This week we are featuring quilter Angela Huffman of Louisville, KY.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy getting to know her a little better; and I know you’ll enjoy the photographs of the quilts she has shared with us.

Please be sure to visit the forum to thank Angela for taking the time to participate in our “In the Spotlight” feature.

MQResource: Please tell us a little about your family.

I am an incredibly lucky single mom to 11-year-old triplets, two boys and a girl. I homeschooled them for the first three years of schooling, and then they entered public school. They just started 6^th grade, and this is the first year all three aren’t in the same classroom; so it has been a change for everyone, but they are doing great.

We just adopted an adorable black and white kitten, Oskar, who is polydactyl (which means he has an extra toe on his paws). He has opposable thumbs! We also have an older polydactyl Maine Coon cat named Yogi as well as a noisy parrot and an ancient goldfish.

MQR: Where do you call home?

I live in Louisville, KY.

MQR: How long have you been quilting?

I started quilting when the babies were about 18 months (2000). When you have triplets, a schedule is paramount. The babies thrived, but every day is the same as the day before and the day before that. I started to feel like I was in the movie “Groundhog Day”. My right brain was withering away; and one day for kicks, I walked into a local fabric store where I saw a quilt with curvy shapes. I had one of those crystallized moments where the clouds part, the angels sing and suddenly you just KNOW you were meant to do something. Quilting became my art form, and I’ve never looked back. I’m absolutely obsessed, and I try to infect as many people around me as possible. 

My first big quilt show was in Nashville where I took a machine quilting class from Ricky Tims. I remember walking past the longarm booths on the show floor and rolling my eyes. I thought, goodness- those people are in deep! They need to get help! And yet… my mind kept drifting back to those big machines, and I finally started saving up some money in a little side account to someday buy a machine.

During my divorce, all the accounts were emptied and the credit cards were cancelled. I had nothing but the money I’d set aside in my little nest egg fund for my longarm machine. When I hired my lawyer, I had to turn over every penny of those meager savings to pay my legal bills. It almost killed me, and I knew then what I would be buying once the divorce was settled.

Sure enough, after the settlement, I bought a used APQS Millennium. I was so nervous about it! I didn’t tell anyone for three days what I had done. Of course, then I had to find a place to put it. My kids and I were living with my parents who had graciously taken in me, my triplets, 2 cats, a parrot and goldfish, plus all my furniture. When I told them, I thought they’d be angry with me but they thought it was funny. I guess I could have gone a lot further off the deep end after a divorce than buying a quilting machine, so they were a bit relieved.

I sold that machine two years later for $500 less then what I paid for it. I got a new APQS Millennium with a hydraulic, lift and I LOVE it! That is one of the things I tell my machine customers today is to investigate how well the manufacturer’s machines hold their value. In my case, as a single mom, I needed to know that if life happened and I had to get out, I wouldn’t be taking a huge financial hit on the sale of the machine.

MQR: Do you still do much piecing, or are you all about the quilting?

Now that I’ve added the Intelliquilter to my APQS Millennium, I am able to piece more. Right now I mainly piece for commissioned quilts and tops I’m teaching as a class. After embracing computerized quilting, I certainly have more opportunities to piece for myself now.

MQR: Where do you find inspiration for your quilts and quilting designs?

I love looking at Henna designs, zentangles, wood carving, ironwork, and ornate hotel carpeting. Of course, cruising around the internet also gives me lots of eye candy for inspiration too.

MQR: Do you have a quilting business?

Yes, I do have a quilting business.

MQR: What do you enjoy most about quilting for other people?

My favorite part is working on quilts with high sentimental value. For example, I have made a number of quilts on commission for clients out of a deceased loved one’s clothing. It makes me feel so honored to be a part of such tender heart memories.

MQR: What is the most challenging part of quilting for you?

Managing my day!  Between the invoices, the paperwork, the e-mails, it is easy to get sidetracked. I also have fibromyalgia, and it can be very difficult to get through some days. I have to keep my schedule flexible because on those bad days I won’t be able to get anything done at all.

MQR: What are your favorite quilting tools?

The computer, hands down. I use a paint program to draw on photos of my customer’s quilts for their approval on custom quilting ideas. I use it to capture inspiration from my fellow quilters on the web. I use it track invoices and estimates. I use it to blog about the latest customer quilt I’ve finished and engage with my customer. I use it to design my website so potential customers can find me and get their questions answered on their time frame. I use it to connect with others since I don’t work a “regular” office job full of other adults to interact with. I use it to design quilting patterns for use with my Intelliquilter. I use it for EVERYTHING! I joke that I start twitching when I’ve been away from the computer too long.

MQR: What is your current favorite quilting book or pattern?

Right now I’m working on a Fire Escape quilt designed by Terry Atkinson. It is incredibly modern and graphic. I’ll be teaching it as a class in my local guild in November. I am also working on an appliqué quilt by Laundry Basket Quilts. I’m doing that so I can learn more about my new Viking Embroidery machine that Santa bought me last year.

MQR: Please tell us about a favorite quilting class or workshop you have taken.

I have taken classes from Dawn Cavanaugh and Marilyn Badger. I wish I could do a Vulcan mind meld with those two. They are both so incredibly knowledgeable and talented!

MQR: If you could offer one helpful tip or hint to new machine quilters, what would it be?

New machine quilters need to give themselves permission to learn and to screw up. I find a lot of newbie quilters who want to step up to their machines and quilt fantastically right away. It isn’t going to happen, so don’t get uptight over it. Relax, have fun and trust that with time you will get better- because you will.

MQR: What hobbies do you have (beyond quilting)?

I love web design and have fun learning new computer skills. In addition to being a rep for APQS and Intelliquilter, I am also a voice-over actor for television and radio. I have a sound booth next to my quilting machine, and I do auditions from home. My national agent sends me scripts; and when I get a gig, I head down to a professional studio in town to cut it. I have been a voice over actor for over 15 years now, and I absolutely LOVE it!

MQR: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? 

Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chip

MQR: Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?

My favorite is Synder’s Honey Mustard Pretzels, so I guess I’m a salty and sweet combo kinda gal.  

MQR: What is your favorite beverage?

Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla

MQR: What is your least favorite food?

Coconut- ICK!

MQR: What is your favorite time of year?

Fall

MQR: What are your favorite books/authors?

Right now I’m enjoying the Twilight series. I know, I know… you can roll your eyes at me, but my daughter and I are enjoying sharing these books together.

MQR: What are your favorite movies?

I don’t watch many movies; but I did see “Toy Story 3”, and it was really wonderful. I highly recommend it.  I also liked “Touching the Void”.

MQR: What is your favorite quote?

"I am Who I am" (Ex. 3: 13, 14)

MQR: What is one of your goals for 2010?

I have started a digital quilting pattern company, and I have added a few patterns so far. My goal is to get more and more designs up and running each month for my customers. I have a number of them that can be snapped up for free through September 30, 2010.

MQR: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about quilting or your business?

Owning a quilting business lets me be the mommy I want to be. I can volunteer at the school, chaperone on the field trips, and be home when they get off from school and in the summers. It is the perfect job for me!

All photographs were provided by Angela.  Her website is http://www.QuiltedJoy.com