A Colorful Thread: May 2026
Weaving together my life as a maker and other spheres of life.
BEST OF STITCHED IN COLOR {May}
Nice Things patchwork (a finished quilt)
Cutting Gems (a new project)
once upon a Cinder Rose (my finished kitchen)
On My Mind
Experimenting:: ideas for a side hustle. I treasure my work at Stitched in Color, where I feel at home and empowered as an artist and entrepreneur. At the same time, I am recognizing a longing for a new challenge, preferably with some quality real-life contact. I have been throwing around ideas for working with people in my area who could use some help with refreshing their home, particularly after a move or a big life change. I wonder if I could use my organization and design skills to come alongside them, like a coach and co-actualizer….
Reading:: Sex After… Women Share how Intimacy Changes as Life Changes by Iris Krasnow. Well the title kind of says it all. If you’d like a broad sketch of how sexuality is experienced by all kinds of women in America, this book will provide that for you. I was particularly interested in the chapter on sex after divorce.
Celebrating:: Sabine Hofferer’s eye-catching Iris block for the Tapestry Garden sampler quilt.
Sabine always makes us smile with her bold and beautiful use of Charley Harper fabrics. Hurrah!
Anticipating:: Ice cream sundaes on Sunday! It was this time, seven years ago, that I moved with my family to The Netherlands. Liam, Elora and I are celebrating, as is our custom, with decadent ice cream sundaes at Van der Poel. The years do fly by and so much changes, but my deep appreciation for how this move has shaped our lives remains.
Featured Freebie
Cool Melon inspiration
Stitched in Color includes a library of free tutorials, more than 10 years in the making. Each month I’ll feature one to spread the good news.
Besides tutorials, I also have a library of color schemes under Inspiration/Color in the menu tab. Originally created for mosaic contents, these prompts combine images and words to evoke a color mood. Maybe one will spark your next quilt?
Summer has suddenly arrived in The Netherlands. We’re drawing curtains to stay cool, stocking the freezer with ice creams and pulling the fans out of storage. Today I am wearing a dress for the 7th day in a row. That must be some kind of Dutch record for me! Everywhere I look, roses are blooming, and you better believe that I’m stopping to sniff. Last weekend was stuffed full of picnics, long walks and drinks on the terrace. And, look, it’s Friday again! When life is this temperature, the days are delicious.
Wishing you soft breezes and warm sunshine.
xo,
Rachel
You have an excellent eye for color and your design choices are amazing. Yes! Go for it!! Help others start, redo, refresh, make their space their own with your insights. I'll only be sorry you're so far from me.
I think a designer side hustle would be a great fit for you! And who knows, you could even see in an increase in sales of your finished quilts/commissions as clients see how gorgeous your pieces would look in their own updated spaces.