Coffee Talk: Becky Schwendeman

Becky is just about as sweet as they come and I'm happy to share her quilting journey with all of you!

How long have you been sewing?

I started sewing when I was 12 years old.  Our summer babysitter was 16 and had taken sewing in Home Ec in school. My mom had just bought a new sewing machine so we sewed all summer and I was hooked after that.  In High School, I took a tailoring class and sewed a lot of my own clothes, but had a fascination with quilts early on. The quilt on the left below is a lap quilt I made in High School and the other I made in college.  Both are tied with yarn.  I still have both quilts and they’ve been well used.

I love that you still have these quilts. So, you've been quilting since high school?

I’ve been quilting on and off for a very long time.  Some seasons of my life have been more productive, but I’ve always done some kind of craft. Last year, I hand stitched snowflakes for all our Christmas cards.  That took a very long time!

Oh, I love to make Christmas cards! How did you to get into quilting? 

I remember seeing some quilt tops at my great grandmother’s house when I was young and now I wish I had some of them.  I think they planted a seed for me.

What is it that drew you to modern quilting rather than a more “traditional/classic” style?

I’ve sewn traditional quilts for a long time and have fabric for several quilts sitting in a cabinet, but they didn’t seem very exciting.  Ann Solinski invited me to a sew day at Oklahoma Quiltworks for the Modern Quilt Guild about 2 years ago.  I enjoyed meeting new people excited about quilting. Modern quilts are often bright and cheerful and you can use traditional designs, some brighter fabrics, modify the design a bit and it becomes a modern quilt. It has been a way for me to connect with Heather, my daughter-in-law, who loves to sew and quilt, too.  We have made 3 modern baby quilts together for friends and a cousin.  Now, happily, we can start sewing for our first grandson due in early August.

There are so many creative and talent people in the world of quilting. Who do you find inspirational?

There are so many lovely patterns and fabrics out there.  I enjoy taking classes with quilt teachers.  It was fun to take a class from Carolyn Friedlander and hear how she has navigated developing patterns and fabric in the modern quilt world. 

What styles of fabrics speak to you the most, and why?

I have fabric and patterns for the Jaybird Park Bench and Rock Candy designs, but haven’t started them. In the recent past, I was drawn to Bridgette Heitland’s Zen Chic’s Juggling Summer and Comma fabric line.  I’ve loved the brightness of Kaffe Fassett fabric and Heather has really drawn my eye to the gray fabrics.  I made a queen size chevron quilt as a graduation gift for Heather from the Comma fabric.  I saw a picture on Pinterest and made up the pattern so the quilt was on the living room floor for a very long time.  Heather was with me before Christmas when I picked it up from being quilted and she kept asking me who the quilt was for.  She was very excited when she opened her present and saw the quilt.  It brings me great joy when someone really appreciates the time and effort put into making a quilt.  I also have part of a quilt made using the Off Track pattern and the Juggling Summer fabric.  Even though I love whole fabric lines, I’m hoping to branch out more to mix and match.

When are you most productive? When do the most ideas strike you?

I love sewing in the late afternoon after work, but usually evenings are my time to dream and sew and Sunday nights while watching OETA.  I like the motto that I used with my son, Jim, when he was young taking Suzuki cello lessons, and that was, he had to practice on the days he ate.  So I think that should apply to quilting, too!

Is there a project you're hoping to tackle in the near future?

I just bought some nice linen fabric to make a Super Tote.  It looks so handy for traveling. The Metro medallion with the quick curve ruler looks fun.  I’m thinking about making Jennifer Sampou’s Elephant and I quilt.  Our son and daughter-in-law brought me some fabric from Africa and I think it would be fun to use it in the quilt.  It might even be a baby quilt. I have some fabric from Liberty of London that I bought while in London last year and am waiting for an inspiration to use it. When I have more time, I really want to practice and explore machine quilting.  I’m pretty good at meandering, but need to get more proficient with other designs.

What quilt creation are you most proud of?  

I actually have several quilts that I really like. The first is this queen size quilt I made for our son’s wedding.  Jim wanted a rainbow quilt and Heather wanted bright colors so I used all batiks. I think it led the way to modern quilts. The quilt pieces resided on our living room floor for about 4 months.  It was a labor of love and they both have an appreciation for quilts.  

