all think good thoughts for me. In my research for the book, I spent hours and hours searching to find comparables for the book I’m proposing – a daunting task as there are so very many quilt-related books on the market. I came across a lovely, hardcover book called “The Quilt Block Cookbook” by Amy Gibson, published in 2016. Once I scanned the book online, I knew I just had to have it. It’s not necessarily a comparable to the book I’m proposing but I just loved it!

Amy’s dedication reads, “To my mother, who took me to the library”. Isn’t that just the sweetest?

As the title suggests, the book is chock-full of beautiful, pleasing, unusual block combinations and brilliant original quilt patterns. It’s very visual, which I am planning for my book. Like Amy, my vision is to portray vivid and vibrant colours in fabrics, depict unusual quilt backdrops and include stunning, one-of-a-kind photographs. Amy’s book is an inspiration and now resides on my ever-expanding quilt book shelves.

I’ve written down my simple goals for 2021. There are far less now than when I was younger; I’ve come to realize that more is not necessarily better. I wish for all of you a joyful 2021. Happy New Year everyone.

Love Kim