A podcast for quilters about quilters. It's been said that every quilt has a story and it's so true. I wanted to hear about the people behind these wonderful ...
Sondrasa has found quilting to be the perfect pallet for her creativity. Playing with the mediums of fabric and thread to create her own unique brand of fabric art for international quilt shows and also creating her own quilt patterns which are designed to help even a confident beginner create beautiful quilts. Sondrasa sees every quilt as a work of art knowing that the maker has made it out of a labor of love.
Here's Sondrasa's Desert Spring BOM
Connect with Sondrasa
Website: Art Quilts by Design
Facebook: Art Quilts by Design
Instagram: sondrasasews
YouTube: Art Quilts by Design
Twitch: Sondrasa
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47:09
Mel Beach
I knew when Mel Beach shared that at a young age she had memorized who the artist was of each sculpture in the museum near her, that she was going to be sharing some brilliant information with us and I wasn’t disappointed. We can easily see how her life experiences molded her into an inspiring quilt teacher. I loved the quote from her coach that “If you had fun, you won.”
This is Mel's Emerald Gardens quilt. I still can't believe it's only 12" x 12".
Connect with Mel -
Website: Mel Beach Quilts
Facebook: Mel Beach Quilts
Instagram: melbeachquilts
Pinterest: Mel Beach
YouTube: Mel Beach Quilts
Again my thanks to Carolina Moore for encouraging Mel to be interviewed.
Here’s where you can find Carolina:
Website: Always Expect Moore.com
YouTube: Carolina Moore
Pinterest: Carolina Moore
Instagram: craftmoore
Facebook: Always Expect Moore
Podcast: I Love Notions
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1:12:46
Tonya Dunning
Tonya Dunning started her business to get the word out about fidget quilts. Since then she has expanded her line with other fidget items. She learned how to write quilt patterns and realized that she loves editing and writing. So she not only writes her own patterns but is able to edit patterns for other quilt designers.
Examples of Tonya's fidget quilts. The last picture is the marble fidget.
Connect with Tonya
Website: Memory Barn Studio
Facebook: Memory Barn Studio
Instagram: memorybarnstudio
YouTube: Memory Barn Studio
I want to give a shout out to Danelle Howard for encouraging Tonya to share her story on A Quilter’s Life.
If you missed Danelle's interview on A Quilter's Life - Danelle Howard
Here’s Danelle's links:
Website: Cottage Path Quilting
Instagram: cottagepathquilting
YouTube: Danelle Howard – My Gathering Basket
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50:57
2024 Quilting Tools
I’m excited to share the favorite quilting tools of my guests on A Quilter’s Life podcast from 2024. I love how this list changes from year to year. You’d think that they were sharing the new and improved tools that we all love to get our hands on. But it seems we are all so thankful that we have some basic quilting tools that allow us to make our beautiful quilts.
Computer Software - Design quilts
Seam Guide - Seams So Easy by Lori Holt You don’t have to draw the lines for half square triangles or flying geese. It makes it easy.
Needle - Brand new sharp applique needle. Hand needles get dull also and it stitches like butter when it’s brand new.
Oliso Iron
Thimble - Handmade leather thimble
Seam Ripper - Seam Ripper to correct our mistakes
Quilting Hoop - A Norwood frame that sits on a pedestal with a ball joint swivel
Design Wall - Fons and Porter has grommets to hang it
Scissors
Karen Kay Buckley little red handed scissors
Karen K Buckley scissors for collage
small scissors to get in small places
Sewing Machine
Juki to sew fast
Quilting Machine
Digital dual foot on sewing machine. Has special censors and keeps everything neat
Stiletto
Stiletto it makes tricky piecing go so much better
Stiletto helps grip fabric, Been indispensable on art quilting.
African porcupine quill stiletto Not going to harm your machine like a metal or wood one might.
Light box.
Helps make pet portraits to get the colors and shapes right.
Also for paperpiecing.
When drawing patterns when making mosaics.
Light desk to create nice applique patterns.
Rulers
Stripology Ruler -
Easy to make squares. For instance you can lay it on the fabric and cut the size you want your square. Then turn the fabric a quarter of a turn and lay the ruler on again and cut the same length again and you have perfect squares.
Efficiency
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7:34
2024 Quilting Tips
Sharing a tip has always been a question for each of my guests on A Quilter’s Life podcast. But this is the third year I have put them into an episode sharing just the tips from the year.. This year I’m going to add who gave the tip so if you want to look them up you can.
We received so many great tips this year. I wanted to have a top 10 list, but I ended up with 12. These first eight are tips that just one person gave this year.
12-Andi Stanfield
Wash batiks before cutting. Those fabrics tend to bleed more because of the process used to create them.
11-Erin Grogan
When making covered corners, also known as snowballed corners, instead of following the normal directions of sew, trim, press. Change the order to sew, press, and trim. The bias edge won’t stretch as it does with the first way.
10-Jan Lockhart
Take a picture which helps, but also go the next step and change the picture to black and white and it helps with color placement. I have been amazed when I’ve used Jan’s tip. Certain blocks show that they’re out of place when using this process.
9-Holly Sprout
Make sure you read through the instructions completely before you start the project and measure things thoroughly before you cut them out. We’ve all been there when we’re in a hurry and we’re so sure we understand and measured correctly. But taking that extra step to double check is always worth it.
8-Lisa Shepard Stewart
Try a new fabric that you’ve never used before in quilting and mix it in with the fabric you have. Repurpose a pillow or something simple where you can experiment. I still haven’t reached a comfort level to try this. Have you? Maybe I just need to take that leap.
7-Robyn Capps
Don’t over think. Instead when you think about it just do it.
Don’t be afraid. Robyn’s tip could probably apply for me to try Lisa’s tip.
6-Mary Shepard
Suggested the book Walk by Jacquie Gering because Jacquie’s explanation of how to get a good sandwich and how you get a good stitch is like nothing else Mary has ever seen.
5-Dora Cary
Gave two tips. First - Slow down. Dora’s second tip is to make a template out of batting. She also has a no baste quilting method. Don’t need to pin it because cotton sticks to cotton.
4 -Robyn Capps & Juanita Roby
Robyn Capps
Make sure you have a good ¼ foot on your sewing machine. Makes a difference on your pattern and your seams. It’s a personal preference if you want to press the seams open or to the side.
Juanita Roby
Make sure you have your quarter inch seams good!
3-Teri Tope and Eva Saunders both had tips for working with thread
Teri Tope
When you pull your thread off of the spool. Use the end that you started...
A podcast for quilters about quilters. It's been said that every quilt has a story and it's so true. I wanted to hear about the people behind these wonderful quilts and thought you'd enjoy hearing about their lives, also. Enjoy meandering through the episodes to find out about the very interesting people behind the quilts!