Kathleen Quilts

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Kathleen, as part of a blog post swap organised by Gnome Angel. I'm so glad I signed up for this as I've now discovered another amazing quilter.How did you come to be a quilter? I’m not sure that I became a quilter so much as was born a quilter. My mom sewed all my clothes when I was little, and I used her sewing machine enough to know that Santa had the same sewing machine as mom— as they had the same decorative stitches. Mom would put the foot control on a box so that my short little legs could reach it before I was tall enough for my feet to reach the floor. My parents opened a quilt shop (Quilting From The Heart) when I was 11, and my mad love for sewing only grew. By the time I was in high school I attended Quilt Market with my parents and I was quilting nearly every day. While other teenagers were out… doing whatever teenagers do… I was at the store quilting with the quilting ladies. And I haven’t looked back since.What is it that you love about being a quilter? Everything! I love fabric and making things and meeting people… and I can’t even put it into words. Mostly though, I love how much fun I have. I love that no matter how much else is going on, a few hours or minutes with my sewing machine and I’m good to go again. I love that I have met and not met (but still feel like I know) so many awesome people. And, I won’t lie to you, I love that I’m good at something. Even if it isn’t something particularly useful when it comes to life-skills.What’s the one piece of advice about quilting that all new quilters should know? ! I’m a very mean teacher, and usually just tell people to “get over themselves and just do it”… meaning, you are always going to think you aren’t good enough, but you’ll never be good enough if you don’t just try. The first quilts I made my points are off by as much as an inch, my free motion quilting stitches I can fit my finger under, but I still love them. The only way to get better is to make actual quilts, to quilt actual quilts, and love them anyway.What are your 3 favourite quilts that you’ve made that reflect who you are as a quilter? I’m not sure that my 3 favourite quilts reflect who I am as a quilter… but here are 3 quilts that are one or the other…My Avonroy Tiles Quilt. Which pretty accurately shows who I am as a quilter I think… Over quilted :D I have a tendency to spend way more time on the quilting then on the piecing, and this quilt is certainly no exception. I also often have more fun with the quilting, and I am a much better quilter than a piecer — I’m to lazy and in-precise with my piecing, whereas I don’t seem to have that trouble with my quilting.Vicki’s Socks. I love this quilt, and am super proud of it. Of the few patterns I have done, this one is my favourite. It was so much fun to put together, and I think turned out really well. I made it twice and love it just as much the 2nd time around.Indelible Night Sky. This is one of my favourites. I had fun all the way through. I loved the fabrics, the pattern, and the quilting. It’s also where I seemed to gain some momentum, and have more followers on my blog and other social media, so that doesn’t hurt anything either :DIf you weren’t a quilter, what other creative endeavour would you like to master? The sad answer is that all the creative things I’d like to master are quilting… I’d like to be able to design better patterns, to design fabric, and to have the skills to actually make all the things in my head.What is your favourite kind of pie? My mom makes this totally delicious raspberry pie. So good.What holidays, traditions or religious occasions do you celebrate in your family at this time of year? Some of my favourite traditions are decorating the Christmas tree then lying on the ground staring up into it, Cinnamon buns for Christmas morning, hiding in the basement with my cousins to avoid helping with dishes after Christmas dinner, sledding at my grandparents, Christmas supper of Turkey buns and Mclearen’s cheese on crackers, and the post-Christmas pause,where I work fewer hours and have no responsibilities aside from maybe remembering to eat.Do you listen to music, watch television or prefer the hum of the sewing machine when you sew? I watch TV when I’m sewing and listen to audio books and podcasts when I’m using my longarm. My secret favourite TV show is Phineas and Ferb, which is a show aimed at 8 year olds, but which I have been watching over and over and over again over the past 6 months.What’s your favourite colour combination to work with and why? I love colour. The brighter the better. I tend toward lime green and turquoise, but any thing with COLOUR I am up for. The colours cheer me up, and brighten my entire house (if only because of the scrap fabrics and threads that somehow manage to find their way into every corner of my house)!Do you prewash your quilting fabrics? No. I’m super lazy. Plus, I’ve never had and issue with it, and I actuallydon’t know anyone who does pre-wash.What’s the best quilting tip you ever got? When making half square triangles, cut ⅛” bigger than the given size, then trim your triangle down to size after. Makes life SOOOO much easier, and perfect ½ triangles!OTHER PLACES TO FIND KATHLEENInstagram - Facebook - Pinterest -  Twitter - Flickr

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By the way don't forget to link up your top 5 sewing goals for next year by the end of tomorrow. Sorry, but comments don't count as a link up but if you can post a picture somewhere (if you don't have a blog- though blogs are still best for linking up) I think it takes links from anywhere social media-wise now.