A wall hanging I enjoyed making is the blue and white Making Waves quilt I had hanging in the 2014 OKCMQG quilt show in Edmond.  It now looks so great on the wall by my piano.  I just finished a quilt with sailboats on it for my sister in Minnesota. It was a free Moda pattern that I modified to make it my own.  They live at the lake in the summer and race their sailboat.  I’m excited to give her the quilt when I visit next week.

I love your Making Waves quilt too! Did you ever have a quilt project go terribly wrong? 

It was my first attempt at a queen size quilt, a Trip Around the World kit. In 1982, we were living in Fairbanks and I joined the Cabin Fever’s Quilt Guild.  It was the first time that I felt a kinship with others who loved quilting and I was also introduced to many new quilting tools that have been invaluable on my journey.   I learned to hand quilt with a small group of young women while our babies played.  It took me 3 years to hand quilt it. The border and backing fabric were a cotton blend and it wasn’t until I entered the quilt in the Alaska State Fair and got the critique back that I found out I should have used all cotton fabric.  I learned a valuable lesson but I did get a 1^st place ribbon for the quilt.  I also sewed and machine quilted many baby quilts with a herringbone pattern during our 6 years in Alaska.

If you had to choose one must have book or blog to visit for modern quilting what would it be?

There are so many blogs on the Internet: Moda Fabrics Blog and Moda Bakeshop have interesting patterns and many are free! Ami Simms has some interesting ideas and baby things. I often check out blogs recommended by modern quilters: Sew Mama Sew, and the new Block magazine/book from Missouri Star Quilt Co.

What is your advice to someone who wants to jump into the world of modern quilting?

Explore the Internet, take classes, join a quilt guild and go to sew days with the MQG or at a quilt store.  I was recently sewing with Haley, a 12 year old girl and showing her my selection of quilt books. She responded with, why would you want to buy books when you can go on the Internet and find tutorials and free patterns.  I like sewing with others.  It gives me energy and I often learn something new.  Sometimes, I lose interest in a project and set it aside for a while, or in the case of a kaleidoscope quilt I made at Quiltworks about 15 years ago for a very long while.  It’s in softer pastels so doesn’t really speak to me and I haven’t had a plan for it so it has been hard to finish. When I have a person in mind for the quilt, it usually goes together more quickly because I’m very excited to share my labor of love with them.  I only give quilts to people who will treasure them.  I want them to feel like they are wrapped in love when they use the quilt.

Thanks Becky! I love to hear what inspires people and you've just inspired me to go finish the baby quilt I'm working on!

Coffee Talk with Shirlene

It seemed appropriate to start off this year's Coffee Talk feature with our new guild President, Shirlene Davis. She's enthusiastic and a real go-getter and I'm happy for the opportunity to work with her and get to know her better.

Shirlene, how long have you been sewing?

I anxiously waited for 8^th grade to take the block of classes with wood shop, art, home economics, and music.  In home economics we had two sewing projects.  The first was a pillow project and I chose an apple with a worm coming out.  It was red broadcloth with a felt stem and worm appliquéd to the front.  We had to sew a garment as well; vests were really big so I made one from black corduroy and a patch with of a coat of arms. I was going to get an “A” because my Mom was an avid sewer.  Let’s say that it was not “A” quality work by my teachers’ standards. I did a lot seam ripping because my seams were not straight. 

How long have you been quilting?

I got started quilting about 3 years ago.  I had been contemplating making a t-shirt quilt out of my high school t-shirts.  I still go to football games and needed a stadium blanket. I attended a co-workers retirement party and asked what she was going to do.  Just so happens she was going to be the bookkeeper at Prairie Quilts.  I asked if they offered classes as she said “they sure do”.  There was a t-shirt class they just started offering and it was downhill from there.

Perfect timing! What or who inspired you to get into quilting?

My then new sewing machine made me get serious about quilting.  With my new machine I could take classes free, short of the supplies and quilt kit.  So I took a yearlong class to complete Stitcher’s Garden.  I learned the ins and outs of my machine and too many skills and techniques to count.

I need that class. I still don't know the ins and outs of my machine. What is it that drew you to modern quilting rather than a more “traditional / classic” style?

