Day Job & Your Passion - Terry

We want to showcase the day jobs that our members have and still keep up with their sewing. We are looking for more people if you want to be interviewed. There is a post in the team discussions on Etsy.

Terry from Terry Aske Art Quilts graciously offered to be the first interviewee. Here is how Terry spends a good portion of her week.

What is your day job?

I'm an an accountant by education, and have worked most of my career in the Canadian credit union system in finance and administration roles. I'm currently working 3 days a week at a small credit union in Vancouver which provides financial services for co-operatives, community businesses and the non-profit sector. My title is Manager, Administration and Business Development, but my duties run the gamut from ordering office supplies to preparing financial statements, supporting our banking system, covering for other managers and support staff.

Favorite part about your job?

With a total staff complement of 15 people, we're a very small organization, and in addition to my regular duties, I have the opportunity to be involved in almost every aspect of the organization. It makes the job really interesting! My other favorite part is my schedule of 3 days a week, which gives me time to quilt!

What would it take for you to quit your day job and sew/quilt full time?

In 2005, after working full-time for many years, I had the opportunity to retire with a good severance package. For about 6 months, I was quilting full-time. That was great, but I found I missed the daily contact and challenge of my day job. So when the part-time position was offered to me, I jumped at it. I'm really happy with the balance I have now between working and quilting and personal time.

How long have you been quilting?

I've been sewing clothes since I was 13 years old, and dabbling in many crafts since kindergarten. But I wasn't really aware of quilting until 1998, when a friend invited me to a one day quilting course. I loved the concept of creating with fabric, and very quickly started designing my own art quilts.

Show off one of your favorite creations.

This is one of my most recent art quilts, in honor of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. See below.

What is your favorite tool or notion?

I love using Steam-a-Seam Lite for appliqued portraits.

What is your favorite fabric line or designer?

I couldn't possibly narrow it down to just one. I buy whatever ever fabric appeals to me, often just to add to my stash.

Anything else we should know?

Even when I am working on one project, I am usually daydreaming about possibilities for the next project. Having the Etsy shop motivates me to keep creating and to finish each project I start. It provides me with a forum where I can show my creativity to a wide audience. www.terryaskeartquilts.com I also enter my quilts in juried shows. I have had quilts accepted at the Canadian Quilters’ Association National Juried Show and the International Quilt Festival.

Question of the Week 3/22

Thanks everyone that commented about their favorite magazines last week. There is just so much out there in print. So, let's build off that and talk the internet options.

What are two blogs/Web sites that you follow regularly?

Question of the Week 3/14/12

I was in Jo-Ann's this morning picking up some elastic and Heat Bond for a couple of upcoming projects. As I waited in line I looked at the number of quilting magazines. There are so many. So my question is...

What is your favorite or go to quilting magazine?

Tisha (Quiltytherapy)

Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt - Tejas Row Begins!

One row in our Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt will come from a single state. With over 25 million residents, it stands to reason that our Quiltsy Team population also reflects many members from the Lone Star State.

The name Texas comes from the Spanish translation (Tejas) of a native Caddo Indian word that means "friends" -- therefore Texas is "the Friendly State."

It was not coincidence that Ann of QuiltingFrenzy begins our row with her beautiful block. She hails from San Antonio, a place that figures prominently in the early history of Texas. It is also where I was born and since Ann and my mother share the same name (first AND last names), it just all adds up to Ann starting out our Texas travelog.

Ann wanted very much to photograph her block in front of that most hallowed symbol of our state, the Alamo. Unfortunately she pulled her back out and was unable to get over for the photo shoot. We'll just have to pretend! :)

This Spring marks the

175th anniversary of Texas independence and many of San Antonio's special events will center around the famous Battle of the Alamo. Click here to learn more about them.

Ann has been sewing for over 30 years and quilting for nearly 20. She likes to let the fabric speak to her to guide toward the finished products. Recently Ann has been making a lot of custom quilts, including photo memory and memory quilts made from clothing.

