June Newsletter
NO. 59 | June 2026
From the Desk of Madison Moore is a monthly newsletter of friendly writing on living a creative life. Here, we celebrate the joy and magic of making things! And by reveling in the expansive definition of making, we acknowledge that we make things everyday. More concretely, I write about the process for all the kinds of things I make (books, clothes, illustrations, quilts, paintings, ceramics, baked goods, flowers…).
But, creativity is also more than an isolated craft—it’s a life practice. So you will find me writing about life, the natural world, home, food, and more.
Good morning, friends. I’m writing to you from the porch of a coffee shop—something you’d expect to be nice one day away from June! But, even bundled in one of my quilt coats, I am chilled.
I went into the month hoping to build some new creative routines. I love routine, or at least a loose outline for my day to follow. It helps me make consistent progress on my projects and eliminates some day-to-day indecision (I find hemming and hawing to be a usually useless exercise). Momentum is definitely the friend of any creative practice, because it both makes it easier to actually do what you’re doing, and it puts your brain in space to make new discoveries, inching you forward day by day. If I want momentum, I need routine.
While there is more progress to be made, I did find myself having a few aha moments, and I’d like to share a couple with you today. Most of them had to do with my illustration process itself; they happened on the page while working toward a picture book project. But these two are much more legible to a newsletter format.
I’m Not Sewing Enough!
I actually had this realization months ago, but I think it has now come to a head. I have a wardrobe of only clothes I’ve sewn or clothes I purchased 5-6 years ago (most of which have been purged!). And, right now, I don’t have enough or the right clothes for our very changed lifestyle or the summer. And, I also just miss sewing, which helps fill my well and keep me grounded in other areas of my life.
When I first started sewing, I made pretty much one garment a week, always on the same day and on the same schedule. I have a tendency to try and hold on to what has worked for me in the past even when it’s clear that that’s not working for me anymore, but I have finally crossed that boundary and accepted that I need a new workflow if I want sewing to work with me in this moment of my life.
So, my commitment to sewing more has come in the form of necessity and a new format. First, I am trying to prioritize sewing what I really need. Right now, that’s shorts. I took on two pattern tests (which I haven’t done in a long while) for two different pairs of shorts, and that time pressure paired with the necessity has been a great booster. The first, pictured here, are an excellent new wardrobe staple, and I’ve made 4 pairs!
I am also now trying out batch sewing; using the momentum of sewing one thing to sew more of that thing. Normally, I’d jump around between tops and bottoms and dresses and occasions, etc. But I’m currently finding the prep stage of sewing to be more taxing. So, to combat that, I’m going to try sewing the same kind of garment over and over for a while. So, I’ll be sewing shorts from 4-5 different patterns, and I’m hoping that sewing them all in a row will make things feel easy.
I’ve Been Ignoring an Invaluable Resource!
If you follow along with me here, you know that I take lots of photos. I did lots of birding in May, and as I was sorting through some of my photographs in conjunction with a resurgence in my illustration routines, I started to realize just how much I’ve been missing the opportunity of using my photos as reference.
I do draw from my photos sometimes, but more often I find myself finding reference in stock images because I can just do a quick search. I love drawing things close to home; the animals and nature around me inspire me more than anything else, and yet I somehow never connected how powerful the two could be in combination.
Part of me thought it was cheating to just draw from my own photographs, but I think it’s actually the opposite. I already put in the legwork to compose an image, observe the subject, and it’s already from my perspective! So, I made a giant reference board I’ve been using a lot, and it’s fantastic.
I’ve mentioned this program at least a couple times before, but it’s called PureRef & it’s amazing for making zoomable, moveable, giant drawing reference boards.
We just finished chair upholstery and hutch painting projects for our main room! You can watch a video of the whole process. The new upholstery fabric is from Folio Fabrics.
Portfolio Peek
I spent an hour drawing birds from that reference board at a local art club, and it was so fun! All graphite. I don’t think I’ll get tired of seeing a bird, then drawing that bird. I love that you can also see me loosen up from the first bird (top left) to the last (center top right).
✷ A summer set that’s inspiring me
✷ 5 minutes of nature for you
✷ Have you joined threadloop yet?? As IG is now basically useless for tracking fown sewing pattens, I have been using it ALL THE TIME. There are now 100,000 patterns in the database!
✷ Knicks are going to the playoffs for the first time since 1999! Help me cheer for them!! And make sure you know about Walt Clyde Frazier!!
As always, a delight to read♥️🤩