Sunday, April 30, 2017

New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop

Welcome to my introduction post for the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop! I started this blog in March of 2016 with the sole goal of documenting my finishes (quilting and non-quilting). But when I saw the opportunity to join the blog hop, I jumped in with both feet. It's been a wonderful experience connecting with other quilters. Thanks so much to Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl, Leanne @ she can quilt, and Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts for organizing this! Thanks also to my critique group of Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts and Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting for their valuable critique and advice.

From The Beginning

I have been quilting for a little over a year. Although I've loved making things since I was a child, I never ever imagined I'd get into quilting. I associated quilts with antique and vintage, and it just wasn't my style.

My impression of quilts changed when I saw some contemporary quilts. I was immediately attracted to the fabrics, and it was for that reason that I began making quilts: to play with the fabrics. I started with hand-tied baby quilts, but didn't really love it. My 3rd quilt was a machine quilted table runner, and it was from that point on that I fell madly in love with quilting. However ... it didn't love me back. Fabric didn't obey me, I couldn't achieve the quarter-inch seam consistently, and my walking foot defied me at every turn. I felt like I was chasing after a new lover who just wasn't that into me.

A few months after I began, I ran across the amazing work of Angela Walters. Something about her easy and relaxing attitude clicked with me. Even though I was terrified, I began to learn to free-motion quilt. I quickly discovered to my delight that it came more easily to me than piecing did, and it wasn't long before machine quilting became my absolute favorite part of making a quilt. After chasing after quilting like some kind of unrequited love, I was delighted to have it finally love me back!

Savor Every Stitch

I thought for a long time about what I wanted to name my blog, but the day I decide to get my own domain name, I came up with Savor Every Stitch.

Even though I spend most of my crafty time quilting, I also knit and crochet some, and I wanted a blog name that can reflect all of these pursuits. More than that, I really really enjoy the process of making, and I don't rush through it. It is soothing, therapeutic, and as for the beautiful items that result? That's just the icing on the cake!

Favorite Quilts

And here's my favorite part: sharing my favorite quilts with you! I've only made a handful of quilts, yet already it's really hard to pick favorites. But I've narrowed it down to my 3 favorite quilts (so far).

Dare To Be

Dare To Be is a very recent finish, and I love it for the beautiful criss-cross effect and all the feathers I threw on there. Feathers are my favorite thing to quilt, but it's also the scariest thing to quilt. The pattern is by Jeni Baker.

Starstruck

Starstruck is the first quilt from the Midnight Quilt Show hosted by Angela Walters. I loved the fabric, the interesting placement of the stars, and of course, the quilting.

Tokyo Subway Map

Tokyo Subway Map has been on my make list for quite some time but I was really intimidated by the sheer number of small pieces (1600) in the quilt. However, once I made it, I realize it's not as hard as it looks and it's definitely one of my favorite quilts, with the beautiful scrappy fabrics and the improv graffiti-style quilting. The pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman.

Blogging Tip

I'm a fairly new blogger and I have tons to learn, but the most valuable thing I did for my blog was to get social. I had been blogging for about 7 months, with only my sister-in-law and myself as readers, before I decided to finally join a link party hosted by Crazy Mom Quilts. I couldn't believe how much traffic I got that day! Since then, I've joined link parties whenever possible.

Quilting Tip

My number one quilting tip is geared towards Quilter's Paralysis. You've heard of it. It's that paralyzing fear of ruining our quilt tops with the "wrong" design, so we procrastinate for hours, days, weeks, years, wondering what the perfect design is. Here's the thing ... there is no such thing as one perfect design. There are lots of perfect designs. I used to stare at my quilt tops for a long time, pondering the right design, but I've discovered that if I just pick something and get started, I've always been happy with the result at the end anyway, because it's done.

What if you have no idea where to start picking from? I have a little prompt-sheet that I keep next to my machine of designs I know and am comfortable with, as well as newer designs that I want to try. Then, when I'm stumped, I'll look through that list, and usually I get some ideas fairly quickly.

Random Facts About Me

  • I'm a die-hard Harry Potter fan. I suppose the word is "Potterhead."
  • I have a 7-inch scar shaped like a giant centipede on my left arm from a hang-gliding accident. To this day, I don't remember the actual crash, just the few seconds before and after.
  • I've been coding since I was 12, and was a software engineer for Google for awhile. I still get pretty excited about coding, especially when I combine coding with quilting.
  • I'm a total Japan-o-phile! The food, the culture, anime, the style, you name it, I love it.
  • I'm addicted to roller coasters, in particular the feeling of that negative G-force during a drop. Bliss!

    A Quilting Confession

    I'm a total fangirl of Angela Walters. I've absorbed everything she has done (books, Craftsy classes, YouTube videos, Midnight Quilt Show) but I've yet to have the chance to meet her in person. I once had a dream where I actually met her in person! But hopefully one day.

    Hop Onwards!