Ladies in different classes I had been taking at various local quilt shops were talking about things they were doing with their guilds.  I thought I might look into joining one.  I Googled “Oklahoma Quilting Guilds” and ran across OKCMQG webpage.  Compared to the other guilds, OKCMQG site was the most inviting to my likes and did not interfere with my Thursday night bowling league. I visited a meeting and joined up.  I value the knowledge of the members along with the diverse way they apply the modern quilt aesthetic to not only quilts, buts other forms of sewing arts from handbags to clothes.

Traditional quilts I like as well, but there has to be a design style that really speaks to me.  I have a couple of El Camino Real quilts I am going to make for my bed, one is pieced, and the other is appliqué. 

Who do you find inspirational in the world of modern quilting and why?              

That is a very good question.  I am a class junkie and I love to sit with a group and learn something new along with everybody else.  I took 2 workshops offered by Oklahoma Quiltworks the summer of 2014 where Carolyn Friedlander had two sessions offering instruction for two patterns: Totem and Olive.  I have not really ventured into the world of paper piecing, but once you try it you can’t help to be hooked.  I really met Carolyn for the first time when her Architextures fabric line came out and hit the shelves.  I found the color and prints interesting and to meet her in person and find out she was a professional architect was amazing.  You can see her life in her art from fabric to patterns.

Totem

If you take a peek into my quilt supplies you will find I have a good collection of quilt rulers.  Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts is the other person I find inspirational.  I love her line of rulers and their companion patterns. It is very easy to choose a color pallet or precut fabrics to produce amazing quilts.

Snack Time

What styles (designers, manufacturers) of fabrics speak to you the most, and why?

If you look at my stash you will find precuts, solids, and blenders.  I have an infatuation with solids.  I LOVE Kona cotton solids by Robert Kaufman fabrics.  Any quilt I make will have either all solids or at least 1 solid to bring out a color in a print I really love.  My favorite blenders are Grunge Basics by BasicGrey for Moda Fabrics.  I like the fact that I can pull colors that complement each other and have a really special quilt in the end.  I mention pre-cuts because most manufactures offer them, if there is a line a really like I’ll get a layer cake, if I love it I buy a fat quarter bundle or both.  Color Theory and Ombre Fabric by V and Co for Moda is next on my list for pre-cut purchases.  Do you see a Moda theme here?  Then of course I have Carolyn Friedlander’s Doe is in my stash now with a nifty Ten square, Robert Kaufman equivalent to a Moda’s layer cake.

When are you most productive?  When do the most ideas strike you?

The last three years I have been in learning mode taking classes to build my quilting skills and techniques.  I am happy to check “Intermediate” when asked about my skill level.  There are 3 times I am most productive.  Before, during, and after a class, workshop, stitching groups, or sew days.  Before, because I am gathering supplies, fabrics, and pattern for class or sew days.    This is when I get an ideas and inspiration.  I look at what I am going to do with the project after I am done. Is it for me or can I gift it?  Based on that, I can look for fabrics and complete any pre-tasks.  During an event because I have however long I am there to work on the project uninterrupted.  The guidance from the instructor or even my neighbor in class eliminates the frustration and spinning my wheel at home.  After, because I want to finish up that particular block or make another of the same project so I won’t forget what I learned.

What are some quilt patterns or styles that you hope to tackle in the near future?

2015 will be a busy year.  I’ll be working on completing works in progress (aka WIPS) for all of the classes.  A half day class is not enough time to complete a quilt.  I’m guessing I have around 15 projects between classes and block of the months.

I am most looking forward to two BOM projects:

Jaybird Quilts, Gravity

Pile O’ Fabrics, Skill Builder BOM 2015 Technicolor Galaxy

Both projects use solids and blenders.

What quilt creation are you most proud of?

1,000 Pyramids

This mini was a project featured in Modern Patchwork magazine.  I looked at materials to make it and I had 60 degree ruler, charm packs, and white yardage to make it and I did.  In looking at my stash, I pulled blues and that one color of chartreuse and voila!  The one cool thing about this mini was the use of the strip tube technique to make the triangles.  It was a timesaver and pretty cleaver.  I think it aided in the points lining up so nice.  This is my first piece that has been shown internationally, it was with collection OKCMQG members shown at an arts center in Hungary.

Did you ever have a quilt project go terribly wrong?

