Episode 210: Podcastiversary!

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May marked seven years of The Off-Kilter Quilt podcast! To celebrate I’ll be giving away a $25 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop OR your favorite local quilt shop (if we can make arrangements to do so). Enter by Friday, June 23rd by leaving a comment and telling me how long you’ve been listening.

I finished the “Sit-In” top! Hope to start quilting early next week.

Jack Dowell, Boy Graduate:

“Wing” won third place in the Riley Blake/MQG challenge–woo hoo!

I just finished reading I Am Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout and loved it! Have just started Strout’s new book, Anything is Possible. She’s one of my favorite fiction writers at work today.

I really enjoyed Wise Craft Quilts: A Guide to Turning Beloved Fabrics into Meaningful Patchwork by Blair Stocker. Definitely worth a read if you’re into repurposing fabrics.

Got this book for Mother’s Day–so happy to see my girl Allison Rosen in its pages: The Applique Book: Traditional Techniques, Modern Style by Casey York.

Read “A Quilt for Dr. Wallace” over on www.quiltfiction.com

 See you in a couple of weeks! Happy quilting!

46 Replies to “Episode 210: Podcastiversary!”

  1. Forgot to say, I really enjoyed your book. I almost gave it to a friend after finishing it, but decided I really would like to read it again, so I kept it. Oh well, they’ll get it eventually. : )

  2. i absolutely LOVE ‘sit in’! i wasn’t quite sure where you were going with it, but it’s wonderful! it should definitely go to quilt con!

    congratulations also on your son and your riley blake challenge!

  3. Happy anniversary! I have been listening from the start. Can’t believe it has been that many years.

    I love Sit In!!! Wonderful.

    I live in Charlotte and have a long arm. If you ever want to come try it just let me know. Lots of fun. I don’t do it for hire, just for fun. I’m down near Southpark.

    Congrats on the Challenge win. Fantastic.

  4. Congrats to Jack. Cute kid. Love your chair quilt and the name – Sit In. Been listening to your podcast a couple of years, caught up on what I missed too.

  5. Hey Francis. I’ve been listening from the start. I really should have gotten more accomplished in seven years! Your “Wing” quilt is one of my favorites.

  6. I have been listening off and on for about two years. I have happily commented in the past, piping in to introduce myself, since you sometimes remind us to do that. Mostly, I comment “in my head.” Not long ago, you rhetorically asked if you should reduce the amount of “banter” and “personal anecdotes” in favor of discussing pure quilting topics. “No! No! No!” I shouted out, but only in my own head. I love your personal stories and streams of consciousness! That is what makes your podcast so appealing! I believe I just saw a graduation picture of your son, so congratulations are in order!

    Now for an actal quilting topic: I have been quilting for about three years when I naturally began hoarding and stockpiling fabric, staring at quilts in magazines, and starting projects without finishing them to build up my skills. I now know these unfinished projects are officially called UFOs. It was only later that I realized that all this seemingly abnormal obsession with fabric was completely normal “quilter” behavior. My fabric collection is officially called a “stash” and I truly have one. I am a born quilter, but I did not know it! I justify my stash by declaring that I have no other vices like smoking or alcohol which would cost money, so this is my vice!

    So my question is, where and how do quilters generally derive their creative inspiration? From the fabric itself, or from the patterns, or a combination? I discovered that I buy fabric first, and carefully plan the pattern around the fabric according to style, need for negative space, quantity of fat quarters, etc. I realize that there are other devoted quilters who first plan the style, pattern, etc., and buy the fabric to support their choice in pattern.

    Is there a right way? Probably not, but I would like to explore the question. What comes first, the fabric or the pattern? Is there such a thing as a quilter who does not have a stash?

  7. Hi Francis! Congratulations for sticking it out for seven long years! I’ve been listening to you since episode 1 and look forward to every new episode you post. I tend to be a head commenter. I’m glad you understand that. I’ve loved listening/watching your quilting progress.

  8. hey Frances, i haven’t commented in awhile but of course still love your podcast and all the emerging media coming from it (the quilt fiction site, possible podcast of your new book? when will that happen? sounds like a great idea!) really like your recent quilts and enjoy seeing/hearing about your process. the quilting on the birds’ one is lovely–how do you do the spiraling circles? I haven’t caught up with all the podcasts so maybe you talk about it more recently. thank you for putting yourself out there!
    dorothy

  9. Hi Frances. I’ve been listening to you since day one. I’ve enjoyed every episode! Remember your postcard exchange? I sent you one from Calgary, and I still have your hand-drawn one. Congratulations on your Wing win and on Jack’s graduation.

  10. I’ve been listening for years…not sure if from the beginning. Today you are keeping me company while I prep for my daugher’s high school graduation party. Always nice to work with a friend. Thank you!

