2017 New Quilt Bloggers
Welcome to Week 3 of the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop! It's been so great to learn about all these fabulous new bloggers in the past weeks. I’m a part of the Better Bloggers Hive with Beth from Cooking Up Quilts as our Hive mama. I'm excited it's my turn to share a bit about myself!
My name is Sherry and I live in Minnesota (where just cotton batting is not warm enough)! I started quilting a little less than 2 years ago and have become completely obsessed. By obsessed, I mean I sew and quilt at nearly every free moment I have (I even DREAM about quilting and quilt designs). My blog name "Powered by Quilting" is in reference to it being my passion and what fuels my crafting journey (which is mostly Quilting). I still work a "normal" day job that involves at times some heavy work travel. So I started my blog to first update my friends and family with what I was working on and a place to keep myself accountable for what I set out to do with my busy schedule. I even bought a travel Janome to bring on work trips with me so I can sew at the hotel at night (serious signs of an addiction).
I am starting to design my own quilts, but with the little free time that I have it's a slow process for me. I have a desire to make each of the quilts that I am designing which makes the pattern release process even slower. However, the end products are quilts that I absolutely ADORE, and I hope you do too.
Here are some of the quilts I'm most proud of:
Spinning Vectors -
This quilt is the very first pattern I designed. I was love the movement of the flying geese, and it's very beginner friendly. The cascading of the ombre colors give it a happy rainbow effect too. The pattern is for sale on Craftsy and Etsy.
Unleash Your Inner Rockstar -
This mini quilt is one that I designed and created for the Modern Quilt Guild Fabric Challenge by Riley Blake. I love this because I think it shows my personality more than my quilting style for once. I love rock music and I love quilting so why wouldn't a mashup work? After all, we are all Rockstars in our own right. You just need to own it.
Moroccan Getaway -
This quilt was a monster for me especially since I started it a few months into my quilting journey. I feel like I have some minor ADD because I couldn't work on it more than a few blocks at a time. The end result was completely worth it, but I don't know if I'll every have the patience to make one of these again.
Bloom -
This was the first quilt I made with hand applique (or applique of any kind). It's a deviation of my typical style, but it was just too cute to pass up. It also cemented my favorite type of applique - by hand and typically with a sew in interfacing to get the turned edge.
Other quilts that I have created can be found on my completed quilts page
Questions for you:
- What quilting technique do you love/hate and why? (paper piecing, EPP, applique, etc.)
- Do you always go to the same blogger/site for tutorials or do you search for multiple via google or other search engine pr do you look for link up parties/tutorials? (How do you look for tutorials?)
My Future Plans:
In the next year, I hope to:
- Release 2-3 original patterns
- Submit my quilts into the MN state fair and QuiltCon2018
- Practice and become more comfortable with Free Motion Quilting
- Participate in other design challenges that come up. These have been surprisingly fun to do.
I hope you'll join me in my journey on your favorite platform whether it’s here on my blog or Bloglovin', my Instagram, or on Facebook.
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Check out this week's posts from my other hive mates:
Sherry of Powered by Quilting (You are here!)
Diane of Cwilt
Liz of Savor Every Stitch
Sandra of Sandra Healy Designs
More new bloggers are also getting introduced by 2 other Hives run by Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl and Leanne @ shecanquilt. I hope you’ll visit them as well.
Morning Sherry! What a great way to get to know you better. The quilts you have shown are wonderful and I popped over to your 2017 finished gallery – wow you have done a lot this year!
Thanks! I just realized I haven’t updated the gallery with the Rockstar quilt 😛
Great post and pics, Sherry! I love your Riley Blake challenge mini. I can’t wait to see what other designs you have up your sleeve.
I love raw-edge appliqué because it feels quite unconstrained, and I find hand quilting quite shooting. I haven’t found a technique I hate. I did try using that gridded paper once and it didn’t end well.
When I need a tutorial, I usually Google first and then check Pinterest. It’s a great way to discover new-to-me quilters.
Becca, thank you! I’m still trying a whole slew of techniques trying to find what’s working best for me. Gridded paper – do you mean like a fusible grid? I’m going to try that for my next pixel quilt.
Yes! I had a little Christmas ornament kit that used it, and I just couldn’t get it to line up or something. This was a couple of years ago, so I don’t remember so well. I might have better results now that I have more experience. I’m interested to see what you think when you try it.
Hi Sherry, I love your quilts. I look for tutorials by subscribing to someone’s blog. I don’t paper piece because I am dyslexic and left-handed. Because my brain processes math and patterns backwards, paper piecing is frustrating.
I love regular piecing and hand or machine appliqué. Bloom is a georgous quilt. I hope you enjoy the blog hop. In 2014, I participated and met Yvonne and Beth. I learned so much. Great meeting you through the hop.
Hi! Thanks for stopping by. Paper piecing in general I think is a hard concept. It took me a while to get the hang of it and then another bit to find a way it actually worked for me.
Hey fellow Minnesotan! What fun to read your blog and get to know you. Your quilts are fantastic!
