Quilting...for the Rest of Us

Come to the movies with me again as I review three (and sort of a fourth) quilt DVDs. You asked for it, you got it! So it's time to make the popcorn and settle in for a movie date. DVDs reviewed on this episode: Fons and Porter MasterClass: Flying Geese (with Liz Porter): www.shopfonsandporter.com Quilting Arts TV with Pokey Bolton (100 Series): www.interweavestore.com Patchwork Schoolhouse: Finis...

Welcome to episode 38, in which we go retro hippy and I talk about the peace sign quilt I have completed for my niece. Each step of this project was a learning process. I talk about what I did right and what I could have done differently, plus a little bit about using directional fabrics. For more photos of the quilt, check out my blog . Stash Mystery Challenge deadline on Monday, March 7th. Can't...

This episode feature's listener's responses to the question, "If you could have a quilty do-over, what would it be, and how would you do it differently?" I got a lot of great responses! Also, Sandy Update, winner of the Quilty Resolution drawing, and reminders of upcoming challenges. I reference Jeanne's blog entry--it's a great read:  http://noscraptoosmall.blogspot.com/2011/01/vote-for-quilting-...

Hey, podquilters! This week I rave about a couple of things I'm seriously digging at the moment, and then I spend a few minutes briefly mentioning a couple of things I'm not digging quite so much. So you get a book review, a couple of product reviews, and a few tips. Plus, listener comments had some great inspiration this week! From this episode: Quilts around the World: From Alabama to Zimbabwe ,...

In this episode, I review the "Carol Doak Teaches You to Paper Piece" DVD--that and listener comments are the highlights of the episode! Some good tips from listeners, entertaining comments, and a sweet story of families reunited.

Make yourself some popcorn and get ready to watch some movies with me! Well, OK, the movies are quilt instructional videos and you may not want greasy-popcorn-hands near your fabric, but we'll still have a good time! In this episode I review five quilt instructional videos, and share a tip that I learned from each one. I also review the Stash Mystery Challenge and New Year Resolution Give-Away, do...

It's that time of year! Whether or not you like making New Year's Resolutions, setting goals for ourselves at any time can help motivate and focus us on growing as quilters. In this episode, I give some tips for making goals (or resolutions) that are useful and may actually be able to be kept! If you want to check out the website I got some background material from, visit www.topachievement.com ....

In this episode, I talk about some software and electronic gadgets that I find extraordinarily helpful in my quilt life. For Quilt Album software: http://www.quiltalbum.com/ Quilter's FabriCalc Electric Quilt Digital scrapbooking sites I mention: http://www.designerdigitals.com/ http://www.scrapgirls.com Directions for Potholders - Coasters - ornaments (from Barbara via Carolyn--editorial notes ar...

In this episode, Hollis Chatelaine describes her initiative, Imagine Hope, a special exhibition featuring her art quilts and the work of photographers on global issues such as poverty, war, refugees, environmental justice, and much more. The exhibit is extremely moving, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with Hollis a little bit about her process, her quilts, and Imagine Hope's rol...

I was so happy to have the chance to meet and talk with Amy Milne, executive director of The Alliance for American Quilts, about the AAQ's "Quilter' S.O.S.--Save Our Stories" project. This is a great oral history documentation project capturing thousands of quilters stories; sort of my "quilters like the rest of us" interviews on steroids! I loved having this conversation and I'm sure you'll love...

"Our mission is to create inspiring cultural works that provide sustainable income and well-deserved development opportunities for African women & girls." (Mission statement of BabaBlankets) I was introduced to BabaBlankets at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this month where they had a vendor booth. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce them to you as well! E. Aminata Bro...

In part two, I describe the lectures that I attended at the International Quilt Festival in Houston: Kaffe Fassett, Hollis Chatelaine, Marti Michell, Hanne Wellendorf, Mary Sorenson, and Elly Sienkeiwicz. Kaffe Fassett's Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts , and his website Hollis Chatelain's website Marti Michell's website Hanne Wellendorf's website  (If this link doesn't take you directly to the En...

