crew update 2026

size of my people in 2012

my family has always been a big part of my sewing life. i've included my children in my creative pursuits as much as possible, hoping to inspire their own creative journeys. when this blog started, there were six, and number seven showed up soon after. that was 15 years ago! my littles are all mostly full grown now. the babies around here these days are my grandchildren, which currently number three. i've updated this page every few years; to watch them grow visit the older posts (2012, 2014, 2021). let's see where they are in 2026.

d1, oldest daughter and child, 27

college grad in creative writing, married since the pandemic, sahm with three children affectionately referred to as "the babies" in our household. she's taken after my mother, marmee, and started sewing halloween costumes for her little people. most recently that was a cinderella dress and mouse ears. she has my old pink brother machine and has taken her sewing cabinet off my hands. one of her favorite projects is to make felt food for her children's play kitchen. we love these pieces!

grandson r, 3

likes to sew with granna when he's visiting. the bowl of sewing sweets helps. he pulls pins, snips some threads, runs the foot pedal, pushes cutting and needle buttons, and helps with handsewing. we are working on a quarter log cabin quilt together and made a pincushion for his mama for christmas.

granddaughter a, 2

started checking out what we're doing with pins this year. recently took an interest in helping me pull the needle when i handbind.

grandson t, 6 months

rolling everywhere, won't stay still on a quilt anymore. but does like to snuggle them. is mostly just very, very cute.

s1, older son, 25

college grad in biochemical engineering, working man, recovering patient. he's had serious health issues for about 4 years now, which peaked last spring. currently lives at home with us while he slowly adjusts to his new condition. creative pursuits: flower arranging for me and decorating his bedroom. he has an artistic side he's considered exploring again by taking up painting or pottery, but hasn't stepped into it yet. is the favorite of his niece, a.

d2, second daughter, 23

college grad in technical writing, just completed two years of language school in tokyo receiving her level two certification in japanese. while there she tried several creative experiences, including some fabric dying. she's returned to the nest as she plots her next move - more school or the workforce? creativity is mostly channeled through cooking at the moment. maybe we'll make that alice in wonderland quilt now she's pit-stopping at home for a minute. loves to hangout with the babies.

s2, younger son, 21

college student in finance/economics. creativity involves seeing how much volleyball time he can manage while maintaining grades.

d3, third daugther, 19

college student in creative writing. creative pursuit - writing.

d4, fourth daughter, 17

high school senior concurrently enrolled in college classes like physics 2 and calc 3. she made softies for the babies at christmas; all her own design, no pattern. draws and paints. likes to design personalized cards.

d5, youngest daughter, 14

high school freshman, rock climber. she's completed her first quilt and now helps me with projects beyond snipping things. i can trust her to piece and to press. she's my quiltcon buddy when it's in town. she loves sewing and crochet, which she taught herself. 

the mr, married 30 years

he's my financial backer and occasional quilt admirer. keeps me from falling too far down the rabbit hole of quilting when other things are going on.

crew update, 2021

 

my people have grown and changed so much since this site began. the above photo was from our family photo shoot in 2012 when this site was already two years old.

this photo was taken christmas 2017, already a few years ago. but it looks a lot closer to who they are today than the first photo above.

here's the update as of april 2021.

daughter #1, twenty-two

just celebrated her first wedding anniversary and is about to graduate college with a degree in creative writing. before she got so grown up, she would often help me baste quilts or take photos. she completed her own quilt all the way up to the binding. her interest in my quilting has grown and i'm confident she will be a maker in her own right when she's ready for it. especially once she gives me grandbabies.

son #1, twenty

a college senior in biochemical engineering at our state's university (where his father and i graduated), living with friends close to campus. he sometimes eats at home, but is mostly on campus studying or socializing. he still has strong opinions about creative endeavors and will consult with me when i ask. if he's around. he recently brushed up on his sewing machine skills when he decided to alter some pants himself for 70's night at the skate rink. he took them in and flared the hem all on his own with the help of youtube and some thoughts from his mom. if he had the time, he'd create more clothing on his own.

daughter #2, eighteen
college junior, living out of state. she's a technical writing major with a graphic design minor. she texts me about food and cooking all the time. she hasn't made an apron or sewn anything in a while, but her creativity is constantly on tap. i have a fat quarter stack of rifle paper company's alice line set aside for her to make a quilt with when she's ready. she says she might make a trip home this summer to do that.

son #2, seventeen
driving, of course. tallest person in the family now. working hard at his studies and on act prep.

daughter #3, fourteen
made her own christmas quilt, beginning when she was 10. still handbinding. identifies as a "slow quilter," saying she'll maybe make one every year or so. she really wants to start on her next one, planned to be blue and green for a dear friend and former teacher, but i'm holding her to that binding first.

daughter #4, thirteen
has mostly completed a six-and-one-half-dozen quilt and a four square quilt for two friends' babies. she likes to buy fabric and look at patterns, but her sewing motivation wanes quickly. we are going to get these babies bound and then make a quilt from the fabric we purchased on her 8th birthday. obviously, another slow quilter. we're in no hurry around here.

daughter #5, nine
has grown up on the quilting room floor and is my most constant companion in sewing. she helps me snip all the chain piecing and stray threads, runs the foot pedal sometimes, and keeps me company at the machine. she got her own machine for christmas 2018 and is figuring that out. no scrap is safe in her presence, so i have to hide all the good ones. march of this year she made her first patchwork quilt.