  11. I must say that graduations are utterly exhausting and the launching to college emotionally draining but we all survived it at my house. I love the quilts you are working on and I am excited to see how variegated thread works for you on the Chair quilt. I enjoyed all the things you talked about and I love hearing about your design learning curve! :Looking forward to your article. I have a smile to myself because I recently saw an article about how someone interpreted my 80s generation ( they were too young to live in it) and I will be interested to see how the world’s interpretation of modern quilting started vs my personal experience with it. And it was a very lonely time because I was not an artist making an art quilt nor was I making strictly traditional quilts. However ,Modern has been around since the dawn of time and I am so happy to see it make mainstream so that people like me don’t feel like quilting outcasts anymore. BTW Happy Birthday, happy graduation time and Happy PODCASTIVERSARY !!! I would love a change to win your gift certificate. 🙂

  12. Happy Podcastiversary and belated birthday!!! And, congrats to your son! We have to spell W-A-L-K and also T-R-E-A-T when our dog is around! I literally “laughed out loud” when you said, “Did I just say, “Muslim”? No, I don’t buy Muslims.” Bahahaaaaaaa!!!! I love your podcast, and have been listening ever since I discovered quilting podcasts two years ago. Thanks for the opportunity to win a gift card! Hugs!!!

  13. Wow! So many congratulations are in order. Congrats on your birthday, having a son graduate, placing third in the challenge and being in Quiltcon! Congratulations on the podcastiversary! I can’t believe it’s been seven years. I think I must’ve been listening since the beginning. Till now, I never thought about growing old with a podcast, but it seems I am. What an accomplishment to stick with almost anything for seven years. I think my marriage is the only thing that I’ve stayed with for that long, certainly not a diet or anything healthy or productive.

    You asked about where we get our fabric. I started accumulating stash about 10 years ago when you could get incredible deals from Fabric.com. I still have lots of that fabric. I think I have some of my first order. Try to use it up, but cutting into it seems to create more, kind of like pruning. Now I purchase almost exclusively from my local quilt shop, Chattanooga Quilts. They are wonderful! They remember my name and treat me like I and my quilt are important. They seem happy to spend time helping me even though I’ve never spend a lot of money there. I was happy to hear you offer a gift certificate to a local shop and thats what I’d do if I won your giveaway. Thanks for having a giveaway, by the way.

    Well, here’s to another 7 years! I enjoy your podcast, your book recommendations and watching you become famous in the quilting world!

  14. I’ve only been listening for a couple of weeks but I have been binge listening to almost all of the old episodes! You didn’t know it but we have been hanging out together for hours everyday ????. Congratulations on your quilt and on the anniversary!

  15. Happy Podcastiversary!! I’m a relatively new listener (within the last year). In all honesty, I’m new to listening to podcasts in general! Here’s hoping you have a restful June! 🙂

  16. Hi Frances,
    Ok, I am guilty. LOL! Yes, I am one of those people who listen but only comment in my head, unless there is a giveaway. Shame on me!
    So, yeah, life gets in the way sometimes. BUT, I have been a listener since your very first podcast. If fact I have listened to all
    the quilting podcasts since many years ago when I started with Annie Smith’s Quilting Stash (“Annie”, to you, lol. Although “Annie”
    to me too, since I had the pleasure of taking a class and having dinner with Annie when she taught in Morristown, NJ, a few years ago).
    Anyway……..As I said, I have been listening since the start and since I am finally posting a comment, I would like to also say that I enjoy your podcast very much. Thank you for doing it. And, just in case they happen to read this post, I would also like to say Thank You to
    Pam, Sandi S.H., Stephanie K., Leah, Vicki, Stephanie S, Daisy, AJ (miss you), Charlotte, Annie(miss you too), Sandy H.(it’s been a while:), Sandi C., Nonnie (miss you too), Tanesha (where have you been?:), Pat Sloan. Katie R.(it was nice to have you back on a recent episode), Katie V.,
    And to those of you who no longer podcast, miss you all too – Laura, Allison, Stephanie H., Jackie, Ruthann, Mark, Rhonda,
    Jennifer R.,
    I feel like you are all my quilting friends, though I have only had the pleasure of meeting five of you in person.
    My, my, never realized how many Sandi(y) and Stephanie quilting podcasters there are/were! LOL!
    And thanks again to you Frances!!

  17. I found your posts after reading “Birds in the Air”. Thanks for that thoughtful story. I enjoyed pondering the challenges of transitions and relationships. It was a great read!

  18. Love listening to you! It is my first time. Quilting today and caring for my blind, black rescue dog that I named Stevie Wonder! Your voice is so comforting.

