MEET SNIPS SNIPPETS

I cannot begin to tell you how much joy it has brought my little world to have found Nicole (from Snips Snippets) through the Sewvivor experience.

During the whole Sewvivor experience it was like Nicole was inside my brain and plucking the ideas that I thought too hard out and then proving me to be a coward by taking those ideas and making the shizz out of them.

It got to the point where I was starting to think I would have to email her my final idea before submitting it to make sure we weren’t doing the same thing. (Awkward!)  Lucky for her I got my arse voted off the island.

I’m still getting to know Nicole and I’m enjoying every minute – what’s not to love about a woman who shares your television character crush.

How did you come to be a quilter?

After having my first son I started more actively reading quilty blogs and came to the decision that my little guy needed a quilt made by me. So I set off to find the perfect quilt to make him for his first Christmas. I decided on a ticker tape quilt thinking that it looked like something I could easily make myself, as no one in my family quilts. Needless to say, his quilt wasn’t finished for Christmas but on his first birthday he was given a twin size ticker tape quilt that I was so extremely proud of. And he hasn’t ever slept with it, what was I thinking making a twin size quilt for a first quilt? It still doesn’t fit on his little toddler bed!

What is it that you love about being a quilter?

I love the community that seems to come with being a quilter. We have such a wonderful group of people that naturally just want to help each other. And for someone like me who has a hard time socially it’s been fantastic to meet so many amazing friends that are a constant source of inspiration and always willing to give their time to help. And also, it’s pretty rad to sleep every night under a quilt that you’ve made yourself!

What made you start blogging about quilting?

I had started my blog as a sort of journal to document my life with my first little guy when he was born. Then found that whenever I talked about a quilty project that’s when people would leave comments. It was kind of nice to get those comments I must say, so I started blogging more about my adventures in quilting until my blog turned entirely into a quilt blog (with little bits about me and my guys of course!)

What gives you the most joy blogging about quilting?

I love when I make something, or try a technique that inspires someone else to try something new. I also enjoy doing tutorials and really must make an effort to get some more up on my blog!

What are you most proud of from your quilting experience?

I think what I’m most proud of is that I can actually do this! Coming from a family of no quilters and teaching myself how to do it has been a very chest puffing experience. And to actually have people want to buy my quilts?!! Well that’s just crazy!

What’s the one piece of advice about quilting that all new quilters should know?

Take the time to square up your blocks before putting them all together! My very first HST quilt I just assumed that my amazeballs skills would make everything perfect. When I put all the HST’s together it was easily 90% lost points, and uneven edges. Nothing lined up the way it did in my head! That being said, it’s one thing to want and perfect a skill but also remember that you’re your own worst critic, so all those little imperfections you’re seeing are easily not being seen by the rest of the world! (My HST quilt on the other hand glowed like a beacon of mismatched seams!!) I’m finding lately though, that it’s the little imperfections that make the quilt me. I’m not a machine and shouldn’t expect to produce quilts that look like they’ve been made by a machine!

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

Wow, this question is taking me forever to answer. I don’t know that there’s any way I could narrow the list down. There are so many quilters that inspire me and for so many reasons.

I love Jolene Klassen’s (of Blue Elephant Stitches) work, she has a way with soft colours that I just love!

Rachel (of Wooden Spoon Quilts), she is the master of colour on low volume! I don’t think there’s one thing she’s made that I don’t absolutely love.

My girl Gina from Party of Eight is always inspiring me, everything she makes is just gorgeous and always made with such attention to detail and thought.

Heidi Staples (of Fabric Mutt), love her stuff. She hasn’t made anything that I don’t want to copy fabric for fabric.

Sarah (of No Hat’s in the House), there’s been talk of a ninja suit and a stealthy operation to steal all of her quilts.

There are easily a thousand other quilters that are just fantastic, I could sit here all day listing them.

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

I’d like to try my hand at pattern design. Or maybe fabric design, I’ve been playing around with some ideas for fabrics but haven’t really had the time to flesh anything out. Someday!

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

Number one on that list would be my Gypsy Wife. I adore everything about that pattern, and paired with Anna Maria Horner fabrics… absolute perfection for me.

Number two is still a work in progress but again has the chaotic feel that I seem to be drawn to. It’s a design of my own and it’s been temporarily called the #brilliantnutbag quilt. It’s a mix of different sized hexies and flying geese and again uses mostly AMH fabrics.

Number three is also a work in progress (I swear I do sometimes finish quilts!). I’ve been working through a lovely stack of AMH voiles from her Little Folks collection and making a Japanese +X quilt with four different sizes of blocks all paper pieced. When finished there will be three 24” blocks, twenty two 12” blocks, thirty six 6” blocks and sixty eight 3” blocks. Phew, I’m getting tired just thinking about getting back to that one!

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

Before my life as a quilter mom, I used to spray paint, not anyone’s walls, totally legal and on canvas! I was a stencil artist and I think there’s still so much more I could learn in the graffiti art world, but at this point in my life it’s easier for me to be creative with fabric and a sewing machine with little’s underfoot than with a spray can. Not so good for the little guys!

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? Improv

3. Seams: Open or to the Side? Crap, really? I don’t know that I could pick just one way forever. Open… no no wait, to the side! I like being able to nest seams.

4. Stitching: Hand or Machine? Hand (though that would really decrease my productivity, I’m new to hand stitching and pretty slow!)

5. Binding: Hand or Machine? Hand

6. Food: Sweet or Savoury? Savoury

7. Entertainment: Books or Music? Books (currently reading the Outlander series again… for the 100th time)

8. Entertainment: Television or Movies? Supernatural for the win! What was the question? mmmm Dean Winchester… what?

9. Computer: Mac or Windows? Windows

10. Drink: Coke or Pepsi? Don’t even utter that foul Pepsi word around me!

11. Bonus question: Sam or Dean? Hahaha! #deanwinchesterforever

You can vote for Nicole in the latest round of Sewvivor and help her get to the final round by clicking here (voting opens Monday 8 September 9am EST (which is Monday 8 September 11pm AEST)).

You can find Nicole in the following places: Blog | Etsy | Instagram | Flickr