Welcome to day one of the 2014 New Quilt Blogger Blog Hop, organized by Beth at Plum and June. If you're new here, hi and thanks for visiting! My name is Karin; I grew up in Portland, Oregon and now live in Exeter, New Hampshire with my husband and two energetic kids (4.5 and 2.5). After a variety of careers — magazine editor, home & garden boutique owner, antique American folk art gallery director — I'm now a stay-at-home-mom who balances creative endeavors with family. I believe quilting is genetic (it was inevitable!); my great great grandmother was a quilter and I've been drawn to fabric ever since I can remember, which is a long time because I turned forty a few months ago. It's a gift to be able to have a creative blog and meet like-minded people online. When it's nice out and I'm not in the house, my favorite place is out in the garden, pruners in hand, or throwing a ball with the kids.
I designed this Sunny throw quilt for Pellon. I used fabrics entirely from my stash, and it has one bright yellow sunny square surrounded by greens and oranges. I have a thing for orange binding!
Throughout the month of December last year I participated in the Cat Quilt-along. I adore Kate Spain fabric, and this small quilt was fun to make with her Sunnyside collection. One cat head a day throughout the month was terrific — I used it as a warm up in my studio when I was feeling overwhelmed by all the December projects.
Here's a peek into my studio. I've got two semi-portable design wall panels that can be moved around. This is one panel that leans up against my Ikea Expedit bookshelf. On the wall is a king-size plus quilt that's still in process. As of right now I have 45 of the 90 blocks completed. Anyone interested in a #largequiltsupportgroup on Instagram? lol. A tutorial for the design wall can be found here. I honestly don't know what I did without it, although I do recall a lot of cat hair and child feet... The two little ecomomy blocks on the bottom were made for the block lottery in my quilt guild.
Meet Fruit Ninja! I will soon be releasing this new paper-pieced pattern, inspired by the popular iPhone game of that name. Paper piecing is one of my favorite things to do; I love the precision and the possibilites. These watermelon colors are cheery and remind me of summer. Oval Elements appear in many of my projects; the colors are fabulous and they just seem to work everywhere.
This is Sun & Sand, a quilt I made for my son that I just finished for Sizzix — I'm a new member of their design team. I do a combination of crafts and quilting for them, and it's been a wonderful way to push myself and expand my creativity. It's a lovely team, and there's so much to learn from all the talented people on it.
Beth has come up with a great list of questions for us, as a get-to-know-you part of this fun blog hop:
- My blogging tip is to be honest. If it's possible to be real and show successes and failures, offer advice as well as ask for help, then that goes a long way in making a blog I'd like to read.
- Quilting tip. Hm. I've learned that when I try and skimp on fabric I wind up wasting more than I would have had I not tried to cut corners.
- Are you involved in any quilting bees? I'm in do. Good Stitches Harmony Circle, Modern Instabee Hive 15 and am starting the Supernova Frienship Swap with Jess from Quilty Habit.
- Dream vacation spot - anywhere with sun, sand and water, painted toenails and a fruity drink in hand.
- My all-time favorite book is Rebecca. I own it in leather.
- Favorite TV show - a toss up between Midsomer Murders (who wouldn't like a British mystery series in which someone gets crushed by a large wheel of cheese?) and Modern Family.
- Random fact - I'm half Latvian (my father is from Riga), 1/4 Canadian (Ontario area) and 1/4 American (mostly Doylestown, PA) if it can truly be divided in such a way!
Thank you SO much for stopping by. I look forward to reading what everyone else has to say!! Please be sure to visit the people on today's blog hop. It's a great group of quilters; the back and forth has already been wonderful and I have a feeling all sorts of great things will emerge in a short time.
Jen Hollis @ Bower Bird Patch
Afton Warrick @ Quilting Mod
Jessica Welesk @ One English Teacher
Barbara Konkle @ Suzy Homemaker
Cynthia Brunz @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Mary Gregory @ See Mary Quilt
Laurel Rosenberg @ Drowning in Fabric
Linda Hanafee @ Talking Lunchbox Quilts
Rebecca Bird @ One Wee Bird
Anne Beier @ Hudson Valley Quilts
Diana Mattoni @ Red Delicious Life
Terri Ann @ Childlike Fascination
