2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop
Welcome to Week 2 of the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop! This is the second year I have participated in this awesome blog hop! I learned from and met a lot of amazing quilters that I hope you will visit as well! During this blog hop, YOU will have a chance to win some amazing prizes from the sponsors of this blog hop, more information about this below. I am a part of the Happy Stitching Team hive, and our amazing button was created by Terri at Meanderings along Lizard Creek. Our hive leader is Tish of Tish n' Wonderland.
I realized I haven’t done an introduction post since last year's blog hop! So here it is…
My name is Sherry, and I live in Minnesota (for now). I have been quilting for a little less than 3 years, and I am completely gone down the rabbit hole of being completely obsessed with quilting. Prior to my quilting journey, I used to hand sew, crochet, knit, needle felt, scrapbook, make pottery, and even tried glass blowing and fusing. Needless to say, I have A LOT of craft supplies and tools in my house. My quilting journey started by purchasing a Vintage Singer Stylist off Craigslist for $40. I bought this machine in December of 2014, and it gathered dust until my mom came to visit Memorial Day the following year. I figured I needed someone to show me how to use this contraption as I've never machine sewn before. Who knew that there were places that would teach you how to use it? Apparently not me. My mom comes to visit and proceeds to ask me for the manual for the machine and then literally READS me the manual word for word. Thanks mom, I didn't think about doing that (facepalm). I started sewing stuffies and random items before I decided to make a quilt. I mean how hard could it be? I ended up designing and making a simple baby quilt, and the quilt top came out pretty good. Then things started to fall apart… Basting? Walking foot? Proper binding? All things I was unaware of. I went to the Original Sewing Expo in Minneapolis in late 2015 and learned so many things. I credit that event to leading me down the rabbit hole.
My vintage Singer sylist
Powered by Quilting came along when I wanted to start documenting my quilty adventures. Why Powered by Quilting? I am an engineer in my day job, and it's more on the electrical and automation side where "Powered by Intel" inspired other phrases like Powered by Ice Cream. So why not Powered by Quilting?! I quilt whenever I can and have even purchased a travel machine to take with me on business trips.
My hotel room set up
I would consider my quilting style to be a modern traditional-ish quilter. I love all the colors… minus brown. I will only use brown as necessary for things that are actually brown like a reindeer. I also am obsessed with Barn Quilts and am working on a plan to launch a quilt along for Barn Quilts next year. Here are some of my favorite quilts I've made: (click on the images to read more about them)
This is a pattern I designed that looks way more complicated than it actually is!
Frame It Up - Another quilt pattern I designed, but I have made this several times already because it is one of my favorites! I love secondary designs.
My mini quilt that I made for the Island Batik Ambassador Mini Challenge.
Twisted Ladder! My latest quilt pattern. I love the color and fun secondary design in this!
Crossfire Mini Quilt that I submitted to the Curated Quilts Mini Challenge
You can check out all my creations on my completed quilts tab in the menu.
Amy at Sewtopia summed up my thoughts about quilting very well when she called quilting a hermit hobby. It's really easy to be a hermit when quilting and being a voice in the community as well as building your own space in the quilting community is important to me. A few of us that participated in the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers started Partners In Design, where Friends and Fabric meet. We hosted the I Wish You A Merry Quilt Along last year and will be announcing a new quilt along soon! I designed the super cute Snowman block, you can find the pattern in my Craftsy shop.
I also joined up with some 2016 New Quilt Blogger alums for the Monthly Color Challenge hosted by Jen of Patterns by Jen. I design a block each month that readers can download to participate in the challenge.
I host Friday Foto Fun each Friday to share something quilty or just fun for that week. I know things get busy for everyone and most of the time Friday Finishes just don't happen. The linky party is open to everyone and doesn't need a blog link to go with it, so you can share any fun photo from your PC or Instagram!
My best quilting tip or advice I can give to anyone is to actually use the fabric that you love rather than hoard it. I am one of the biggest offenders of having a pile of fabric I can use and another that I just look at and save. What I have found is when I use the fabric I love, I end up loving the process even more!
Do you also have piles of fabric you keep versus use, or am I the only one?
Be sure to visit all the other awesome quilter's in this week's hop!
