This month we get to learn a little more about one of our very first members, Ellen. 

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself – where you’re from, family, etc.
I grew up in Cincinnati, went to college in Miami and moved to Atlanta
thirty years ago. I live near Tucker with my husband and cat, and we have two daughters in college. I work full time in Accounting and spent 15 years volunteering with Girl Scouts and a Youth Symphony. Finally my weekends are mine for quilting!

2. What is your quilting history? (how/when you got started, who introduced you to quilting, what was your first quilt, etc.)
I learned to sew in Home Ec class, had private lessons, and a helpful
neighbor across the hall in Miami! I never finished my first quilt which was a puffy “biscuit” quilt I started in college. A friend at work held a class for us one Saturday and I got hooked! I used templates, scissors and hand pieced and hand quilted my first three quilts.

3. Why do you quilt? What do you enjoy most/least about it?
I quilt because it is my creative outlet after a day of crunching numbers! It relieves stress and I like to make things for gifts. I enjoy improv piecing the most and machine quilting the least. I enjoy Flickr Bee groups like Around the Bend and Across the Pond – a travelling quilts group I’m currently in.

4. What inspires your designs/quilting?
Fabric, Flickr, blogs, and Gwen Marston’s Liberated Quiltmaking techniques

5. What is your favorite quilt you’ve made?
My Mrs Roy G Biv quilt top (pictured left)

6. What was your first machine? What machine(s) do you have now?
I learned to sew on my Mom’s Singer 99. In addition, I have several Kenmores, a Featherweight and a Janome 4120 QDC.

7. Where do you quilt? Is your work area clean and organized or chaotic? Do you listen to music or watch TV while working?
I quilt in the basement amongst my husband’s train table, Barbie houses and exercise equipment. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter and got flooded several years ago! It’s kind of chaotic and hasn’t been really organized since everything had to be moved around. I “listen” to TV and music.

8. Do you like to have multiple projects going at once or do you usually finish one before starting another?
I never finish one thing before starting lots of other things (ADD!) I need to make a list of all the things in process and set some goals…

9. What fabric is your current must have (color, line, style, etc.)?
What fabric isn’t a must have? I should be destashing some of mine! I am looking forward to Melody Miller’s new line.

10. What are you currently working on?
I’m making blocks for my Lush quilt which are fun to improv. It’s turning into a sort of memory quilt of my Minnesota Outward Bound expedition in high school. I’m also still hand quilting my Bohemian quilt.

11. Do you do any sewing other than quilting?
I sew bags, clothing and gifts

12. How long have you been an AMQG member? How did you find us?
I’ve been a member since the very first meeting!

June will kick off our new monthly feature, Member Spotlight. We'll get the chance to know each other a little better and see where all the magic happens - our sewing room/areas! 

Our first innocent victim is Alison Bennett. Alison has been a member of AMQG for a year and is on the guild's social committee.
 
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself – where you’re from, family, etc.
I live in Acworth with my husband, two dogs and two cats. I moved to Georgia from Indiana about 7 years ago.

2. What is your quilting history? (how/when you got started, who introduced you to quilting, what was your first quilt, etc.)
I've always been crafty. My mom taught me how to cross-stitch when I was about 3 years old with one of those big plastic needles. She still has my first project framed in her bedroom! I learned how to use a sewing machine in middle school in home ec class. I didn't really start quilting until I moved to Georgia. My first apartment was down the street from Little Quilts and I started there with a block of the month quilt.

3. Why do you quilt? What do you enjoy most/least about it?
Quilting is very relaxing to me. I can sit at my machine and clear my mind and not have to think/worry about anything. What I enjoy the most is that it's a very creative outlet. I'm a big fan of puzzles, and to me, quilting is like a big fabric puzzle. You have to get all the colors and pieces into the right spot. The part I enjoy the least is the cost! I don't have nearly enough money to do all the things I want to!

4. What inspires your designs/quilting?
I am very inspired by anything retro/vintage. I was totally born in the wrong decade! I love being able to use a vintage looking fabric and put it into a very modern quilt or vice versa. It is a really interesting contrast.

5. What is your favorite quilt youve made?
My favorite quilt that I've made is my 'Dream On' quilt that I made to benefit the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation. So far, I've raised over $800! Not only do I love that I can contribute to a good cause, but I love the fabric, the pattern and it's probably the best quilt that I have ever made as far as construction goes! It's totally square too! (that never happens)

6. What was your first machine? What machine(s) do you have now?
My first machine was my mom's old Kennmore that my dad got her the first Christmas they were married. It weighs about 200 lbs, but it still works! Now I have a Singer that still doesn't work quite right after being repaired and a Janome Jem Platinum 720. It's a great travel machine but only has a 4" throat!

7. Where do you quilt? Is your work area clean and organized or chaotic? Do you listen to music or watch TV while working?
My husband turned our unused guest room into a sewing room for me last year. I generally like to keep it fairly clean and organized. It's definitely the cleanest room in the house! Sometimes I listen to audiobooks when I sew. I do have a TV in my sewing room, but no cable, so I have to watch DVDs. My favorites are The Andy Griffith Show, Back to The Future (all 3) and The Goonies.

8. Do you like to have multiple projects going at once or do you usually finish one before starting another?
I have a TON of different projects in different stages. Sometimes I get sick of looking at a project, so I put it away for a while and start something new. The trick is getting back to the things that are already started. New projects can be so tempting!

9. What fabric is your current must have (color, line, style, etc.)?
I love anything by Urban Chicks, Cosmo Cricket or Lori Holt. They all seem to have a vintage element to their designs. I'm actually really looking forward to getting some solids from Andi to do an all solid quilt!

10. What are you currently working on?   
I'm trying to finish up a beach quilt using Salt Air by Cosmo Cricket so we can actually use it at the beach! Also, my twin nephews are turning one in July, so I'm working on something special for them. They already have 3 quilts each, but I'm going to keep making them until they tell me to stop!

11. Do you do any sewing other than quilting?
I like to sew bags and aprons. I would love to be able to sew clothes. I've tried a few times and am horribly bad at it. The garment comes out fine, it just never fits me!

12. How long have you been an AMQG member? How did you find us?
I think that I joined last year around May. I googled a list of quilt guilds in Atlanta. I went to several different meetings until I found the AMQG. It is by far the best one!

You can find Alison at:
Blog: www.peachykeenquilts.com
Twitter: Floweralison
Flickr: Peachykeenquilts
Pinterest: alisonbennett