Quilters and Rock Stars

I'm a dabbler. An amateur. A jack-of-all-trades. I love being creative, no matter what the source. I've painted, knit, crocheted, wielded a jig-saw, and quilted. If I think I can, I will try. I love the process of creating. It starts with an inspiration and ends with something tangible that YOU made. I love looking at things that I've done around my house - there is some serious satisfaction in that. 

Quilting, however, is my thang. My passion. My must-have. My "if we must move to Brasil, how quick can my machine get there?" It's important. 

I taught myself to quilt. Cayden was 6 months old, I stumbled upon a quilt on Pinterest (imagine that!), and I said, "I can do that!" I bought a cheap machine, and pieced and basted, and free motion quilted that bad boy until it was complete. There are definite flaws in that quilt, but I love it, because it was my first. 

Three years later, I have amassed an obscene number of quilters I follow on Instagram, and whose blogs I stalk. All in the name of creativity...right? Quilters and fabric designers are celebrities in these circles; rock stars if you will. One in particular - Camille Roskelley. She's amazing. Mother of 3 boys, a quilter, a fabric designer, and crazy talented when it comes to decorating her house. She makes it all look flawless, yet easy. She and her mom, Bonnie, have designed 10 lines of fabric for Moda. I've only been on the buying end of the last three, but when I say they are hot commodities, I ain't lying. I've seen fabric sell in seconds on IG, because it is Bonnie & Camille. People hoard it, take pictures of it, vowing never to use one square inch because of it's beauty. They stack it high, and flaunt it! I'm really not joking. Others make quilt, after quilt, after quilt, because that is what it was made for. Rock star status - that is what she has. The followers, kind of like groupies, on the look out for the next bolt or the next pattern. 

I found Camillie's blog right after I finished that first quilt. I bought her book, read every single blog post she's ever written, and cemented myself into her fan club. Her patterns are easy to read and follow, which is important for those of us on the less experienced side of quilting. She also has two classes through the Craftsy website. They are Spectacular! I have subscribed to both, and I'm telling you... If you don't run out and make something after watching her, then there is something wrong. 

I recently finished her Puddle Jumping quilt for my second son. It was the most difficult pattern I've used so far, but really easy. Is that an oxymoron? oh well .

These are some of the fabrics from their Happy Go Lucky line. Perfect for a boy.

I tend to like the stripes, polka dots, scallops more than any other pattern in their fabric. Probably because I have two little boys, and a husband who would like for it to be less frilly around here. Either way, each line has something for everybody, and you can mix and mingle the lines. Perfection.

So, I've been wanting to start this blog for several months now. Something that was geared more toward my crafty side, my love of fabric, where and from whom I find inspiration, how I have time, or not, to work on quilts - You know, the balance of reality and creativity. I got my FaceBook page lined up, my Instgram, and Pinterest. I posted a picture of a quilt I am working on, just to have something on the new IG, and then this happened:

See that comment by Thimbleblossoms.... that's HER!! Not only did she "like" the picture, she took the time to comment on it. Seriously, I took a screen shot of it, showed by husband (he wasn't quite as excited as I was), and it pretty much made my day. She's like that though. She comments and "likes" quilts and things that others have made using her fabrics and patterns. The quilting community is wonderful. It's just another reason to check out her blog, and if you haven't seen her fabrics and patterns, take the time to look at those too. You won't be disappointed.