Border Quilt Interview with Stephanie

For the weeks leading up to the Quilt Along, which now starts September 12, there will be a quilty interview with bloggers participating in the quilt along. The fabric designer, quilter and the photographer of the Enchanted Forest version will be interviewed as well. You can look for a new interview every Monday and Thursday now until September 10th. Find all the information for the quilt along HERE.

So grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine depending on the time of day in your area and lets get to know Stephanie.

PBJ:  Name and business name?

Stephanie: Stephanie of Quilt'n Party

PBJ: What name would you give yourself in the quilting world? Designer, teacher, quilter, tester, etc?

Stephanie:I’m an aspiring designer who simply needs more time away from my real job and all the other obligations in life. I have several patterns drawn out in the graph paper notebooks I keep. I need time to test these patterns. There’s never enough time!!!

Designers: Do you have any new patterns/books/fabrics coming out this year that you can share about?  

Stephanie: The next pattern I am going to release is for a small Christmas Wreath quilt. I’ve included a picture of it.

PBJ: Who taught you/ or inspired you to learn to quilt?

Stephanie: I taught myself to quilt with the help of my friend Jennifer. None of the women in my family were quilters, but everyone did handwork. My earliest memories of sewing were when my Grandmother taught me to do handwork around the age of 6. It’s what I did for years until I started quilting in my early 30s.

PBJ: What is your favorite part of the quilting process?

Stephanie:Design, fabric selection and piecing are my favorite part of the quilting process because that’s where it all starts. This is where you really determine how the quilt is going to turn out. I also really enjoy hand stitching the binding, it’s meditative. I also enjoy photographing the quilt, I like photography in general. I included  a photo I took of a cow moose and her calf in the Grand Tetons last month. (Photo towards the end of the post)

PBJ: What is your least favorite part?

Stephanie: My least favorite part is basting, it’s so tedious but it’s so important. I want to spray baste but it’s always so windy here in Colorado. It never goes smoothly and I’m always fighting the wind.

PBJ: What is your favorite quilty tool?

Stephanie: I love the Bloc Lock rulers for squaring up blocks. I also love those Alphabities for marking cut pieces, they’re a wonderful tool for staying organized. 

PBJ: What is your favorite color? Do you use it in your quilts? If not, what color do you find yourself using a lot? Why do you use that color the most?

Stephanie: Well, my favorite color is blue, but I also love green. I use both those colors in my quilts but I think I use red more than any other quilt. There’s nothing like a red and white quilt. My Hungarian Posies quilt is a great example of how I love red and white in a quilt. I feel like red is a neutral that kind of goes with everything. 

Hungarian Posies

PBJ: When sewing, do you watch T.V. / movies, listen to music, have it quiet?

Stephanie: If I’m in my sewing room I will watch something on Netflix or Hulu. I tend to find a series that I haven’t watched before and just let it run while I’m in my sewing room. I just finished watching all the episodes of 30 Rock and now I’m on to Portlandia. I tend to stick to comedy because dramas require a lot of attention and I’m trying to focus on my sewing. 

PBJ: How much time do you spend quilting a day?

Stephanie:I tend to get most of my sewing done on the weekends because I have a full-time job. I try to do about 30 minutes a day during the week but honestly there are days where I just can’t due to work, family obligations, the gym and other fun that I feel obligated to experience. I make these to do lists that are really specific that help me get sewing tasks done during the week. My to do list will be items like, select fabric for block 3, cut fabric for block 2, piece block 1.  Crossing those items off helps me feel productive. 

PBJ: If you had to choose between quilting cotton, batiks or flannels to sew with *for the rest of your life* which would you choose?Why?

Stephanie: I would definitely choose quilting cotton fabrics for the rest of my life. There’s so many wonderful fabric options in the quilting world. With batiks I would feel forced into a certain style and there’s just not enough options in flannels.

PBJ: You are taking a quilting cruise, who’s your teacher?

Stephanie:  I would love to take a class with Lori Holt. I love her fabrics and her patterns and her techniques. 

PBJ: Does your sewing machine have a name?

Stephanie: No.  Is that weird? Do most quilters name their machines? My car doesn’t have name either.

PBJ:   Does your seam ripper have a name?

Stephanie: Ha ha. No. Again, is that weird? 

PBJ: When was the last time you changed your needle?

Stephanie: Last weekend. I’m pretty good about that. I notice the difference if I haven’t changed my needle in a while.

PBJ: We have a big quilt along coming up. What is your advice to any quilter new to the quilt along world?

Stephanie: My advice to a quilter new to the quilt along world is to follow the quilt along host on social media (ex. IG or FB) for tips and inspiration. Other participants may also have good tips for fabric selections and sewing instructions. Also, read the directions SO carefully and if something doesn’t make sense, ask questions on social media. Online quilters are so helpful, and you will receive assistance from someone. 

Blog:

www.quiltnparty.com

Facebook:


https://www.facebook.com/quiltnparty/

Instagram:

@quiltnparty

Interview Schedule

July 27 - Nancy - Masterpiece Quilting

July 30 - Vicki - My Creative Corner3

Aug 2 - Becca - Pretty Piney

Aug 6 - Kate - Seams Like A Dream

Aug 9 - Terri - Lizard Creek Quilting

Aug 13 - Joanne - Quilts By Joanne

Aug 16 - Marija - Mara Quilt Designs

Aug 20 - Alison - Little Bunny Quilts

Aug 23 - Stephanie - Quilt'n' Party

Aug 27 - Daphne - Daphne Greig

Aug 30 - Tara - The Quilt District

Sept 6 - Tracy (quilter) - Fabrics Plus

Sept 10 - Kelly (photographer) - Handmade Boy

Sept 12 - Quilt along begins!

I hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit about Stephanie. If you have any questions for her, please put them in the comments, with an email address if your settings are set for no reply, and I will make sure she sees them. I hope you follow her and give her some quilty love!

Happy Stitching!

Jen

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The Border Quilt Quilt Along is coming September 2018

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