Pat Sloan Do you have 15 Minutes a day to Play?

Some friendships start in the most unlikely of ways. 

I'd been reading the blog Bumblebeans for quite a long time. It's author lives in Manhatten and she made quilts that made my heart race... awesome color, amazing construction.. and she was fast. Plus she knew some of my buddies.. but we'd not really chatted.

Then she put out a call for Roses. She needed ROSE fabric for her lady quilt... and I emailed her that I had some rose fabric.

Fast Forward and my good friend Victoria Findlay Wolfe is a first time author and her book ROCKS! 15 minutes of play is all about working your fabric, trying new things plus using up scraps.

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?? (yes.. I'm yelling!)

I interviewed Victoria on 11/12/2012 about being a new author. CLICK HERE to listen!

These are photos from her presentation at the Trade show in Houston

Shelly and I got to play "Vanna" and hold quilts for Victoria!

It was not lost on the audience that her outfit matched MANY of her quilts....  Who but Victoria can wear Canary yellow pants?  NOT I that's for sure!

I asked Victoria a few questions about life in the city and how it inspires her design work, I know you are going to enjoying learning a bit more about her...

let's get to it...

Pat - NYC is a busy bustling place.  You didn't grow up there, but wanted to move there as a young artist. What is it about the city that fuels your creative energy?

Victoria - Living in NYC, there is a feeling that you are never alone or far from whatever you need. It's also the hub of the art world, which was the reason I moved here in the first place. I was a serious artist, and I was told, that's were artists go, NYC...

I was very naive when I moved here and have many great early NYC stories... One gets street smart quick, when you come off the farm!  I do love NYC, and I love that any sort of Artistic FORM is accessible here...

Pat - where is your favorite place in the city to walk?

Victoria - Anywhere... You constantly feel like a tourist when you live here, you have to look up and soak it all in, it changes very quickly, yet, it can be very "small town" when you start to know all your local people by first names.. some of them are shop workers, and some are people you see daily on the street going to and fro.  You make these amazing connections purely because, you recognize them from the day or week before...

If I had to pick one place though, it would be walking near Strawberry Fields in Central Park. I got engaged there, and we go there every year on Christmas day. This year will be the first time in 18 years, that I don't make there on the day. We will still be in Africa!

Pat - You have traveled around the world to visit family, work, and vacation.  Do you have one trip that really stands out for you  

Victoria - I've traveled quite a lot, and have made so many amazing memories. One trip, we were in Italy. While we were walking around in Sienna, I see a client of mine, (from an old job) just strolling through... completely random. I've ran into people in the strangest parts of the earth...

But, a favorite trip was for the Millennium. We went up to Inverness, Scotland, to an artist friends place for New Years. We figured, if the computers,lights etc were going to go dark, (as they had thought) Scotland was the place we'd want to be stuck. That trip was packed full of strange, hilarious, surprising, life threatening, fantastic memories... It's almost like a dream.

I've been to China three times, and each trip has been life changing, Peru, Fantastic...That is what I love about traveling; Surprising blips of "Wow! Did that just happen?"

Pat - I love dogs, you love dogs ... I feel dogs are the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae of life! What antics do your dogs do that really crack you up?

Victoria - I have two dogs. One cavalier, named Kia, and the other is a Schnoodle, named Jenny Egg.  They are such polar opposites, they constantly have us cracking up. Jenny Egg lives up to her goofy name. She loves to sit in my studio when I am working. She will whine and cry, (while sitting next to a box of scraps)  because she wants me to pick her up, and put her in the scrap bin.  She usually has quilt dropping attached to her all day... just like me. LOL.

They are a little bit crazy... We call them "the pillow squashers", as they are always on top of my couch cushions, and usually end up falling behind the cushions on top of each other while they sleep. Poor Kia is usually on the bottom.

Pat - And I know you are a fabulous cook, while we are all doing "15 Minutes of Play"... what recipe would you recommend we cook so we can be ready to go!

Victoria - I'm a big fan of my crock pot, especially this time of year.

I actually have an anthology of recipe blog, where you can find this Colombian Pulled Pork recipe with cilantro sauce. Put it on in the morning, let it sit all day, Wa-La! Easy dinner! More time to sew!

http://trythisyourself.blogspot.com/2011/10/colombian-pulled-pork.html

For a chance to win a copy of Victoria's book tell me...

"What time of the day is best for you to sew?"

Winner's name pulled Dec 12!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED>> WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON>>

click the top of my blog and enter the others.. THANK YOU!

ps.. Her lady quilt is in the book.. yeah!

Can't WAIT to see if you win a copy? CLICK HERE to buy at my AMAZON link!

Visit Victoria's blog http://www.bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com/

and her 15 minutes of Play blog too, great inspiration there! http://www.15minutesplay.com/

And tour stops are...

