Editor’s Note: Throughout our Back to School Blog Party this week, we’ll be introducing you to our 2015 team of Back to School reader-quilters and showing you their versions of Village Square. Our 2015 Back to School Party team consists of Amy Hering, Cindy Tiberio and Sonja Zastrow. They are real-life friends who, despite living on opposite ends of the country, meet up annually for a fun quilting retreat. At this year’s retreat in Kansas, they all worked together on their Village Square quilts.
Today we’ll be chatting with Amy Hering. Amy created her colorful version of the Village Square quilt pattern using Tribeca Cassidy and Pop Basic, both by Timeless Treasures.
Amy created her quilt using Tribeca Cassidy and Pop Basic, both by Timeless Treasures.
Me, happily sewing away!
QM: Where are you from and how long have you been sewing and quilting?
AH: I am originally from Minnesota, but currently live just across the river in western Wisconsin. I have been sewing since I took Home Ec. in high school when I made my little sister’s first communion dress. I took a break from sewing in college, but went back to making occasional garments once I bought my first home. I have an aunt that quilts, and when she first tried to get me interested, I remember saying, “Oh no! I don’t want to get into that. I don’t want to have to store all that fabric and tools and stuff.” Needless to say, I changed my mind. This very same aunt convinced me to give it a try about 8 years ago and I was instantly hooked!
My Aunt Chris Vannes who taught me to quilt.
QM: What’s been the highlight so far of your quilting journey?
AH: I’ve always been a thrifty kind of person, so when I came across Bonnie Hunter online (Quiltville.com), I was hooked! Being able to use every last scrap makes my heart sing, so I spend a lot of time chopping leftover fabrics, my own and lots of other people’s. My favorite quilt so far has been her pattern, Celtic Solstice, which I made as a mystery in 2014. I also adore children’s fabric, which I use to make fun and bright quilts for my first grade classroom. I’ve got really high ceilings in my classroom, so the quilts hang high on the walls and brighten up the space. And, probably the biggest highlight for me, is the people I have grown close to through my quilting. I’ve grown closer to my aunt that first taught me (and who bought a longarm which I get to use for free), my mom who began quilting after me, and my group of online friends, some of whom I made the Village Square quilt with!
My favorite quilt so far, Celtic Solstice.
QM: From where do you draw inspiration for your quilts?
AH: I find inspiration in all the typical places…online, magazines (although the only one I subscribe to IS Quiltmaker!), quilt shops, and friends. I often find inspiration in the fabric itself. I often create my own simple patterns because I want to highlight a particular fabric in my own way.
The hotel at our retreat had this business card holder that looked so much like Village Square!
QM: What do you love about quilting?
AH: It is hard to put into words what I love about quilting. I love the history of the craft and the link to times past. I love the ability to use every last little bit of fabric to make a beautiful scrappy quilt. I love the combination of beauty and functionality of a quilt. I love the bright colors and happy fabric. I enjoy making something with my own two hands to give as a gift. I love the generous hearts of all the wonderful friends I’ve met through quilting.
My Village Square … top done!
QM: Tell us about your version of Village Square, and the experience of working on your quilt with your friends Sonja and Cindy.
AH: I had made the Hip Hopscotch pattern last year, so when this opportunity came up, I was excited to give it a try. When my fabric came in the mail, I was so excited to see the bright colors, as I often use bright colors in my kid quilts. It was pretty cool to get a package from Timeless Treasures. I was a little intimidated when I first saw the pattern as the quilt was a little bigger than I thought and I knew I was under a time limit. Since I was working on the same pattern as my friends, and we were working together at retreat, there was a lot of reassuring each other that we COULD get this done! There may have been a teeny bit of competition as to who got each step done first, but mostly we lifted each other up whenever there were challenges. We were all excited when we each had one block done, so we had to take a picture! It always amazes me how different the same pattern in different color combos can look. I think these looked especially different because they ranged from not at all scrappy, to quite a bit scrappy.
Thank you, Amy, for chatting with us and for all your hard work on the quilt!
OK, time for another giveaway! We have a prize bundle of the following to give one of you:
- 1 copy Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Vol.11
- 1 copy Quiltmaker Reader Favorites, Summer ’15
- AURIfil thread pack
For a chance to win this bundle, please leave a comment below by midnight tonight (Thursday, September 15) telling us what you love about quilting. We’ll choose one winner randomly and announce the winner here. Good luck – I hope you win!
Lois S is the winner of the ‘Introducing Amy Hering’ giveaway. The winner has been notified by email.
See you back here tomorrow for the last day of our Back to School Blog Party!
Happy Quilting,
Natalie