#machinequilting #artquilting #grafitti Over 10 years ago Karlee Porter invented and made wildly popular her signature style of quilting - Grafitti Quilting. Machine quilting has never looked so gorgeous! Basically, it's a mashup of all kinds of unexpected designs in the same quilted area. But that's not all. Oh no! It also involves breaking lots o…

Amy Freyn is one of only TWO longarm quilters in the entire country of Equador! She's a professor by day, and an avid quilter by night. She credits quilting with saving her life - twice! Her story of change and pivot and taking chances is truly remarkable. Amy's also the #dancingquilter. Take up her challenge and post your own videos with the hasht…

Carly Brush and Lydia Kao are representing WHATNOT, which is a community marketplace all wrapped up in an app. They are both so excited to be building the Quilting and Sewing category of WHATNOT, and it is growing at a tremendous rate. It has been designed to serve small business owners, with simplicity and convenience and, really, it's a virtual s…

Adria Good has been quilting for a very long time! She's quilted through getting married...kids...homeshooling...basketball coaching...all the things. Her story is one of learning and growing. New idea? Research and learn. New upgrade? Practice, and expand capabilities. New challenge? Take it one step at a time. You CAN do the hard things. Listen t…

Today I'm talking about a slightly uncomfortable topic - what to do when everything’s just going wrong. Just last week, I received a schooling in this! I regularly live stream quilting a project on YouTube and Facebook. I’ve dubbed it Live & Unscripted, and sometimes Quilting’s First Reality Show because it’s just that - real time process without a…

Sam Alberts was one of my very first podcast guests - see Episode #4. Now she's back to give us an update on her Quilting Curve Studio. Sam's been (of course!) quilting, lo, these many months. But also, she's made significant pivots in her business. She was finding that a) there are only so many hours a body can quilt, and that translates into a ce…

Dixie Thue (pronounced too-ee) is a fellow Canadian, and a quilter with broad experience, and stories to match! Listen in as we chat about her ranch life in northern Canada, raising St. Bernard puppies, and her collection of sewing machines. Quilters seem to be multi-talented people, and Dixie is no exception. Skim through her feed on Instagram and…

Leah Nixon and Grace Nixon Peterson are a powerful duo - two sisters that create greeting cards rich with meaning. The word "card" seems too simple - their artwork, the thoughtfulness of every word, their passion about writing to each other by hand - all these come together to create one-of-a-kind snail mail. We chat about the themes behind their a…

In Dara's own words - "If you can make a quilt, you can do anything. That includes taking control of your life and losing weight that has been holding you back." Dara Thomasson is a longarm quilter and a quiltmaker. She teaches all these skills, but also coaches and teaches women to love themselves thin. Her approach is positive, holistic, and REAL…

Jenn Geisbrecht lives in central Alberta, Canada, which means she know allll about long, cold winters. Jenn also knows a lot about building a machine quilting business. In this episode we chat about growing a clientele, building a brand and visibility, using social media to aid in growth, and - gasp - doing new things outside your comfort zone that…

Dee Bradford is a student in my Freehand Quilting Masterclass. In this episode she shares her quilting journey, and highlights how becoming proficient at freehand work has both brought personal enjoyment, and opened creative doors of opportunity. Want to try free motion quilting but don't know where to start? Here's 3 simple steps to get going. Sup…

Today's episode is a little departure from the podcast norm....I'm giving some backstory on why I created a comprehensive course on the art of machine quilting. It was born directly from the need I felt as a novice quilter to have some solid and extremely practical guidance as I got to know my machine and my own style of quilting. What type of quil…

We've all cringed at those words. C'mon, admit it! This is my exploration of edge to edge and custom quilting, and why and when you might want to choose one over the other. Custom quilting is specific to areas, or blocks, or borders; may include stops and starts or thread color changes, and is often more complex or intricate. It is definitely more …

Carina Gardner and I chat about business building and entrepreneurial skills. Tenacity...the willingness to learn and stretch...these are essential. There's no magic - it takes time and determination to establish and grow a business, but Carina's successes will encourage you! Carina has a Ph.D. in Design from the University of Minnesota. She has be…

Does the idea of creating a scrappy quilt just overwhelm you? Where to start? How to choose fabrics? How to make it sparkle? Eva and I both love a good scrap quilt, so we're sharing the things we've learned about fabric selection, scrap storage, even pre-cutting into sizes we know we use often. We've got some simple tricks for determining color val…

Quilt shows - you gotta love them! There's something new around every corner - quilts in every style, color, size. There are classes and demos. There are dealers with machines you can take out for a spin. There are vendors with delicious fabric! And, usually on the last day, there are ribbons to ooooh and aaaah over. Our local show is coming up in …

Shop Hops are a great way to explore a variety of quilt stores - and get free patterns to boot! Eva and I chat about the details; from mapping and planning your route, to snacks and take-alongs, to collecting the free patterns that are unique to each shop, and even the contests that are available for speedy piecers! You'll want to come along for th…