  19. Congratulations! So many reasons to celebrate. Launching my boys off to college was one of my favorite rites of parent passage. You’re in for a treat, watching your son spread his own wings and …wait … are all of these quilty/book flighty themes you’ve been producing related somehow? And now .. chairs, sitting, staying … hmmm…

    1. I’m terrible with keeping track of the years, but when I started listening you were discussing Dresden plates. And a mosaic quilt. Two plus years? Since then you’ve tackled paper piecing and appliqué, launched a website, and written whole books. (I’m currently enjoying “Birds in the Air”.) Your growth is remarkable!

  20. Hi Frances, Thank you for podcasting for seven years! I have been listening from the beginning. Congratulations on the graduation in the family, the chair quilt, and getting your tomato plants in the ground nice and early! We finally got ours planted last weekend, but it has been especially cold in the northwest this spring. You seem to have a very sensible approach to the college launch. Let him figure out what he needs, and fill in later as needed. My boys never used any of that extra stuff, as I could have predicted if I had thought about it. Have a great summer!

  21. Congrats Frances! I’ve been trying to think how long I’ve been listening. I have documentation that dates back to 2013, but I think it’s been longer than that. Well just round up to 5. It’s been great “hearing” the boys grow up, all your adventures, successes and ponderings. Here’s to another 7 yrs.

  22. Since I am sitting iat my computer, I decided to transcribe the comments in my head to the actual comments screen.
    Congratulations on the award for Wings. It’s a fabulous quilt!
    Sit In looks like a very happy quilt. The colors are cheerful. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished project.
    I’ve been listening for at least 3 years, but probably longer and I think I listened to all the old episodes. I think I started listening when you started “Simply Francies”.
    Happy podiversary. I enjoy listening very much.

  23. Hi Frances. I’ve listened to you since the beginning and still love to do so.
    Love “Sittin'”. Hope that the variegated thread works out.
    Don’t know what your plaid (or as I would say tartan) is without seeing a picture but it’s not Black Watch. That has a green background. Red could be one of the MacDonald or Frazer tartans. Sorry to be pedantic. Maybe you’re channeling Outlander.

  24. I really like your Sit-In quilt and think it was a great idea to leave some blank spaces, and the fabric colors are beautiful. Also congratulations on your win for Wing. I enjoy your podcasts and find them so entertaining. I have been listening for about 3 years.

  25. I think I’ve been listening since the beginning…hard to remember after all this time! I love hearing what’s going on in your world, Congrats to Jack on his graduation, congrats on your podcastiversary and your birthday and your win in the challenge. Loved Birds in the Air and can’t wait for the next one!

  26. I’ve been listening for a year or so now and always look forward to hearing your voice once I hit play! Congrats on Jack heading to Davidson. My uncle went there and always enjoyed telling stories of his time on campus. My cousin and his wife have sponsored students there for many years — if you need a local contact don’t hesitate to send an email — I’m sure he’ll have a wonderful experience. I finished Underground Railroad a few months ago…indeed it’s a moving book, but maybe not a “beach read”. Oh yes, “Sit In” is wonderful and the idea of quilting chairs in the design, brilliant.

  27. I download podcasts to listen to while flying. After I purchased Birds in the Air in March, I realized I had some of your podcasts on my tablet. I have since listened to half a dozen of your podcasts and downloaded more. I listened to this one on a flight from Boston Tuesday. I have some catching up to do.

  28. I’ve been listening for 4-5 years and at some point went back to the beginning. It’s my fave podcast and I always listen to it first when it’s available.

  29. I thought I left a comment but must have only done it in my head. Happy podcastiversary and congratulations on all the big happenings in the Dowell household! You must be so ready for the beach!

    I have been listening since the beginning, I think, when Allison Rosen told us about your new podcast.

    Thanks for sharing your quilt diaries with us. They keep me company, get me motivated, and always make me think. Here’s to many more!

  30. Hi Frances,
    I’ve been listening to your podcast since the beginning of last year. You’ve kept me company many times during my commutes to and from work. You have also, on occasion, offered kind words on my Instagram feed, which I very much appreciate!
    Tracy
    aka tracydacy_craftsnquilts

  31. Since you asked, I think I have been listening for about two years. No I don’t comment, but since I am usually listening while trying to go to sleep commenting is not conducive to the drifting off peacefully. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 tries to hear the whole episode. Up here in CT I quilt, run my own store which sells toys, gifts and ships packages, dote on my two grandchildren – one of which is only 8 weeks old – and crazy quilt which is my real passion. I am not all that prolific as I work 6 days a week, but I do finish things. Love to listen and thanks!

  32. Happy belated podcastiversary! I have been catching up on my podcast listening the past couple weeks. I believe I started listening to your podcast shortly after you started them. I have always enjoyed them. Thank you for the inspiration, laughs, chats and podcasts.

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