Island Batik Ambassador Year in Review

I went back to look at all the quilts I've made as an Island Batik Ambassador this year!  It's a boatload!  I'm sure I'm missing a few, but check out the eye candy.  Such fun to see them all in one place.  Thanks to Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, Aurifil, and Accuquilt for all the goodies.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Skills I want to Improve

Is it silly that my answer to this is always binding?  It's something I work on constantly to try to improve.  I also want to get my clamshell edgings to stand straight.  It drove me crazy that my quilt did this in Houston:

I need to figure out how to get it to do this:

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

State of my Worktable

Well, my downstairs work surface is clean.  Don't ask about the floor or the rest of the room where I have to dodge and step over things.  BUT I can go downstairs and quilt without having to move anything.

My downstairs cutting table?  Um...it's embarassing!  Totally covered in stuff.  I really do need to spend some time down there over Christmas break and clean it up.  Maybe.  There's too many other fun quilting things to do and family to be with.  I might get around to it.  And maybe not.  Only time will tell.

My upstairs machine is all clean and new and shiny!  I'm quilting my FIRST quilt on my new Handiquilter Capri!  It is of course made out of Island Batik Fabrics.  All my upstairs work areas are clean due to the arrival of this new toy.  That's probably why the downstairs is such a mess...it migrated down there.  

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Prewash or Not?

Do I prewash?  Yes.  I wash all fabric that comes into the house with Synthrapol to help the batiks get rid of any excess dye.  Does it always work?  Nope.  Sometimes it needs more than one soak.  That's why I always check my fabrics before starting an important project like a show quilt.  If you ever get in trouble Google search Margaret Solomon Gunn's blog post about bleeding.  It does the trick.  I've had to use it....

HOWEVER, I do not prewash my Island Batik Ambassador fabrics.  Washing precuts can be a pain so I choose to leave all of it unwashed and wash later.  When doing this I put Synthrapol in as well as color catchers and I haven't had a problem.  I've been an ambassador for 4 years and no problems.  Does that mean there never will be?  Nope.  That's why I always  CHECK before using a fabric if it's a really, really important project.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

What I Listen to While Quilting

I listen to Pandora often when I'm quilting.  Most likely I'm listening to something upbeat and peppy or perhaps some Star Wars music.

I also listen to the Just Wanna Quilt Podcast all the time.



I even listen to Friends on Netflix at times.  You really don't have to see that one to know what's going on!

But I'd rather be with quilting friends having fun.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Top 5 Gift Ideas

Here are some of my favorite quilty things.

1.  Karen K. Buckley's Perfect Scissors



2.  Glue Pen and Refills



3.  Small cut and iron combination



4.  Light Box.  I love my Cutterpillar.



5.  Fat Quarters (who couldn't use a few?)



I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Proudest Achievement

This was the best moment ever.  My mom, friends Janell and Lori, and I won first place in the Group Quilt Category in Houston.  We were all there to accept the award. It was quite a moment and I will never forget it.  So special to share this moment with these amazing quilters.



The moment I was notified that AQS was going to publish my book.

My son picking out fabric for his first quilt and then completing it.

My quilt Harmony's Loop winning Best Machine Quilting at MQX, Placing third in Paducah, Getting an honorable mention in Houston, and winning Best Wall Quilt at Minnesota Quilters. 

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

On the Design Wall

This is my design wall.  The left side has my Feathered Friends Block of the Month from Helen Godden.  The right is a mishmash of orphan blocks, inspiration, random things...

This class was such fun, but I have five more blocks to finish quilting and too many things to do!  Eventually I'll get it done.

I created this dancer...five years ago?  Ten years ago?   She never got past this point.  Someday...

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

If I could sew with....

If I could sew with anyone....what a hard question with many answers.

I would sew with...

...my great grandmother Grace who was an avid quilter and whom I never met

...my friends!  It's always such fun to have a big retreat!

...my mom.  She's so special to me and we have a blast quilting together.

...Bethanne Nemesh.  Enough said.  She's amazing.

...Claudia Clark Myers.  Her work is stunning and I've always admired her and enjoyed her friendship.

...new quilters who are very enthusiastic!

...kids!  We need to get them into sewing.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

My Favorite "Sewlebrity"

My favorite "Sewlebrity" has to be Bethanne Nemesh.  Her work is so amazing and always inspiring.  Here are a couple pictures of her work.  Just stunning.

I had the opportunity to take a class from her in Houston this fall and it was everything I was hoping.  She's a fantastic teacher and so personable and friendly.  Such fun.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy