Thursday Inspiration: Rachel Wooden Spoon

This Thursday I am super excited to feature a fellow Kiwi and incredibly talented quilter, Rachel (aka Wooden Spoon).  Rachel doesn't have a blog (yet) but she's really active in the online quilting community through flickr and instagram (find her on instagram here).

Rachel makes the most stunning quilts and quilted items.  Her fabric selections are always spot on, her finishing is impeccable and she's incredibly creative.  I was lucky enough to meet Rachel late last year - we happened to be holidaying in the same place at Christmas and caught up for lunch (with Deb) which lasted for about 4 hours.  She's a lovely person and I think it totally comes through in her online interactions.  Anyway, that's enough from me - here's Rachel.  As always, my questions are in bold and her answers are in normal text.

For me, this Scrappy Spring Sprouts pillow is such an iconic Rachel piece!

Does your family have a quilting or sewing history, or are you a first generation quilter? 
There is loads of crafty talent on mum's side of the family. Grandma and great-grandma were both sewists. As a child, I remember afternoons spent helping grandma with her hexagon quilts. My job was to cut the templates from Grandma's carefully recycled envelopes, I remember her reminding me to cut them carefully. I'm not sure if my cutting skills were up to it, I have no idea if she ever actually used any of the templates that I made for her!! Mum has many crafty talents, one of which is quilting. And I've just started teaching my 7 year old daughter how to quilt. She's not that enthusiastic but I'm hoping that will change!

How did you start quilting, and how long have you been quilting for? 
Despite all the talent in my family, I was never particularly interested in sewing while growing up. Sewing classes at school were just another chore (brown canvas duffle bag anyone?). It wasn't until I was in my 30s and I discovered modern fabrics that I really became interested. Mum had a new quilting book (Material Obsession), I loved it so much that I bought a copy for myself. Then Mum took me fabric shopping in a modern quilt store, we bought 14 FQs so that I could make my first quilt. That seemed like so much fabric back then! I did some online research and discovered a brick quilt by Amy Butler. I changed the measurements a little so that I could use as much of the fabric as possible, I didn't want any leftovers, I hadn't discovered the joy of scraps back then! I have to say that a brick quilt is the perfect beginners quilt, there are no points to line up at all! I was really happy with how it turned out and I started making another one as soon as I'd finished it. That was 6 years ago and that first quilt is still in constant use, and miraculously it hasn't started falling to pieces either!

This Cocktail Party cushion Rachel made for the X Factor Pillow Swap has so many of my fave fabrics in it.

How would you describe your quilting style? 
I mostly work with very simple blocks and shapes, there are just so many possibilities with squares, triangles and curves and my favourite quilts are madly scrappy. So I guess I would say my style is simple shapes, scrappy fabrics and somewhere heading towards modern in design.

Where do you find inspiration for your quilts? 
My main source of inspiration is the online quilting community, I tend to spend a bit of time (ok, maybe a lot!?) each day keeping up with IG, blogs and Flickr. I can't help spotting inspiration in all sorts of other places, like the pattern the railing makes when I'm driving over the bridge, the pretty colours on a blanket in a store, the retro curves pattern on a mug at the cafe... I'm not very organised at collating these ideas yet though, there are pieces of paper all over the place with ideas scribbled on them, and random photos throughout my phone's photo library! I need to start keeping them all in one place for those times when I'm completely lacking in inspiration!

Whoever received this stunning Aeroplane Bag from Rachel is sooo lucky!

Do you like to follow patterns or create your own designs (or a bit of both)? 
Definitely a bit of both. I love playing around with ideas and coming up with my own thing but I also love the speed and ease of following a pattern.

Are you a member of a local guild?
I'm not a member of the local quilt guild but I am lucky enough to be part of two regular crafty get-togethers.

Have you ever met any of your online sewing friends in real life? 
I feel really lucky to have met quite a few of my online friends now, including you Adrianne! And last week I was thrilled to meet and host Amanda from everydayfray and her husband. I'm heading to Quiltcon in February (thanks to encouragement from you and Deb!) where I'm really looking forward to meeting more of my online friends.

Rachel really combined colours cleverly in this Courthouse Steps cushion

Have you ever thought about starting a blog? 
I'm scheming to start my own blog sometime soon. It's a little scary but another opportunity to take part in this awesome community.

You are a prolific swapper. What is it about swaps that keeps you coming back for more? 
Swapping is a fun way to meet other quilters, it has also pushed me to try projects that I may not otherwise have tackled. And I definitely work well to deadlines, as my pile of personal WIPs can attest. And then to top it all off, there's the fun of receiving a handmade gift in the mail. It's easy to forget that part when you're madly trying to finish up your items!

This Shoot for the Stars cushion shows Rachel's masterful use of low volume

What is your favourite thing about the online quilting community? And what is one thing that you would change, if you could? 
My favourite thing is the warmth, generosity, inspiration and support that the online community provides. There is so much good going on all the time!

Confession time - how many quilts do you have in your house right now? 
A quick tally up suggests about 12 quilts that are throw size or bigger, not all of them made by me. I do also have several quilt tops and a few piles of blocks that haven't made it to quilt top status yet. Thank goodness you didn't ask me to count them!

I LOVE the Good Folks collection from Anna Maria Horner and the way Rachel used it in this Spinning Stars quilt top.

Do you do any crafts other than quilting?
Quilting is pretty much all consuming for me. I used to dabble in making books but I haven't done any of that since I started this quilting adventure!

Where do you see your quilting going - is it a career or a hobby for you and would you like to change that?
Quilting is definitely a hobby for me, I don't see that changing just yet.

This Christmas Snowflake cushion is so cute and Rachel even has a tutorial for it here

Do you have any tips or tricks or things that have changed your quilting life that you'd like to share?
The biggest influence so far has been joining the online community (signing up to Flickr and IG). Sharing my photos, taking part in swaps and admiring what everyone else is making has had a huge influence on what I make. I would say if you're not already part of the online community then take the plunge! I've even managed to get my mum on Instagram!

