“Nobody ever took up quilting to add stress to their lives”
I am living the dream! I get to spend my days working with beautiful fabrics, beautiful designs and beautiful people. AND I get to share about something I love! Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of hard work and stick-to-itiveness. But I am so blessed to have this vocation, to have been given these opportunities.
One of my favorite quotes is "Fortune favors the prepared mind." from Louis Pasteur. Let me tell you how I got here. There are really three key traits I have spent a long time preparing: creativity, teaching ability and performance.
I have always been creative and had a love of color. I remember organizing my box of crayons in color order. I fed that drive with books, magazines, tv shows and videos. (I call this part "vicarious crafting", because I often went long stretches not making a DARN thing, just reading about it!) I learned garment construction, embroidery and crewel, floral design and even an unsuccessful attempt at knitting. I often combined patterns, these sleeves, that neckline, this skirt, to get just the vision I wanted. When I started quilting, it brought all theses skills together and I was happily trapped. My little sewing space in the laundry was my oasis. To be a designer, you have to blaze your own trail. Others' ideas can be an inspiration, but you have to have your own point of view.
I come from a long line of teachers. My dad was a high school math teacher for years. My mother also taught English and Spanish before I came along. And my birth-mom taught special needs children for years. I always have an inner dialogue about how to teach something. "Now, when you add the potatoes to the pan, don't crowd them or they will steam." I was in my 40s when I realized not everyone has this running commentary! I spent 14 years honing this skill when I home-schooled my daughters.
I will tell you the truth, I have always been a ham. Most people to everything possible to avoid being the center of attention. But me, I jump into the spotlight, TA-DA! When I was 6 years old, my friend Carrie and I wrote a play and sold tickets to our neighbors. And they CAME! I have been acting, selling and preforming as long as I have been alive! I once gave a speech at a regional ParytLite meeting. The crowd's attention was locked onto me like a laser beam. I left the meeting that night, my heart just leaping and thought, "YES! THIS, I want to do THIS again!". To develop that skill, I joined a Toastmasters Club. I learned heaps of things in an encouraging environment. I even won a few contests, as well. I also learned something about being humble. Not everybody wants to hear what I have to say. And others want a chance to speak. I can wait patiently to be called upon.
Now to the part of fortune favoring. I started working at a local quilt shop. Dream job, that is! I was working with colors and fabrics and arrangements all day (creative). Customers ask lots of quilting questions. I guess if you work in a quilt store, they expect you to know how to quit, go figure.(teaching) My manger said they needed someone to teach classes! Ohohoh! Pick me! Pick me! (Preforming/Teaching).
Then, my manager called me said this fabric company wanted me to film a couple videos showing how to use their fabric. I about fell over! She said, "You don't have to if you are not interested." I thought "YesIWantTo!!!" Then I thought, "Be cool, Jenny, be cool!". I said in a very calm voice, "Yes, I would love to.".
Than is how I ended up here.
I love to teach, quilt, design, be on stage and on camera. MY greatest motivations are to entertain, encourage and educate. I hope that I do that for you.
Thanks to my Lord, my husband, my family, and my quilting friends, all of whom I could not do without.
One of my favorite quotes is "Fortune favors the prepared mind." from Louis Pasteur. Let me tell you how I got here. There are really three key traits I have spent a long time preparing: creativity, teaching ability and performance.
I have always been creative and had a love of color. I remember organizing my box of crayons in color order. I fed that drive with books, magazines, tv shows and videos. (I call this part "vicarious crafting", because I often went long stretches not making a DARN thing, just reading about it!) I learned garment construction, embroidery and crewel, floral design and even an unsuccessful attempt at knitting. I often combined patterns, these sleeves, that neckline, this skirt, to get just the vision I wanted. When I started quilting, it brought all theses skills together and I was happily trapped. My little sewing space in the laundry was my oasis. To be a designer, you have to blaze your own trail. Others' ideas can be an inspiration, but you have to have your own point of view.
I come from a long line of teachers. My dad was a high school math teacher for years. My mother also taught English and Spanish before I came along. And my birth-mom taught special needs children for years. I always have an inner dialogue about how to teach something. "Now, when you add the potatoes to the pan, don't crowd them or they will steam." I was in my 40s when I realized not everyone has this running commentary! I spent 14 years honing this skill when I home-schooled my daughters.
I will tell you the truth, I have always been a ham. Most people to everything possible to avoid being the center of attention. But me, I jump into the spotlight, TA-DA! When I was 6 years old, my friend Carrie and I wrote a play and sold tickets to our neighbors. And they CAME! I have been acting, selling and preforming as long as I have been alive! I once gave a speech at a regional ParytLite meeting. The crowd's attention was locked onto me like a laser beam. I left the meeting that night, my heart just leaping and thought, "YES! THIS, I want to do THIS again!". To develop that skill, I joined a Toastmasters Club. I learned heaps of things in an encouraging environment. I even won a few contests, as well. I also learned something about being humble. Not everybody wants to hear what I have to say. And others want a chance to speak. I can wait patiently to be called upon.
Now to the part of fortune favoring. I started working at a local quilt shop. Dream job, that is! I was working with colors and fabrics and arrangements all day (creative). Customers ask lots of quilting questions. I guess if you work in a quilt store, they expect you to know how to quit, go figure.(teaching) My manger said they needed someone to teach classes! Ohohoh! Pick me! Pick me! (Preforming/Teaching).
Then, my manager called me said this fabric company wanted me to film a couple videos showing how to use their fabric. I about fell over! She said, "You don't have to if you are not interested." I thought "YesIWantTo!!!" Then I thought, "Be cool, Jenny, be cool!". I said in a very calm voice, "Yes, I would love to.".
Than is how I ended up here.
I love to teach, quilt, design, be on stage and on camera. MY greatest motivations are to entertain, encourage and educate. I hope that I do that for you.
Thanks to my Lord, my husband, my family, and my quilting friends, all of whom I could not do without.
