Hi I’m Pat Sloan the Aurifil Designer of the Month coordinator. I am so happy to be able to introduce you to Anna of Thimbleanna fame!
Every so often you read and blog and it pulls you in. It might be the writing, or the photography, or the fun sense of humor the author has. For me it was all that when I started to read the Thimbleanna blog. http://thimbleanna.com/
Then Anna did a quilt with the ‘Ghastlies” fabric and I was sold on her sense of humor.. you have to love a quilter that is obsessed with the same novelty prints you are! Now every time I see this fabric I think of Anna.. and often write to tell her that!
Remember to post your photo at our Flickr folder of a project given by one of the Aurifil Designers of the month (see tab on right for all the profiles). One quilter EACH MONTH will win a prize of Aurifil thread! Just post a photo of your completed block. Everyone in the Flickr folder is in the running! We have a new folder for the 2012 projects
Flickr folder –www.flickr.com/groups/2012_aurifil_featured_designerofthemonth/
Let’s get to know Anna!
When did you first start to do embroidery or stitching?
My mother taught me to embroider when I was a little girl. I used to have a lot of fun making days of the week towels. The first thing I remember embroidering was this cross-stitch house.
What is your favorite “Go To” Stitch?
I love the Lazy Daisy stitch. And I don’t love the running stitch – it seems to go so slowly for me. Growing up, I always used the stem stitch for straight and curved lines, but it seems to have fallen out of favor now, in lieu of the running stitch.
Did you work at another career prior to this … what was it?
I’m still working it. I’m a Software Engineer in my day job. I’m counting the days until retirement (and they’re still too many.)
What does your studio look like?
My sewing room is NOTHING to write home about. I fondly refer to it as the dungeon, as it’s in the basement of our home. I’d love to have a beautiful, light filled studio, but the reality is…all I need is a sewing machine and a cutting table and I’m good to go.
What is your favorite storage tip or place?
I love sugar shakers for thread and twine. They’re very cute and they save me from tangled messes.
How do you fill your soul? What I mean by this is – what makes you SO HAPPY that you know that if you do this you are experiencing a little ‘Heaven on Earth’.
Gosh, that’s a hard question. I love to do several things, but I guess, if I have to pick just one, I’d have to say it’s travel. I LOVE to travel – there’s nothing like a little breathtaking scenery – whether it’s enjoying the view from a mountain village or standing in front of your favorite painting in a museum. Heaven!
(Here’s my favorite painting: The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche which hangs in The National Gallery in London (unless it’s out on loan!))
How do your ideas develop? Do you sketch, doodle, put ideas on a mood board?
All of the above. (Which is why I love Pinterest – the ultimate mood board.) I think the most important thing is to always keep your eyes wide open. My favorite quote that I keep on my computer screen is “Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.” — Roald Dahl (If you click on the photo, you can read the quote.)
What are your Aurifil ‘go to’ thread colors?
Blue, Blue, and Blue! Just look at the beautiful blues in this photo I “borrowed” from the Aurifil site.
What is your favorite stitching tool?
I love my little stitchery bag that my quilting bestie Gurney gave me years ago. It’s the perfect size for my little scissors, my chibi, a thimble and some extra needles.
If you could train with, or work with, or follow one person for a day.. who would it be and why?
Well, I think it would have to be my Grandma. She died when I was young and I’d love to ask her about her sewing basket. We also have a few quilt tops that I’d like to ask her about – I’d like to know about the fabrics and why she selected the patterns that she did. (Here’s the jumbo apple core that we think Grandma pieced together.)
And a few on the light side…
If they made a movie of your life, what actress will play ‘you’?
Ha! Well, I think TheManoftheHouse would insist that I pick Sela Ward because he’s had a crush on her for years.
Favorite Expression – Yo!
The Book you are currently reading
Wolf Hall – and if I don’t soon finish it I’m going to give up. It’s not that I don’t like it, I just keep getting interrupted and have to keep starting over.
Your Favorite Movie
Life is Beautiful.
Dream Vacation spot
Europe. More specifically The UK. And even more specifically, Scotland.;-D
The Color you have always LOVED…..Blue, oh Blue, how I love YUE.
Why did you select the image you did for your block’.. or what is the ‘story’ behind your block.
I’ve always loved the Maypole. I have a very vague first-grade memory of a maypole set up on the playground and they taught us to dance around and weave the ribbons. It’s a tradition that I wish we still kept in our schools. So, lucky me, I’m Miss May in the Aurifil Block of the Month!
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12 Wt Aurifil Threads Used in Anna’s block
- 2605 gray
- 2810 teal
- 2240 orange
- 1125 dark blue
- 2024 white
- 2140 gold
- 5016 green
- 2225 coral
CLICK HERE to download the Aurifil DOM MaypoleDance pattern
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Visit Anna at http://thimbleanna.com/
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Looking for Aurifil 12 wt? There is store list HERE and Roseann is selling kits for all the designer months. Email or call her from her website HERE
We would also love for you to ask your Local Quilt shop to carry Aurifil thread!
Bari J. is one of our Designers this year, and she has a website called “We Love French Knots” with loads of stitchery inspiration! If you need to freshen up your stitching skills, she has a series of videos http://www.welovefrenchknots.com/stitch-videos.html
EACH MONTH we will pick one random winner that has made a stitchery block.. that person will receive a special Aurifil thread prize! Winners are all contacted via Flickr email and posted at our flickr page in the winner topics.
You can make ANY of the 2012 blocks to be in the running (and we hope you make them all!). Share your photos at our Flickr Folder… we can’t WAIT to see what you do!
www.flickr.com/groups/2012_aurifil_featured_designerofthemonth/
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Oh, I really LOVE this design! It is so cute! Thank you!
Oh, this is such a sweet design. thanks for sharing. enjoyed reading the interview.
This is such an adorable design! The Lazy Daisy stitch is also one of my favorites! I remember embroidering some hankies with it when I was a child.
Thank you so much!
Love the sugar shaker idea. It’s one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” ideas. 🙂
This is a delightful pattern that I would like to download yet that download isn’t working. Is it possible to email me a copy? Of all the patterns, Feb and May are the two that just cannot download. I did notice that the May pattern comes up with DOM in the pdf name and probably should be BOM. Thanks for the assistance.