Tenderly Stitched

10/07/2026

Some quilters make and give away every single piece. But for this quilter, the joy is in holding onto some creations to enjoy personally. This Christmas quilt, made with friends through an exchange and a retreat, has a special story woven into every block.

10/06/2026

From the booths to the quilts on display, +HAmericas was a feast for the creative eye.

This one-minute walk through the show captures the color, texture, fabrics, product displays and small details that kept making me stop and look again.

Events like this matter because inspiration does not always arrive as a complete project. Sometimes one fabric, one block, one color combination or one clever display is enough to start a new idea.

What catches your eye first—the quilts, the fabric or the details?

10/06/2026

🧵This Saturday: Bring Your Project and Your Story - https://mailchi.mp/tenderlystitched/save-the-date-tenderly-stitched-2h2026
Join Tenderly Stitched for Sew Day:
📅 Saturday, October 10, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
📍 McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library
7405 Stella Link Road, Houston

Bring your Stringer blocks, or any project you need a little time with.
Come sew and enjoy the quilting community. Seats are limited.
Comment “SEW DAY” to RSVP.
And save the other dates too

10/06/2026

10/04/2026

Day 2 at h+h americas Fall shows was a feast for the creative eye.

From the booth displays to the quilts on exhibit, there was inspiration everywhere. I loved seeing the color, texture, styling, and all the little details that made me stop and look a little longer.

Sometimes one beautiful detail is all it takes to spark a new idea. I certainly was inspired by August Ellery Mens Textile Collective Foundation WonderFil Specialty Threads and so many more🤩

What catches your eye first at a show—the quilts, the fabric, or the notions?

10/01/2026

We spend a lot of time talking about WHAT we make.

Dr. keynote at h+h americas challenged me to think more deeply about what happens because we make.

Throughout history, craft has preserved stories and knowledge. It has helped families earn income. It has created networks of mutual support. It has provided ways to repair, reuse and adapt. And it has brought people together to teach and learn from one another.

Some of that knowledge has never been written down.

It lives in our hands, our families and our communities.

If you sew, you know exactly what that means. There are things you know how to do because you’ve done them hundreds of times—even if explaining every tiny movement would be difficult.

As technology and AI become more integrated into our lives, I don’t think the answer is to reject technology. Makers have always adapted to new tools.

But Dr. Plummer’s keynote reminded me that we also have a choice about what we preserve.

A machine can help us make an object. But making can also build relationships, preserve knowledge and connect us to other people.

That matters.

Her new book, Stories in the Seams: A People’s History of Black Quilts and Their Makers, releases October 6.

🗣️I’d really like to hear your answer: What is one part of your craft that you would never want technology to replace?

10/01/2026

We learned from Sharbreon S. Plummer, PhD that craft has never been only about the object.

That was one of my biggest takeaways from Dr. Sharbreon Plummer’s keynote, Craft as Community: Notes on the Future, at h+h americas Fall Edition.

Yes, we love the quilts, garments, baskets, pottery and other things we make. But throughout history, craft has also helped us preserve knowledge, tell stories, create economic opportunity, repair what we have, teach one another and build community.

And some of that knowledge can’t simply be captured as data.

It lives in our hands.

It’s knowing how to turn your wrist to sew that curve. It’s the technique somebody showed you instead of writing down. It’s the knowledge passed between generations while people sit together and make.

In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, that made me think differently about the future of craft.

Maybe we don’t need craft less.

Maybe we need it more than ever.

Dr. Plummer’s new book, Stories in the Seams: A People’s History of Black Quilts and Their Makers, releases October 6, 2026.

CTA: What part of making would you gladly hand over to a machine—and what would you NEVER give up? Tell me in the comments.

09/30/2026

I started September surprised to learn that it is National Sewing Month. I’m ending the month at H+H Americas, where the sewing industry’s educators, businesses, products and ideas come together.

As a first-time attendee, I’m paying attention to more than new products. I’m looking for teaching tools, business relationships, industry trends and ideas that can help Tenderly Stitched create stronger learning experiences, events and resources for quilters.

H+H is a credentialed business-to-business trade show, so this is not a public shopping invitation. I’m sharing what I learn from the perspective of a quilt educator and business owner.

What would you want me to pay attention to while I’m here?

09/30/2026

September began with me learning that it is National Sewing Month. I’m ending it at H+H Americas—inside the business side of the sewing industry, surrounded by the people, products, ideas and businesses helping shape what comes next.

This is my first H+H, and I’m here to learn: what tools and trends can strengthen my teaching, what relationships can support Tenderly Stitched, and what ideas can create better experiences for the quilters I serve.

H+H is a credentialed trade show, so this is an industry-learning look rather than a public shopping invitation.

What would you want a quilt educator and business owner to notice at an industry trade show?