Quilt retreats - what's not to love? They are a chance to visit and giggle with your friends...a time to get in some uninterrupted work on a challenging project...a chance to finish up some WIPs. My friend Eva and I were recently at a rather rustic retreat, so we'll tell you what we loved best, and what we learned. Plus tools and supplies you might…

Shannon Fraser became a quilter unexpectedly - in fact she says she had discounted quilting as an interest entirely! Never say never! Shannon tells the story of textile exploration that eventually led her to quilting and pattern design. We chat about her love of saturated colors, and graphic designs, and improv as a quilter's version of a palette c…

Lorinda Davis loves making pretty things, but she also loves being organized. We chat about her journey into the art of quilting - the first time she tried it she thought "that's not for me!" but eventually she was drawn in in an unexpected way. And then we explore the wonderful world of planners...organizers...checklists, and how writing things do…

Courtney Kimball first learned to sew in special some one-on-one time with her grandmother, and she's been "making" ever since. In 2017 she and her husband and family moved to Honduras to develop their existing business. And over time, Courtney became acquainted with the desperate needs in the slums right next to their apartment complex. It began b…

Courtney Kimball first learned to sew in special some one-on-one time with her grandmother, and she's been "making" ever since. In 2017 she and her husband and family moved to Honduras to develop their existing business. And over time, Courtney became acquainted with the desperate needs in the slums right next to their apartment complex. It began b…

Pat Sloan - designer, author, and YouTuber truly has a deep passion for making quilting fun for herself and everyone around her. She's made over 800 quilts!! Pat has a vast experience of all aspects of quilt making and design, from patterns and sewalongs, to fabric design and teaching online. We chat about some of her most favorite things about cre…

Darlene Girton has been making pretty things from fabric for a lot of years, but these days she has fallen in love with Singer Featherweight sewing machines. They have some unique qualities that make them beloved by quilters all over North America and beyond. Truly they are time capsules that we get to use and appreciate nearly 90 years later. Darl…

Leisha Farnsworth has been machine quilting for over 17 years! Many, many quilts were done completely freehand, but she now shares her skills and creativity by creating digital quilting designs. She's also developed a set of rulers, born directly from a need she saw, as well as an online course and on-demand classes. Leisha has some excellent tips …

Bethanne Nemesh is a classically trained artist with degrees in art and art therapy. She's been mastering the art of machine quilting and creating for over 23 years. She has extensively shown her quilts and won many major awards at national and international levels. Her deepest love, though, is teaching. Bethanne has taught quilters all over the wo…

In Ann's words - "For 40 years I have been making original quilts that use color, fabric and tradition to create abstract landscapes of the imagination." Ann's creations are made one strip of fabric at a time, and are so evocative of wide open outdoor spaces. They range from eyeglass cases to a 140-ft series. She gives us a little tour through her …

Karlee Porter is an artist! In her own words: "I excelled in the clay pencil holders of elementary school; I dominated the 10 minute drawing warm ups of my inner city middle school art class; and, against my mother’s most polite wishes, I skipped most of my high school core classes to escape to the art studio on the 3rd floor of my art-deco-from-th…

Jenny Kae Parks came to this (audio only) interview in clothes coordinating with the quilt behind her. That's how passionate she is about color and its appeal! Jenny Kae home-schooled for many years, and has honed those teaching skills to now teach quilters to develop their own eye for color and style. In Jenny Kae's words: "Don't stop until the co…

Tiffany Groff's words about herself: "Insomniac Quilter, Random Conversations, Disabled living with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and still LOVE & LIVE Life!" Tiffany knows all about the therapeutic qualities of quilting. She has MS, and at one point was wheelchair bound. Quilting became her passion, her motivation, and her joy, and thes…

Sue Heinz is a gem of a teacher, but WHAT she teaches is equally remarkable. Her quilting tools and designs are in a class of their own. Sue shares some rich (and maybe never-before-heard?) stories about personalities and history in the quilting industry. We chat at length about the value of giving credit where it's due, and the life-changing power…

Audrey Esarey is an artist - no doubt about it! Her quilts are graphic, highly original, layered in interest and details, and, well....just a feast for the eyes. Audrey and I chat about her journey from her first quilt class to here - how that involved exploration, and trying out new skills, and even a complete hiatus for some years. But all those …

Christa Watson's quilting accomplishments are enormous! Pattern writer, fabric designer, quilting TABLE designer, and now host of ChristaQuilts.TV. Her enthusiasm, and heart for teaching and sharing is so evident in all she does. We chat about...so many things! How to chase your dreams. How to take a quilt from bright idea to finished product. How …

PJ Jacobsen is a quilter with a story! She's been a lot of places in her life, but a massive medical emergency resulted in a complete start-over for her and her husband. They purchased an abandoned church from Ebay, and set out to build a home for their family, and then a quilting retreat, with their own hands. These days the Crazy Quilter Retreat …