What is your favourite part of the quilting process (and what's your least favourite part)?
There's only one part I really don't like and that is basting! It doesn't help that I don't have a good surface to baste on, loop pile carpet really doesn't cut it (my pins like to loop through the pile :) Everything else is the best bit, from scheming and dreaming to the last stitch on the binding.

What a sweet pillow, and I love Rachel's use of Lizzy House's Constellations line in it.

If you could do a quilting class with anyone at all, who would you choose?
Thanks to Quiltcon, I will be taking classes with some of my quilting heroes. Yay! Beyond that I think my ultimate would be to join Denyse Schmidt on one of her weekend workshops, like this one. A girl can dream!

Are there any quilting techniques you haven't tried yet but that you'd like to?
So many!! One technique I came across recently that I'd love to try, is the Dale Fleming 6 minute circle.  Latifah The Quilt Engineer uses it in this quilt and Lizzy House uses it in The Meadow quilt.

I love Rachel's low volume plus quilt so much - the quilting (by Donna Ward) is just beautiful too

What's something about you that people might be surprised to know? 
Hmmmmm. I can't think of a single thing!

Thank you so much to Rachel for taking part in my interview series.  I've loved finding out a bit more about her and I hope you have too.  Be sure to follow Rachel's sewing adventures on flickr and instagram (and I'll update you when she has started her blog).

Thursday Inspiration: Jess from The Elven Garden

This week I'm delighted to feature Jess from The Elven Garden as my Thursday Inspiration.  Jess is an amazing quilter, creating particularly lovely FMQ designs with her domestic sewing machine.  Jess is generous with her talents, sharing her quilting knowledge in many tutorials and a Free Motion Quilting QAL.

I really enjoy all of Jess' quilts - she comes up with really original designs, uses colour cleverly and creatively, and always puts a lot of thought and effort into her quilting designs so they enhance the quilt.

Does your family have a quilting or sewing history, or are you a first generation quilter?
My mother used to sew our clothes as kids, and she did a little bit of patchwork for a short while – but she was never obsessed like I am. So I guess I consider myself a first generation quilter. My sister sews as well, but has resisted my attempts to convince her to start quilting.

How did you start quilting, and how long have you been quilting for?
I got a sewing machine for Christmas just after my youngest child was born, in 2010. I started off making clothes, and then bought a beginners guide to quilting magazine in the middle of the following year, and got hooked REALLY quickly. I love maths and science (I have a science degree), and the precision of patchwork and quilting really appealed to me – more than sewing garments. So I’ve been quilting for about 3 years.

I love Jess's translation of this traditional block into an awesome modern Roundabout quilt

How would you describe your quilting style?
Although I would loosely call myself a ‘modern’ quilter, I feel like I’m still finding my style. I enjoy so many different types of quilt making, and like trying different techniques, so I don’t feel like I have a definite style yet. I really enjoy the process of improv and I’ve recently discovered how much I love needle turn appliqué. But I think my true love is using traditional blocks with modern fabrics, and using value and colour to see what patterns emerge.

Where do you find inspiration for your quilts?
It depends. Sometimes I’m inspired by fabric, and will pull a bundle from my stash without any idea what it will become. I have a floor to ceiling shelf in my bedroom where my fabric lives, so I’ll often lie in bed at night looking at my potential quilt bundles until a design idea is born. Other times, I’ll find a quilt block design (or design a block myself), and choose fabrics I think will work well. Some of my quilts are inspired by elements of nature too. My moods are very affected by weather, and I’ve actually designed a couple of quilts inspired by the weather.

Do you like to follow patterns or create your own designs (or a bit of both)?
Most of the time I design my own quilts, but I do occasionally follow patterns. I really, really enjoy designing quilts and that’s something I’m doing more and more as time goes by (and I’m starting to release patterns). I’ve had quite a few quilt patterns published in an Australian magazine (Quilters Companion), and that’s something I’ll continue to pursue.

The quilting on Jess' Retro Flowers quilt is just stunning

Are you a member of a local guild?
I am a member of the Tasmanian Quilt Guild, but I only joined so that I can enter my local quilt show this year and don’t go to meetings. We don’t have a local Modern Quilt Guild, but that’s something I’m really keen to establish sometime soon.

Have you ever met any of your online sewing friends in real life?
Only one! My friend Jeanette (aka Gone Aussie Quilting) came down to Tasmania for a holiday last year, and we met up at a park (we both have kids). We could seriously have talked all day, it was so lovely to meet someone who got my obsession! Having said that, I’ve just registered for a bunch of Quiltcon classes, so I’m hoping to meet loads of my bloggy friends over there!

How did you decide to start your blog? 
Because I don’t have a local quilt group, I started my blog as a way to share what I make, and to connect with other quilters. It was the best decision I could have made – I have made so many friends around the world through my blog.

Improv piecing, awesome quilting, Jess' Full Moon Lagoon quilt is amazing

What is your favourite thing about the online quilting community? And what is one thing that you would change, if you could?
I love the supportive nature of the online quilting community, and how willing people are to share their knowledge and ideas. One thing I would change is the reluctance people seem to have to leave constructive criticism on other people’s blogs. Unless you specifically ask for feedback on what you’re making, people just don’t tend to offer alternative ideas to what you’re doing. There seems to be a ‘if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all’ thing happening. As nice as it is to get ‘oh I love it!’ comments, I think the online quilting community has more to offer than that, and I’d love to see this change. I think we could all grow more as quilters if people were more willing to voice their opinion when they don’t like things.

Confession time - how many quilts do you have in your house right now?
Around twenty, including mini quilts. Most of the larger quilts are used by my kids on a daily basis. The others live in a big open shelf in the living area, so they are all in pretty much constant snuggling rotation.

Do you do any crafts other than quilting?
I used to! Quilting has kind of overtaken all my other hobbies – but I cross stitched for years before I started quilting, and I really enjoy sculpture as well (my dad is a ceramics teacher).

