JudyL's Questions about Quilting

JudyL has some interesting questions on her blog. I thought I would answer and hope others answer as well.

1. Why do you quilt?

I quilt as a creative outlet. I have always had a creative hobby to balance the 'other parts' of my life. I also like being able to make something that is a tangible gift to others.

2. How long have you been quilting?

I started quilting in 2001.

3. What made you start quilting?

My Mother-in -Law organized the family to embroider blocks for a quilt for my daughter who was born in 1999. In 2001, it was my New Year's Resolution to learn to quilt so I could make the family quilt for my daughter.

4. What sewing machine do you use mostly for piecing?

Brother QC1000

5. What machine do you use mostly for quilting?

I recently brought a used Gammill Premier Plus.

6. If you could have any sewing machine you want -- money isn't an issue -- just get anything you want . . what would you get?

I would check out the Pfaff machines as I understand that they have dual feed feet.

7. When you buy a sewing machine, how long do you expect you'll keep it? Til a newer and bigger and better model comes out? Til the old one refuses to make another stitch?

I guess, I'm a betweener. I just buy what I think will work for me and my stage in sewing/quilting. I had an Elna Quilter's Dream for 5 years and my Brother for 2 years. I really wanted an alphabet in the machine but I still haven't used that feature on my Brother!

8. On a scale of 1 - 10, how much do you love your stash? (10 means you LOVE it! 1 means you'd get rid of it all today if you could!)

Probably a 7 or 8. I have fabric from my beginning quilting days that isn't that great but, hey, it's all a learning process, right?

9. Why do you have the stash? How did it come about? Why is it the size that it is?

I tend to buy a lot of novelty fabric to use in children's donation quilts. My old guilds sponsored women's shelters and young mothers so there was always a need for children's quilts. Now, my guilds are not charity based so luckily I discovered Pam's M2M project so I can sew fun, happy children's quilts and donate to her cause! I then figured out I use blenders with the novelties and the stash just grew from there...

10. When we talk about "stashbusting", what are your thoughts? Use every crumb of the stash? Use as much stash as you add? Shop the stash first but don't feel bad if you have to go buy additional fabric for a project? Don't mind buying for a project but not buying just for the purpose of having the fabric . . with no project in mind?

Well, I started saving my smaller bits of fabric in hopes of making a few monochromatic quilts someday. When I see novelty fabric I like, I usually have a project in mind but by the time I get to using the fabric, I have usually forgotten 'what' the project was :) I'm trying not to buy as much fabric and use the fabric in my stash but if I need something to finish a project then I don't worry about buying more. I also tend to buy more backing fabric as I normally don't have 'yardage' on inventory.

In the end, I hope to use some of the older fabric mixed with some newer fabric. I'm usually 'on the prowl' for new-to-me patterns to use the older fabrics in to give them a fresh look. :)