Project QUILTING – an Interview with our Grand Prize Winner

What made you decide to join Project QUILTING? I love Project Runway, so this was a perfect fit for me. I also made a commitment this year to do something creative every day, and this certainly helped. Like Kim, I’ve struggled to call myself an artist, but I’ve become a lot more comfortable with introducing myself as an artist and designer. Well, every artist needs a portfolio, and Project Quilting seemed like a great way to help build one. What was your favorite part about Project QUILTING? My favorite part really had to be seeing what other people would come up with, and wondering how others would interpret the idea. Which Challenge in Season 1 (you can include the 2 pre-season projects) was your favorite? and why… I think my favorite had to be “Road Trip.” It was the most ambitious project for me, but it was the first one where an idea sparked right away, and I had fun figuring out what was the right proportion for the film, how to make the canister, what items would be incorporated into each panel, etc. It was literally 7 quilts rolled into one! Which Challenge in Season 1 (including the 2 per-season challenges) was your least favorite? and why… I think I would have to say “Stars Over America,” because that was a really tough time. After making 6 quilts in a row (and winning public and/or judges’ pick for each one) I felt tremendous pressure to do something incredible & over the top. I totally lost perspective, and I was exhausted. I do love the quilt, but not the pressure I put on myself to make it. Which Challenges did you come up with your idea immediately and which took some marinating? I’d have to say all of them – with the exception of Road Trip – took some marinating. Most of the time I didn’t stitch an inch until a Wednesday or Thursday, and then I had marathon sewing sessions to get them finished in time. Did you try any new techniques for your projects during these challenges and if so, what were they? Tons!! I think every quilt I tried to use a new technique. Shoo Fly – using buttons on a quilt
Apple Blossom – free-form piecing, 3D appliqué
Rectangles – working with silk, using felt for batting, overcasting (serging) the edge instead of binding
Road Trip – using iron-on rhinestones, thread painting, layered appliqué
Recycling – couching braided cording, cathedral windows
Log Cabin – miniature paper piecing
Stars Over America – liberated star blocks
Office Supplies – fusing organza
Black & White – using upholstery foam in a quilt
Nursery Rhymes – shredding scraps, quilting in a frame How has Project QUILTING made you a better Quilter? For one, it gave me the courage to hack into some fabrics that would still be sitting on my shelf or in a closet getting stared at. The Recycled Challenge helped me to say goodbye to & breathe new life into a ball gown that was steadily deteriorating, and the Rectangles challenge forced me to cut into my Thai silk taffeta. Also – you cannot perfect a craft without practice, and having permission to play and experiment and brainstorm and problem solve was quite liberating for me. It also helped boost my confidence in my own work. What didn’t you like about Project QUILTING? For me, I think it was too long – especially for the summer. By Challenge #6 (which was really my 8th quilt) I was really ready for it to be over. It was like running a marathon! Did you find the judges comments beneficial, annoying, or inconsequential? Why? I think the judges comments were useful overall, though I think you could tell when there was a guest judge involved. It would be nice to get more feedback on how something could be improved. It’s a little odd to get only positive comments and a low score, so those should be explained. Do you think the judging format should be more structured, less structured, stay the same? and why? I think that there should be a consistent number of permanent judges, and only 1 guest judge per challenge. It seemed that the more stable judges, because they’d built experience with the contestants, could see the growth over the season, and really look at how the quilter interpreted a particular challenge. What was your favorite piece that you created for the Project QUILTING challenge? My favorite piece was actually from the Nursery Rhyme challenge. The technique was really fun, and I think it really shows how much I’ve grown as an artist over the summer. What was your top three favorite pieces that someone else created for the Project QUILTING challenge? The Log Cabin Tree from kimscraftyapple The Apple Blossom quilt by PennyFabricArt (preseason) The Round Quilt from the Black & White challenge by MoranArtandQuilts What changes would you make to future Project QUILTING Seasons? Make them a tad shorter (maybe 5-6 challenges instead of 8) Consistent judges (3 permanent, 1 guest) Maybe have a challenge where the Challenger picks an initial restrictive challenge, but the contestants can change one thing about it…. or a challenge where the contestants challenge each other. Is there anything you’d like to add or comments you’d like to share with me and my readers? I just want to say that Kim was a FANTASTIC host for this, and turned out so many great projects that I wish she’d been able to compete for prizes too! Thanks for being willing to do this & for making this one of the most exhausting, interesting, fun, and rewarding summers I’ve had in a long time! ~ LoveBugStudios