“I Love Quilting and Sewing” Blog Tour

Happy National Sewing and Quilting Month! Fat Quarter Shop is  hosting the “I Love Quilting and Sewing” Blog Tour all month long to celebrate the art of sewing and quilting. They have challenged us to make something we haven’t made before, and to answer four questions.  Let’s start with my brief answers so you can understand my choice of project:
 
FQS: How did you start quilting/sewing?
DR: I learned how to sew many years ago from a seamstress in Brazil. However, sewing clothes was never my thing. As for quilting, I decided to give it a try in 2005. I bought one of Eleanor Burns’s books, read it cover to cover, and made about 12 log cabin quilts from the book!

FQS: When was the first time you knew that you were a quilter/sewer?
DR: I knew I was a quilter when I could not travel anywhere without visiting the local quilt shop. I had the measurement of the fabrics I needed for the log cabin quilts in my wallet, and whenever I stopped at a quilt store, I pulled out the paper and started looking for fabrics.

FQS: Do you have any sewing/quilting horror stories or faux pas?
DR: I think all of us have a few of those stories… As I was quilting one of my first log cabin quilts, my father decided to help me by standing in front of my machine and pulling the quilt towards him so I would go faster!!! All the other faux pas are safely hidden under applique designs… 🙂

FQS: What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting out in sewing/quilting?
DR: (1) Try every technique you find interesting. It may be that you will use a few specific ones over and over, but do not let that prevent you from finding out what else is out there. (2) Take classes – other quilters/sewists will provide motivation, encouragement, laughter… (3) Finally, buy the best supplies you can afford. For me, it means having a Bernina; using Aurifil thread to piece, quilt and embroider; and purchasing fabrics at quilt stores (Who says you can’t shop for fabric in the middle of the night? Fat Quarter Shop is always open!!!)

Now, for my project. I decided to make a garment. A dress or a shirt would be too presumptuous, so I opted for making this skirt:

Simple, I know, but waaayyy out of my comfort zone! I stand in awe of seamstresses and their beautiful work. I admire those of you who make clothes for your children… Quilts don’t have to fit anything other than a bed, a lap, a table, a wall!

I put my best effort into sewing the back slit so the seam would not get
undone as I wore it, and into hand sewing the hem so stitches would not
show on the front of the skirt. Phew! I will wear a slip under it because I wasn’t brave enough to add lining to the skirt. :-).

What do you think? The fabric adds pizzaz to the simple pattern, and I will use the pattern again with other fabrics I found.

To be sure, I sew other things besides quilts (click on pictures for tutorials or more details):

Thank you, Fat Quarter Shop, for such fun initiative and thank YOU for stopping by (snoop around the blog before you leave!). Have fun touring the other participating blogs, and celebrate with us by stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new!

Enjoy your day,