Jess just released the pattern for this Block Flower quilt

Where do you see your quilting going - is it a career or a hobby for you and would you like to change that?
I would really like this to be my career eventually. I’m starting to publish quilt patterns and have started teaching locally this year (which I love!). I was recently invited to become a Bernina textile artist, so I may start teaching and demonstrating for Bernina next year as well. My ultimate goal is to buy a long arm and start quilting for other people. So between designing patterns, teaching and quilting for other people, I’m hoping I can make a career of it!

Do you have any tips or tricks or things that have changed your quilting life that you'd like to share?
Try to enjoy the process as much as the finishes. For a long time I was a bit obsessed about making things as quickly as I could, but lately I am finding I relax and enjoy the process a lot more.

You do seriously amazing machine quilting. Do you have any tips or tricks for people who want to learn free motion quilting (and/or for people like me who know the basics but are looking to improve)?
Thanks so much! I think of free motion quilting as drawing on a quilt with thread – so practicing with pen and paper is a great way to get used to filling a space on a quilt with a particular quilting motif. It helps to be relaxed about it too – it is such a fun process, but a lot of people seem to find it scary. It really isn’t. I actually wrote a blog post with a few quilting tips a few weeks ago – and I will be running a Free Motion QAL on my blog, starting in mid July, if anyone is keen to join in! • Starting with a small quilt or practice quilt sandwich is really good. It means you can really focus on your quilting without worrying about contending with the bulk of a quilt in your machine. • I think muscle memory plays a really big role in FMQ. Practice really does make perfect (or at least better!)

I really loved Jess' entry in last year's Pantone Quilt Challenge - Tesseract

What is your favourite part of the quilting process (and what's your least favourite part)?
I love pretty much all aspects of quilt making. I LOVE choosing fabric, and tend to use a heap of different prints in all my quilts. Probably my favourite part of quiltmaking is free motion quilting – I just find it so relaxing and enjoyable. My least favourite part is cutting fabric, and trimming HSTs and flying geese – although I’m such a perfectionist the thought of not trimming terrifies me.

Are there any quilting techniques you haven't tried yet but that you'd like to?
Honestly, I’d like to try ALL the techniques! I love challenging myself to try new things. One thing I’m really keen to try soon is Trapunto quilting.

If you could take a class with any quilter, who would you choose?
Wow, that’s tough! For piecing I’d love to take a class with Jackie Gehring – her improv work is just incredible. And for quilting, it is a toss-up between Lisa Sipes and Krista Withers – they both do such amazing work, and are a constant inspiration to me – I am actually taking a class with both of these ladies at Quiltcon, so I’m SUPER excited about that!

Such a cute little Beach Ball Baby quilt

What's something about you that people might be surprised to know?
I am a massive sci-fi and fantasy geek (which probably isn’t all that surprising given my blog name!) And I love computer games.

Thanks so much to Jess for answering all my questions - do make sure you head over and check out The Elven Garden and all of Jess' gorgeous work.

Thursday Inspiration: Cille from Live, love, quilt...

This week Cille from Live, love, quilt... is joining me for Thursday Inspiration.  Cille is a lovely modern quilter who lives in Denmark.  I really enjoy the time Cille takes to explain her process and show photos of her quilts in progress.

Here is Cille with her husband and one of her boys.

I also enjoy the way Cille's love for her family manages to sneak its way into many of her blog posts. Her sons are clearly big fans of quilts and are often roped in for quilt holding duties (fair enough, I think!).

Does your family have a quilting or sewing history, or are you a first generation quilter?
I'm the first one to quilt in my family but I guess we have a strong craft gene running in our DNA. My mother and grandmother were weavers, my grandmother and great grandmother made amazing embroidery too, and my mum and sister also knit amazingly. I thought I skipped the gene until I was twenty-something and suddenly started embroidering. I was the one who got my mother to quilt too by proposing to make an EPP quilt together (we live quite far apart - she's in Sweden). Now she loves quilting too.

How did you start quilting, and how long have you been quilting for?
I'm not sure why I started honestly. I remember I saw a quilt in a magazine about 15 years ago and thought that I should be able to make that myself (never having made a stitch in my life before, mind you. Craziness is also a strong gene in my family). I did make the quilt but then I had my children and stopped quilting while they were little. It picked up again about 4 years ago. Now I can't live without it. I'd rather miss sleep than quilting.

This Peekaboo Street quilt is so cute!

How would you describe your quilting style?
Tough question... I'm not sure I have a specific style. I like classical elements but sometimes best in a modern setting. I'm not a true modern quilter by any means though. Being an online addict also means my style is very different from the common Danish style, which tends to be very inspired by Kaffe Fasset fabrics and quite traditional. Getting fabric sent to Denmark is a very costly affair (on top of the shipping cost, we have to add 25% and a handling fee at close to $40). I tend to take home large bulks a few times a year because the selection locally is very limited. Hence my style and fabric selections automatically become more international.

Where do you find inspiration for your quilts?
Online reading blogs and in books mostly. I buy a lot of books and patterns. I rarely follow the patterns, but if I feel inspired by them and decide to do something similar, I know there's someone at the other end who has worked hard to make the pattern, so I acknowledge it by buying it.

Do you like to follow patterns or create your own designs (or a bit of both)?
I'm horrible at following patterns. I see something that I like, and then I do something different. I have promised myself that one day I will buy a pattern, buy fabric in measurement and make a quilt following the instructions. But chances that that will ever happen are limited though... I think what I love most about quilting is when your quilt suddenly takes you in another direction than what you had planned. Those kind of quilts always turn out best.

Lovely Longjohn quilt.

Are you a member of a local guild?
Not really a quilt, but I do follow a course (that you have to be invited into basically). The same group of people have been following the course since 1986 and they are still in the class. There's rarely an open seat because the places are reserved. Most in the group are (needless to say) fantastic quilters and I learn a lot from them. My style is very different though so they tend to look at me as 'the young and crazy one'. Luckily they have a lot of patience with me.

Have you ever met any of your online sewing friends in real life?
No, but I'd love to. If I'm anytime in Ohio, I know just where I would invite myself for a cup of tea. I can't imagine I'd be bored in Australia either...

How did you decide to start your blog?
It was basically a log of my quilts - just to remember them. Still is mostly. I think I have the smallest blog in the blogging universe, but I still enjoy it.