Tammy Thielman has a remarkable clinical practice - she offers counselling on her farm in southern British Columbia, Canada. Animals...corrals...forest trails...toy herds...quilts...cabins...fireside armchairs...all these are part of her multi-faceted approach to therapy. Tammy and I chat about these points of connection, and also about how quiltin…

Brett Lewis (of Natural Born Quilter) is a very talented fabric designer, and a fellow northern Canadian. His fabric collections are rich with flora and fauna from his life and travels, and even family mementos and stories. And color! Lots of gorgeous color! In this episode we chat about the process of creating fabric, from concept to sketch to col…

Connie Kincius Griner is a quilt artist with a twist. Word play, puns, and many pi references are the hallmarks of her signature style. She is so gifted at telling a story, or indeed a joke, in her original designs. Even her labels and show ribbons continue the narrative. So we chat about how Connie got started making quilts, where some of her idea…

Shereece Spain combines her love of sewing, crocheting, and pirates in her business name - such an impressive play on words! We talk about all these loves, and how they've grown to provide a source of income for Shereece's family, allowing her to stay closely involved in her kids' lives, and to have them involved in her business too. Her upcoming p…

Linzee McCray has a deep love for textiles of all kinds, and feedsacks in particular. She shows them...speaks about them...and has written a book about them with 850 gorgeous images!! Linzee has stories galore, both about her experiences and opportunities as a writer, and about the people and circumstances which made feedsacks the collectible fabri…

I first met Heather as a dealer of the longarm brand I use. She's joining me to tell waaayy more stories - we cover shop hops, converting a husband to a quilter, raising kids in a barn, and even micro mini cows. You can find Heather in all these places: www.quiltbarn.blogspot.com www.gammill.com And to see the mini cows: https://www.facebook.com/id…

Tracey Russell of Whirls n Swirls Quilting is a dynamo! She made her very first quilt out of triangles, and taught herself to quilt on a longarm machine way before YouTube University was a thing. Now Tracey finds great pleasure is helping new quilters "flatline the learning curve", and find confidence in their quilting. She teaches and encourages b…

As we talk, Joan Parker's face shines with warmth and enthusiasm and hospitality. She has been making (many!) quilts for many years, all while raising and home-schooling 8 children. Her story is one of great creativity, often propelled by financial needs, and the desire to serve and help others. She has a mother-heart the size of her whole state. P…

Giuseppe Ribaudo is definitely a man of many talents. His background is in theater, but over time he has focused his creativity on fabric and pattern design. For sure he brought his storytelling skills into his design process, and I, for one, can't wait to see the lovelies in store for us quilt makers in the coming weeks. In this episode Giuseppe g…

Liz McDade is passionate about pursuing a zero waste lifestyle, and no trace products. In her own words "no trace products are reusable, washable alternatives to their evil disposable twins". So we chat about how that passion grew, how her hobby has grown into a business, and Liz gives great tips for reducing waste in your cooking, and even in your…

Get your 70s on!! Maude MacDonald lives in the gorgeous Niagara area of Ontario, Canada. She's a mom and wife, making and designing modern quilts with retro vibes and flair. She's a newcomer to the world of quilting, but in a short space of time has mastered many skills and is now sharing her passion with others. Sewing...quilting...pattern designi…

Sheila Drevna woke up one early morning unable to use her hands and feet, and even lost her sight over the next few weeks. Doctors said she'd never walk again. Scary stuff. But Sheila is a calm, matter-of-fact and determined woman, and today she is an award winning longarm quilter, with a business and blog of her own. Lucky for us she loves to teac…

So many of us know Vanessa Christenson for her gorgeous ombre fabric lines, but she is SO much more! Here she is, in her own words: Vanessa Christenson is a wife and mom of four humans and two cats who likes to quilt, sew, decorate, run her mouth, hang out with other women who can stand her, and fake organize the death out of anything (i.e. get rid…

For Belle Brunner, quilting began as a hobby at the onset of the 2020 pandemic and as a way to create joy for not only herself, but for others by gifting them quilty goodness. Little did she know, she'd become hooked to all things quilts! Her only regret is that she didn't discover it sooner than age 45. She's a self taught quilter thanks to YouTub…

Jenny Gallo is an artist in many mediums. Her specialty is making one-of-a-kind stoles, the beautiful scarf-like garments worn by clergy. We chat about some of challenges in making these unusual “quilts”, and some of her most unique creations, and more recently also her exploration of painting and creating digital prints. Jenny offers lots of print…

Kathryn is a quilter with broad experience - maker, longarmer, shop owner, pattern writer, all the things. But now, lucky for us, she's set her sights on becoming an author. Did you know a "cozy" is a genre of mystery novel? And in a cozy, the reader has the opportunity to solve the murder right along with the main character, usually an amateur sle…