I'm toni

~ a mom of 4 great kiddos, mum-in-law, Gram to Ted - who will be ONE in October! We Raised our kids in Arizona (16 years)  returning to Kansas a few years ago to be closer to family - including my Mom, who we just relocated from Arkansas. My daughter will attend Kstate this Fall ... SO, i will finally get to convert "her" room into MY STUDIO! ... that leaves the youngest, who's starting High School,  in charge of the furry family! 
  ~ I started quilting in 92/93 to "stay sane" when my husband took a year off to work on his degree, during a COLD Kansas Winter.  I thought i'd START with a "wedding ring" quilt... after my quilt instructor stopped laughing hysterically, she signed me up for a double-Irish chain and helped be pick out my first fabrics ... that's when my 'disorder' began! 

I have been suffering from Quilt Pox ever since.   

MY quilting "style"? ~ i really don't know why this question humors me so much.  Maybe because i've been so busy with LIFE, that i don't really know.  I'm a master at STARTING projects ... I find myself to be more of a "process" quilter, rather than a "product" quilter. i enjoy exploring different styles, although i don't prefer CURVES!   I've enjoyed breaking out of my comfort zone and doing more of the Improv style ... 

... (a peak at Andrea's blocks) ...

Colors? Prints? Solids?
I confess i have a sinful amount of fabric, in a wide variety.  MY children tease me that if a bolt of fabric fell off the shelf and got "bruised" that's the one' I would choose.  
~ I tend to collect deep Purples to "Eggplant"; Teals/deep green; Burgundy.  I realized lately that I have very few solids, and have begun to make a special effort to remedy that!  I also like, "raspberry" and butter yellow.... and there is a beautiful blue i cant seem to name, just slightly darker than periwinkle.  

I enjoy hand dying fabric... 

 Colors I strictly AVOID?
Pink! (Pastels used in MODERATION) ~ NO PINK ALLOWED!
Two? colors most found in my closet:
DEMIM, dark blues, purples, Burgundy... gray; some black, oh, and did i mention: PURPLE! 
My fabric collection? YES ...  
(30's? Batiks? Modern stuff? Certain designers? Solids???)
I fancy hand dyed and Batik's !!!   I have nearly everything! ... Denim ... Baskets of cottons: Reproductions, conversation prints for "eye spy" quilts etc.; Moda's/floral's; Hoffman/brights, my collection accumulated mostly from the 90's, then i've been given some "vintage" fabrics. I need to purge my older fabrics ... I've snuck in some more modern prints lately - despite my Stashbusting efforts!  

THE QUALITY OF THE FABRIC IS MOST IMPORTANT:  1st - the look, but if it doesn't FEEL like quality fabric i don't add it to my collection! Time is precious, and if i'm going to spend my time putting it into a project, i want it to LAST!  
Blocks that I've enjoyed making in the past: 
Blocks that i enjoy most? ... pretty ones?! =0) 

... i confess, i "admire the fabric" when i sew!!! 

A Block i prefer NEVER to do again: 
Not so much ~ " paper piecing, i've finished that phase of my life. BUT mostly, i'd be perfectly content to NEVER EVER again do an elaborate geometrical "dove in the window"  ~  I enjoyed the DAY several of us got together to learn THAT block - and have yet to finish it ... and i doubt i will...

What do i collect?  ~ am fond of?
Besides being fond of my children .... what i collect: fabric, fibers, buttons, embellishments, Embroidered Linens, some Books ... I have the first several years magazine publications of  CLOTH, PAPER, SCISSORS;   Studios;  Quilting Arts;  Where Women Create;  Somerset;   ... ALSO paper-crafting & scrapbook supplies, as well. I like Mixed Media, collage, and Altered Books!  ... I only have a few sewing machines! Oh, it appears i have Scissor and basket collection.  ...I like to find innovative ways to "store" my STUFF!  ... it is all INSPIRATION to ME! .

When my daughter moves out, i will convert "her" room to my studio! 
Moving out of the basement FAMILY room. 

Small projects?  Wall hangings? baby blankets? QUILTS?
OMG, i need to make smaller projects. My quilts tend to take on a life of their own and GROW! ... I need to challenge myself to work small and FINISH more! I've made some enormous quilts !

Art quilts? Functional Quilts? ...
Yes. I am appreciating Art Quilts more and more and find them inspiring.  I START quilts with the intention of using them.  Making a Crazy quilt is definitely on my To Do list!

Besides quilting am i crafty in other ways?...
Paper crafting/scrapbooks, altered books, learned to "needle tat"  ... i can knit, but i only make scarves when I'm cold and bored and there are no quilts to bind. I'd like to make time to do ribbon embroidery and WOOL applique. I wish i had more time to do handwork, especially embroidery.

... I've been collecting stuff to do collage art, 
but i've not had the TIME! 

If i could live anywhere... ?... I'd love to have a home with a pool that i could use year round - and a place to escape to when it's too hot.  I could picture traveling... but, i'd have to have handwork!  I'd picture myself on a Tropical Island ... Warmth and water!  I think i'd have a home in Arizona - probably Pinetop, and i'd like to have one in 'the Valley' during the Winter.  

I really think i could be a gypsy ... (ironically i don't travel well?)

Favorite place I've traveled: 
We joke that we don't "travel" we move! ...  amazing Arizona camping memories!  a favorite memory is a vacation my mom and i took to visit my oldest sister, and venture to Mackinac Island!  My list of places i'd like to travel is ever growing!  I'd defiantly visit Nikki in Scotland, and eat Pizza in her Castle ! 

Charities in my life that i've been passionate about:
I've made quilts and volunteered for Project Linus, as well as  Arizona Blankets for Kids when i was a 4H leader, as well as working with students to make quilts for Project Linus.  A few years back my children, friends and I adopted a room in the original "Maggie's Place" in Arizona ... 

 MY QUILTING PROJECT:
~ BUTTERFLY BLOCKS!  

 ~ "Focus Fabric" some of my Hand Dyed! ...
 ~ Background: (a black) ... Batiks are ok =0)  ... block size: any!
I want to make a NO PINK ALLOWED wall hanging for my new STUDIO area ... 
 {fyi ~ my fav's:  I've always wanted to do a "COLOR THEORY QUILT" (confession, i've started one, but ... ) I played around with different ideas - wonky houses?  something in  'story quilt' style?} 
... i decided on Butterfly quilt ... wonky or ?whatever? ... i want to incorporate my Hand Dyed fabrics with a BLACK background!   SO, feel free to use the Wonky Butterfly Tutorial for ideas, or anything goes BUTTERFLY.  (or, dragonfly's )

(HINT: i like the crazy color study 

- if the scraps were used for a crazy block 
i'd be completely ok with that.)

 

~ i'm also enclosing some fibers to use how you want & a MAIN color for the block(s).
   ~  HAVE FUN ~ THANKS! I hope you find the links inspiring.   

... please feel free to email me, 
at scrappystuff@gmail*dot*com