This is such an effective quilt - can you believe its all made of scraps?!

Do people in your personal and professional life know about your quilting and blogging or do you keep it under wraps?
Professionally I keep it under wraps but in my personal life everybody knows... Heck, most of them have one of my quilts. Not very many people know about my blog though.

Is quilting popular in Denmark?
It is becoming more and more popular, but not to the same extent as in the US for example. We don't have a strong quilting tradition in Denmark, but crafting is becoming more popular in general.

What is your favourite thing about the online quilting community? And what is one thing that you would change, if you could?
Oh where to begin... Basically I wouldn't have been quilting if it wasn't for the online community. I used so many tutorials in the beginning. If someone hadn't taken the time to show how to make a Dresden or a bind a quilt, quilting for example, quilting would have been an up-hill experience for me. So basically I owe all to the online community. I like how people are generally positive - it's like there is a common consensus that if we don't have anything nice to say, we just don't say anything.

Change it? I'm not sure I would even if I could. We move along the new media, but essentially the atmosphere is the same. I like that. I'm an very honest person and I sometimes show very bad projects online because it doesn't have to be perfect every time. My quilts certainly are not all pretty and perfect. It takes quite a safe environment to do so.

Cille's gorgeous take on the Roundhouse quilt

Confession time - how many quilts do you have in your house right now?
9 and counting. Basically my sons refuse to use duvets anymore - it takes quite a few quilts to keep that show going. A lot of quilts are also great for when we make a bonfires etc - our guests love to pick a quilt from the big basket I keep in the living room. But that being said, I've given most of my quilts away.

Do you do any crafts other than quilting?
Nope, but I used to do embroidery and also had a brief fling with wicker work making baskets. I'd love to take that on again sometime in the future but it takes time and planning. Not something I have a lot of these days.

Where do you see your quilting going - is it a career or a hobby for you and would you like to change that?
Definitely a hobby :) My full time job is quite demanding and I make way more money doing that that I ever would quilting. However, even all the money in the world can't beat a homemade gift. I make quilts for the people I love and treasure. The rest I buy a present for ;)

Love this quilt, especially because Cille designed it herself.

Do you have any tips or tricks or things that have changed your quilting life that you'd like to share?
I'm not an expert by any mean, but I do sort my fabrics very neatly in IKEA CD shelves - not only by main color groups but also in shades of a specific color. It makes it easy to pull a project directly from the shelf and to match up different fabric lines.

What is your favourite part of the quilting process (and what's your least favourite part)?
The actual quilting is the worst. I stink at it I think and fear it every single time. I love doing bindings though - always have. Are there any quilting techniques you haven't tried yet but that you'd like to? I'd love to be able to make FMQ – I’ve practiced a few times but haven't dared to take on a quilt yet. Also I need to make a Lone Star some day...

Thank you so much to Cille for answering all my questions.  Hop over to Live, love, quilt... to check out Cille's other quilt and her most recent make which is just stunning.

Thursday Inspiration: Megan from Jaffa Quilts

Today I'm thrilled to welcome a fellow Kiwi quilter as my Thursday Inspiration interviewee.  Megan from Jaffa Quilts makes awesome modern quilts and I've loved watching her journey as a quilter.

Megan and I yet to meet in person, but we are planning a catch up some time when we're both in the same city.  In the meantime I'll keep enjoying her blog and her lovely quilts from a distance.  Here's Megan - as always, my questions are in bold and her answers are in normal text.

Kahurangi

Does your family have a quilting or sewing history, or are you a first generation quilter? 
I'm a first generation quilter. Both my grandmothers were knitters and one was a spinner and weaver as well but I think sewing generally fell into the 'mending' category for my nanas. I talked mum into letting me go to a community college night class when I was still at school because I wanted to learn how to sew. Yep, I was the 15 year old in the class of mature women...

How did you start quilting, and how long have you been quilting for? 
I started quilting after I went into a patchwork shop to buy some fabric to finish a cross-stitch project. There was a quilt on display that I fell in love with and I signed up to a beginner's class on the spot. That was in 2011, so that makes this my fourth year of quilting.

How would you describe your quilting style? 
I don't think I have one. I like trying out different styles and techniques as the spirit moves me. I like the modern aesthetic but quite often I'm drawn to more traditional quilts. I like quilts that have a sense of depth or movement but I'm still trying to figure out how to achieve that.

Peaks - I think Megan playing around with equilateral triangles inspired my own equilateral obsession

Where do you find inspiration for your quilts? 
I have a number of favourite bloggers so often I'll see something of theirs that inspires me to try something, whether it be a pattern or a technique.

Do you like to follow patterns or create your own designs (or a bit of both)?
I quite like patterns because I'm really lazy when it comes to quilt maths. But invariably I mess around with a pattern and adapt it a little, sometimes unintentionally if I'm honest. I'd create my own designs more if I worked fewer hours and had a lovely designated sewing room with a huge design wall and a door that I could close *sigh.

Are you a member of a local guild? 
I belong to a fun little Auckland group we call Monday Modern. We meet once a month to oooh and aaah over each others' projects, make confessions about our fabric issues, laugh, and complete challenges or bees.

Aerial

Have you ever met any of your online sewing friends in real life?
Yes! One day when I was bogged down in the final stages of writing my thesis, Liz (Shush, I'm Quilting) emailed me out of the blue to ask me how I was going with my thesis because I was on a blogging break. I was touched that a stranger (albeit a stranger that read my blog) had considered my real life, it was a lovely bright moment at a bit of a grey time. We started emailing and eventually we met and became friends in real life. I've not had online 'friends' before, so it makes me giggle to myself when I'm trying to explain how I met Liz to my non-quilty friends. I'm hoping to meet Rachel@woodenspoon, Deb and Julie at their next sew day, and disappointed not to meet you when you came along to Monday Modern. Hopefully another time?

How did you decide to start your blog?
Honestly, on a complete whim, and mostly to have a journal of my quilting adventures. I was very shy at first and wouldn't comment on blogs and thought no one would ever comment on mine so it was a bit of a solo endeavour for a while. I think Nicole (Mama Love Quilts) was one of my first few followers and kindly gave me some helpful tips.

