March Star

Maggi is my March Star, and I am so honored to know her. I truly loved reading her interview, and I found that we are really kindred spirits, as we do have so much in common. I am including two of her works: One is a bird table cross stich project, and the other is one of her two UFO's which is a Hawaiian applique piece. I know that you will enjoy reading the interview, as she is a very special person.

Interview for March

A Bit About Me:
I was a secondary school teacher for 30 years; PE, English and then Special Needs before 'retiring' to work for Derbyshire police as a civilian. I am now semi-retired on a job share which gives me more time for all my sewing. I have always sewn since I was a little girl and it was my love of cross stitch that got me into quilting. I had gone to Epsom to a wonderful embroidery shop and just down the road was a quilting shop that looked so interesting that I had to go in. It took me two years to finish the project from the embroidery shop as it is quite large, 38" x 19" and done on 28 hpi linen. My eyesight is certainly not good enough to do anything like that now. During that time I managed to make 3 quilts and the rest, as they say, is history. I also used to do a lot of knitting although not so much lately but I do miss it so who knows?
What Insprires Me:
Most of my inspiration probably comes from nature with flowers and trees being my favourite. I am also inspired by music and cannot work effectively without it. Other people inspire me, not only for what they create but also for their energy and enthusiasm for what they are doing.

What I Love to Do the Most Creatively:
I don't think I have a favourite thing that I love to do most. At some stage or other my 'favourite' changes, perhaps I just like the fact that variety gives me the chance to do lots of things. One thing that I do love to do though is to make things for other people. I can't remember the time that I last bought a present - except perhaps for the chocolates that have gone inside hand made boxes!

My Favorite Fabric and Designer:

My favourite fabric is my own hand-dyed pima cotton. I love the colours and effects that dyeing creates and the pima cotton is beautiful to work with as there is so little fraying. I do like Laura Wasilowski's brilliantly coloured dyed fabrics as well and buy some of hers whenever she is at a show over here. Fortunately she is at the Festival of Quilts again in August so I shall be able to stock up again there. As far a designers go I think it has to be Ricky Tims although I do like Elizabeth Barton's work as well. I'm not sure if they come under the heading 'designers' or not but they both produce work I like for different reasons
UFO I Intend to Finish First:
Can you believe that I only have 2 UFOs, one is a felted piece, or pieces, that I started recently in Dale Rollerson's Ratty Tatty Papers class and has to be put together and have embellishments added. It will be a hanging and will probably be finished before my other UFO with is an Hawaiian applique hanging. I started this in 2002 and although it was very therapeutic at the time it is made solely from hand dyed habotai silk which is just so slippery to work with. I really will finish it one day.

What’s on the Design Wall Now:
Having just finished my two flower journal quilts my design wall is empty but I
have been goaded into trying the Block of the month quilt from TQS by a fellow
member so that may be appearing from tomorrow.
Who Would I Love to Meet:
I am sure you mean quilters with this question but there are really only three people I would like to meet.
1. Neil Young. I have followed him throughout his musical journey and whilst I have not always liked what he has done I respect him for his integrity as a musician.
2. Stephen Fry. He is such an intelligent, sensitive and funny man - no conversation with him would ever be dull.
3. Keri Hulme. Simply because her writing is so original and I would love to know how much of it is autobigraphical.

If I Had One Wish:
I suppose you ought only to wish for what might be possible, which discounts what my real wish would be, so I think that, apart from maintaining my present good health, my one wish would be to live somewhere where I could wake up to the sound and smell of the sea every morning and be surrounded by nature. (Is that two wishes if you count the good health? I think I may have cheated there)

Plans for the Future:
I am very wary of making plans for the future as they so often can be sidelined by unexpected events. I am playing safe by saying I want to continue to experiment with stitch and also to finish my Open University degree. The next course starts in October and although it will impinge on the stitching to some extent I really enjoy the intellectual stimulation. I am determined that the brain cells are not going to deteriorate too much with age.

Thanks so much Maggi for a wonderful interview! Please visit Maggi's blog at http://todreamtostitch.blogspot.com/ She also has other blogs, and you will surely enjoy visiting her very creative world.