Welcome to My World

If it's your first time to my humble little blog, welcome! Sit down with a cup of something and a hunk of cheese and do what I love doing...reading blogs. So much inspiration, crafty goodness, adorable babies, and food galore.

My Sew Day Mess

My guild buddy, Rene' tagged me to join in the Around the World Blog Hop. Rene' is the founder of the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild, of which I am a member. Joining a guild always freaked me out; I had heard "stories," but this guild has been a delight since day one. The guild has grown from the teens in numbers to over 50 members. Although I can't participate 100% any longer because of real job, I always try to make time to attend Sew Days, workshops, and special events.

So on to answer the provocative questions you've always wanted to know about me. Just kidding, these are canned questions and my silly responses.

Wagon Wheel Blocks

1. What quilting/sewing thing am I working on?
Funny question, because I work on so many things when I sew. I rarely have just one project in the works. I love finding those elusive quilters who cannot start another projects until they complete the one they are working on. It blows my mind. If I didn't have at least 10, *cough* more like 50 UFOs, I think I would get twitchy. Plus, I have the attention span of a gnat. I get bored doing the same things over and over. So for me, more projects equal more happiness.

Spider Web Blocks

I'm working on Wagon Wheel and Spider Web blocks currently. I am also attempting to free motion quilt some of my smaller quilts. Making smaller projects helps hone my sewing skills. Most of what I quilt or sew is inspired by blog reading, my crafty friends, and quilting sites. I'm a computer taught sewist and highly addicted to Pinterest.

Scrappy Coins

I love house blocks!

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I'm not sure my work differs much from others, as I'm usually using inspiration from others to create my own projects. I love color and much of what I make is a riot of color. I provide sunglasses for all my quilt recipients. Being a graphic designer, I've worked with color on paper and computers for over 25 years, but the fabric equivalent of this process continues to amaze me. Playing quilter probably makes me a better graphic designer as well.

Leaning Tower of Fabric

3. Why do I write/create what I do?
To me, quilting is complete relaxation. Free motion quilting and zippers still make me sweat a little, but I can see progress in those techniques each time I try them. Buying and collecting fabric has to be at the top of why I sew. I collected fabric and textiles long before I sewed, so subconsciously I must have been a quilter at heart.

My great grandmothers were quilters and I'm lucky to have a quilt from each of them. My mom and aunt did a fair amount of sewing and needlework as well as pottery, macrame, and painting. I suppose I have artistic genes or perhaps come from generations that liked to create things. My son and daughter are artistic, so I'd like to hope I had something to do with that.

The random process of piecing with scraps is probably my favorite way to quilt. I spent a lot of time on the Quiltville site when I first started and have made several of Bonnie's mystery quilts. I love the randomness and variety of scrap quilts.


4. How does my writing/creating process work?
Usually I see something I love and jump right in. I'm not a huge planner or one of those that struggles to make a decision. Trying new things is one of the perks of sewing. There's always some new project, technique, process to try. It's fascinating. I've tried traditional quilt blocks, mystery quilts, swaps, group projects, modern quilting, bags, pouches, toys, and the list goes on.

I'm also quite good at abandoning a projects if I'm no longer having fun. No regrets. Like I said, I get bored quickly. Miniature quilts are perfect for me. I hosted a Doll Quilt Swap for a couple ofl years and had a blast partnering up quilters to swap little quilts. The participants were beginners to experts and everyone had fun getting squishy mail once a month in the form of a little quilt. Most of the monthly swaps had no theme, as I like to challenge quilters to use their creativity versus stay with a theme. But one month, I jokingly wrote that the theme would be "Purple Poodles Riding Chocolate Glazed Donuts in the Sky." I told them I was joking, but one of the funny girls sent the beauty above to me. You gotta love quilters! Best people in the world.

I'm tagging any and all of you to write a blog post and answer these thought-provoking questions! The rules say you have a week, but I'm not very rulish. Let me know in the comments if you want to play along and I'll be sure to come by to say hi! Thanks for stopping by!

1. What quilting/sewing thing am I working on? 

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? 

3. Why do I write/create what I do? 

4. How does my writing/creating process work?