June Star

I am so happy to introduce you all to Dawn, and hope you visit her wonderful blog called Quilts and Pieces. I so enjoyed seeing her beautiful creations, and I know you will love meeting her. I hope you all enjoy her interview. I loved the story about how Dawn made her first quilt...quite an endearing story.I put her first quilt by her pic, so you could see it first.

A Bit About Me: I grew up in Northern Illinois, in fact, my side of the street was Illinois and the other side of the street was Wisconsin! I still live in it, but I am living a whole 5 miles from my childhood home! My husband and I both went to the same high school(as did his mother and father), and 3 of our 4 children also went there. Only 2 graduated from there as the community has grown alot and a new high school was built.So child #3 finished at the new school and child #4 did all 4 years there. I ddin't grow up in a quilting family, but I always knew I loved fabric and quilts. As a girl, I always had to have my Aunt Mary's quilt on my bed, even when it was old and worn. A few years ago, my mom gave it to me as a gift and told me the story of why she got it from Aunt Mary. I was so glad that she told me the story, and it will always be a treasure in my heart. I think that quilt is what made me want to make quilts of my own.

I finally got a chance to learn how to make a quilt in high school Home ec-Remember home ec? I don't think they even have such a thing anymore!Our project was to make a log cabin pillow. This was back in the days of cardboard templates, tracing on the fabric and cutting with scissors! Don't worry- we did have/use sewing machines! Well this girl was not about to stop at a pillow. No way! So while all the other girls spent a month making a pillow, I set out to do a full blown quilt! I worked and worked on it!I wasn't allowed to work on it at home. They wanted to ensure the work was our own, and not mom or grandma's help. Ha-That wasn't going to happen in my house! Anyways, I spent free hours in the home ec room, after school in the hom ec room and worked away. The quilt was finished 2 days after the due date. I lost 2 points, one point for each day late it was. That was funny, since I did a whole quilt, and we had girls who didn't even finish the pillow. But, I loved my quilt and a quilter was born. I still treasure my quilt, the center block and the backing were from old sheets from my Grandma(Anunt Mary's sister), and I'm so glad now I put them to use like that.
Today's quilting is my stress relief. I do it purely for the fun and enjoyment. I dabble in all styles of top making and like to work on whatever I feel like. My true love are antique quilts from the late 1800's/early 1900's. I love to make reproduction quilts, and civil war fabrics are my favorite. I love hand quilting, but don't do it often because time just doesn't allow.

What Inspires Me: Anitque Quilts are my true inspiration and love. But seeing projects on blogs, in books and quilt shows, just make my heart pound too. It doen't take too much for me to find something that I want to make; probably much too easy.

What I Love to Do Creatively: Make Quilts of course! I love to make them for gifts for my family and friends. I'm really lucky to make them for people who love and cherish them. I make quilts to be used and loved, nothing fancy. If I have to pick something non-quilting related, I hate to admit, I'm an Angry Birds addict, and at work, there is nothing I love more than writing programs to streamline a manual process-yes, I 'm a geek.

My Favorite Fabric and Designer: Just about any Civil War line is my absolute favorite, although I love all kinds of fabric and colors- I love switching things around. How can I pick my favorite designer? I love so many, and it all depends on what style project I want to do. Judy Rothermel, Di Ford, Michelle Yeo, Jan Patek, Gwen Marsten, Miss Rosie, Melly and Me, and let's not forget Bonnie Hunter!

UFO I intend to Finish First: I'm actually working on it as I type this out. I'm promising Micki to get a picture of it to her by June 1st. Ok, so now I'm held accountable right? One week ot get it finished. It is my version of Leaves by Jan Mullen. Actually it has been quilted for a while, but the more I look at it, the more I thought, it needed more quilting in the background blue part to make the leaves stand out. So that and the binding are the list for this week.

And yes, I can procrastinate. Next up is a t-shirt quilt I promised my daugters best friend two years ago. I've had her t-shirts sitting in my sewing room for 2 years now-She acutally called me a few months ago to make sure I still had them! So yup, time to do that! I got the sashing fabric this week, and I'm going to do it.

What's on the Design Wall Now: I think the t-shirt quilt qualifies for this too! Aside from that, I'm working on my Australia memory quilt.

Whom Would I Love to Meet: Can't say I have anyone high on my list. My favorite people to see are my mom and sister who live out east and my oldest daughter who lives in Oklahoma. I don't get to see any of them enough. And I love when I get together with my best quilting friends in Indiana a few times a year-those are really special visits for me.

If I Had One Wish: To have all the kids college bills paid off! Well, ok, and have them graduated from college with jobs!

Plans for the Future: Take one day at a time, and hope to make it back to Australia again sometime soon. Alaska is also on my list of places to go.

Thanks so much Dawn! I learned s0 much about you, and find your enthusiasm about quilting a true inspiration. I love the Civil War Period too, and enjoy seeing all the quilts that people make. Thanks again!