QM’s 2013 Scrap Squad: Part 1

Quiltmaker’s Scrap Squad is a select group of eight readers who take one pattern from each regular issue and make scrappy versions to inspire others.

Today I’m pleased to introduce four members of the 2013 Scrap Squad. In the weeks to come, their first project will be seen here on Quilty Pleasures. You’re in for a real treat because this is a talented group of ladies! Each one has written a few lines by way of introduction.

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Gina Elias from Spring Valley, Illinois

Gina Elias: I live in a small town in the middle of Illinois. I have been quilting for about 14 years. When I first began quilting, I used 2–3 fabrics total in the quilt. Boy, has that changed! I now make the majority of my quilts out of many different fabrics. I mostly machine piece and quilt but always have a hand project going as well.

We grabbed this photo from Gina's blog—it's what was on her design wall recently.

By day, I teach computer programming and network infrastructure at a community college. I’m married to a fellow computer geek who is very supportive of my quilting obsession. We have four children ranging in age from 11–25.  I’m happy to have been selected for the Scrap Squad. I blog at ginaquilts.wordpress.com.

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Becky Ball from Blue Springs, Missouri

Becky Ball: My grandmother was a quilter, therefore I think my love of quilting is genetic. I hand embroidered baby quilts for each of my two children, but didn’t start making quilts to share until about 1985, when I took my first hand piecing and quilting class. I only finished a few things by hand.

In 1993 a quilt shop opened in my town, and I quickly developed an addiction to machine piecing, and later to machine quilting. My first machine pieced quilt was a king-size Sticks and Stones for my son’s wedding, June 1994. I’ve never stopped since then.

Becky's Glacier Star was finished in 2012, and it's just one of the things you'll see on her blog.

I only do a small amount of applique, but piece all sorts of things. Stars—almost any kind—are my favorites. I have a huge stash, and enjoy working from it, but I don’t beat myself up if I buy more fabric for a specific need. I’m always running out of backgrounds and blacks. My quilts usually have many fabrics, but in a controlled scrappy manner. I do finish most of my own quilts since “Black Bart”—a Nolting 24″ Pro—came to live here. I’m not much of a free-motion quilter, instead I use various Circle Lord products to end up with quilting I like.

I’ve taught quilting in the past, both piecing and machine quilting on a DSM, but now I just enjoy doing my own thing. I have a mountain of UFOs, but I’m always starting new things, so I think being on the Scrap Squad for a year will be fun! You’ll find my blog here: beckyquiltobsession.blogspot.com

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Christa Marcotte from Torquay, Saskatchewan, Canada

Christa Marcotte: I have been married to my best friend, Arnold for 28 years. We have three grown kids and our first grandbaby is on the way. We live on an organic cattle and grain farm in Southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. I do most of the farming and my husband works at an oil company.

Seen recently on Christa's blog! She's a farmer!

I have been sewing most of my life and have an amazing group of friends to quilt with twice a month. We call it therapy. Our group is called the Block Party Quilt Guild. Our blog is theblockpartyguild.blogspot.com which we started in March 2012.

I started my own blog, secondstoryquilting.blogspot.com at the same time. It is a mix of my projects and crazy life. I look forward to this adventure as a member of the Scrap Squad.

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Colette DeGroot from Olivet, Michigan

Colette DeGroot: I took my first quilting class over 18 years ago while very pregnant with our third child. I continued to dabble in quilting for the first 16 years and then was able to begin quilting full-time. I enjoy each and every minute I’m able to work with fabrics, my sewing machine, and designs. I particularly enjoy working with scraps and scrap-type quilts. My second love is frequenting our local quilt shops as well as “going out of business” quilter sales.

These are two different versions of the Quiltmaker pattern, Garden Patch, seen recently on Colette's blog.

I’m from the great mitten state and live more toward the southwestern end of the state…not anywhere near Detroit, so the opportunities to visit larger shops are limited. Scrap quilts work for me because trying to find fabrics in a certain theme can become frustrating when you live where I do.

I am married to my best friend and quilt supporter going on 28 years. We have three amazing boys, ages 26, 23 and 18, all of which are in college (the 26-year-old is getting his PhD and will be getting married in March).

To compensate for having human boys, I have four critter girls in the house: A West Highland White named Lily, a very large cat named Emmy Lou Harris, a zebra finch we call Mama Bird, and a lionhead rabbit named Cornelia Marie.

I am also a veteran of the United States Army Reserves and have held various other jobs to include teaching, nursing assistant, administrative assistant, retail management, and I currently freelance write. You’ll find my blog here: lettesquiltsandcuriosities.blogspot.com

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Please join me in welcoming these gals to Quiltmaker‘s Scrap Squad. Four more introductions coming up, stay tuned!