I would say if you were a long-arm quilter and saw the back of my Stitcher’s Garden quilt you would say no way.  No amount of ironing will get those seams to lay flat.  As I progressed through the quilt you can tell which ones were earlier blocks in the project. Between learning how to read the pattern instructions and mastering the quarter inch seam it was a chore to complete the quilt top.  At least it looks good all put together.

Ha, ha...thats what counts! If you had to choose one must have book or blog to visits for modern quilting what would it be?

Can we make it plural with books or blogs?  I have a huge appetite for information so when I start something new at work or in my quilting I can do it with confidence.  Many of the members of the Modern Quilt Guild have books and blogs. I encourage you to seek out your favorites.  I’ve narrowed it down to a couple.  I use an application called Bloglovin' because there are so many I follow.

Here are 5 blogs I check the most often follow:

Moda Fabrics Blog- love their fabric and many contributors are MQG members

Moda Bakeshop great projects for precuts found here

Jaybird Quilts - I fun blog supporting her books and rulers, also Angela Waters quilts for her projects.

Sew Mama Sew - Tons of contributors if you follow one site, this is it.  One stop shop for great info.

Pile O'Fabric Quilting Blog - Love her annual skill build projects and the Stash and Share (great color ideas)

My collection of quilt books has evolved to where I am comfortable to purge a few books, because they are not where I am at design wise. These two books are new to my collection and I wish I had them both when I started quilting Modern.  I would say these should be must have:

Lucky Spool’s Essential Guide to Modern QuiltMaking

Quilt Color Workshop

Carolyn Friedlander’s Savor Each Stitch is just a good read with written stories along with great companion quilts.  I have a beautiful signed copy I treasure.

Let’s not forget magazines.  I only get 2 in the mail.  Love, Patchwork, and Quilting because I love the freebies stuck to the front and many of their projects require templates.  Block, by Missouri Star Quilt Co., incorporates great family stories and projects from their business.  Missouri Star Quilt Co. is on my places to visit list.

Wow, you are a wealth of knowledge! What is your advice to someone just diving into the world of modern quilting?

Try at least one workshop or attend a social group meeting to tackle something you want to learn more about. 

Great advice! Thanks so much for letting me interview you. I look forward to see your next project!

Coffee Talk Interview: Karen Oyerly

When I first joined the OKC Modern Quilt Guild, there were about six of us sitting around a table in the back room of our local quilt shop and it was easy to get to know everyone. Now that we're ten times the size, it's hard just to learn everyone's name. Relatively new to the guild is Karen Oyerly, our lucky October Coffee Talk Interviewee. Karen has a great sense of humor and I'm looking forward to hearing about and sharing her journey toward modern quilting.

So Karen....How long have you been sewing? 

About a year and a half; I learned to sew as a child and did some sewing in girl scouts, but it didn't stick!

Well then...how long have you been quilting?

About a year and a half.

Wow, that's not long and you do great work. With getting back into sewing just recently, how did you get into quilting? 

A friend kept bugging me to come hang out with her at a local quilt shop (sadly closed now).  I finally gave in one Saturday, and really fell in love with a quilt the owner had on the design wall - it was all Marvel comic fabrics in the "Big EZ" pattern.    The owner convinced me I'd be able to make it after taking her intro class, so by the time I left, I had signed up for the class and bought a stack of fabric.  I still haven't made that quilt, even though I've had the fabric for it since then!  In addition to the finished products, I was really drawn in by the community and camaraderie I felt in that room of quilters.  The class was scheduled for 3 Saturdays, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it stretched out quite a while - by the time it was over, I had finished a jelly roll race quilt top outside of class time on a Hello Kitty sewing machine I had bought on clearance at Target years ago and had never used - you could say quilting just "clicked" in my brain!

I love Hello Kitty. Did you hear she's not actually a cat, but a girl? Anyway....What is it that drew you to modern quilting rather than a more “traditional/classic” style? 

A little of everything, really.  I love modern fabrics, with the great prints and color palettes. I love the bold, busy quilts that are a barrage of color, but I also love the quilts that make use of empty space.  I love the minimal use of borders - all the quilts I grew up with didn't have borders, so to me that seems natural.  There is a freedom in modern quilting - to modify patterns, to play with color and scale, to improvise and adapt that just appeals to me.  So far, there's not a lot about the modern movement that I don't love!

There are so many great quilters with blogs and books...Who do you find inspirational in the world of modern quilting? 