best friend of 29 years, husband of 26

the mr is CFO of my quilting adventures and partner in life. he makes the money, i make the quilts. and sometimes dinner. together we homeschool our crew of seven wonders, who are rapidly emptying out of the nest.

we live in a sunny urban desert of the american southwest.

my crew - 2014 update

in addition to being a hobby sewer, i'm a mother of seven and wife of one. i've been dragging my kids right along side me in this sewing/crafting adventure begun late 2010.

on-line, we guard our children's identities and privacy closely, so although i feature their projects along with my own work, i will not show their sweet faces or use their darling names, as much as i love both. our last name is completely taboo.

also top-secret is our location. let's just say we're blessed to live in the good ole' USA, in one of the hotter regions. naturally, that could be one of several states, some of which i have also lived in during my lifetime.

if we are fortunate enough to know you, pretty please do not reveal or refer to any of this information on this blog.

still, all the paranoia aside, here's a look at the family.

daughter #1, sixteen years old

started her first quilt this year as part of an english project. still waiting on the top to be completed now that her english paper has been written and recieved it's A. lately has been making hairbows for fun. "mom, it's okay that i used your scraps for my bows, right? i just used these strip pieces." actually, no. you need to ask first, hon. but i'm glad you're making something!

son #1, fourteen

can work my machine, has crazy-big ideas (like the patchwork bags he made his littlest sisters at christmas in 2011), and tries a bit of everything. not a committed sewer, but very artistic and always has a creative project of one sort or another going on: baking, paper airplanes, mini weapons, holiday decorations, drawing. he's great for consulting when i need opinions, likes a math quilt challenge, and won't leave my rotary blade alone if there are scraps to be sliced and diced.

daughter #2, twelve

got her own sewing machine for christmas 2012 and makes projects all the time. this year she made two four-square baby quilts for a church fundraiser for camp.

son #2, ten

is mostly just waiting for mom to finish his quilt. "mom, is it done yet?" i can't remember the last time he sewed anything but he does love my quilts and helps hold them for photos occasionally. most of his creative energy is invested in disappearing when it's time for schoolwork and in masterbuilding with legos. on any given day there is usually a soccer ball in my sewing space kicked there courtesy of s2.

daughter #3, eight

loves to read sewing books and is always asking to start something. if only my time could keep up with her inspiration! she is most recently working on a small felt applique scene in an embroidery hoop.

daughter #4, six

is mom's bestest little quilting buddy, my most constant companion in the sewing room. her official jobs are snipping threads, removing basting pins, and cleaning my machine's exterior with the lint brush. she's made her own kitty softie and a mini quilt to go with it.

daughter #5, three!

thinks any quilting tool belongs to her, not me. loves to play with pins, scraps, and rulers. decorates the design wall with her own scrap creations for me all the time. still walks all over any wips on the floor. "helps" me sew by sitting in my lap and placing her hands on mine as i guide fabric.

my crew 2012

in addition to being a newby sewer, i'm a mother of seven and wife of one. i've been dragging my kids right along side me in this sewing/crafting adventure begun late 2010.

on-line, we guard our children's identities and privacy closely, so although i feature their projects along with my own work, i will not show their sweet faces or use their darling names, as much as i love both. our last name is completely taboo.

also top-secret is our location. let's just say we're blessed to live in the good ole' USA, in one of the hotter regions. naturally, that could be one of several states, some of which i have also lived in during my lifetime.

if we are fortunate enough to know you, pretty please do not reveal or refer to any of this information on this blog.

still, all the paranoia aside, here's a look at the family.

daughter #1, fourteen years old

she's crackerjack at felt finger puppets, likes to experiment with softies, has about 5 sewing classes under her belt and is revved for more. really wants to submit some softie work for publication in "stuffed" magazine. likes sewing for her dog.

son #1, twelve

can work my machine, has crazy-big ideas (like the patchwork bags he made his littlest sisters last christmas), and tries a bit of everything. not a committed sewer, but very artistic and always has a creative project of one sort or another going on: baking, paper airplanes, mini weapons, holiday decorations, drawing.

daughter #2, eleven

most likely to pick up fabric, shears, and just go for it (like the apron above). but with 5 sewing classes under her belt, she's also learning more standard techniques. she's knocked out improvised blankets, aprons, and doll clothes. been working on a sock monkey sporadically most of this year. dieing to use my machine. i'm just going to get her one for christmas this year so that's not an issue any more. (done!)

son #2, nine

did run the foot pedal on the machine and snip threads while together we made his gifts to his siblings last christmas and especially enjoys pressing fabric with the craft iron. (well, all right, technically he "irons" it, but so do i.) has his own sewing box, needle case, and embroidery thread, but no real shears yet, although he just requested some. has been dabbling in stitching all year by working embroidery floss on hooped burlap. just made his first real, handsewn project: a doll pillow.

daughter #3, seven

loves to select fabric. was the impetus behind my first quilt. currently stitches on hooped burlap, having just begun intentional border stitching. wants more embroidery floss.

daughter #4, five

also a professional fabric shopper, specializes in fat quarter selection and hoarding. considers herself prime entertainer when my friends come over to sew. has lately been pretending to sew with various objects and articles. has her own spool of pink all-purpose thread she uses anyway her imagination pleases. after much pestering for the last month or so, just got her own sewing box and hooped burlap for stitching practice.

daughter #5, one!

thinks any quilting project on the floor is her personal playmat. seriously, she won't stay off of them. this is a problem for me.