Do people in your personal and professional life know about your quilting and blogging or do you keep it under wraps? 
I don't actively keep it a secret, but let's just say I may not talk about it all that much ;-)

AMH (I don't think regular readers will be surprised by my love for this quilt)

What is your favourite thing about the online quilting community? And what is one thing that you would change, if you could?
I like that it IS a community, so that if you have this quirky hobby and don't know anyone else who does it in your real life social group, you can connect with other quirky types :-) As far as changes go, that's probably best answered by talking about what I like. I love blog posts that narrate. I'm a reader, so I like some story and a discussion of process. I particularly like reading about how people make their design decisions. I would like to see us celebrating 'slow' a bit more and focusing more on process than end product. As Karyn (Milly Made It) likes to say "quilting is not a speed sport". I've also stopped following bloggers who are now predominantly advertisers. Probably enough said there!

Confession time - how many quilts do you have in your house right now?
A very modest five tee hee. I'm glad you didn't ask how many of my quilts live at my mother's house.

Do you do any crafts other than quilting?
I've done cross-stitch and tapestry on and off over the years. I used to do quite a bit of dress making but I haven't done that for ages.

Where do you see your quilting going - is it a career or a hobby for you and would you like to change that?
Haha, definitely a hobby only, it's the way I relax as a healthier alternative to wine drinking. Having said that, some of my academic research interests (I'm an education lecturer) are around alternative education spaces like online teaching and learning communities, and also around the complexity of relationships between capitalism and education spaces. So, while a big part of my involvement in the online quilting community is purely hobby based, quite often I find it helps me think in different ways about my work - maybe my quilting contributes to my career?!

Starburst

Do you have any tips or tricks or things that have changed your quilting life that you'd like to share? 
Mmmm. Don't use your ruler upside down when cutting. Measure several times before cutting, especially when trying to simultaneously watch tv. Have a large dark drawer or cupboard for naughty projects that need time out. Oh, and try a Sewline pen at least once for basting hexes.

What is your favourite part of the quilting process (and what's your least favourite part)? 
I love trimming (I'm reliably informed this puts me in the 'weird' category). I also love hand stitching bindings. I struggle to enjoy alligator wrestling which is how I think of machine quilting.

If you could do a quilting class with anyone at all, who would you choose?
I think I'd really like to do a class with Gwen Marston. Or Robyn Croft, who is a New Zealand quilter whose work I admire. Or probably just about anyone who had a quilty skill they wanted to share and was enthusiastic about sharing it.

Baby plus quilt

Are there any quilting techniques you haven't tried yet but that you'd like to? 
I've been a bit coy (read terrified) about appliqué to date. It's right up there with FMQ, which is my ultimate Moriarty.

What's something about you that people might be surprised to know? 
I'm really really squeamish and inclined to faint at the sight of blood or needles. When I taught in schools I used to warn my students not to count on me if they injured themselves. It goes without saying I'm super careful with my rotary cutter.

Thanks so much to Megan for participating.  She's name-dropped a heap of awesome New Zealand quilt bloggers, so as well as checking out Megan's blog, Jaffa Quilts, you should really pop along and visit them too.

Thursday Inspiration: Molli from Molli Sparkles

Today joining me for Thursday Inspiration is the glitter-tastic Joshua Helms who goes by the nom-de-quilt Molli Sparkles.  Molli has drunk the quilting kool-aid and is now on a mission to bring quilting to the world. 

Apart from Molli's quilts (let me tell you, the man has an eye for fabric combinations!), I admire his inclusiveness and positivity.  He's really involved in the online quilting community, with a quilt-along, a number of bees, several tutorials and a linky party under his belt.  He's not afraid to get out there and talk about the tricky issues either, which is awesome.  Anyway, that's enough from me - here's Molli.  As always, my questions are in bold and his answers are in normal text.

Does your family have a quilting or sewing history, or are you a first generation quilter?
My exposure to quilting came at an early age because of Grandma Sparkles. I have fond memories of rearranging nine-patch and appliquéd heart blocks on our living room (design) floor. She was always encouraging my input, and I’ve always felt that early development gave me a great foundation in composition and design throughout my artistic career. Oddly, I never learned to sew from her, but was always giving feedback on colour and fabrics! Opinionated even at a young age, of course!

How did you start quilting, and how long have you been quilting for? 
I started my independent quilting journey on June 01, 2012 when I walked into Lincraft to buy the initial trappings of my first quilt. I had decided I wanted to make a yellow quilt for Grandma Sparkles as a thank you for all she had done for me throughout my life. I got my newly purchased rotary cutter, cutting mat and yellow fat quarters home and then realised: I don’t own a sewing machine! Details, details, details! I discovered that Ikea had started selling sewing machines ($79.95), so bought one of those to get me started. I’ve since moved on to my baby, my Juki, but it was a great way to start out. 

A lot of look

How would you describe your quilting style? 
I wrote a blog post talking about this exact thing! To quote: "In my first year of art school, Professor Julie Schneider said to me with her clever smile, "If you think you know your style now, you don't. You have to wait until the end to figure it out." The end? The end of what? The semester? Art school? Life? Since then, I've taken that to mean, don't let your style define what you create. Instead, let what you create define your style. Then you can look back at any stage, and confidently say, that your output is genuinely you.” Basically, I just make what strikes my creative instinct, and enjoy the journey!

Where do you find inspiration for your quilts? 
I get asked this question a lot, and it is one of the most difficult for me to answer. It’s difficult because there is no singular answer; I get inspiration from everywhere! The photos I take, the pop songs I listen to (…don’t just stand there, let’s get to it, strike a pose…), other quilters, the urban landscape that surrounds me in Sydney, fashion, and most of all the fabrics. The fabrics! Did I say the fabrics? I’ve even started having dreams about fabrics and the quilt potential. Yes, this is what I’ve become! 

