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!