Melissa Stramel's A Year of Making Life Beautiful

I met Melissa Stramel of Lilac Lane two years ago online, I was drawn to her projects and photography. And then later I met up with her at Quilt Market in Houston and I have to say I instantly liked her. Do you ever do that with someone? You meet them in person and there is just something about them that makes you think "I want her to be my friend!" Our friendship has grown. This past winter she asked me to help her out with some testing on her patterns and then asked if I could read through her book before publishing. Well of course!

Melissa is a true designer, an individual in thought and spirit, she creates what she loves and does it without looking beyond her vision. I love that! She is very much about using the fabrics in her stash and scrap bag. It's how she threads the traditional with her modern twist makes me think of a modern hip version of my great aunts and grandmother who were avid quilters and crafters and quite progressive for their time. They were serious about what the made! Melissa is successfully keeping the spirit of the past modern, relevant and beautiful. 

A Year of Making Life Beautiful embodies Melissa's personality. Not only are there ample sewing projects, there are crafts to do with your children, food recipes and gardening ideas. It is a really neat book, I have not seen one like this on the market. 

Melissa sent me the softcover spiral bound version of the book. I have to say, there is a hardcover coming out later but  I REALLY like this version because you can lay it flat and look at it while you work without the pages flipping back on you.

Isn't this bag cute!? She was carrying it at Houston Quilt Market last fall, I just about DIED when she said she made it and then said it would be in her book! I don't have any old sweaters BUT I do have a Goodwill and a Salvation Army store nearby. =D

Here are some of the quilt projects from the book. She has two of my all time quilt patterns in the book. One is  Cathedral Windows in a small pillow project. I love how she used the buttons!

The other is a doll quilt using blocks of six pointed star made from 60 degree triangles. The quilt pattern has the option of making a bigger quilt too.

 

I actually started one of these but I have been shuttling my kids so much this week I don't haven anything sewn together to show you! I like how she gives you a grid of 60 degree triangles so you can color it in and plan out your cutting and sewing. I matched up the triangle pattern piece on my 6x24 inch ruler 60 degree angle to expedite cutting. The pattern piece is nice to use because you can take it and your scraps anywhere you go! No mat and rotary cutter required. Either way it's a super cute versatile pattern.


So how do you get a copy of this book??? Well you can purchase it in Melissa's  Lilac Lane Etsy Shop.
OR you can leave a comment here AND on any of these other blogs for a chance to win a copy! Woot woot!

Monday June 11    QuiltWoman.com
                         Crafty Gemini- Vanessa Wilson
                         Lilac Lane- Melissa Stramel

Tuesday June 12   Sis Boom - Jennifer Paganelli
                        ReannaLily Designs- Jen Eskridge
                         Freda's Hive- Nanette Merrill

Wednesday June 13  Quilting Gallery - Michele Foster
                            Sew Many Ways - Karen
                            Sew Pretty Dresses - Jenny Fish

Thursday June 14    Pat Sloan
                           That Crazy Quilty Girl- Lisa Sipes

Friday June 15        Fat Quarterly
                         The Undercover Crafter - Hollie Lobosky

Look at that lineup!