    Thanks for reading my journey, and for your support of my blog! I've been amazed at how lovely and encouraging the online quilting community is. Now, tell me a quilting confession of yours. Then, go visit the other great blogs in my hop group:

    Round 1: April 10th

  • Sew Jess Handmade
  • Making a Beautiful Life
  • Quiltologie
  • Cut & Alter
  • Something Rose Made

  • Round 2: April 17th

  • Cocoa Quilts
  • 9658 Textiles
  • Finding Myself as an Artist
  • Quilt in Piece
  • Sparkle On

  • Round 3: May 1st

  • Powered by Quilting
  • Cwilt
  • Savor Every Stitch (You're here!)
  • Sandra Healy Designs

  • Round 4: May 8th

  • Sevenoaks Street Quilts
  • Dizzy Quilter
  • Quiltersstash
  • Quilted Blooms

  • Last but not least, don't forget to visit our blog hop hosts for some fun giveaways:
  • Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
  • Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl
  • Leanne @ she can quilt

    Have fun and I hope to see you back soon!

  • 23 comments:

    1. Liz, great to hear more about you! You are one talented quilter for a beginner! Your workmanship is excellant!

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    2. What a great post Liz - lovely to learn more about you. The array of quilts you have shown are great. I really like your quilting tip - quite often I load a quilt with no idea and just have to take the first stitch. My confession - I actually squealed with joy when Angela Walters left a comment on an IG post of mine!!!

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    3. Such a treat to have read more about you, Liz! Hope you meet Angela one day!

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    4. For someone who has just quilted for a year, you are really doing well! Your quilts are very cool. I love the Tokyo Subway Map because of its bright colors. I hope you get to meet Angela one day too. (By the way, I'm also posting on May 8th :-) Wendy at piecefulthoughts@gmail.com

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    5. Very nice to meet you on the hop! Welcome to the blogging world! Your quilts are wonderful.

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    6. The negative G / drop feeling on a roller coaster is the best! Thank you so much for participating in and joining the hop this year. I can be daunted by lots of tiny piecing as well, and you did a wonderful job with it. As for a quilting confession... I don't always like the quilts I make for my clients (shhhh!!). ;)

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    7. Love your quilts and so impressed with a new quilters journey. It is fun to watch people fall in love with quilting. My confession is my fear of designing my own quilts. I need to but am a bit intimidated by it.

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    8. Thank you for sharing more about your quilty journey! Your work is stunning & I can't wait to see where you go with your Lenni <3

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    9. Good God, you say quilting hasn't loved you but I beg to differ! Such intricate work - you were born to do this ~
      You are the second one to mention Angela Waters - I must check this gal out.
      I get HUGE pageviews when I link up with Crazy Mom Quilts, one of the best regular hops Evah.

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    10. You are such a talented quilter and I am inspired to jump into it more than I have already. It's been really nice to meet you and your quilts through this hop.

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    11. Liz, my mouth dropped when I read that you've only been quilting for only a year, your work, especially the machine quilting is amazing. You are so talented. I can't wait to see your machine quilting once you get your long arm machine. If you keep this up, Angela Walters is going to want to meet you.

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    12. I am sooo impressed with your FMQ. So talented!!! And so funny because both my sister and brother are Googlers, small world. As for a quilting confession... I use a seam guide taped to my machine so i don't need to think about my 1/4" seams. It's amazing.

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    13. Your quilts are quite impressive! My quilty confession is that I often become unraveled at the thought of cutting into some of my precious stash.

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    14. I've wandered around your site, and all your work is lovely! I'm in awe of the machine quilting you've learned to do in such a brief time, too. I was stumped by one of the words on your site, so had to click on the amigurumi tag--TOO CUTE! You are one very talented maker :)

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    15. Hi Liz! Your post is awesome. I love the fabrics and colors of your quilts. As a new quilter myself I totally relate to finding your quilting grove. And I dare to say you are the fastest FMQ learner I have ever seen, so impressive! Thanks for the tip to check out Angela Walters.
      Abbie from the Hive

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    16. Hi Liz, goodness for a newbie quilter your quilting is superb! This post gives a great insight into who you are, its lovely to meet you.

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    17. Liz, LOVE your tablerunner!!! And Dare To Be! Well, I love ALL your quilts! I would never have guessed you're such a new quilter. You already quilt like Angela! I look forward to seeing your next quilt!!!

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    18. I'm in shock that you've only been quilting a year!! You are a natural! Love that you kept going even when frustrated. I'm excited for you to get a longarm! I hope to join that club one day too!

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    19. Your love for quilting really shows. It's amazing! If you ever do meet Angela, I'll bet she'll be the one who's impressed. Love the idea of keeping a list of designs by your machine. I'm going to do that. Great idea! So very nice to meet you. Welcome to blog land!

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    20. My quilting confession is that my first quilt still sits in my closest, unfinished. I don't know that I like it anymore. You really have learned free-motion quilting in a short time frame and it is beautiful!

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    21. I love the idea of keeping a quilting prompt sheet handy. It makes perfect sense!

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    22. Nice to meet you, Liz! I'm the opposite of you in that I find machine quilting the part that hates me.

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    23. There's so much goodness in this post! Your description of finding machine quilting and how much you love it. That's me in a nutshell! I love to learn new FMQ designs; I just need to be better about sharing my work on my blog. I can see you love quilts with lots of negative space for quilting, and your work is so good! It was a lot of fun to read your post and learn more about you. :)

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    Thank you for visiting and for your comments! I try to reply to comments, so if you don't hear from me, check if you're a no-reply blogger. Have a nice day!