Last week the lovely Kirsten from Gemini Stitches tagged me in the Around The World Blog Hop. I can’t entirely remember where we met, probably in a swap, but I seem to have been stalking following her since I started this sewing blog lark. Aside from admiring all the lovely sewing she posts, I also get regularly jealous of the scenery in her north NSW neighbourhood, like this, where she handily got her tree to match her quilt:
For those of you who are new to the blog here’s a little about me. I’m a software testing guru by day, sewing ninja by night. I started quilting 3 years ago, and bag making properly about 6 months before that. Prior to that I made teddy bears and scrapbooked, I always need a creative outlet at the end of my day/week I guess! I live in Glasgow, although I do have a dream to eventually escape to the Highlands somewhere (assuming Mr Salmond doesn’t get his way in a couple of weeks!) I often use my local carpark when I’m at work for ‘industrial’ look quilt photos…
1. What am I working on?
Hmm, now there’s a question! I usually have a number of things on the go at any one time, so I’ll give you the edited highlights:
I’m working on transforming the tote bag we were sent for the Stitch Gathering in a couple of weeks, where I’ll be teaching. I’ve got a couple of wee bits left to add, and then I’ll sew it all up, but you may recognise where I got the idea for this further down. The totes will be swapped at the event, so I’m looking forward to seeing what I get in return:
I’m also working on turning this little stack into a dresden for the block to feature on the bag that I’m teaching at the Stitch Gathering (I have made several bags already, but needed ‘in progress’ bits too!)
Then for the Craft Buds Craft Book Month, I’m currently in the cutting phase. There’s 96 DP outers there, and a bunch of inners, with a load more to go…
2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I struggled with this to be honest. I suppose I take some techniques or ideas and run with them, sometimes to crazy places, like the heart mini I made for mum and dad’s ruby wedding anniversary, below, or the giant Madrona Corners above.
Then there’s this bag, that because of a ribbon in the packaging ended up with a whole new colour added to it:
I’m not sure I’m really that different from many others though, so maybe you’ll need to tell me!
3. Why do I write/create what I do?
I kind of alluded to this above. I spend my days breaking things, analysing and diagnosing problems, advising and generally following a lot of logic and processes and rules. It’s nice when I get home to be able to throw all that out the window and just create, often without any rule other than the need for a 1/4″ – 1/2″ seam (depending on the project), and really that’s only to make sure the thing holds together!
This bag that I recently created for Quilt Now allowed me to play with a few things I don’t use often, like the grommets I used on the pocket:
This bag I created for the Umbrella Prints Trimmings competition took me a wee while to work through, but a few days tinkering let me to come up with a technique that allowed for the lovely quilted outer, but without the bulk in the seams. You’ll see a pattern using this technique in an upcoming issue of Quilt Now:
4. How does my writing/creating process work?
I’ve actually become rather more organised with this of late. I have bunches and bunches of little notepad cube sheet and post-its with scribbled directions for all sorts of things on them, but for the bags at least I’ve broken out some real live notepads in the last few months, with divider tabs and everything.
The directions for this though? Err, yeah, notepad cube sheets.
Now that you’ve had a tour here, I have found 3 of my most far flung buddies for you to visit next Monday 8th September:
- Laura from Quokka Quilts in Perth, Western Australia
- Alli from B. Yazoo in Hawaii, USA
- Lori from Sew Psyched in Alaska, USA
Head over and visit them, and maybe you’ll meet some new bloggers along the way :o)
Lovely post!
Lovely wee post all about you! Still don't fully understand what you do at work though…….but that's because I understand trees better than software! Absolutely love what you're doing with your bag for the stitch gathering swap. Juliex
That mini you made for your folks is beautiful! And you KNOW how much I love that bag. *g*
Good to know a bit more about you 😉
Who's Mr. Salmond??? 😀
Loved hearing a bit more about you . I had no idea you were a tech guru!
What a great read! I think I now know everything about you!!
Love the heart in the hot colours. Keep being busy.
Hugs Kay
So much fun to read more about you! I love the heart mini you made, just gorgeous!
what a great post, thanks for sharing,
Thanks for sharing all the many reasons you are a great role model in the quilting and bag making world.
Beautiful bags and quilts. I always read your posts but I have to apologize for being lazy when it comes to leaving comments. Time is always an issue.
Very interesting Katy. Lovely to have an insight into your thought processes!
I love the who's Mr Salmond comment from Alli above!!! The anniversary quilt for your mum and dad is beautiful, I am sure they were pleased.
Notepad cube sheets are totally the only way. That and the wall I find.
I don't know a whole lot about the Scottish independence thing (and don't have a side since it's not for me to vote on) but I need to ask, if Scotland becomes independent, how does that prevent a Highlands move? Curiosity has got the better of me and now I'm being drawn in to a political conversation….
what is so different about you? what makes you stand out in a crowd? (you do!)
you're honest, you're straightforward and you're not pretending to be someone else
You're YOU
For me, that is the main attraction!
and I like everything you make!
(well nearly)
Loved reading your post Katy – hoping to get to visit you in the Scottish Highlands IRL one day!
Thank you for the tag, Katy! I hope folks will enjoy my post as much as I have enjoyed yours :))
And Quilt Now!!!! You're well and truly on your way. I am so excited for you!!! XX! Lori