I really like Melissa Lunden of Lunden Designs - she just has a clean style, and I think she makes really accessible patterns.  Sew Kind of Wonderful - I can't wait to do my first quick curve ruler project - and the quilting on some of her quilts is amazing! The Quilt Engineer does a lot with solids, and talks a lot about her design process, which I find really interesting and educational! HoosierToni - I love everything she does! 

Gee, I haven't heard of a couple of those. I'll have to look them up. What styles (designers or manufacturers) of fabrics speak to you the most, and why? 

Recently I've been really intrigued by what people are doing with linens - I just can't get over the depth that texture gives a quilt.  My favorite fabric designers are Joel Dewberry, Tula Pink, V and Co., Carolyn Friedlander. I also have a slight obsession with Echino fabrics from Japan.

When are you most productive? When do ideas strike you?

I think I get the most ideas in the evening.  I'm definitely more productive in the evening and in group situations. I seem to get a lot of piecing done listening to baseball games!

Haha...I like to have Thunder basketball on while I piece. What are some quilt patterns/styles that you hope to tackle in the near future? 

I definitely have a couple of quick curve ruler patterns in my future! And I've been plotting a quilt with linens and some of my Echino collection!  I just finished a Nancy Drew quilt for my niece - a quilt for me out of this collection is definitely going to happen! 

What quilt creation are you most proud of?  

I made a half-hexie quilt last winter for my niece - it was only the 3rd quilt top I'd ever completed, and the 2nd completed quilt.  It was the first quilt I did without any kind of pattern directions.  I just had the ruler and a stack of 10 in squares!  It was also the first pieced back I made.  To be honest, I've only finished five quilts, so I'm pretty proud of all of them! If you had told me 5 years ago that I would ever finish ANY quilt I would have laughed at you!

Have you ever had a quilt project go terribly wrong? 

Not yet - knock on wood! 

If you had to choose one must have book or blog to visit for modern quilting, what would it be? That's really hard, since I take inspiration from so many books and blogs! 

Me, too. There are so many to keep up with. What is your advice to someone just diving into the world of modern quilting? 

Join a modern guild if there is one close to you! You can learn so much from the guild members, and someone always jumps in to answer questions - we are all learning from each other! And every month at least one project gets shown that I want to make.  And follow fabric and pattern designers on your social network of choice - that way, pictures of new quilts and fabrics are in your feed every day to provide inspiration for your next project!  Make what you love, relax (there is no quilting police, and you are your own worst critic), and have fun!

Thanks so much Karen for being interviewed. Keep up the beautiful work! I look forward to seeing your future projects! 

Coffee Talk Tuesday with Regina

Welcome to Coffee Talk! This is where we have the chance to chat with our members one-on-one and find out what makes them tick. This month, we're sitting down with Regina Engling. Regina has been a member of the OKCMQG for about a year now and is just one of those people you instantly like. She blogs at Life in Bits and Pieces 2 and makes wonderful projects. I'm happy to get to know her a little better and share her work with all of you.

Let's start with an easy question first. How long have you been sewing?  

Like many young Oklahoma girls back in 1959, my first sewing project was an apron in pink gingham for 4-H.  

(laugh) Mine was a green gingham stuffed turtle. The only thing I ever remember doing in 4-H.

I can still remember my Mama helping with the cutting and then sitting me on her lap to learn how to guide the fabric through her old Singer sewing machine.  I was so proud to model it at the Carter County Fair that fall, and then present it to my Mama (who put it to good use for many years).  My Mama made most of the clothes for her 3 girls; and,  I was her assistant, hand sewing hems and sewing on buttons – good training for hand sewing quilt bindings!  Today my sewing is for grandchildren – twirly skirts for my youngest grand-daughter and Trick or Treat bags. The bags are usually a  joint project with grandkids supplying the designs and me doing the stitching – you can never start them too young!

I definitely agree that we need to teach kids to sew. So, you've been sewing for a long time. How long have you been quilting?  

I’ve been quilting long enough (over 20 years) that the first fabrics I purchased are now becoming ‘trendy’!  My first quilting projects were quilts for new babies in my large extended family. Using books from the library, scissors, fabric and thread, I managed to create very simple quilts.  One of my first quilts was a baby quilt for my niece – machine pieced, with flannel used in place of batting and tacked with yarn.  My niece is 40 now and still has that quilt along with a baby quilt for each of her three children, all stitched by me.  According to my quilt journal, the total number of quilts made for our family’s grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren is 35 quilts. 

