MEET SCHNITZEL & BOO

Last month saw the end of the latest round of the Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap. (I made and sent a scrappy bear paw mini quilt.) Kristi (of Schnitzel & Boo) is the ideas lady behind this swap and just managed to have 900+ people swap mini quilts globally.  That’s massive!

Kristi is so well known and loved on social media and it’s been such a joy to see her sewing career really start to take off in the last 6 months. I’m so excited to see what else she has planned and how she grows and develops.

If you don’t know Kristi yet (and how could you not) you’re in for a treat today. Prepare to gain another quilty crush!

How did you come to be a quilter?

Quilting is in my roots on my mom’s side of the family so I grew up knowing about it. It wasn’t until Twitter came about that I became interested in actually doing the sewing of quilts. I had always been a garment sewist, prior to the social media explosion.

Katy Jones (I’m A Ginger Monkey) started following me and I was adamant on not following her back. I mean, “I’m A Ginger Monkey” and she doesn’t even have red hair?? (I have red hair…so it was quite the offense, haha) But then I started looking at her pictures and liking her quilts and respecting her style…so I reluctantly followed her back.

And then Instagram came along and it meant we all (sewists and quilter’s in general) got to see more of each other’s work. One day I posted a picture of a ridiculously challenging (aka beyond simple, I didn’t know that then) looking nine-patch quilt by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts. I captioned it with “I can’t get my head around this and I really want to make it!” Katy came to my rescue with not only answers to all of my questions, but she also sent me a fat quarter bundle of fabric to make the quilt top with.

It was at that point that I sort of dropped garment sewing and completely immersed myself in quilt making. I have only followed two patterns in my quilt career and only sew from my own sketches and designs now. Katy has since become one of my best friends and that simple nine-patch? I haven’t even started it yet!

What is it that you love about being a quilter?

I love that I can take a stack of fabric and turn it into something beautiful and useful. I love that I have a creative outlet and that when I’m sewing, I’m being productive. I can’t sit still, so quilting keeps me busy and happy.

What made you start the Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap?

We were renting a house with the ugliest orangey wood paneled walls. It was unavoidable in pictures and there every time I looked up from the dinner table where I worked. I really, really didn’t like it. Then one day, my friend Katherine (@kakiofhoneyhill) sent me a cute little Heather Ross mini and an idea was born. There was no way I had the time to go stitching up a bunch of mini quilts so, why not host a swap? I had 223 people sign up for that first round, an unbelievable number for a time when there wasn’t that many swaps. The second round had 560 and we’ve got 965 in the third round.

What gives you the most joy from founding and coordinating this hugely successful swap?

I truly love watching this community grow in such a positive, uplifting way. I chose to use two hashtags for the swap: #schnitzelandboominiquiltswap and #makeaquiltmakeafriend. There have been tons of friendships formed through this swap, and the encouragement has been tremendous. It makes me feel so good and so proud when a new person is a hesitant to sign up and a seasoned quilter says “don’t worry about it! We will help you! We all started somewhere. As long as you put your heart into it and did your best, that’s what’s important!”

What are you most proud of from your quilting experience?

Being able to teach this skill is something I’m really proud to do. I’m not afraid to try something new-as a thank you for the fat quarter bundle, I made a pillow for Katy. It was my very first paper-pieced project and it was definitely not for the faint of heart! But, I did it and I was very proud of it when I finished. I’ve been hooked on foundation piecing ever since.

Who’s the quilter(s) that inspire you at the moment?

I know I keep saying this, but Katy Jones (I’m A Ginger Monkey) -she has such a classic, yet rockstar approach to what she does. I love her work! I also love Megan/@lucyandnorman, Alexandra/@alexouq and Giuseppe/@giucy_giuce. Each one of them has there own unique style, something that is recognizably and significantly their own. I strive for uniqueness in my own sewing, so I really respect that about them.

What quilting challenges would you like to conquer in the next 12 months?

I’d like to publish a few quilt patterns, teach a class at a quilter’s convention, write a few patterns/articles for some magazines and maybe submit a book proposal.

What are your 3 favourite quilts that you’ve made that reflect who you are as a quilter?

• A king size gingham quilt because it was the first one that I made without a pattern/using my own quilt maths.
• a pixelated book cover of my friend’s book, Walking Disaster because I really challenged myself. I made my own pattern for it, determined all the colors and calculated out the yardage. I had never, ever done anything like it before.
• my second ever quilt, it was one that I made for my mom. I mixed different fabrics and basically did my own thing. I have never been one to follow the rules, that quilt was the first one that shows that!

If you weren’t a quilter, what other creative endeavour would you like to master?

I would be a party planner!

Is there anything else that you would like to share with my readers?

Don’t ever feel discouraged by something you want to try. You’re never too late to join the fun, and you will always find that there’s a bunch of people waiting to encourage you and help you along. Nothing is too difficult, everyone has to start somewhere.

A Bit of Fun:

If you could only have one or the other for the rest of eternity what would you choose?

You can just choose a word, or choose to elaborate on your choice, it’s just a little bit of fun.

1. Fabric: Solid or Pattern? Solid-I prefer my quilts not to show their age. I think print can be too trendy at times but solids are always classic.

2. Quilt Styles: Pattern or Improv? Improvised pattern, heh heh

3. Seams: Open or to the Side? To the side 99.99% of the time!

4. Stitching: Hand or Machine? Machine for most everything in patchwork (hand for EPP, of course.)

5. Binding: Hand or Machine? Machine to attach it to the quilt, hand to finish it. I’m a perfectionist, I can’t handle it when the machine stitches are shoe on the back and look wonky.

6. Food: Sweet or Savoury? Sweet for the most part.

7. Entertainment: Books or Music? Music. I don’t have time for books!

8. Entertainment: Television or Movies? Movies. Canned laughter/fake TV scenarios drive me nuts.

9. Computer: Mac or Windows? They both confuse me! I can’t even type!

10. Drink: Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi. But really, I’d rather a cup of tea.

You can find Kristi in the following places: Blog | Store | Instagram | Facebook