Ann has pieced quilt tops for quilting icon Eleanor Burns of "Quilt in a Day" fame -- one of which was used in her Victory Quilts trunk show. Ann also tested a new quilt pattern by piecing a quilt top that was quilted by Judy Jackson and featured on page 52 of her "Lover's Knot" book.

Having had the privilege of participating in a holiday show with Ann, I can attest that she is a very accomplished and prolific quilter. Do check out Ann's shop Quilting Frenzy, and stay tuned for the next installment as the Tejas Row travels up I-35 to our lovely capital.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt - SW Row so far...

The gals in the SW Row have been busy working on their blocks!

The first block, made by Dede of PeppersAttic has already been received and added to by Gail of QuiltSewPieceful. Cindy of cindyrquilts has completed her block and mailed it to catch up with the row in Colorado.

Cindy lives in Beit Shemesh, Israel across from Kibbutz Tzora there. She is pictured standing in front of the ancient wall at Tel Tzora with her quilt block. The wall is just a few minutes from her house and is famous for Samson and Delilah. Samson is believed to have been buried in Tel Tzora overlooking the Sorek Valley. There reside two large gravestones of Samson and his father Manoah. Nearby stands Manoah's altar (referenced in Judges 13:19-24). It is located between the cities of Zorah and Eshtaol.

Cindy is known for color coordinating her wardrobe and accessories though she didn't realize (until I'd pointed it out) that she'd coordinated her hat with her block. :) Purple is her favorite color and it tickled her to know she'd subconsciously coordinated. Cindy has been quilting for 16 years and concentrates primarily on landscapes of Israel. She also makes lovely cosmetic bags, purses, housewares like trivets and hotplate covers and beautiful wearable art like vests and hats. Add cindyrquilts to your favorites!

Dede named her shop PeppersAttic in honor of a much-loved cat who kept her company in her attic studio back in Alaska. Sadly, Pepper the cat has crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but his memory lives on in some of the quilts in Dede's home. Dede now lives in warmer Southern California where she continues a life-long love affair with fabric, quilts, vintage linens, textiles, yarn and fiber. She has been making wonderful creations for over 40 years and loves putting heirloom quality into all she makes. Dede does a lot of custom work and her Rag Bags are getting famous -- right now they are featured in 45 treasuries!

Gail of QuiltSewPieceful has been quilting for almost 20 years. (The second block above is Gail's) Gail specializes in beautiful pieced quilts that she finishes on her Gammil Classic long arm quilting machine. She also does machine embroidery on her Bernina 830, has a line of her quilt patterns (check them out!) and teaches quilting at a local quilt shop. In her spare time, Gail is Wonder Woman! j/k

Please check out these shops for some wonderful items!

Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt Project - Block No. 1!

The National Quilting Association (NQA) began sponsoring National Quilting Day with a resolution passed by members attending the 22nd annual Show in Lincoln, Nebraska in June 1991. The third Saturday in March is officially designated as National Quilting Day, but quilters are flexible and we love a celebration -- especially when fabric is involved. So over the years observance of National Quilting Day has unofficially been expanded to the whole month of March.

Every year the NQA designates a specific National Quilting Day theme. For 2011 the theme is "Build Your Own Log Cabin." The log cabin block is among the oldest in quilting. It symbolizes the warmth and belonging of hearth and home. The NQA encourages quilters this year to make log cabin quilt blocks to make charity quilts for those who may be struggling for warmth and comfort.

Hoping to repeat some of their successful participation of National Quilting Day last year, Team Quiltsy has many fun projects and promotions coming for this year's observation.

The first is a group effort titled "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt" project. Many members are making their particular take on a log cabin block. The participants have been assigned rows and are mailing their blocks to each other to build a beautiful community quilt.