- Velda at Freckled Fox Quiltery
- Carrie at Carrie Bee Creates
- Sharon A. at Ms. P Designs
- Ann C. at Laughing Gas Quilts
- Nicole at Handwrought Quilts
- Becca at Pretty Piney
- Sherry at Powered by Quilting <- That's me!
- Stephanie at Low Country Quilts and Embroidery
In order to enter for the amazing giveaway from our sponsors, visit one of the co-hosts blogs:
- Beth at Cooking Up Quilts
- Jen at Dizzy Quilter
- Tish at Tish n’ Wonderland
- Sandra at mmm! Quilts
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.
Hi Sherry! Great post! It was good to get to know you a little more!
I absolutely do not have little piles of fabric that I keep and don’t use! I have at least a mountain high hill! No little piles for me! 🙂 I am trying oh so hard to use up what I have and only buy what I need. And I already have STABLE. (STash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy!) 🙂
Save fabric? The only pieces I have put away for a long time are some Liberty fabrics in blues, I won these, and they are so special. Your Circular Illusion, I could look at that for some time, and still be amazed at the design.
Me too…I love all things modern (especially fabric) and I also define myself as a modern traditionalist. As far as fabric stashing goes, I always buy fabrics in FQs or 1/2 yards, cut into them right away and then save the scraps. Right now I’m buying tons of LV fabrics so I can make really scrappy backgrounds for my modern quilt blocks. Freckledfoxquiltery@gmail.com
Hey Sherry, I’ve enjoyed finding out more about your quilting backstory since I’ve already started to know you a little through the monthly color challenge. You have some very nice quilt designs under your belt already for someone who has only been sewing for a few years! I expect we’ll see many more great things from you! 🙂
Fab post, your quilts are stunning. So neat and gorgeous ♥ Yes I too have fabric I just know il never use 😂
Yes, I confess I have fabric I have not wanted to cut up. I hope I will someday.
Sherry, I enjoyed reading your story. So far, Frame It Up is my favorite. But I’m sure that will change. It is hard to believe that you have been quilting for only a few years. I always enjoy your Friday Foto Fun. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing with us.
Sherry, what a special talent you have to be able to produce your own patterns. I really like Twisted Ladder.
Yes, I had fabric I didn`t use…..I called it my `Penson Fund` to be used when I retired. I`m now into that stash and basically quilting for free.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Yes, I have piles of fabric that I fall in love with and don’t use right away. But that fabric is just waiting for the right project to come along!!
I’m not sure I like that little (for now) phrase 🙁 Fun to read your quilting story, Sherry. You’ve certainly taken off since the early days of your sewing! You know I love your patterns, and the Twisted Ladder will always be a favorite. It’s on my bucket list, to make a large one! Yes, i have pet fabrics. I eventually use them, but they have to sit and be pretty first.
Sherry, it is great to have you back again this year and learn more about you! I can’t wait to hear more about your barn quilt QAL, I love me some barn quilts. I loved how the bloggers from last year came together to create the QAL group, it made my heart so happy.
Love your circular illusion quilt! I’m trying to stop acquiring new fabric and use what I have – as I have lots!
Hello fellow hive mate! I am such a fabric hoarder that I am quickly running out of storage space! I do use it (eventually), just not as quickly as I collect it lol! There are certain pieces that I have pulled out and just couldn’t bring myself to cut because I love them so much but you are definitely correct, I would love them more in a quilt! I’m going to write that piece of advice down and hang it over my cutting table! Thanks, and as always, I love seeing pics of your work!
Hi Sherry,
It was so much fun to read your post today and to learn more about you. Hoard fabrics?! Nope not me – it comes in the house and immediately goes out as a finished project. Not! Of course I hoard fabric . . . it’s so darn pretty that the project has to be worthy! I am working on that issue – trying to use up those pretties. ~smile~ Roseanne
I enjoy stashing fabric! Your quilts are beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful day! angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom
Great tip! I left the same one on someone else’s blog earlier today so great minds etc. Collecting fabric is what I enjoy most about quilting!
Hi, nice to meet you. The photos of your projects have strong, straight lines and angles. Engineer huh? I like lines and angles because they make sense to me. I am not an abstract-type thinker. I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Looks like this rabbit hole has been good for you! Your quilts are beautiful, and your enthusiasm wonderful. Keep it up!