Hi! It’s always nice to meet other Minnesotans. I don’t actually know that many quilters that live close to me! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Hi Sherry! I really enjoyed your post. I didn’t even know they made “travel-size” Janomes, that’s hilarious that you got one to feed your addiction! Nothing wrong with that 😉 I love your Moroccan getaway quilt, it’s totally worth the effort! Out of curiosity, what type of engineering do you do?
Hi Liz, the “travel-size” is somewhat travel sized. I have a Gem 660, about 11 lbs. It’s a great solid machine that isn’t completely plastic. I studied Mechanical Engineering in school, but my job now is in Electrical and Controls Engineering. I do everything from power distribution to automation for my projects.
I tend to search the internet / Google what I am looking for specifically, although there are some “go to” tutorials I have bookmarked (hanging sleeves). Thank you so much for being part of the blog hop and participating in it this year. I really like your Rock On! quilt and message. 🙂
Thanks Yvonne! This has been a great experience and I’m learning tons. Really appreciate you hosting this year after year. 🙂
Hi Sherry, it’s great to meet you! I love your ‘Rock On’ quilt, it’s so vivid and fun! If I’m searching for tutorials I just use google for whatever it is I’m looking for. I also find full size quilts a bit daunting, I prefer smaller, quicker projects!
Thanks for stopping by. I get a little bored with the larger quilts. I’ve started to notice I like quick finishes too!
Ha. I absolutely love the rockstar / sew on mini quilt. It’s awesome. I’ve only just started on my own quilting journey (making my very first quilt right now).
Thank you! And good luck on your quilting journey, it’s going to be great. I’ve met some really amazing people in this community. 🙂
I started out going great guns quilting but then injured myself (seriously enough to damage a nerve in my index finger) so I take forced breaks and stop my weekend quilting day by 4 or 5pm.
I have tried paper piecing and was not a big fan of it, but I will give it another go.
I just go straight to YouTube for tutorials and watch them until I find the one I feel is the best for my purposes. I also subscribe to numerous blogs I read through Feedly.
oh wow, quilting injuries. That’s good you are taking care of yourself! Also for being a “millennial” I don’t feel like I utilize YouTube as much as I should. I can definitely see the benefits though!
Your quilts are fabulous – thanks for sharing your love of quilting!
Thank you for your kind words! And thanks for stopping by 🙂
It’s nice to get to know you Sherry. I also would like to design more but find it difficult with work and family. You quilts are wonderful full of movement and colour.
Thanks Lisa! I try to keep myself accountable with my blogging to on what I’m working on. It helps keep me focused, but I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with my day job lately. Thanks for your kind words on my quilts 🙂
Hi Sherry! I so enjoyed reading your post. I am in awe of your quilts! As a new quilter myself, you have really inspired me as to what can be accomplished. I wish you the best in your pattern designing, you definitely have that sparkle!
~Abbie from the Hive 🐝
Abbie – Thanks so much for your kind words. The quilting journey has been so great 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you make in the future as well!
Howdy, neighbor! Meaning I come from North Dakota. You’ve designed some great quilt patterns. I tend to search on the internet for tutorials. I do have some great blogs that I follow regularly that I also refer to.
Hi neighbor! 😀 Thank you so much for stopping by and your kind words. I tend to google tutorials myself too. I haven’t found a one stop shop just yet.
I love your bright and colourful style Sherry! I love paper foundation piecing and I’m totally addicted to Pinterest for searching quilting related posts!
Thanks so much!!! I wish I spent more time on Pinterest but I’m actually glad I don’t because I think I would then spend ALL my time on Pinterest!
You’ve made some amazing quilts! And I am really impressed by the fact that you take a machine along when you travel for work–you Rockstar, you!!
Thanks Karen 🙂 *blush* it’s pretty fun to travel with my machine.
There is hardly a technique I don’t like. They all have their purpose. I do love handwork but find it harder to get to these days. I just search for tutorials or quilt alongs in google. They are so many out there! I do bookmark some, or pin some when I find them. I sometimes find that remembering where it is filed is harder than re-searching the technique!
Hi Kathleen – I wish I was more like you on techniques that I didn’t like. And I definitely agree about the filing part, it’s harder to re-find one than to just google again! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Hi Sherry, fellow Hive Mate! Participating in this blog hop was a great way to meet fellow quilters and I am amazed by young quilters like yourself who have only been quilting for several years and already have made such wonderful quilts. I remember when I discovered quilting over twenty years ago and how it took over my life and wishing I could make quilts all day. Now that I’m retired, I still don’t have enough time. I have a Janome Gem which is the machine I take when traveling. I don’t know if I have a technique I don’t like; I may have several which I don’t do. Thanks for sharing your quilts and I am looking forward to seeing your future posts.
Hi Hive Mate! It’s been great getting to know you better during the blog hop! 🙂 I wish I could make quilts all day. My day job has definitely been getting in the way these last few weeks. I have a Gem too and I LOVE it! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Hello Sherry lovely to meet you on this hop. I love your quilts and your enthusiasm for quilting really shows through in your blog. I don’t really have a technique I don’t like, I’m always up for a challenge! As for tutorials I usually try and figure things out for myself or rely on my sewing background for solutions.
Hi Diane – Lovely to meet you during this blog hop too, it’s been so much fun! I actually prefer to figure things out on my own, too but tutorials really help me after I struggle.