I offered to host multiple blogposts (as well as be hosted multiple times), so this guest post is going to be the first of many!
Please welcome Tisha Nagel from Quilty Therapy!
Website/Blog: www.quiltytherapy.com
Store: www.etsy.com/shops/quiltytherapy
Instagram: @quiltytherapy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quiltytherapy
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/quiltytherapy/
Twitter: @quiltytherapy
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/50319251@N06/ (quiltytherapy)
How did you come to be a quilter?
I became a quilter because I hated my first semester of college roommate. I had been sewing for years but wasn’t good. This roommate really annoyed me so I would go out to Jo-Anns to get off campus and away from her. I started some hand piecing that I have still not finished, almost 14 years later. I made my parents my first quilt that year that they still have. It was their Christmas present that I barely finished in time. Actually I finished on 12/26 because I ran out of binding at 3am on Christmas morning. My grandma and her friend helped me get started and I was hooked from there.
What is it that you love about being a quilter?
I love that I can create something from beautiful fabrics that people enjoy. I can’t draw, paint, or play an instrument as a creative outlet. Give me fabric and an idea is created. I also love that my work has evolved over the years and that I’m not like anyone else.
What are you most proud of from your quilting experience?
This is tough because so much has about recently due to my quilting and the products I create. However this moment may have made more nervous than meeting Lotta Jansdotter:
I met Mary Fons and filmed a segment with her about my friend's quilt I made when she had cancer. Nevermind that my name and info isn’t correct!
What quilting challenges would you like to conquer in the next 12 months?
I have an irrational fear of sewing with zippers. Tried to make a wet bag for my son and the zipper is atrocious. I need to sit down and really just give zippers another try, I hear they aren’t terrible.
What’s your 3 favourite quilts that you’ve made that reflect who you are as a quilter?
My three favorite quilts have all been from 2013-2014. I think I really hit my stride these last couple of years.
This first gift is about charity and giving. My friend was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and the only thing I could think to do was to make a quilt for her. I wanted to support her and be with her every step of the way. At least if I wasn’t there she could wrap herself up and feel me there beside her.
Rainbow Charms is a quilt I just winged after looking at a stack of rainbow charms. This is will be my first pattern that I hope to get out in 2015. This quilt is a good reflection of how I like to use colors and keep things simple.
This quilt is my favorite. Luckily all three of these are nearby and I can see them often. Nomadic triangles just kinda came to be one day after weeks trying to come up with a design for the Indiana State Fair Sewing Challenge. This will be my second pattern in 2015 that I want to put out there. Improv but still modern and simple. This quilt shows me that if I keep looking at something differently, considering new techniques and sometimes throwing everything out the window I will love the end product.
What holidays, traditions or religious occasions do you celebrate in your family at this time of year?
Prior to Porter, my son, hubby and I have just a few holiday traditions. On Black Friday we always shop at a few local stores nearby. Chinese food or sushi on Christmas along with watching staple Christmas movies. We usually always watch Christmas Vacation, Elf, and Die Hard. Hey, it’s set during Christmas.
Now we are working to create new traditions as a family. This year we are driving our son around on Sunday night, listening to the all Christmas music channel, and looking at lights. Porter is loving it and it melts my heart to hear him shrieking with excitement.
Do you listen to music, watch television or prefer the hum of the sewing machine when you sew?
Are you ready for this? I love 90’s hip hop and rap. Normally on Pandora my Petey Pablo station is blaring. My husband laughs at me for listening to rap music and quilting. When the phone is dead I reach for my laptop and bring up Netflix. I have watched all of Scandal. Do you think Olivia should be with Jake or Fitz?
Now I’m on to Once Upon a Time. I will probably finish that series out by January with the amount of sewing I foresee in my future.
What are your favourite types of blog posts to read?
Reading blogs for me is about learning and getting to know other sewists. I enjoy blog posts where the writer explains what went on with the project, shares ups and downs, and let’s their real voice come through. Kind of project, project, personal, then project again. Also let’s me know you’re human and not Wonder Woman over there cranking out projects. I know that everyone has that style and their blogs tend to keep me less engaged.
If you had to pick any designer to sit down and chat or work with for the day who would it be and why?
Have you been reading the draft posts for my blog? This is something I have been pondering and wanting to write about. Here’s a snippet of who and why I like them. Lotta Jansdotter! Yes, exclamation point. She creates fabrics that simple, creative, and most of her collections go together. I’ve been to her Brooklyn studio and didn’t want to leave. I got to meet her and forgot to take a picture with her. Taking one of her classes in her studio is on my bucket list.
If you don’t follow her on Instagram, let me encourage you to do so. She loves to play and create. She’s very hands on. For her first fabric line she hand drew all the designs and someone had to put them into a digital format. That really shows in her work because things aren’t perfectly straight for example.
I just want to sit down, have a coffee, and pick her brain.
Do you have any quilting goals for 2015, what are they?
My biggest quilting goal for 2015 is to learn how to free motion quilt. I know I can do but I really struggle with just sitting down and giving it a try. I'm very attached to straight line quilting, that I’m struggling to break out of it.
Do you prewash your quilting fabrics?
I used to prewash when I first started quilting. Now I don’t. With three people in the house there is little time to wash fabrics before I use them. Please I use lots of precuts so that would make washing awkward.
What are you hoping the festive season will bring for you?
This holiday season I just want to enjoy time with my family. My mother in law will be in town for 6 days and is giving us the best gift. A night and morning off. The gift of time with just my husband and I makes me so incredibly happy. We got a hotel room and will enjoy sleeping in without hearing "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAD" from across the hall and fighting for space with the dogs.
Hopefully we can create many new memories leading into 2015.
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Thanks, Tisha!
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