Do you like to follow patterns or create your own designs (or a bit of both)?
Definitely a bit of both. I’ll vacillate between the two to keep my interesting going. That being said, even with a pattern, I have to put my own spin on it. With each successive quilt I make, I’m finding that I’m traveling off the beaten path, and looking to my own sense of design to create exactly what I want. That being said, there are amazing patterns out there, and sometime you just can’t resist!

The D!

Are you a member of a local guild? 
I’m not! I have thought about it, but my schedule is always varied and so I have never thought I could make the commitment. My sense of community is currently being satiated by the online quilting community from around the world. Also, I don’t think Mr. Sparkles could stand me devoting any more time to quilting!

Have you ever met any of your online sewing friends in real life? 
I have, and it has been the best experience. I have found that the “niceness” of the online quilty community carries over into real life as well. On a recent trip to California, I met up with Anne from Play-Crafts.com and another quilty friend, Amoreena. I also met a heap of the Glitterati at a meet and greet at The Intrepid Thread. Then there have been several trips to Japan where I got to do some fabric shopping with Alyce from Blossom Heart Quilts. Don’t even get me started about Quilt Jane, Gemma from Pretty Bobbins, and Jenn from Penny Poppleton! Love them all!

How did you decide to start your blog? 
Oh, I was such a naive boy back then. I had this amazingly original thought when I started my first quilt, “Oh! I’ll start a blog about my quilting journey, no one’s done that before!” Ahem. Yes, clearly I was an ignorant fool, but I’m glad I did it anyway. Once I realised there were countless others out there, I just said to myself, “Oh well, just make it your own, and let your inner sparkle shine!” So that’s what I’ve done.

#MSBHQAL

What is your favourite thing about the online quilting community? And what is one thing that you would change, if you could?
My favourite thing about the online quilting community is that it even exists! I would never have imagined that quilters were taking the Internet by storm with little bits of fabric. Gosh, what would I change?! Hmmm… who am I to say, but I do wish I had the chance to meet all of the Glitterati in person. I love all the emails of encouragement I get, and I just want to give each and everyone of my supporters a hug!

How have you been received as a male quilter, both online and in real life? 
Well, it definitely hasn’t hurt! The gender card definitely has potential to be a hot topic, if you let it. Honestly, I’ve had criticism and praise of my role in the quilting community, both online and in real life. My LQS has been nothing but supportive, although I have had other customers give me stink eye when they hear me talking about quilts. I try not to think about it too much, and just get on with making quilts that I love. I still get the occasional email from someone telling me that they didn’t realise I was a guy, and I love that! I enjoy being a subversive voice in the quilt community, and I hope I can continue to defy what some people may believe about gender normative behaviour in quilting. My Masters thesis was actually about identity representation in online communities, so this is all up my intellectual alley. Somewhere along the way, I also managed to create the No Girls Allowed Quilt Bee, and the Men Who Quilt Facebook group, that now has 200+ members! 

Confession time - how many quilts do you have in your house right now? 
Oh, you’ve caught me at a great time! I just ran upstairs to the bathtub (isn’t that where you keep your quilts?) and counted nine, plus two on our bed, so that makes eleven! I’m in the throws of preparing for the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair exhibition so I’ve been asking for all the quilts I have gifted back. I need to start making that a contingency for gifting someone a quilt!

Sparkleworks (Molli works those batiks like nobody else!)

Do you do any crafts other than quilting? 
Okay, so the short answer is “no.” The longer answer is, I’ve tried a whole slew of things! I grew up in Oklahoma so there was a lot of crafty type of people there, and I was influenced by a lot of art teachers who dabbled in multiple disciplines. I remember doing some cross stitch as a kid, but never finished anything. Then when I got to college, I decoupaged one of my dorm room walls using magazine clippings and toothpaste. Yeah, I don’t know either! LOL! I tried to get into scrapbooking, but it didn’t fit my digital lifestyle. Then I went through a dry period, and finally found quilting. It’s definitely fits me like a couture sequinned gown!

Where do you see your quilting going - is it a career or a hobby for you and would you like to change that? 
Right now it’s definitely a hobby, but a serious one in both time and money. I work full time, so I can’t see quilting taking over completely. I do, however, spend nearly every free moment thinking about or creating quilts! I like all the varied aspects of the quilting world, and am happy to explore all of them to see what works for me. I can’t wait to see my designs in my own fabric range!

Do you have any tips or tricks or things that have changed your quilting life that you'd like to share? 
I’m always scared of giving advice on how to sew or make quilts because I definitely don’t consider myself an expert. I know the basics, and I just try to perfect the simple things. I figure if I get those right, they’ll sum up to make really amazing bigger things! That being said, I tend to always sew with a scant 1/4” seam. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to, but that’s what I do, and my seams have never been better.

Kimonos Ablaze

What is your favourite part of the quilting process (and what's your least favourite part)?
My favourite part is definitely the design aspects, including picking fabrics, choosing colour ways and sketching out quilt ideas. It’s never ending! I walk past my sewing room, and I swear those damn fabrics are calling my name. “Make me! Make me! Make me!” Sometimes I stay strong and keep walking to my current WIPs and other times I turn into a big softy! I have yet to start my FMQ journey, and I haven’t fully decided if I’m that interested in getting it off the ground. So I guess the quilting would have to be my least favourite part … at the moment!

Are there any quilting (sewing) techniques you haven't tried yet but that you'd like to?
I would like to become more proficient at installing zippers. I’ve done a few, and I know I can do it, I just need to practice more. My thigh high boots could totally use some hot pink zip ups so I shall start there. Then I think I need to prepare myself about twenty pouches and then just go for gold! I guess I know what I’m gifting for Christmas!

What's something about you that people might be surprised to know? 
I actually prefer cheap bubbles over the expensive stuff! I know! How?! How!? Probably just so I can drink more of it! Hiccup!

Thanks so much to Molli for participating.  Bounce yourself over to Molli Sparkles to check out all his quilts!

Thursday Inspiration: Chawne from Completely Cauchy

Today I'm interviewing Chawne from Completely Cauchy.  Chawne is a textile artist of many talents - as well as making quilts which are both beautiful and full of meaning, she is an accomplished stitcher (both cross stitch and embroidery) and skilled knitter.  I like the level of thought that Chawne brings to her work - you know that every decision is carefully made, both from a design perspective and with an eye to the message the piece carries.

