Meet Andrea

Hello. I am Andrea Scott. I am in nursing school – back to school at age 34 – to get my BSN by May 2011. School is hellish and horribly time consuming (can you tell it’s nearing the end of the semester from my enthusiasm?). I work at Saint Luke’s Plaza Hospital 2 shifts per week during school and more during summer and breaks so I keep pretty busy. I have a previous degree from KSU in Journalism. After college I did marketing and journalism for a number of years (oh lord, a decade?) but decided to go back to school to find something that had some heart to it. I have a tiny yarn business called Crafty in a Good Way – my business has been on hold for some time because of school and prerequisites – I do the Creative Hand show each fall with the KC Fiber Guild but otherwise don’t produce much anymore.

1. Do you have a quilting "style"? I love modern a

nd simple. My style has changed a lot in recent months and years.

2. Do you tend to use certain colors more than others? Or prints more than solids?

Here are a couple pictures - my fabric stash and a necklace I made. I am hardcore into turquoise and bright red with white, black, or gray as the neutral. I love grass green and celadon green. I like prints as a mix with solids for “white space.” I like odd numbers and asymmetrical design.

3.Are there any colors you strictly avoid?

Having a hard time with yellow – all shades. Never liked yellow. Tried to like yellow, but it just is difficult for me!

4. Have there been any blocks that you've made in the past that you particularly enjoyed making? Any that you hated and never want to do again?
I am so into squares of all kinds it’s not even funny. I have a difficult time not making quilts totally square. I am working on that. Might need therapy. Anyway, I like bento box design. I like free log cabin design. I like strips of fabric in lines. I don’t do any hand-sewing of any kind.

5. Is there something in your life that you collect or are fond of? (Are you a KSU fan who loves purple??? Do you have lots of cats??? Do you collect owls or antique china or stamps??? Are you addicted to sushi??? Help us get to know some details about you and your taste...)
I like birds a lot. Especially bird outlines like they are backlight by the sunrise. I love the whole bird resting on a tree limb image. Love cherry blossoms.

6. Are you into art quilts? or do you mostly make quilts with the intention of them being used regularly?
I like art quilts, but don’t see making them myself. Everything I make I go into with the assumption that it will either have poo or vomit on it nearly the moment I take it out of the washer first wash. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and plan to have kids some day so I try not to freak out if stuff gets dirty, even if I *just* made it.

7. Do you usually do small projects, such as wall hangings or baby blankets or do you usually make quilts?
Both – about half and half as demands arise. My quilts aren’t huge, though. Small projects are somewhat satisfying since I can get them done quickly. I like making pillows and table runners, for example.

8. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
In Colorado at the foot of Sleeping Ute.

9. What's your favorite place that you've traveled to before?
I loved Mesa Verde and Hovenweep. I plan to move there some day – after school, actually - to live on the Great Sage Plain.

10. If we looked in your closet, what are the two colors we'd see the most?

Black, gray, turquoise, sage green. I am very much a creature of habit when it comes to color. I adore bright red, but wear it as an accent since I am super pale and it can wash me out. I like dark purple too.

11. In your fabric collection, what groupings of fabric do you have (30's? Batiks? Modern stuff? Certain designers? Solids? Asian fabric???, Etc.)
Modern. Some 30s. Some Kona solids. Some batik. I love Amy Butler and Kaffee but am craving more modern fabric design.

12. Which is more important to you? The look of the fabric or the feel of it?
Tough one. I evaluate fabrics one by one. For example, I saw a print of Kaffe that I loved, but that particular bolt had a looser weave, which irritated me, so I didn’t buy it. I am very picky about what I buy, but that’s because I’m thrifty. I don’t look at other people’s work and think they are losers if they don’t shop where I do.

13. Are there any charities in your life that you're passionate about?
I love charities, but have not had time for them in a long time. The one charity I do have time for is Kiva.org, which is a way for people to loan money to entrepreneurs at zero interest in (mostly) the developing world. I think I’ve made like 30 loans on that site since I started in 2007, most to craftswomen or farmers who raise sheep.

14. Besides quilting, are you crafty in other ways? If so, tell us more...

It’s an illness. I dye, spin, tapestry weave, knit (small projects). I had my business as mentioned above, which I enjoyed but did not have time for after school started. So now if I do fiber art involving spinning, weaving, etc., it’s mainly for my family and friends. In spinning, I love to make small runs of crazy yarn, then make little kid hats and mittens.

15. Do you have in mind what you'd like your quilting project to be? Any ideas on blocks or color schemes? Will you be making your quilt for someone else? or for yourself?

I am still deciding what I’d like, but I am pretty sure it might be a free for all kind of deal. I’m percolating on it, so we’ll see what I come up with!