Episode 143: Me & My New Friend, Annie (that’s Annie Smith to you)

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me and annie smithMe and my new friend, the fabulous Annie Smith. Visit Annie here:  http://simplearts.com/blogs/

Nova top finished!

nova finished top

A close-up of one of the corners:

nova corner

Have you visited the International Quilt Study Center yet? Here’s a link to the site: http://www.quiltstudy.org/

You can watch IQSC vidcasts on iTunes. The vidcast on Nebraska quilt history is episode 15.

Recent Books I’ve Read:

Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy

The Very Late Podcastiversary Give-away! I’ve been podcasting for four years, and it’s time to celebrate! Leave a comment between now and September 30th and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop! Every comment you make counts as an entry, so comment early and often! (You can comment on forthcoming episodes as well.)

 

36 Replies to “Episode 143: Me & My New Friend, Annie (that’s Annie Smith to you)”

  1. Happy Podcastaversary! I can’t believe it has been four years! I have been listening since Day 1 and enjoyed every minute. THANK YOU! Tami in Denver

  2. Congratulations on your podcast anniversary! I’ve enjoyed listening to you from the beginning. I appreciate you sharing your processes and thoughts with us. Your Nova quilt turned out really beautifully! Funny, Annie Smith was the reason I got my iPod, to listen to the original quilt podcaster. Then I was fortunate to have a class with her 3 years ago, and she’s an excellent teacher and nice, nice person.

  3. 4 yrs already? thank you for continuing your podcasts–i always look forward to them! Maeve Binch is also one of my favorites–listening to them on audio books (if the reader is Irish) is really fun to do while sewing. along with the British cozy books, have you read Angela Thirkell’s books?

  4. Just checking in … I have downloaded the podcast and will listen tonight. Home after a 6 hour drive which should have been less than 3 hours. LIKE your NOVA quilt, good border selection. Not reading or quilting as have been painting … a never ending project.. new flooring going in… I have become so dull… Thanks for the podcasts as it is fun to listen to on long drives…..
    NONNIE

  5. TRAVERSE RODS are what you call the rods with the cords to open and close the curtains. Plan on at least 3 times (4 times is better) the width of the window for your curtains to get a good look. Smaller than 3 times the width and the curtains would look skimpy. Made many drapes with valances with my mom… like the simpler styles of today compared with the THEATRICAL WINDOW STYLES of the past.

    Lucky you got to meet Anne Smith… I always found her delightful.
    Nonnie

  6. If you can make a quilt, you can make curtains! Just don’t let anyone know you can make curtains because they will want you to make theirs too. I’ve gone the lazy route and put up interior plantation shutters in every room. It’s a simple, clean look. Expensive investment, but they should last years.

    Maybe some of your podcast listeners could meet you and your new friend Annie in NC next summer for a class. Just a thought.

  7. Your quilt is beautiful. I have only been listening for about a year. But every time I listen to one of your podcast’s I feel sooooo much smarter. Thanks for the fun and educational podcast.

  8. Just listened to your podcast. I’m glad to hear that Annie SMITH is planning on coming back to her podcast. Coincidentally, I was missing her and downloaded some of her old episodes to listen to again – the two called “The Quilt Police”. In them, she talks about what quilt judges look for. I loved her advice that the quilt you’re working on is the practice quilt for the next one you’re going to make. I tend to get hung up on the quilting, because it’s not as good as I would like. I’ll have to tell myself I’m just practicing, and hopefully that will help me get on with it!

    Good luck with the curtains. You’ll find that it is different working with such large quantities of fabric – a bit overwhelming at first, but not that hard. I’m working on a valance, using a Craftsy class. I’ve done several sets of curtains, but this is my first valance. Again, it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.

  9. Although I don’t comment often, I’ve been a faithful listener from the beginning. I love listening, because it’s like talking with a friend. Thanks for sticking with it all this time.

  10. You’re going to be inundated with well wishes now! I can’t believe we’ve been best buds now for four years!. It seems like just yesterday that I met you, the boys and the man. I never tire of hearing your voice while I drive or longarm. Happy podcastiversary to you! Hears hoping for at least another four years. Thanks for doing this Frances!

  11. I had dinner with Annie back in July after taking her class in NJ. You are right, she is wonderful. I also miss her podcast. But I am very glad we have yours to listen to!

  12. Just caught up on your podcasts. From the one before this I was nodding my head in agreement…Marie Bostwicks books are some of my favorites too.

    I’ve been so out of the loop that I never heard about the quilt that was made for you. I would have made a block too! I will settle for being there in spirit for you though. 🙂

    I really loved the thunderstorm that was playing in the background of your last podcast. I am enjoying this podcast right now as I type. I would have to agree that Jaye is one of the sweetest and knowledgeable quilters I know too.

    WordPress and I are currently not getting along. I don’t know if this will show up as being from ME or not! But this is Sherri D, Walkerlady, Lazy Quilter, Mom, Fitbit user, Wife, Quilter, … Oh, wait, you don’t need my WHOLE resume’ now, do you? lol

    I belong to two guilds and have become rather bored with both. I am not close friends with any quilters in real life either. I am sure I could be, but so far it just hasn’t appealed to me. I too enjoy my online quilting buddies more than local quilters.

    BTW, I am way down on FitBit too. I am struggling to make 5000 steps a day. I agree that this fall should see a big increase in activity as it will finally be cool enough to enjoy being outside again!