Boys don't make passes

I particularly enjoy Chawne's full use of the English language in her quilts.  On the basis that I censor my own sweary quilts for the blog, I haven't shown any of Chawne's here.  However, you can find them here, and if you can handle expletives and other words that may cause a strong reaction, I suggest you check them out (but don't say I didn't warn you!).  I find Chawne's work super inspiring - she makes me want to push the boundaries and make the quilts that I really want to make.

I did something a little bit different for this interview - I asked Chawne a bunch of initial questions and then I had a couple of follow-ups which she kindly answered for me.  My questions are in bold and Chawne's answers are in normal text - the follow up questions are in bold italics.

Does your family have a quilting, stitching and knitting history, or are you a first generation quilter, stitcher and knitter?
I come from a long line of quilters and seamstresses on both sides of my family, though I never quilted or sewed with them. Their amazing works were a part of my life though and heavily influenced my desire to learn. My godmother taught me to cross stitch when I was ten. That was my gateway drug into crafting overall.

How did you start quilting, and how long have you been quilting for?
Back in 2005, my sister sent me a simple sewing machine for my birthday. It was a particularly stressful year in my work life and getting to sew all night filled a meditative need. I read the book ‘Quilting for Dummies’ and made a bunch of precision patchwork quilts with Civil War fabrics to systematically build my piecing skillz. With a few year-long breaks in there, I’ve been quilting ever since.

How would you describe your quilting style?
Hmm…that’s difficult to say. I’ve changed from an extremely traditional reproduction quilter to a contemporary improvisational quilter to an art quilter. To be stuck in just one of those categories would feel terrible. Let’s just say I make lots of quilts in all of these genres.

Snuggleshott

Where do you find inspiration for your quilts? 
I study art history, quilt history and history-history. At base, my quilts are inspired by this foundational body of work by the many, many quilters of the past and present. Thematically, I am inspired by current issues of social justice, issues of identity and difference, and linguistic play.

Do you like to follow patterns or create your own designs (or a bit of both)? 
I haven’t used a pattern since my first few quilts. I prefer to try to make something new and different that best expresses what’s on my mind in the moment.

Do you think your professional background as an academic influences the way you quilt? 
Not directly? It’s more of an influence on the way my work has changed over time. I used to just make quilts for the sake of making quilts, with no other goals. Converting to a more intentional approach to forming thematic bodies of work has helped me improve my art skills in every possible way. The pursuit of abstraction, in particular, is exactly the same as in my academic life.

Anticipation

One of the strong themes in your work is using textiles as a means of self-expression and to make a statement. Which came first, the meaning or the materials? 
Not sure what you’re asking, but I’ll take a stab at an answer. I am philosophically an artisan. That is, I believe that an artist best expresses meaning if she knows the materials she may use and wields her materials well. So…when making a quilt, I almost always have an intended expression in mind and then seek the materials and methods that will best convey the expression. When I instead begin with a fabric I want to use, I tend to make more geometric designs rather than personal statements. I hope that makes sense.

In part, I guess I meant did you start using textiles, and then feel like you wanted to give your textile pieces more meaning, or did you start with the desire for self-expression and choose textiles as your medium? 
Oh! Yes, I just started with textiles because I love love love fabrics, especially cotton. Once I'd made 30 or 40 quilts just to be quilts, I felt like I was done, though I was sad to walk away from the process of quilting. On second thought, I decided to try instead to find and/or communicate meaning with them to refresh the experience for myself. It's worked out okay so far.

Is this love?

Do you quilt, stitch and/or knit for relaxation? 
Yep, that’s mostly the sole reason that I indulge in making things.

Are you a member of a local quilting guild? 
Nope. The waiting list to join the (traditional) local guild is decades long.

Have you ever met any of your online sewing friends in real life? 
Yes! Mainly I meet up with them at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, International Quilt Festival in Houston, or now at QuiltCon. Looking forward to meeting you next February in Austin! And I’m going to my first quilting retreat this winter…should be fun.

How did you decide to start your blog? 
I was a knit blogger back in the day when knitters were pretty much the only crafters online. As I started to learn how to quilt, I started writing more and more about the process of quilting instead. It is quite fulfilling to read and write about our creative pursuits in order to reflect on choices, learn and teach new techniques, and connect to like-minded folks.

Blankety blank

Confession time - how many quilts do you have in your house right now? 
Yikes. I have made more than 100 quilts. More than half are gifts that live with friends and family. And several are out on loan to galleries. About 30 are at home? Of those, six or seven are in constant rotation on the couch. Is that a lot of quilts?

Where do you see your quilting going - is it a career or a hobby for you and would you like to change that? 
Given my very demanding “day job” that I actually love, I don’t know how much of a career I could build by just stealing little moments here and there to make a stitch or two. But we’ll see. I’m open to possibilities and opportunities.

Do you have any tips or tricks or things that have changed your quilting life that you'd like to share? 
Three things: (1) Ignore rules. Now let me clarify that. I don’t believe in sloppiness. For instance, I believe in the quarter-inch seam for making durable patchwork. So I don’t mean to ignore centuries of knowledge gleaned by our predecessors. I do mean that most “rules” are indeed made to be broken in order to progress as an artist. I could speak for days about just this. (2) Step out of your comfort zone. Try new things often and don’t be afraid to fail. You’ll never learn unless you try; and failures are just times when you learn the most. (3) Stop comparing yourself to others. Quilting is not a competition. And neither is life. Doing these three things made me more comfortable expressing myself. It’s liberating.

Self study, #1.  It won first place for small appliqué quilts at QuiltCon 2013.

What is your favourite part of the quilting process (and what's your least favourite part)? 
I love the process of design, generating ideas, researching events and materials, gathering and choosing supplies, etc. So it makes sense that I least enjoy finishing: basting, binding, and sleeving are all snores for me.

