MEET MS MIDGE

Today is the first progress point for our Sea Breeze Mini Quilt-a-Long and the link party today is being hosted by Melissa from Ms Midge, so I thought it rather fitting that today I share with you a little bit more about the myth, the legend and the enigma that is Ms Midge.

When I signed up to do the Modern Medallion Quilt-a-Long and Blog Hop I had no idea I’d meet someone so awesome as Melissa from Ms Midge.

We started talking about our quilting and then quickly moved on to other things which culminated in us meeting at the Melbourne Quilt & Craft Fair in June.

(See we did meet – I didn’t make it up! I also got to meet the lovely (and very pregnant) Emma from For My Little Monster. How lucky am I! You’ll also note that we’re standing in from of Emma Jean Jensen’s Australis Bloom Quilt (and she’s in the background!) – so close to celebrity!)

Melissa was just so warm and friendly and didn’t seem to mind when I made wildly inappropriate jokes within minutes of “meeting” her. She’s also fluent in French, like me, which is soothing to my sailor-esque soul.

Which brings me to my interview with the wonderful Melissa from Ms Midge. I hope you enjoy reading about Melissa as much as I did.

1. How did you come to be a quilter?

By accident! My Mum has been a quilter for many many years, and I always said it was something I would NEVER do, as it was so time consuming and so fiddly. A few years ago, my friend in the UK was having a baby, and I wanted to make her a quilt, so I made a very simple patchwork quilt and did a funny way of backing it, without binding. She of course adores it thankfully! I then thought maybe I would just make a quilt for each of my kids…..and it blew out of control from there. I knew it was serious when my friend Gemma called me a quilter….

2. What is it that you love about being a quilter?

I mostly love that I have found something that is enjoyable and passes time, but also reaps rewards. I find finishing a project completely satisfying! But I also love all the amazing friends I have made and am still making each day.

3. What made you start the Kate Spain Charm Swap?

I love everything about Kate Spain and her fabrics. I saw the Kate Spain Charm swap in the USA run by Michelle at Quilts from my Crayon Box, and I wanted in, but it was only for US peeps. However, Michelle did email me and said I could join in. BUT, the postage was ridiculous, so I opted out. I then commented somewhere on social media – I think it was Kate Spain’s page, and said maybe I should just organise one myself, and Kate egged me on! So it’s Kate Spain’s fault! Michelle shared all of her information and knowledge with me, which was invaluable!

4. What gives you the most joy from blogging about your quilting?

The most joy is when readers tell me I have helped them with something, or when someone goes out and makes their own version of something I have made. When I started out as a quilter, I used every piece of information I read online to help me, and I think if I can pass on some of that knowledge then I’m giving something back to the same community that gave to me. Oh, and the pictures, I love all the pretty pictures!

 

5. What are you most proud of from your quilting experience?

Hmmm…….. I’m proud that in just over two years I have learnt so much and have come a long way. I’m proud that most of the skills I’ve learnt have been self taught. I’m proud that I’ve sold quilts and the feedback I receive when they have been received is fabulous and they are happy to have spent the money they have. But most of all – I’m proud that my kids and husband all love what I do and when I come downstairs in the morning and find the kids sitting under their quilts on the lounge, it gives me a big smile. [pullquote width=”300″ float=”left”] Quilting is not a passing fad. It’s not a mid-life crisis – it’s something you will begin and will never get enough of. And it’s something you will never know everything about – which means you will never tire of it. [/pullquote]

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

That’s a really big question! There is NOTHING I don’t like that Quilt Jane does. Everything she makes I love and want to make or break in to her house and pilfer…… I also love all things Freshly Pieced. Lee designs beautiful quilt patterns, which I may just have made quite a few of! And her patterns allow you to put your own spin on them. And I have always been a massive fan of Gemma from Pretty Bobbins. She has taught me so much and has always encouraged me since the beginning – and seeing her find her passion and follow it to make it a dream, helps me believe I can do the same!

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

A certain someone told me about the “Sewvivor” series coming up, so I’m trying to be very brave and throw my cap in! I’d love to design a quilt pattern or two, but that would mean I’d have to be more tech savvy. But the one thing I would really like to conquer is putting a quilt or two in to a quilt show. This terrifies me!

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

My Flying by the Seat of My Pants quilt was my first real experiment as a quilter. I took a lot of design elements from quilts I liked and tried fitting them in to one quilt. It was also my first real foray in to free motion quilting, and I love that I just jumped in and it worked. This was also the first quilt I sold to a stranger!

My Swoon quilt was a mammoth task! I waited patiently for a project for my Notting Hill stash, and when I saw the Swoon pattern I knew it was right. It’s probably the most thought I put in to fabric and colour pairing at the time, because I wanted to get it right. I love saturated colours mixed with crisp white, so feel like it’s the perfect fit for me. Isosceles On Point was a huge achievement for me. I’d never sewn an all triangle quilt before and it was quite the task to master not losing points and ending up with a quilt top that was not out of whack! I’m incredibly proud that not one single point of one single triangle was sacrificed in it! I’m also incredibly proud that I managed to quilt the cross hatching all by myself on my domestic machine – without any issues! But the best thing about this quilt is that it was commissioned by my husband’s cousin, who is a perfectionist (in the best kind of way) and I was terrified it would not be up to scratch. But knowing it would have to be perfect pushed me to be my best, and it paid off. This quilt is adored by the little girl who’s bed it lives on.

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

Cake decorating. I love it, and do it four times a year for my kids, and have now made quite a few cakes for friends and their children. I’d love to go and do a course one day, but don’t really need another hobby that could take over another room in the house!

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

Sure! Self doubt is a killer. If there’s something you want to make or do – you truly need to just jump in and attempt it! What’s the worst thing that could happen? xxx

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?

Pattern!

2. Quilt Styles: Pattern or Improv?

Pattern, cos you can always change it up!

3. Seams: Open or to the Side?

I’d have to say open, only because I do so much paper piecing and the seams are a killer if they’re all to the side!

4. Stitching: Hand or Machine?

Urghhhh – machine!!!!

5. Binding: Hand or Machine?

Again – Machine!!!

6. Food: Sweet or Savoury?

Sweet

7. Entertainment: Books or Music?

Oooooohhhhhh………books??

8. Entertainment: Television or Movies?

Arghhhhhhh!!!! Television – cos there’s movies on there 😉

9. Computer: Mac or Windows?

Mac all the way!

10. Drink: Coke or Pepsi?

Pepsi Max!

You can stalk Ms Midge on the internet in the following places: her blog and instragram.

Don’t forget to head on over to Ms Midge and add your link (either to your blog or to your instagram) for the Sea Breeze Mini Quilt-a-Long.