Normally I try to post these ‘Guest Judge’ blogs the week of the challenge but you’ll soon see that this week’s guest judge has just a tiny bit on her plate.  Ebony was the Grand Prize Winner of Season 1 and since then has taken on a few new projects of her own.  Be sure to read on and learn more about her quilting history and future!

I’ve been sewing and quilting for quite a while, and back in 2004 I made the decision to launch LoveBug Studios, a quilting business.  I specialized in making custom quilts, finishing quilts for other people, and I eventually started making & selling handbags.

Pretty soon, I was making all sorts of different things, doing local shows, and even had items carried in local retail shops.  I was operating about 5 online stores, writing 6 blogs, managing my own website, until one day I turned around, and realized… CREATOR I was no more.  MANUFACTURER is what I had become.  There were no lazy days in the studio; all my spare time was spent in service to producing INVENTORY.  And I decided that was wrong for me; the path that I had initially set out for myself had morphed into a giant monster that had to constantly be fed with more quilts, more handbags, more STUFF.

So Quilt Possible!  is a return to a simpler time – a time when being in my studio meant puzzling something out, finding joy in discovering something new, and being able to act on an idea the moment it hits, instead of after I finish making a dozen XXX for YYY store. I actually created QP back in 2009, but I had to put it on the back burner to focus on making STUFF.  A visit to a quilt shop in San Diego convinced me that it was time for me to take this next step. I have launched an online store and have just started releasing patterns (they are geared toward owners of AccuQuilt Fabric Die Cutters.) Recently I had the honor of having a pattern available for download directly on the AccuQuilt website, which is really increasing my exposure as a pattern designer for this product.

I am loving this new direction which returns me to my love of designing, of creating, of being in the moment.  But most of all, it’s an opportunity for me to share my passion with so many more people, and spread the love of quilting and sewing around the world.

As part of this new direction, I also added a new long arm quilting machine to my studio, in order to finish my own projects faster, and I occasionally take in quilting jobs for other people as time permits.

Last year, I won 6 of the 8 challenges (as either Public or Judges’ Pick) in Project Quilting Season One, in addition to being the Grand Prize winner, but realized that if I was going to be able to focus on my pattern business and hone my long arm skills, that I would not have time to undertake any of the weekly challenges – so serving as judge for the last challenge seemed like a great way to participate & contribute to the fun in some way! 

I’ve only made one art quilt this year which was submitted to House Beautiful Magazine and I have also been pursuing publication in a quilt magazine for patterns and projects.

I’m also in the midst of hosting two Quilt Alongs for AccuQuilt owners – one for the GO! cutter and the other for the Studio.

All of that keeps me pretty busy, but I’m having lots of fun!

ebony

I have to thank Ebony for taking time out of all her projects to be a guest judge.  On top of all the fun Ebony has in the quilting world she also holds down a regular job too!  I think that her past experience will make her critiques and thoughts very helpful to us all. 

Still plenty of time to vote and comment for the last challenge – Large Scale Prints:  http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2010/09/project-quilting-season-1-and-grand.html