Are there any quilting techniques you haven't tried yet but that you'd like to? 
Pretty much everything! I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of possibilities. I can do most piecework and appliqué, but I’d love to learn more about hand embroidery, surface design, dyeing, printing, painting, collage, and other embellishments.

What's something about you that people might be surprised to know?
Surprisingly, it once was a big issue in the online quilting world that people didn’t know that I am not white. That’s less of a surprise now, maybe, though it’s still an issue.

I'm interested - do you think that people still assume you are white? It seems like the majority of quilt bloggers are white - does this reflect the wider quilting community in the US (or your part of the US)? 
Yep, I think there are those who will never accept that there is diversity (even beyond race) in the quilt community. There are quilters still shocked to learn that there are male quilters! And, after almost 10 years shopping at the same local quilt shop, I'm still treated either like a complete sewing novice or like a potential robber when I go in there. It's maddening. Anyway, in the art community I'd say the percentages resemble that of the population overall; the textile art community is less representative, but race is less of an issue there than it is in the (largely politically and socially conservative) commercial and hobby quilter worlds.

Girl with side eye

One of the things I wanted to ask in the interview (but couldn't quite work out the right way to ask it or whether even asking the question would be offensive) is about your experience as an African-American quilter. 
Sure, you can ask; it's not offensive. But I tend to be more reserved with my answers. The more interesting thing for you to do, though, is not to spotlight me to speak for my race and to be scrutinized. Doing so makes it seem like I am the problem. Why not ask a white quilter (hobby quilter, guild quilter, art quilter...any quilter) if they find it uncomfortable that there are no more than a few tokens of diversity in their world? Are they aware of the barriers and the discrimination? Will they work to do something about it?

Thank you so much to Chawne for participating and for her honest and insightful answers.  I particularly love her three tips that changed her quilting life.  I really recommend that you check out Chawne's other work at Completely Cauchy, and follow along if you're so inclined.  I have a hunch that we'll be seeing lots from her in the months to come...

Thursday Inspiration: Charlotte from Displacement Activity

Today Charlotte from Displacement Activity is joining me for Thursday Inspiration.  Charlotte's quilts cover a range of styles, but its her graphic improv-y and art quilts that really catch my eye.  I love the way Charlotte uses quilting as a form of self-expression - I always think quilting is an art as well as a craft, but you can swing it towards one or the other depending on your approach and I think Charlotte takes a very artistic approach to her quilts.

Charlotte has some mad hand quilting skills and often makes her choice of quilting thread a feature rather than just something functional.  To top things off, Charlotte is a talented dress-maker (seriously, check out this stunning dress), even going so far as to tackle a bathing suit.

So without further ado, here's Charlotte.  As usual, my questions are in bold and her answers are in normal text.

Does your family have a quilting or sewing history, or are you a first generation quilter? 
My grandmother and mum used to sew a lot of clothes when I was younger (I have very fond memories of the amazing hand-smocked dresses my grandma made), but there is no history of quilting. I learned to embroider and hand stitch when I was about five, and started dressmaking when I was ten (using an ancient hand-cranked machine). I guess my blood is 50% fabric.

How did you start quilting, and how long have you been quilting for? 
I started quilting in 2001 when my first child was a year old. I can't really remember why I started, but I have loved it ever since.

How would you describe your quilting style?
Lazy! No, seriously, I love improv and playing with colour. I prefer not to follow patterns or use blocks (unless I am making a bed-sized quilt), and that is partly to do with accuracy but also that I quilt to express myself.

Emerald City

Where do you find inspiration for your quilts?
Often from paintings, or from wanting to play with colour. A lot of the time I don't know where they come from - they just sort of appear in my head.

Are you a member of a local guild? 
I was, but now I am an individual member of the MQG.

Have you ever met any of your online sewing friends in real life? 
I was lucky enough to be able to go to QuiltCon in 2013 where I met loads of people, which was wonderful. I also went to the Fat Quarterly Retreat in London. Meeting people is often so surreal, and so fantastic!

How did you decide to start your blog? 
I really love writing (one of my day jobs is as a scientific editor, so words are kind of my thing) and I love the sense of community. It's also nice to get feedback (since most of my real life friends are of the non-sewing variety).

Juicy Fruit

What is your favourite thing about the online quilting community? And what is one thing that you would change, if you could?
People are so willing to help - if you need advice then an Instagram post will get answers really quickly. I love that! One thing that I would change is the size of the world. All quilters should live on a small island so we can hang out at each other's houses whenever we like. Not too much to ask? 

Confession time - how many quilts do you have in your house right now? 
Bloody hell, I've just counted. There are 20 lap/twin/king size and 11 minis. And another king size one in the middle of being quilted. That's quite a lot, isn't it. *blush*

Charlotte, in a dress she made (it's a dog toy, apparently).

I know you do quite a bit of garment sewing - do you have any tips for quilters thinking about branching out to garment sewing? 
Start with a pattern by an indie designer, like the Washi dress (Made by Rae). The instructions are written in a much more accessible format than the traditional pattern companies (McCalls, etc) and there are often online resources that are really helpful. Also, don't worry about using all that fabric in one go - remember, there are always loads of scraps left over for quilting!

Do you do any crafts other than quilting (and garment sewing)?
I knit and crochet, although not very often. It's just too slow!

Fractured

Where do you see your quilting going - is it a career or a hobby for you and would you like to change that?
Quilting is definitely a hobby, but I would like to submit to more shows. I was lucky enough to have two quilts hanging at QuiltCon, and am absolutely planning on entering again.

Do you have any tips or tricks or things that have changed your quilting life that you'd like to share?
Glue basting! It (sadly enough) changed my life!

Fortitude

What is your favourite part of the quilting process (and what's your least favourite part)? 
I actually love it all, mostly because I avoid the parts I don't like (machine quilting big quilts). I even like hand stitching bindings!

What's something about you that people might be surprised to know?
I can't think of anything - it's all out there on my blog!

Thanks so much to Charlotte for participating - her answers were really interesting and I love the tips for quilters who are thinking about trying garment sewing (umm, that might be me...).  Pop over to Displacement Activity to check out Charlotte's other pieces and follow along with her quilting journey.