Blog Hop Time - Week 3 - It's my turn!
Hi y'all!
If this is your first time here, welcome! My name is Silvia and I am a full time mom of two little girls, a part-time quilter, and an occasionally blogger.
It's week 3 of the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop and my turn to share a little about this blog. I shared the links of the other wonderful blogs on this hop a couple of posts ago and it has been so fun to be able to read about these talented ladies (I haven't seen a guy blogger in our group, so forgive me if I'm wrong). You can find the previous posts here and here.
I am really thankful that I stumbled upon Christa Watson's Instagram post about this hop. I jumped on the opportunity and am so lucky to be chosen to be part of this hop. I have a lot to learn about the blogging world and already feel that I learned so much with the help of our hosts.
So, without further ado, here is a little bit about me. WARNING: I am Brazilian and like to talk (or write in this case), I hope you can bare with me.
Me and my family - they are my inspiration and what brings me joy
I have a lengthy intro on my blog, if you like to read that, just click here. So, I'll try to cover what's not there.
I wasn't sewing at an early age, but it looks like I had the interest in fabric already.
I was born and raised in Brazil. I met my husband in the end of 2003 and we got married in 2004. We lived in Brazil for another year, but when his contract ended we decided to move close to his family in Pennsylvania.
On our first Christmas in the US, my husband gave me my very first sewing machine - a Husqvarna Madison.
Oh, what a happy day! This picture (left) is of the day I got it, I was running it for the first time. Look at that happy face! On our tenth anniversary he gave me a Juki TL2010Q (right), which is now where I sew 99.8% of the time.
I'll spare you the long description of my sewing endeavours and show you what I consider my first quilt.
In 2006, my niece was born and I made this whole nursery set for her room, and that little square patchwork with spiraling square quilting on the wall was the first patchwork piece I've ever made. I actually just recently thought of it as a quilt. It doesn't have batting, the backing is fleece, and I used cording/piping intead of an usual binding, so you see, I knew nothing. Also, my understanding of a quilt was that it had to be the traditional, (with lots of browny, beige, muddy colors or pastels) kinds, with lots of floraly swirly appliques. That idea of what a quilt was, was the reason I strayed away from it for such a long time (there is nothing wrong with those quilts, but it just wasn't my style). The next time I've made a quilt was not long ago, the year of 2013.
My second-first quilt (because that's what I consider my first real quilt, but it's actually my second after that mini one). I made this with a Craftsy free class. It was supposed to be just a quilt with large squares, but I didn't get enough fabric, so I had to improvise, cutting them as HT (which at the time I had no idea that's what I was doing) and some half-square-rectangles. In the end, my little fabric improv looked like houses, but I just noticed after it was done. The funny thing is that the backing fabric has little red houses on it (see it here). If I were to make it again, I would've removed the borders and make that last row of "houses" completed. But I still like it and use it everyday.
And then the rest is history, because we all know, when you make that first (or second) quilt, you are in it for good.
A Stranger View started to be an account of my daily life and my weird feeling at the time as thought I didn't belong anywhere. Here in the U.S., I was still a foreigner, but I have changed so much that back in Brazil I wasn't the same and felt out of place also - thus the blog name. Then our first baby came and so on. The blog was mainly a place to share our life with our family who live far, but then I started to write about my quilting projects, so I figured I had to just focus on one thing. I hope to write a lot more, or whenever life with two kiddos allows me.
Here are some of my favorite quilts:
Log cabin with Improv was a quilt I designed for my nephew - Isn't he a cutie?
Black Dishes is a new favorite made with Broken Dishes block and some negative space. The back is solid with a row of Broken Dishes blocks, and it's matchstick quilted.
Some other favorites - some are patterns from Quilty magazine and Block of the Month, others are my own.
Do you like the photo collage above? Here is a tip if you are a blogger. I made this on PicMonkey, it was super easy and you can do all your editing and even make a watermark for your pics there too. This tutorial is great if you need to make a watermark:
Now, here is a sewing/quilting tip, since you are probably here because you love to sew. First of all, always make sure to clean up your machine. You love sewing, you love quilting, so put some love on your friend and get rid of all that messy lint and old needle, lube her up and give her a kiss. That's your BSF (best sewing friend) we are talking about. Work on that relationship.
Now, for real, this might be a small little tip, but you never know, it might help someone out there. I usually write on my bobbins with a Sharpie to organize what kind of thread I have wound up (A = Aurifil 50wt, A 40 = Aurifil 40wt, M = Mettler, I = Isacord, P = Poly). This helps me keep organized and to find my bobbins faster when working on a project that might use multiple types of thread. Sometimes you have to re-write it. On metal bobbins the Sharpie will come off after a little use (around 2-3 runs). That's it, nothing life changing, but I hope it helps.
Fun facts about me:
Movies: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Great Expectations (1998), Back to the Future (the first one)
What I listen to when sewing: Quilting/Sewing podcasts, movies (rarely), or nothing (I like the quiet).
Favorite book: I can't remember the last thing I read that wasn't related to fedding/sleeping or raising kids, so I'll just say the Gospel in the Bible.
Favorite show: Friends
What do you like to do, read, listen or watch?
So, I hope you come back, share some love, make a comment.
Well, that's it guys!
Don't forget to hop to the other hivemates blogs (info below) and enter this week's Giveaway.
Our hive, the Quantum Quilters is hosted by none other than Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
And this week's bloggers are:
Hannah @Modern Magnolia Studio
Cindy @Stitchin At Home
Make sure to check out the other three hives by clicking on their hosts links below.
Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs
Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Terri Anne @Childlike Fascination
I hope you have fun with this week's bloggers. Leave them a comment to spread some love, enter the awesome giveaway and have a great week.
For more info on the following and last week, visit this post on Quilting Jetgirl.
xoxo, Silvia.
PS: Forgive my lack of high-techness for if you do leave me a comment, I'll answer right here on the blog. This platform won't allow email responses, so I do hope you come back to continue our chat. If that's a problem, please feel free to chat through email @ astrangerviewblog@gmail.com. Sorry for the inconvenience! xo.
