January 29, 2010

Featuring Liz -- A Blogger's Quilt Festival Quilter!

 Liz of Teeny Tiny Quilts is our featured quilter today!  I hope you enjoy getting to know Liz a bit more --

1. When did you begin quilting?
I learned to quilt in October 2006, when I took a beginner class at my local quilt shop.  I did a bit of sewing and enjoyed it, but 2007 was taken over by my pregnancy and the arrival of newborn twins, so not much time and energy for sewing.  I started back up and really got hooked in late 2008/early 2009. It's been non-stop since then.


2. Why do you quilt?
I quilt because it is something that I do just for me. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so much of my time is dictated by the needs of my young children (as so many of you know!).  Quilting is just for me.  Sure, I love to do it because I love being able to give handmade gifts to friends and family, and I love to play with and be inspired by fabric. But I love that the process is all mine.
3. What is your favorite quilting tip?
My most recent "tip," as much for myself as for others, is to be more of a stickler for trimming and squaring blocks. I used to not bother, not spend the time doing it. And figured I could just make it all work when it came together. And it did.... sometimes.  But sometimes it made for uneven, bumpy tops that got really distorted during the quilting process (especially straight-line quilting).  I've noticed a huge difference in ease of quilting and flatness of the top now that I've started taking off that 1/8" or whatever it takes to make all of the blocks straight and the same size.

4. What was your inspiration for your QF quilt?
My quilt-festival quilt was for a very close friend and her new baby. I asked her what colors she wanted, and she told me purple and green.  My initial attempt at a different pattern with some different fabrics was an absolute disaster. Seams didn't match up, colors were off, pattern was ugly. It was, however, an eye-opener for me. I realized I tend to prefer quilts with more solid colors, white in particular, to give them a little negative space and breathing room.  I scrapped the first round and started over, and am thrilled that I did.
5. Do you sew other things?
So far, I have not ventured much past quilts. But I have my first Oliver + S patterns on my desk and the kids have picked out fabric for pajamas. I'm ready for a new challenge! In between quilt projects, of course.

6. Anything else you would like us to know about you? 
I know I'm not the only one, but I always wish there was more time for sewing! As it is, I have to squeeze it into the few hours when my kids are sleeping (and I'm not!).  But it's a nice problem to have, the desire to make more things than I really have time to do. At least I'm not forcing myself to do something that's uninteresting to me!  I've also been "losing" some of my quilting time with a renewed commitment to exercise, and will be running my first 5K in March. Hope my legs hold out!
Other than that, you can also find me blogging about life, and parenting, and my kids at Goddess in Progress.


Amy here again - Liz thank you so much for sharing with us!  I love your quilts, and your photography - can't wait to see what's up next for you!

Amy
---------------------------------------------------
Next steps:
Subscribe to parkcitygirl
Shop with Amy
Email me

15 comments:

Liz Jimenez said...

Thank you so much for including me! It's really an honor.

-Liz

Nancy Page said...

Great tip/tips!! Lovely quilts!!Thank you for sharing Liz with us.

Have a great day.

felicity said...

I love Liz's quilt blog and her quilts. Thanks so much for featuring her. And count me in as another Mom (albeit not stay-at-home one - that's my hubs' job) who tries to squeeze in some sewing time when the kid's sleeping and she's not.

Rita @ Mochi Studios said...

how sweet! I love the scrappy nine patch quilt with her boy lying on top! so cute!

Anonymous said...

Great feature. I love Liz's quilts. She's a great inspiration.

I Purr-Furr to Craft said...

i have yet to jump in with quilting properly, this year i will! Very inspirational, Love those colours in those quilts.

SewCalGal said...

Great post. Nice to hear insights about Liz and see her beautiful quilts. Thanks for sharing!

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

Vicki said...

Pretty! I like purple and green together. A lot. This quilt was one of my faves. :)

Cheryl Arkison said...

This is a lovely feature, Amy. Thanks.

Aunt Spicy said...

What bright cheery quilts! Thanks for sharing!

Andrea Baker said...

WOW you do some great work. I love both quilts featured. They have bright colors and beautiful lines. I've only tried my hand once at a quilt and it was a simple square quilt. I am now inspired to try my hand again! Thank you so much for the inspiration!

Anonymous said...

Sweet post - lovely quilts - nice person!!

Sonja♥ said...

What a nice idea to interview Quilt Lovers:)

Make, Do & Send said...

I love the QF Quilt it looks so fresh and modern. I too prefer quilts with a little 'breathing room' and think that using more solids show the prints off better too. The purple and gren combo is gorgeous :)

kanishk said...

Lovely quilts!!Thank you for sharing Liz with us.

Work from home India