Send us a text Dee Bradford is a student in my Freehand Quilting Masterclass. In this episode she shares her quilting journey, and highlights how becoming proficient at freehand work has both brought personal enjoyment, and opened creative doors of opportunity. Want to try free motion quilting but don't know where to start? Here's 3 simple steps to get going. Are you looking to ADVANCE your machine quilting skills? Machine quilting can be very solitary, especially on a longarm. It's just not tha...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 80
Send us a text Today's episode is a little departure from the podcast norm....I'm giving some backstory on why I created a comprehensive course on the art of machine quilting. It was born directly from the need I felt as a novice quilter to have some solid and extremely practical guidance as I got to know my machine and my own style of quilting. What type of quilter or creator might want that? Who is it intended to help? And of course, what can you expect to discover or learn? And how will it he...
Oct 20, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 79
Send us a text We've all cringed at those words. C'mon, admit it! This is my exploration of edge to edge and custom quilting, and why and when you might want to choose one over the other. Custom quilting is specific to areas, or blocks, or borders; may include stops and starts or thread color changes, and is often more complex or intricate. It is definitely more time consuming than edge-to-edge, so that's a huge consideration. But there ARE times when it fits the bill. Maybe you want something v...
Oct 13, 2022•11 min•Season 2Ep. 78
Send us a text Carina Gardner and I chat about business building and entrepreneurial skills. Tenacity...the willingness to learn and stretch...these are essential. There's no magic - it takes time and determination to establish and grow a business, but Carina's successes will encourage you! Carina has a Ph.D. in Design from the University of Minnesota. She has been a Creative Director for a scrapbooking company and children’s company. She has designed everything from dishware to bracelets under ...
Oct 06, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 77
Send us a text Does the idea of creating a scrappy quilt just overwhelm you? Where to start? How to choose fabrics? How to make it sparkle? Eva and I both love a good scrap quilt, so we're sharing the things we've learned about fabric selection, scrap storage, even pre-cutting into sizes we know we use often. We've got some simple tricks for determining color value and placement (hint: your smart phone is an epic tool) and also suggestions for additional support (think sewalongs and dedicated Fa...
Sep 23, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 76
Send us a text Quilt shows - you gotta love them! There's something new around every corner - quilts in every style, color, size. There are classes and demos. There are dealers with machines you can take out for a spin. There are vendors with delicious fabric! And, usually on the last day, there are ribbons to ooooh and aaaah over. Our local show is coming up in a few short weeks, and we are so excited! The opportunities to meet up with fellow quilters we haven't seen in a spell! The fabulous on...
Sep 14, 2022•32 min•Season 2Ep. 75
Send us a text Shop Hops are a great way to explore a variety of quilt stores - and get free patterns to boot! Eva and I chat about the details; from mapping and planning your route, to snacks and take-alongs, to collecting the free patterns that are unique to each shop, and even the contests that are available for speedy piecers! You'll want to come along for the ride! Want to try free motion quilting but don't know where to start? Here's 3 simple steps to get going. Support the show ----------...
Sep 07, 2022•18 min•Season 2Ep. 74
Send us a text Quilt retreats - what's not to love? They are a chance to visit and giggle with your friends...a time to get in some uninterrupted work on a challenging project...a chance to finish up some WIPs. My friend Eva and I were recently at a rather rustic retreat, so we'll tell you what we loved best, and what we learned. Plus tools and supplies you might want to pack. Suggestions for organizing meals and snacks. And wine. That's important. It's a pretty casual, and not very linear chat,...
Aug 31, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 73
Send us a text Shannon Fraser became a quilter unexpectedly - in fact she says she had discounted quilting as an interest entirely! Never say never! Shannon tells the story of textile exploration that eventually led her to quilting and pattern design. We chat about her love of saturated colors, and graphic designs, and improv as a quilter's version of a palette cleanser. Shannon gives us a glimpse into pattern designing, and how her goal is to make each project achievable, no matter your skill l...
Aug 24, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 72
Send us a text Lorinda Davis loves making pretty things, but she also loves being organized. We chat about her journey into the art of quilting - the first time she tried it she thought "that's not for me!" but eventually she was drawn in in an unexpected way. And then we explore the wonderful world of planners...organizers...checklists, and how writing things down helps us keep balance and priorities in our lives. And of course, it's not all about productivity, it's about crafting a life you lo...
Aug 17, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 71
Send us a text Courtney Kimball first learned to sew in special some one-on-one time with her grandmother, and she's been "making" ever since. In 2017 she and her husband and family moved to Honduras to develop their existing business. And over time, Courtney became acquainted with the desperate needs in the slums right next to their apartment complex. It began by meeting and learning to know one woman, Jocelyn, and exploring her circumstances, her dwelling, and her struggles. Then came sisters....
Aug 10, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 70
Send us a text Courtney Kimball first learned to sew in special some one-on-one time with her grandmother, and she's been "making" ever since. In 2017 she and her husband and family moved to Honduras to develop their existing business. And over time, Courtney became acquainted with the desperate needs in the slums right next to their apartment complex. It began by meeting and learning to know one woman, Jocelyn, and exploring her circumstances, her dwelling, and her struggles. Then came sisters....
Aug 03, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 69
Send us a text Pat Sloan - designer, author, and YouTuber truly has a deep passion for making quilting fun for herself and everyone around her. She's made over 800 quilts!! Pat has a vast experience of all aspects of quilt making and design, from patterns and sewalongs, to fabric design and teaching online. We chat about some of her most favorite things about creating, and some of the less-favorite. Pat gives some tips for contributing designs to magazines, and also great encouragement for maker...
Jul 20, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 68
Send us a text Darlene Girton has been making pretty things from fabric for a lot of years, but these days she has fallen in love with Singer Featherweight sewing machines. They have some unique qualities that make them beloved by quilters all over North America and beyond. Truly they are time capsules that we get to use and appreciate nearly 90 years later. Darlene does some surprising things on her Featherweights, like freehand quilting, and even sewing light weight leather! She's a born teach...
Jul 13, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 67
Send us a text Leisha Farnsworth has been machine quilting for over 17 years! Many, many quilts were done completely freehand, but she now shares her skills and creativity by creating digital quilting designs. She's also developed a set of rulers, born directly from a need she saw, as well as an online course and on-demand classes. Leisha has some excellent tips to share regarding building a business and brand, and setting yourself up for long term success. If you're interested in making quiltin...
Jul 06, 2022•41 min•Season 2Ep. 66
Send us a text Bethanne Nemesh is a classically trained artist with degrees in art and art therapy. She's been mastering the art of machine quilting and creating for over 23 years. She has extensively shown her quilts and won many major awards at national and international levels. Her deepest love, though, is teaching. Bethanne has taught quilters all over the world to love quilting, and to find their own voice of creative expression through the stitched line. Listen as she tells some stories of...
Jun 29, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 65
Send us a text In Ann's words - "For 40 years I have been making original quilts that use color, fabric and tradition to create abstract landscapes of the imagination." Ann's creations are made one strip of fabric at a time, and are so evocative of wide open outdoor spaces. They range from eyeglass cases to a 140-ft series. She gives us a little tour through her studio (open to the public!) and even her village in Massachusetts, which supports artisans of all kinds. We chat about creator's block...
Jun 22, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 64
Send us a text Karlee Porter is an artist! In her own words: "I excelled in the clay pencil holders of elementary school; I dominated the 10 minute drawing warm ups of my inner city middle school art class; and, against my mother’s most polite wishes, I skipped most of my high school core classes to escape to the art studio on the 3rd floor of my art-deco-from-the-great-depression high school." Happily for us, these days she considers fabric and thread her medium. We chat about her first entry a...
Jun 15, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 63
Send us a text Jenny Kae Parks came to this (audio only) interview in clothes coordinating with the quilt behind her. That's how passionate she is about color and its appeal! Jenny Kae home-schooled for many years, and has honed those teaching skills to now teach quilters to develop their own eye for color and style. In Jenny Kae's words: " Don't stop until the combination is something you LOVE." We chat about the difference between an OK quilt and one you LOVE, rhubarb pie and chutney, mountain...
Jun 08, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 62
Send us a text Tiffany Groff's words about herself: "Insomniac Quilter, Random Conversations, Disabled living with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and still LOVE & LIVE Life!" Tiffany knows all about the therapeutic qualities of quilting. She has MS, and at one point was wheelchair bound. Quilting became her passion, her motivation, and her joy, and these days she shares all of these on her YouTube channel, Tiffany's Quilting Life . Like Tiffany herself, it's casual, often impromptu...