I'm going to divide my reflections on my experience at the International Quilt Festival in Houston last weekend into a couple of different episodes or they'd be too long to upload! In this "Part 1" episode, I talk about why you should go to such events, and a few tips if you do. I also share a few tidbits of my experience along the way--such as meeting a very helpful Australian and a pretty neat p...

As a follow-up to last week's episode and my journey with my family quilts, in this episode I share my very strong opinion that y'all ought to be documenting your quilts! I give some thoughts about the whys, whats, and hows of documentation, and a very important tip about quilt labels. Don't forget about the holiday challenge!

Welcome to episode 26, in which I talk about the antique quilts I inherited from my mother, and what it taught me about fabric and family. For photos of the quilts discussed in this episode, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/39296555@N06/sets/72157625099928783/with/5108190746/

There it is, sitting in your sewing box...or perhaps in a drawer in your sewing cabinet...or maybe under the couch after a kid or pet got at it...your thimble. Have you thought much about the august heritage of this mundane tool? In this episode, we discuss the history of thimbles, some tips for collecting, information about using thimbles (including listeners' favorites), and how to find a thimbl...

Welcome to episode 24 and my interview with Patricia Smith, a member of my guild and all around history buff. Pat is self-educated in the world of quilts and quilt history, and serves as a consultant with her Civil War reenactment group to make sure they have quilts representing the right period of history on their cots. Pat and I also talk about her Dear Jane quilt progress, and her theories abou...

Our topic for this episode is teaching kids how to quilt. We have two interviews and all sorts of input from listeners--great stuff! Our first interview is another installment in the "quilters like the rest of us" interview series. Last May, I interviewed Jan from my guild, and we ended up talking about kids n' quilting, so I had already earmarked it for this episode. The second interview is with...

In this week's episode, I talk about the invasion of UFOs into the average quilter's studio. We'll talk about reasons why you should deal with your UFOs, how to decide which UFOs are worth finishing (or, at least, are worth you finishing), how to motivate yourself to deal with your UFOs, and what to do when you just don't want to deal with some of your UFOs at all. Don't forget the deadline for th...

Another, but this time unexpected, brief hiatus in the life of the "Quilting...for the Rest of Us" podcast series when my son ended up in the hospital with a ruptured appendix. He's home from the hospital now and life is slowly getting back to normal. In this episode, I respond to listener comments, share a little bit about my first foray into Hawaiian quilting, a major math error, and the interna...

Here it is! The long-awaited Hawaiian Quilting episode! I had the opportunity to interview Anne Fujiwara, a designer and teacher of traditional Hawaiian quilting, in her shop, "Anne's Hawaiian Quilts" in Waikiki on Oahu. I also talk about visiting a couple of quilt shops, do an audio "show n' tell" of my purchases, and give a few resource suggestions for learning more about Hawaiian quilting.   An...

Do you consider your quilting "art," "craft," or "hobby?" In this episode, I reference a conversation that I started in BigTent about how we view our own quilting. I explore what the words "hobby," "craft," and "art" mean to me and my own evolution in how I view my quilting. Then I invite you to ponder your own response to that question! Referenced in this episode: Great Sets: 7 Roadmaps to Specta...

Have you ever had a quilt that just works your very last nerve from beginning to end of the project? Listen in as I spin my own tale of woe and redemption! In this episode, I describe a quilt that I made and experienced several junctures at which I hit a wall--then how I turned those walls into design opportunities. Sign up for my new free, monthly e-newsletter! The companion e-newsletter to the p...

Join me for a great conversation with Tara Thom, an award-winning long-arm quilter! Tara and I talk about why someone might want to avail themselves of the services of a long-arm quilter, how to prepare your quilt for the service, how to find a long-arm quilter and considerations to make in choosing who to work with. Additionally, Tara shares her own experience about going into business for hersel...

Do you have problems deciding how much fabric to buy when you're buying without a specific project in mind? Join the club! In this episode, I share the habits I have developed over the years as well as some suggestions for ways you can figure out the best amount of fabric that would work for you. I also introduce the new creativity challenge! Check out the tab at the top of this page, "Creativity...