What a wonderful legacy of quilts! What or who inspired you to get into quilting? 

Over 20 years ago, my friend, Linda, who worked in the same office complex, was a new quilter like me.  We would meet during our lunch hour in her office to hand stitch quilt blocks together. Later we joined Central Oklahoma Quilt Guild and soaked up all the knowledge and creativity that those quilters were glad to share. I loved the sense of community the Guild brought to my quilting journey and I’m so glad to have found the OKC Modern Quilt Guild. Linda has been my quilting mentor and even though she and I live miles apart – we still keep in touch with the help of texts and email. She’s still the first person I turn to when I’m in need of some quilt/sewing (and non-quilt related) advice.  

So, with your experience and history of quilting, what drew you to the relatively new modern quilting movement?  

My quilting journey began with needle, cloth and thread –  I fell in love with quilting, but soon found out that I was drawn to quilt blocks & patterns that were less fussy.  Quilts with clean lines, colorful prints framed by solid fabric.  Don’t get me wrong, I love and appreciate traditional quilting patterns and the quilts created from those patterns; but, they just weren’t for me.  I began taking traditional designs (especially my two favorite traditional patterns: log cabin & stacked coins) and putting my own stamp on them.  After that, with each quilt I stitched, I was learning what I liked and what ‘spoke’ to me – and, that made me happy.  Having the freedom to create with fabric, thread, and needle on my own terms, without boundaries or restrictions, -- that’s what Modern Quilting is to me.

Freedom...that's a great definition! There are some amazing people in the modern quilting world. Who do you find inspirational? 

• Camille Roskelley – her take on traditional blocks/patterns is amazing.
• Susan Beal at West Coast Crafty – Modern Log Cabin; log cabin blocks, pretty fabrics, crafty stuff – what’s not to like!
• Amanda Jean Nyberg at Crazy Mom Quilts and Cheryl Arkison at Dining Room Empire.  Their book 'Sunday Morning Quilts' and Cheryl’s book ‘A Month of Sundays’ are both filled with quilts I want to stitch. 

What style of fabrics (designer or manufacturer) speak to you the most?   

The designers at Moda are some of my favorites:  Bonnie & Camille, Fig Tree, Basic Grey, French General, and Bunny Hill.  But really it’s all about color for me, if it catches my eye on a website or in a quilt shop, at least a fat quarter will come home with me. (I’ll admit it – I  have an addiction to fat quarters!)

When are you most productive? When do ideas strike you?  

Weekends are my most productive -- Saturday afternoons are my time to create in my little sewing corner.  I never know when an idea will pop into my head  – which is the reason I have little note books stashed all over the house, the office and in my purse.  Because at my age, the memory isn’t what it used to be!

I'm lost without a notebook! What are some quilt patterns or styles that you hope to tackle in the near future?

• Stripes from ‘A Month of Sundays’, which is made with men’s shirting fabric;
• Scrappers Delight  from ‘Sunday Morning Quilts’. It's a quilt to make use of my scraps.
• Modern Crosses Quilt from ‘Modern Log Cabin’. I have a collection of fat quarters started for this quilt.
• Dwell from ‘Retro’ by Camille Roskelley. This quilt just might be made as a mini.   

We all have a favorite quilt, whether because of workmanship or sentimentality. What quilt creation are you most proud of?

 

My husband and I had our first date at Jazz n June in Norman and for our 25^th anniversary I made him a quilt from his Jazz n June t-shirts. It’s not the best quilt I’ve made, but it’s filled with memories and that makes me smile every time I see it.  Plus he loves it and that makes me happy too.

Aw, I love that. Did you ever have a quilt project go terribly wrong? 

O’ yes – at times my seam ripper and I have been very good friends!  

  

If you had to choose one must have book or blog to visit for modern quilting, what would it be? 

Modern Quilting has so many talented and unique quilters/designers - I don’t think I could pick just one!

What is your advice to someone just diving into the world of modern quilting?  

Explore blogs, take some classes, join a Guild, discover what fabrics, patterns and quilts catch your eye -- just go for it!  And, remember to create quilts that make you happy.  

