Hello ....

Hello Everybody.

At the last meeting I was the idiot who suggested it might be fun to have a series of posts here introducing ourselves, so here I am writing the first one.

 

My name is Sue and I am a quiltaholic.  That covers it really, but just in case you’re interested, I think a little more information might be in order.

I certainly did not grow up surrounded by craft, and my first project was an apron, started during needlework lessons at school, which I never even managed to finish.  I have dabbled in knitting from time to time, and used to enjoy doing crochet, but I don’t do either of them nowadays.

I used to like traditional styles of quilts and fabrics, such as this one, which is my first ever quilt

  

or this, which is my version of a Braid quilt

but over the past year or so I have changed and now I love the same type of designs but made in modern colours.

 

         

  

  

I’m very lucky because I don’t work so I can play with my sewing machine(s) almost every day.  I have three machines, Baby Brother who comes to meetings, workshops, etc with me; Big Brother who is a straight stitch semi-industrial machine with a larger throat and Big Bertha, my longarm machine.

I was once asked what my most invaluable quilting tool was and why.  I think they expected me to say it was my sewing machine or my rotary cutter, but actually I think it’s probably my computer.  I use the computer to design quilts, write patterns and also to drive my robotic longarm machine. 

I am lucky to have my robot by the way, since I am totally unable to do freemotion quilting.  There are not many of these systems in the UK, so here is a picture of Big Bertha,

and if you visit this post on my blog you can see a very short video of her at work, 

I love designing quilts and I have had designs published in patchwork and quilting magazines,

  

and have also had a book called Pick Four published.

I had no background in writing or publishing, (other than writing my blog,) when I got this crazy idea that I could write a book, but luckily for me the publishers Martingale & Co seemed to think I could do it.

I have also been asked where I get my inspiration.  That’s an interesting question, and I wish I had an interesting answer, but the truth is that I don’t know, ideas just seem to pop into my head from nowhere.

I blog at Quilt Times, and I would love for you to come and visit me over there.  I try to have some fun there, and for a few years I ran a Christmas Quiltalong 

with virtual friends (and some real ones too) all sitting down and sewing on Christmas projects.  One year I also ran a mystery quilt, and another year I issued a Christmas challenge to every one.  I also ran a year long quiltalong where participants were all making Lone Star quilts (a sneaky way of getting myself to start and actually finish one).

  

I really must get that quilted now.

My perfect day would be to quilt all day, with someone in the background doing all the housework, cooking etc for me.  It’d be good if they could also bring me coffee and chocolate at regular intervals.  Well, I can dream, can’t I?

Thanks for reading this.  I'll see you next Saturday at our Sew-In.