    I agree with the comment regarding color choices. Too often we think we have contrast, but in reality we do not. There are SO many mediums out there!!! I like using my red film thingy (a toy from a happy meal years ago) to look at fabrics to see if there really IS a strong contrast. This is one area that I am working on more and more. I hope I am learning my lessons. hahaha

  13. Happy anniversary. Your meeting with Annie Smith had to have been awesome. I have not updated my ipod since I was away seeing family this past weekend. I will make sure I download your podcast so I can listen to it while I am out walking tomorrow afternoon.

    I like the Nova quilt top, beautiful colors.

  14. Love the borders on the Nova Quilt – they really pull it together. Pinterest is a great place to get quilting ideas, especially with a named pattern. Another is the book Quilting Makes the Quilt by Lee Cleland and others.

  15. When the page loaded the pictures I gasped out loud. The quilt looks absolutley beautiful! I love the little punch of purple in the border and the big border fabric really pulls it all together so well. It’s really, really beautiful! It will be loved I am sure.

  16. Love to know I’m not the only one who can fan girl about another quilter!

    If you like Maeve Binchy, and who doesn’t, then you might like Rosamunde Pilcher. She wrote the same type of problem solving novels, where characters work their issues through and come up with good solutions. The late Celeste de Blasis had some lovely historical fiction, with lots set in early 1800s Maryland, which I love. If you want a long series of historical fiction, start Sara Donati’s “Into the Woods” books. Envision Daniel Day Lewis from “Last of the Mohicans” meeting Elizabeth Bennett from “Pride and Prejudice,” and you will get the (very attractive) picture. Ms. Donati also writes contemporary novels under her real name (Rosina Lippi.)

  17. Hi Frances,
    Thank you so much for your kind words on my blog! I write for myself, mostly, though I do appreciate and encourage relationships with my readers. I always hope that people will think of my blog and tutorials when they need to know something. I also want to highlight process, so I talk a lot about that. It isn’t the end product that is the be-all end-all, but the process that is important, at least, to me. I would certainly love to write a quilt book someday, but am waiting for the opportunity to present itself rather than chasing the dream right now. Too much else going on. Perhaps someday I will give chase.

    I also loved Annie’s advice about the quilt you’re working on is the practice quilt for the next one you’re going to make. It is good to go and look at older quilts to see how far we have come.

    I agree with Torie than Rosamunde Pilcher is a mistress of character and description. She has a lot of books (too bad not many are on audio) and they are all enjoyable. My favorite is Coming Home.

    I wanted to say that I will write a blog post about quilting, but the most important thing to me is to decide what I want to highlight. If I wanted to highlight the stars in your Nova quilt, I might quilt the background very densely, so the stars would pop up. Of course, dense quilting makes for a very stiff quilt, so you also need to consider the intended use of the quilt.

    Very glad you are podcasting again!

  18. PS I don’t do very big fiction reviews. I write a little bit – mostly about what I thought – in Goodreads, but I don’t always post them to my blog. Occasionally, I will go on a bit about fiction book I loved. I am a creature of habit: Deanna Raybourn, Sarah Addison Allen, Maeve Binchy, Rosamunde Pilcher, Kate Morton, Susanna Kearsely, Erica Bauermeister, Daisy Goodwin, JoJo Moyes, Robin Pilcher, with an occasional Sarah Jio and Meg Gardinier thrown in. I am not a big fan of Louise Penney, though I know Sandy loves her. Ruth Reichl writes really interesting books. I enjoyed her recent novel, Delicious! Peter Pezzelli is also great. He has some very sweet character driven novels. Marisa de los Santos is awesome as well. I just finished Daddy Long Legs, which I really enjoyed. JL

  19. PPS I have also started to read Barbara O’Neal. One of her books discussed a lot about creativity and I think I did mention it on my blog. JL

  20. Happy podcastaversary! I enjoy listening, although I don’t comment often because I don’t always listen to the podcasts in a timely manner.

    I did laugh when you were talking about friending people through fitbit. I just asked a guild friend to be a fitbit friend. THEN I found out that she was doing a Susan Komen 3-day, 60 mile walk! Talk about being humbled by somebody else’s stats! Oh well, we all do what we can do and friendly competition can’t hurt.

  21. This episode was hilarious and I enjoyed it so much. You sounded like you were having fun as well, which makes it even better. Hope Annie Smith (or just Annie to you) is back on the podwaves soon.

  22. Hi I have been listening for a year or two. Enjoy you. I am a reader, but pretty much just non fiction. Happy Anniversary
    Susie Sews

  23. Happy podcastaversary! Love hearing about your workshops with kids,your own children, your dog and the birds in the background – plus quilting and books! Thanks for 4 years and more! Brenda

  24. Really enjoyed finding your podcast – I listen to a bunch when I’m on a long roadtrip on my own. So I heard all about the Nova quilt before seeing it – and it’s very attractive and so is the quilting! I enjoy your style and have subscribed.

  25. Nova quilt is lovely. I’m in Nebraska, the IQSC is fabulous…so much information and eye-candy. I often listen to podcasts while I enjoy my time checking out the exhibits, so keep on podcasting!!

  26. I’m enjoying your podcast. Thanks for the tips on blogs – specifically Simple Arts and Art Quilt Maker! Also, I think I’ll revisit Maeve.

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