Jun 01, 2022•32 min•Season 2Ep. 61
Send us a text Sue Heinz is a gem of a teacher, but WHAT she teaches is equally remarkable. Her quilting tools and designs are in a class of their own. Sue shares some rich (and maybe never-before-heard?) stories about personalities and history in the quilting industry. We chat at length about the value of giving credit where it's due, and the life-changing power of connections. Plus we give a good plug for Elmer's sticky stuff (NOT glue, you understand). Sue is absolutely genius in her developm...
May 25, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 60
Send us a text Audrey Esarey is an artist - no doubt about it! Her quilts are graphic, highly original, layered in interest and details, and, well....just a feast for the eyes. Audrey and I chat about her journey from her first quilt class to here - how that involved exploration, and trying out new skills, and even a complete hiatus for some years. But all those things served to clarify and refine her esthetic. And who knows what other new things may be over the horizon? For now, hand-dyed fabri...
May 18, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 59
Send us a text Christa Watson's quilting accomplishments are enormous! Pattern writer, fabric designer, quilting TABLE designer, and now host of ChristaQuilts.TV. Her enthusiasm, and heart for teaching and sharing is so evident in all she does. We chat about...so many things! How to chase your dreams. How to take a quilt from bright idea to finished product. How to build a business as a couple. How to refine your quilting style. How to mask mistakes in machine quilting. You'll have to listen to ...
May 11, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 58
Send us a text PJ Jacobsen is a quilter with a story! She's been a lot of places in her life, but a massive medical emergency resulted in a complete start-over for her and her husband. They purchased an abandoned church from Ebay, and set out to build a home for their family, and then a quilting retreat, with their own hands. These days the Crazy Quilter Retreat Center (in central Washington state) hosts up to 20 crafters with all kinds of lovely amenities like sauna and hot tub, and PJ even was...
May 04, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 57
Send us a text Tammy Thielman has a remarkable clinical practice - she offers counselling on her farm in southern British Columbia, Canada. Animals...corrals...forest trails...toy herds...quilts...cabins...fireside armchairs...all these are part of her multi-faceted approach to therapy. Tammy and I chat about these points of connection, and also about how quilting and creating helps fill up HER mental cup. It's so true, the value in creating has nothing to do with skill level, and everything to ...
Apr 27, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 56
Send us a text Brett Lewis (of Natural Born Quilter) is a very talented fabric designer, and a fellow northern Canadian. His fabric collections are rich with flora and fauna from his life and travels, and even family mementos and stories. And color! Lots of gorgeous color! In this episode we chat about the process of creating fabric, from concept to sketch to color, and the "roses and thorns" of being a quilt and fabric designer. Brett's newest collection, WILD , will be coming to quilt shops in...
Apr 20, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 55
Send us a text Connie Kincius Griner is a quilt artist with a twist. Word play, puns, and many pi references are the hallmarks of her signature style. She is so gifted at telling a story, or indeed a joke, in her original designs. Even her labels and show ribbons continue the narrative. So we chat about how Connie got started making quilts, where some of her ideas spring from, and her love of quilt shows and the connections that are formed there. Take a quick sec and follow Connie's Instagram fe...
Apr 13, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Send us a text Shereece Spain combines her love of sewing, crocheting, and pirates in her business name - such an impressive play on words! We talk about all these loves, and how they've grown to provide a source of income for Shereece's family, allowing her to stay closely involved in her kids' lives, and to have them involved in her business too. Her upcoming pattern release was in fact inspired by a Shrek marathon with the kids. What's not to love? Shereece recently designed and donated the p...
Apr 06, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Send us a text Linzee McCray has a deep love for textiles of all kinds, and feedsacks in particular. She shows them...speaks about them...and has written a book about them with 850 gorgeous images!! Linzee has stories galore, both about her experiences and opportunities as a writer, and about the people and circumstances which made feedsacks the collectible fabric they are today. And bonus connection - she learned to sew on a treadle sewing machine too! Linzee's work can be found in all these pl...
Mar 30, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Send us a text I first met Heather as a dealer of the longarm brand I use. She's joining me to tell waaayy more stories - we cover shop hops, converting a husband to a quilter, raising kids in a barn, and even micro mini cows. You can find Heather in all these places: www.quiltbarn.blogspot.com www.gammill.com And to see the mini cows: https://www.facebook.com/idahogallowaycattle @idahogallowaycattle on Instagram Want to try free motion quilting but don't know where to start? Here's 3 simple ste...
Mar 23, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 51
