Since starting work at Quilting Arts, I’ve received quite a few envious comments from fellow quilters—after all, what better job could a fabric and sewing lover ask for? And not to rub it in, but my first couple of weeks have only proven the point. Quilting Arts is an endlessly exciting place to work, overflowing with creativity, enthusiasm, beautiful art—and, yes, lots of work to be done!
But I should probably start from the beginning and reiterate that I’m indeed an avid quilter, sewer, and crafter of all kinds. I made my first full-sized bed quilt the summer after my freshman year at Harvard, and haven’t looked back. I even wrote my senior thesis on a quilt exhibition (I majored in Art History), which raised more than a few eyebrows in the department (in a good way). I now sew all kinds of things, from quilts of every variety to pillows, bags, and clothing. In fact, this weekend I’m took on a rather ambitious project; a fully-lined fall jacket which I made out of 1960’s vintage Tasmanian fabric that I brought home from a recent trip to Australia. Somehow it actually turned out beautifully! And even though I've only been here for a couple of weeks, surrounded by so much unique and inspirational art, I'm brimming with new ideas (I am suddenly determined to print my own fabric; maybe that's next weekend's project). Anyway, this fanatic love of all things fabric explains why working at Quilting Arts is pretty much a dream come true.
So far, most of my energy at work has been focused on our new publication, International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene. It's a contemporary quilting magazine which basically encapsulates my favorite things about the quilt and sewing world; traditional, modern, and eternal. My only frustration so far is having the burning desire to replicate every beautiful piece that we’re including in this issue. I don’t want to give anything away, but let's just say my heart skipped a beat when I saw Kaffe Fassett's quilt, Terry Grant's fabric birds, and Bari J.’s quilted belts…. to name only a few. I don’t think I’ll be the only one who has this problem. I've also been working on my first article, investigating the coolest quilt and fabric stores across the country. Getting in touch with so many enthusiastic store owners and customers, and hearing about their fabulous products and events—who knew there were so many all-night sewing parties?—has only affirmed what I've long suspected; there is a fun and passionate contemporary quilting world out there!
Needless to say, reading through artists' submissions and spending hours brainstorming photo and page layouts hardly feels like “work.” And if you saw my introduction video with Pokey, you may have realized that I’m a bit of an animal lover and have been delighted to discover that at Quilting Arts a dog—sometimes three—is a permanent fixture! And the office fun doesn’t end there. Let’s just say that when I called my friend last week on the drive home and told him I’d just been blueberry picking at my boss’s house, I think he was a little confused...
Anyway, I’d like to thank everyone for their warm welcome to the Quilting Arts world. I’m thrilled to be here, and look forward to keeping you all updated on our latest exciting events!