Embroidery Journal Project 2012

During 2010, I particpated in a monthly journal quilt project. The concept was to create a small quilt that reflected the happenings of the month. I made 12 quilts that were each about 9 inches by 12 inches. They used a variety of quilting methods, with the majority of them incorporating embroidery.

Embroidered journal quilt.

August 2010.

I also wrote about the month's happening and how the activities or experiences were incorporated into the quilt. These two pieces - the textile/tactile one and the written one - were a meaningful and different way to record the happenings of the year.

Journal quilt from March 2010.

During 2011, I took a break from the making journal quilts. In a way, I wish I hadn't because as I look back on the quilts that I made, I remember exactly what the quilts represent.

April's journal quilt.

However, I came across a project for 2012 that intrigues me. It's called the Embroidery Journal Project 2012.  According to the website, "The idea is to make a small (or large) embroidery every month that reflects something in your life. It can be anything: how you are feeling, the weather, important events, a holiday, a season, interactions with nature. The list goes on and on.

"You can choose any size or any format you like: ATCs, postcards, inchies, circles, quilt blocks, or anything else you can think of. There will be one post every month where you can post your links to your works, and probably a Flickr group or something else to send your photos to.

"This is a challenge of sorts - to make it through the year with 12 embroidery projects that are personal and have a story to tell. You can use the chance to experiment with colors, stitches, fabrics, design, anything you like. The important thing is that it comes from inside and is tells the world something about you."

Journal quilt from November 2010.

So, I thought about what I would want to do with 12 embroidery projects - ATCs, postcards, and inchies didn't seem large enough to work with nor have any long-term use.  I'm not sure what circles were - except the shape - and those are quite difficult to work with when sewing and doing embroidery (at least they are for me). 

May 2010's journal quilt.

I began to think more about doing quilt blocks, and have decided to do a quilt. The quilt will be about 45" wide by 80" long. Each square will be about 15" by 10" (raw size is 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" - giving 1/4" seam allowances on all sides).  The quilt will be three squares across by eight squares long.

In addition to the embroidered squares, there will be an alternating square of fabric that represents the predominant color that I see when look outside or think about that month. 

Journal quilt from June 2010.

All the fabric and embroidery floss will be from what I have on hand. As I have done with the past two quilts that I have made in 2011, my goal is to use up what I have on hand rather than purchasing new fabric.

Summer of Color quilt made from June-August 2011.

This will help me use what I like and, in the process, donate what I don't want to work with for this or future projects. 

Minnesota state quilt

made during November 2011.

More about the Embroidery Journal Project and some visual ideas are HERE.