"Create quilts that make you happy"...I couldn't have said it better. Thanks so much, Regina, for sharing your quilts and thoughts with us!

Coffee Talk: Member Interview

Coffee Talk "Tuesday": Elizabeth Richards

This week we are featuring our committee chair Elizabeth Richards. She is an enthusiastic member who is always trying something new and exciting. She quilts in every category and style and never limits herself. Elizabeth's blog is a Pieceful Life and is a member of the Little/Mini Quilts Flicker group where she posts some of her beautiful works. So let's get to know Elizabeth a bit!

Hello Elizabeth! It's so good of you to agree to be interviewed, Thank-you! So how long have you been quilting or sewing?

I began sewing when I was 10 but started quilting in 1995. I became interested in quilting whenI had my first baby in 1983. I made all the bedding for the nursery but my quilt was more like a comforter and it was tied rather than quilted.

I can relate to that, my first attempt at quilting was far from perfect but just seeing what you can create now I'm guessing you eventually caught the quilting bug and only got more amazing. Many beginners tie their quilts until they feel experienced enough to try something more challenging. Did you ever have a quilt project go terribly wrong? What advice would you give to someone just beginning modern quilting?

I have lost interest in many projects and I have learned to give them away, or set them aside for another day. My advice is enjoy the process, from picking out the pattern and the fabric to the end result, a handmade quilt. Don’t worry if your piecing or quilting isn’t perfect, because quilts are made to give comfort, warm hugs, a little beauty, and joy….. that sounds like perfection to me!

 

That is some great advice, and something everyone should remember when they feel frustrated! I know a lot of us have struggled with wanting to get it perfect and forget the bigger picture. What is it that eventually brought you to modern quilting rather than a more "traditional/classic" style?

I honestly like the freedom in modern quilting. I like to reinterpret traditional blocks with modern fabrics, I enjoy the simplicity of solid fabrics and no borders, and I also like improvisational piecing.

 

Your quilting style is very free in my opinion, you seem to like not limiting yourself. Who inspires you most in the world of modern quilting? And which fabrics speak to you most? Any book recommendations?

I like Ana Maria Horner for her design and improvisational style. Elizabeth Hartman's blog Oh, Fransson! is one of the first modern bloggers that I discovered in 2010. I would recommend her blog, she has many wonderful patterns for sale and free tutorials, along with loads of inspiration. Rachel Hauser at Stitched in Color also has some great tutorials, and online classes. As for fabric designers I am a Kaffe Fassett and an Amy Butler fan from way back, and also Ana Maria Horner. I really like bright fabric that goes so well with solids.

Those are definitely some inspiring modern quilters and fabric designers! I also frequent some of those blogs. What are some quilt patterns or styles you are currently experimenting with or would like to try?

I want to try some of the new specialty rulers. I am currently having fun using the Quick Curve Ruler.

I have also had some fun with the Quick Curve ruler. Which quilt creation that you've made so far are you most proud of?

The picture below is my favorite quilt. It is an original design made with Kaffe Fassett fabric. I am not sure that it makes me proud, but it certainly makes me happy : )

That is very colorful and happy! I'm glad you shared it with us today. Thank-you again for letting us get to know you a bit better and for taking the time to sit down with me. I'm sure you'll be sharing more of your exciting creations with us at upcoming meetings!

Coffee Talk "Tuesday": Ann Solinski

This week we're featuring Ann, our new and fearless leader! She has some exciting ideas to lead us into the New Year with style. Ann is an amazing quilter who is very interested in all things modern. I haven’t had the chance to sew alongside her but I think he has some amazing ideas inside her head and is always up for trying out new techniques. So now we must get to know the OKCMQG new president!

Hello Ann! It’s so good of you to sit down with us so we can get to know you a little better. I’ve read your blog Annotations: A Paper Trail… and I’ve always wanted to get some insight into your background in quilting, how long have you been sewing in general? What was your first quilt like?

My mom first started me out on her Featherweight back when I was quite young. I still kept sewing in spite of junior high school home economics classes. Although I needed to improve my craftsmanship, ‘keeping back with the rest of the class’ was spirit numbing. For my first quilt I bought Hancock Fabrics St. Jude Quilt of Dreams fabric (2005) and finally designed and made it from December 2010 - January 2011and it’s all hand tied

That is an innovative first attempt! I like how the stripes of the fabric are all different directions; it gives it a defined edge. So I’m guessing that was when you first began quilting?