Nov: 26: "Victoria Findlay Wolfe", http://www.15minutesplay.com/
Nov 27: "Bonnie K Hunter", http://quiltville.blogspot.com/
Nov 28: "Alissa Haight Carlton, http://www.handmadebyalissa.com/
Nov 29:  "Pat Sloan", http://patsloan.typepad.com/
Nov 30: "Kimberly," http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/
 Dec 1st: "Karen Griska",http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/
Dec 2nd: "Angela Walters", http://www.quiltingismytherapy.com/
Dec 3rd:  Generation Q, http://generationqmagazine.com/
Dec 4th: "Tonya Ricucci", http://www.lazygalquilting.blogspot.com/
Dec 5th: "Michele Foster",http://quiltinggallery.com/blog-posts/
Dec 6th: "Scott Hansen",http://bluenickelstudios.com/
Dec 7th:"Amy Ellis", http://amyscreativeside.com/blog/
 Dec 8th: "Rachaeldaisy",http://bluemountaindaisy.blogspot.com/
Dec 9th:"Jackie Kunkel", http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/
Dec. 10th: http://www.ctpubblog.com/

Comments

[Bonnie Larson]

OH, I hope I'm not too late......... Thanks for the opportunity on a great draw and have a very Merry Christmas.

[Penny]

8am

[Kim Mueller]

LOVE TO SEW IN THE EARLY MORNING, WHEN THE WORLD IS STILL QUIET!

[Ellen]

I love to sew in the evening.

[Tami]

Any time of the day is a good time for me to sew, I find as I get older that I do not enjoy sewing in the evening when it is dark outside. No matter how many Ott lights I have in my sewing room, the lighting after the sun goes down is just not ideal for my oldish eyes.
Tami

[Kathleen]

I'm always best in the mornings-but not too early. Sometimes I get a second wind in late afternoon, but only if I've had a nap, ha-ha. But anytime of day is a good time to be in the sewing room, picking up fabric or daydreaming about future quilts. Thanks very much.

[Laura Brown]

I love the quilts they are beautiful! Can't wait to make the Hex quilt!!

[Cheryl]

I get the most done in the evening after Hubby settles down to snooze in front of the TV. But I sew at all hours of the day, for as many hours as I can manage and still keep the house from falling down around my ears!!!

[Allison C Bayer]

What a great book! I sew a little before dinner and certainly after until bed time. After standing at the longarm all day quilting for my sweet customers it feels oh so good to sit down and sew up my scraps. That is my goal for 2013, to make a SERIOUS dent in the scraps drawers and bins. Victoria's book could help me do that!! Thanks for the chance to win.

[Susan]

The best time of day for me to sew is nap time!!!

[Martina]

Great book! I sew mostly in the evenings.

[patty]

The best time for me to sew is in the evening. I am not a morning person. I've tried to change but it just didn't work. I love how so many people can get up early and sew before work. It would be a fun way to start the day, but I can't do it. Thanks for a great giveaway. And I love her yellow pants!

[Mitzie]

At night, after dinner.

[quiltmom anna]

I like to piece early but I have been known to quilt way into the night if I get on a roll. I love Victoria's blog - thanks for the link to the yummy recipe - it looks delicious.
Regards from Western Canada,
Anna

[Diana Wylie]

Anytime is a good time to sew but Ido my best sewing on Sunday!

[Millie Penuel]

I would enjoy it the most in the early to mid morning but work keeps me away from my sewing room. Most of my sewing is after 9 PM at night.

[Julie Shipp]

I am a morning person so i love to get at it bright & early!

[Carol L.]

I usually try to sew mid afternoon. If I'm lucky I can start mid morning.

[Linda]

I like to quilt early in the morning. Getting up early in the morning, putting preparing a pot of tea and heading into the family room to sew is a real treat in my day--before all the other issues of the day intrude.

[Valerie]

The best time of day for me to sew or quilt is when there is a lot of natural light in the room. Otherwise I have to set up my daylight lamp to see well enough, or put on my most powerful magnifying glasses, (or both)!

[Tami Chaulk]

The best time of the day for me to sew is about 9:00 or 10:00pm. I'm somewhat of a night owl and live to sleep in real late. My sewing machine is set up so I can look out the window, but the sun shines right in my eyes when sitting there in the morning.

[Karyn Ashley Smith]

As much as I would love to get up bright and early, I find that when I get the little ones to bed, I can usually get a couple solid hours in.... the only problem comes when I get so entranced I lose track of time, only to see it's 2 am and they will be up in just a few hours *YIKES!*

[Angela Smith]

I enjoy it most as soon as I get home from work, if DH is working local then after dinner. I have plenty of pieces that I think I could start one of these projects soon...

[Kathryn Knox]

Afternoon works best for me. Morning stiffness is gone and things work well.

[Sharon South]

I try to sew about 30 minutes every morning. It seems to calm me before driving to work.