Favorite Quilty/Crafty People: The Crafty Planner

December 2, 2015December 2, 2015 / Stephanie Forsyth / Leave a comment

One of the new ideas I have for IndieQuilter is doing a “Favorite Quilty People” post once in awhile on my favorite quilters in the industry.

I’m going to start it with Sandi Sawa Hazlewood also known as The Crafty Planner.

I’ve been listening to The Crafty Planner podcasts for quite awhile now and it is hands down my FAVORITE podcast all around. Sandi is so very good at keeping the conversation/interview rolling without any of those weird uncomfortable moments you often are subject to in other podcasts. (You must know what I mean!)

She also does not censor her guests, which for me is such a treat! She is quite frank and honest upfront and will mention in the intro if it is a particularly spicy episode! No worries, it’s nothing over the top, but the freedom allows the guests to be completely themselves. That’s what I really love about this podcast. You get to hear the “real” artist, not the polished “interview person” that we often become for these sort of things!

I got a little inside scoop when I had a little chat with Sandi about choosing her as the first Favorite Quilty/Crafty People, and lets just say, if you are going to Quilt Con 2016 (or especially if you can’t make it) you will want to hear who she’s talking with next episode. That’s all the hint I am giving!

Until the new episode airs though, try taking a listen to some of my favorite episodes on The Crafty Planner:

#13 Mary Fons
#25 Victoria Findlay Wolfe
#30 Lizzy House
#34 Tula Pink
#39 Karen McTavish

This should be enough to get you addicted to the podcast. Also, make sure and pop over to the blog side of Crafty Planner, she has reviews and links and info about the quilting and craft industry. Thank you Sandi, for creating such a great resource for our industry!

Are there any other quilting podcast you listen to? I’d love to hear about them! Or maybe you HAVE a podcast? Leave a comment and tell us all about it!

31 Days of Blogging: It Begins!

December 1, 2015 / Stephanie Forsyth / 1 Comment

My friend Cheryl Sleboda has put forth a challenge: “31 Days of Blogging”. What better time to commit to and prove your dedication to our blogs than over the busiest month of the year for most of us? I know I have gotten behind on my blogging, due to the classes I have been taking. However, I have even more classes coming up, but I still need to keep things going here. (Perhaps if I were able to limit myself to 15 minutes on social media a day like Cheryl, I’d get more done? Really Cheryl?? 15? Clearly you’re a goddess.)

Many days will be super light in content, perhaps even just inspiring photos from around my house and neighborhood. I had considered turning my blog into a sort of “Morning Pages”, but then realized that no one needs to be tortured by that sort of running inner commentary. There will be some bigger posts thrown in here and there, and I will also likely have a post coming up on the APQS site soon. Hopefully this sitting down to write every day will also spark first drafts for the future I can come back to, and hone and sharpen.

Today, I have set up a nest in my bedroom with my big monitor, bluetooth keyboard and bluetooth mouse (and laptop borrowed from hubby since I blew out the one cord that could hook MY laptop up to my monitor, don’t ask, I’m technologically dumb.) Yesterday brought a “snowstorm” (a disappointing amount of snow fell), but I have a beautiful few to either side of me of freshly fallen snow. Snow and freezing drizzle predicted all day today, so it’s a good day to wrap myself up into a lap quilt and soldier through some writing!

If you want to join this challenge, head over to Cheryl’s and sign up your blog! If you use social media, use the hashtag #31dayblogchallenge.

Straight Line Quilting on George

November 21, 2015January 27, 2016 / Stephanie Forsyth / Leave a comment

One of the “must haves” for a George APQS is the hopping foot attachments set. It runs around $200 and offers three hopping, thread snips, extra screws and the tool to change the foot out. These feet are functional for specific needs when you’re quilting. Today, I will cover the high closed hopping foot (called the Platform) and and a long arm ruler to do straight line modern quilting!

You can also use the open to high hopping foot (called the Saddle Shoe).

Watch for future posts on the other varied uses for the different hopping feet!

Big News!

October 21, 2015 / Stephanie Forsyth / 4 Comments

While I am sad that I am not attending International Quilt Market in Houston, I have plenty of exciting happenings going on here at home!

First, I have joined the class Make Art That Sells with Lilla Rogers. I am already enjoying the class so much, and seeing results in my sketches and doodles. It’s amazing what a little direction with assignments can do to motivation and containing the chaos of my creative mind. I believe as I’m going through the course, I will write down “assignment” ideas that come to me, and assign them to myself after the class is done. It’s such a great and helpful way of building work for a portfolio.

Our first week’s assignment entails Pyrex and pasta. We got the “big” assignment today, and I will begin working on that utilizing the mini assignments we did earlier this week into the “big one”. The best part? It’s designing fabric!

~~BIG NEWS!!!~~ HUGE NEWS!!!

The other big news in my studio? Really, it’s HUGE news. I am happy to announce that I am now part of the APQS family, as George has found a home in my studio! I am so excited about this and can not wait to begin sharing my projects, and tutorials with you all. I am so amazed at how much more enjoyable quilting is on this gentleman! Stay tuned for a longer post all about George and getting to know him.

Let me just say though, that I am so impressed with this machine. There is virtually no learning curve if you’ve free motion quilted on a domestic before. Not to mention how much quicker it is to do a bed quilt on here than on my small domestic. Plus? It’s doing an amazing job on smaller art pieces as well. Here are a few snapshots of things I have already quilted on my George:

George has got me in Stitches:

Music: “Stiches” – Shawn Mendes

And Now For Something Completely Different!

April 21, 2015January 27, 2016 / Stephanie Forsyth / Leave a comment

Greetings! Many of you might be joining Indie Quilter as crossovers from The Fiber Nation blog. For my readers from there, know that I am BACK! I had several family and self medical emergencies since April of 2014, but I am happy to be moving past all that and back into sewing, quilting and creating again.

I spent several months stewing over this change, or “rebranding”. I began to realize over time that I am much more comfortable with a personal blog, rather than the industry blog that The Fiber Nation was intended to be. (I won’t be taking it down for now, as there are several articles on there that still get a lot of views each day.)

I’m Stephanie Forsyth, aka IndieQuilter. I am a quilt designer, quilter, artist, and surface pattern designer, and future fabric designer!

I started blogging because I LOVE all aspects of quilting, and I find a lot of pleasure in sharing what I’m working on, as well as hints & tips that can help fellow quilters.

So what will you find here at IndieQuilter? You will see posts about projects I’m currently working on, quilt relevant articles, free projects, DIY instructions, and give aways! I will keep you up to date on magazines you can find my quilt design patterns in, pieces about other quilters and designers are being planned out as well. I can’t wait to again share my love and excitement about quilting and surface pattern design.

I would also love you, yes YOU to be involved in IndieQuilter. I encourage comments here on the blog. I can also be reached at indiequilter76@gmail.com. I’d love to know your thoughts on posts here and suggestions for future topics and posts.

I look forward to bringing you information and inspiration here at IndieQuilter!