Today we have our very first block - coming from KathyKinsella in British Columbia, Canada!
Kathy lives on the imposing Shuswap Lake (which looks a teensy bit cold right now). She is a fibre artist who designs her own fun art bags and greeting cards. Much of her work is influenced by her beautiful surroundings and you'll often find whimsy in her work. Kathy also designs and makes wonderful liturgical fibre artworks.

In the coming weeks we'll have fun seeing the Quiltsy members and their blocks as we build toward the finished Sisterhood quilt!

Beautiful job, Kathy! Thanks for taking the point and being first!

Quilting Politics

Flag, 1915, made by Belle Engley of Kingston, Michigan. cottons, pieced, 78.5 x 67.5 inches. Collection of Marcia and Ron Spark.

Did you know that quilts have played an important role in American politics?

It's only since 1919 that women in the US had the right to vote but American women have been playing an active role in politics since long before that and largely through their quilting.

The 19th century brought a growing population through immigration and and growing populations mean growing social problems. Women created organizations to improve education, prisons, temperance in drinking, abolition of war and slavery, and women's rights. The money to run these causes were raised at fairs, festivals and bazaars where they sold their baked goods, needlework and, yes, quilts.

The Civil War brought more cause for fundraising and more quilts being made to finance the buying of gun boats and hospital supplies and still more quilts were made to send out to the soldiers themselves. Quilts were used by Abolitionists to express their antislavery viewpoints and the names of traditional quilting patterns were changed to reflect their views: for example Job's Tears became Slave Chain and Jacob's Ladder became Underground Railway.

In the 20th century women continued to express their political and patriotic points of view through quilting. Magazines and newspapers called for quilts to send to "Our Boys Over There" and to sell to raise money for the war cause.

But I'm happy to see that with the right to vote, women have not entirely given up the public voice quilting gave us. One of my favorite modern quilters, Denyse Schmidt, has made this beautiful quilt to help raise funds for the Barack Obama campaign. You can find her fundraising page by clicking here.

No matter what your political sway, quilts like this help us to remember, at least help me to remember, that voting is an earned right for all of us. I'm glad my voice in politics today is counted in the private ballot box but I'm also glad that there were many women before me that took advantage of a public voice through fabric and needlework. Although a quilt didn't "count" in elections, they certainly made a difference in our history.

Stars and Stripes, c. 1876, cottons, pieced, 12.5 x 15.5 inches. Thelma Moore-Morris Doll Quilt Collection.

Facts and photos from The American Quilt: A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950 by Roderick Kiracofe

This article was originally posted on http://babyannequilts.blogspot.com.

A truck drivin crude oil haulin quilting mama!

You know the stereotype of a quilter - an old granny with her hair in a bun and a neat and tidy housedress sitting at the frame hand quilting? Well, here is today's quilter - a truck drivin', crude-oil haulin', quiltin' mama! Or other-wise known as Monika of QuiltLover.

In her own words, taken from her profile one Etsy:

"Hello, My name is Monika and I am a Quilt Lover. I started quilting in the 1980's and pursued it as a hobby. Since retiring from long haul truck driving in Nov. 2006 I became more serious about my hobby and I am now busy making quilts and establishing my business as a Long-Arm Quilter with my APQS Freedom. I have 3 very serious Fans which are welcome in my Studio anytime, there is an 8lb TerriPoo named Peaches, a Chinese Crested Powderpuff named Phayzer and the cutest little Miss Molly, a 5 month old Border Terrier Mix. Their unconditional Love and Trust makes every day a special day.

We are going back to driving on a part time basis with Hubby. We will be working one week and home one week, hauling crude oil from the leases in the fields of northern Alberta to a distribution center in Saskatchewan. It will be a team operation once again and I am looking forward to yet another challenge in my life, hauling "super B" tankers!The puppies will come with us, thankfully we'll be in a truck only for 7 days!"

For all I know her hair is in a bun under her hard hat, but I hardly think she is your average quilter!



Here is one of my favorite's currenty in her shop:
Hope you've enjoyed this peek into the life of a quilter today!