Yes, since December 2010. It’s one of those creative outlets I always wanted to tackle. The first quilt I made was from fabric I’d purchased several years prior with no real plan. It was a great first attempt and set the tone for the way I design my quilts—on computer!

That is 4 years of quilting! Using your own pattern to begin with is pretty bold. I bet you’ve learned a lot in that time with the way you’re always up for new ideas. What drew you to modern quilting as opposed to a more traditional or classic style?

The first design that really got me excited was the V & Co. Houndstooth quilt and Elizabeth Hartman’s Tokyo Subway quilt. I was drawn to the strong graphic elements and contrast. When I started falling in love with/collecting fabric again in late 2010, I noticed a definite preference toward graphic prints as opposed to the more delicate, historical ones. I think I was a modern quilter destined to happen! As much as I like the tight precision of a traditional pattern, large expanses of negative space with beautiful quilting excite me more and more these days. I think it’s mostly because less is more and a whisper is louder than a shout.

I know how you feel I love the modern prints and collections. The negative space reminds me of some modern art. And the patterns that modern quilters come up with are very inspirational and exciting! Who inspires you in the busy world of modern quilting?

I’m pretty happy with Elizabeth Hartman’s Oh, Fransson! Blog and Almost any book by Angela Walters would make me happy. Watching her do free motion quilting on PBS, it looks so effortless and her books instill the same kind of confidence.  I’ve not yet searched too far and wide, but I’ll investigate more this year!

I’m sure your fellow guild members can offer some help with that! Like the book show and tell we had last year. How about some of you favorite fabric designers? Whose fabric inspires you to design?

My two favorite fabric designers are Brigitte Heitland (Zen Chic [Juggling Summer, Comma; Barcelona; and now Sphere]) and Carolyn Friedlander (Architextures & Botanics) and I am also partial to most of the patterns in the Parson Gray lines because they work great for stronger, more masculine themes. Again, it is the strong graphic elements, along with bold color palette, that inspire.

I understand you have come up with some of your own modern masterpieces! What is the quilt you are most proud of out out of those you have created?

My Comma Herringbone (by Zen Chic) Herringbone is my current favorite. I like it on several levels—it used up the two charm packs I already had, it was my first half square triangle quilt, and it was something I saw online that I put my own spin on. Laying in the background color as the end, on an angle, in Photoshop, to me, is what ultimately ‘makes’ this quilt ‘mine.’ This quilt is made with Zen Chic Comma and Bella Solids and is my own HST design which was quilted by Wendy Wells

I know that your quilt got a lot of ganders at the winter quilt show at the fairgrounds in January. You must be proud of it! When do you find time to design and sew all of your works of art? When are you most productive?

I am a long-time night owl. It’s my natural state. I’ve been up more often earlier in the day lately but I’m pretty sure it’s a fluke and I manage to get busy before I have a chance to get creative. My ideas seem to hit me mid-evening, but once one takes hold of me, well—that explains being up late nights!

With a mind for trying new patterns and techniques what are some quilt patterns or styles you hope to challenge yourself with or that we can expect to see from you in the near future?

I can imagine enjoying an Airship/Steampunk (Jen Kingwell) pattern. I also have another layer cake and ‘solids’ ready to try another Improv Curves quilt. I’ve also toyed with the idea of a jelly roll race quilt, but already know I’d put quite the twist on it. My other future project will be a pixel quilt. I took the Craftsy class by Caro Sheridan and totally embraced the process (by the way, I love spreadsheets!). Spontaneity is lots of work for me and the term ‘random order’ makes me twitch.

Sounds like you like ordered chaos or careful randomness [insert oxymoron here]. I too have trouble randomizing my quilts. I have a hard time figuring out how to thoughtfully randomize and make it look carefree. Do you have any closing advice for someone new to modern quilting?

Look at lots of examples and decide what speaks most to you. Design toward that and let it take you where it wants to.

That is great advice, do some research into the world of modern quilts and get inspired! Thank-you for taking the time to give us an introduction into your process and letting us get to know you a bit more. I’m sure we would all love to see the quilts you create and relate to your experiences as we move into the New Year!