Gayle K: Her Quilts, sewing space and inspiration
Make Modern Triangles member spotlight edition features Gayle K., whose gallery is chock full of amazing quilts.
Gayle describes herself as a traditional quilter who has divided her quilting room into two shrines: the walls are dedicated to the Chicago Cubs baseball team and the horizontal spaces, shelves, closet and floor (lots of bins!) are dedicated to fabric.
Make Modern Triangles Member Spotlight: #MYQUILTINGLIFE
What is your favorite quilt make of all time?
My favorite “make” of all time was actually my first one. I got involved in a fabric exchange in 1999 for the upcoming Millennium. We shared addresses over the internet and exchanged envelopes with 24, 2 1/2-inch squares and a signature square. It was so much fun going to the mailbox every day to see what had come! Some people mixed squares from different envelopes by color or pattern for their blocks, but I kept mine intact with their signature square as the center piece. I ended up with fabric from all 50 states and 7 different countries.
When I finished a block I put it in my scanner and took its “picture.” Then I made a thank you card with the picture on it and returned it to the sender. I put all the pictures and accompanying letters in a notebook so that I would have a record of them. My favorite block is from my sister who passed away several years ago.
What has quilting taught you about yourself?
I’ve learned that I can just about do anything I set my mind to. I’m not afraid to take on projects for friends and groups that would like a quilt. I didn’t have great experiences with textile arts (mostly garment sewing) when I was growing up in 4H so I think my mom would be surprised if she could see what I can do now.
LEARNING IN MAKE MODERN TRIANGLES
When you joined Make Modern Triangles, what did you want to learn and/or accomplish?
I was fascinated with the whole new world of shapes that I could incorporate into my quilts. I didn’t have to be afraid of doing something other than rectangles and squares any more.
What do you like about quilting with triangles?
Quilting with triangles opened up a whole new way to quilt for me! No more being resigned to rectangles and squares. Kind of an “out of the box experience” so to speak! After I took Rebecca’s Freezer Paper Piecing class, I have worked on so many much more interesting projects.
What would you like to learn next?
I really would like to overcome my fear of applique. I have a quilt that my sister started before she passed away that requires applique and I want to finish it for her daughter to have.
SPOTLIGHT ON INSPIRATION
Where do you find inspiration for your quilts?
I have several quilting magazine subscriptions that provide my motivation. I’m afraid I have quite a “stash” of them as well. I take the patterns I like out of them and put them in page protectors and then in binders, but I have trouble parting with the magazines. Sometimes I will go back through them and find something that now appeals to me.
When you aren’t quilting, what interests do you have?
I have a big rose garden that takes a lot of my time when I’m not in my sewing room. I also play the organ for church and my husband and I love to travel.
Gayle’s Sewing Space
Where do you sew and create?
Well, it has been and still is my “get away” space. I would love it if I had organized it from the beginning, but it sort of has a life of its own now. It is also my Chicago Cubs shrine so the walls belong to the Cubs and all horizontal spaces (and all shelves and closet space) belong to the fabric. And we won’t go into how much floor space my fabric tubs own, either!
My cutting table was rescued from the teacher’s lounge of the school where I taught before they moved into their new building. I retired just as they made the move and they weren’t going to take the table to the new school so I bought it. It’s a big old oak table and it’s perfect for my room. So I have a little past, present, and future in that space.
“I got involved in a fabric exchange in 1999 for the upcoming Millennium...I ended up with fabric from all 50 states and 7 countries.”
Gayle K., Make Modern Triangles member describing her favorite quilt make
Describe your fabric stash.
Enough to fill a room and then some: What can I say? I LOVE fabric and lots of it!
What is your next project?
Actually, right now I’m working on two projects. I’m making the Sparkler BOM and patiently (ha!) waiting for the next month’s release. I’m also working on a Dazzling New York Beauty Sampler which is completely dependent on my freezer paper piecing skills!
Thank you, Gayle for sharing your quilts and passion for quilting for the Make Modern Triangles Member Spotlight edition!
[…] Member Spotlight Gayle K. […]