In the Spotlight

Everyone has a story -- and here you'll find stories about MQR members, pattern designers, and anyone else we can convince to tell us their story.

Have a story you'd like to tell? Know someone that you think we should feature in the spotlight? Send an e-mail to spotlight @ mqresource.com!

Shirley Bruner, Featured Quilter

Shirley and Chrome After a break of far too many weeks, we are finally bringing you a new featured quilter post! I'm excited to introduce Shirley Bruner! I actually had the honor of meeting Shirley in person last week and can't wait for all of you to learn more about this wonderful quilter!

MQResource: First, tell us about your family!

I have a jack-of-all-trades husband who can repair or build anything. We are both retired, my husband, Jim, from AT&T and me from the government…Veterans Administration. Jim builds and repairs computers to keep himself occupied…as if all the work on this property isn’t enough. LOL My only son lives in Granbury, Texas with his wife and their 9 dogs, 2 horses and a parrot. I have 2 teenage grandsons who live in Illinois with their mother. We have 2 rottweilers who protect our 40 acres. Shimmy, the oldest, spends most of her time on ‘her’ couch and has passed the ‘security’ reins to SuzyQ, the youngest. Suzy’s job is to keep the cows in line….she hates for them to get too close to the house and is constantly herding them back up the pasture.

MQR: Where do you call home? Shirley Bruner

Well, let’s see….I was born in Illinois; lived in St. Louis, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas, 20 years in Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; back to Illinois and now retired in Cherryville, Missouri. We are in the Mark Twain National Forest but hardly a bump on the map. The town is long dead….very few people live here any more….no stores, no gas stations, no grocery, no fast food, no nothing. The population is way less than 100 but we can round up a couple thousand if we count the cows. But it is quiet and peaceful...our nearest neighbor is ½ mile away. We like it here.

MQR: How long have you been quilting? How did you get into it?

I’ve been ‘quilting’ since I was in my twenties…if you want to call it quilting. I made a lot of quilts on my domestic machine. Mainly small ones for babies and family. I have always done some kind of craft…crocheting, painting gourds, macramé…my, that dates me, doesn’t it…. woodworking. If my day had about 20 more hours I would probably be doing painting and woodworking along with my quilting. But I had to make a choice.

Shirley's Raggedy Bullseye About 5 years before I decided to retire, I bought a small frame that sits on an 8 foot table and made quilts for family and friends. I even sold a few. I had seen advertisements for the longarm machines and thought they looked intriguing. Once I tried one, I knew that is what I was going to do when I retired. I am sure I drove folks crazy talking about buying a longarm and all it could do. My friends couldn’t quite grasp the idea and my family just thought I was nuts. But I tried them all and went to Paducah 3 years ago and bought my APQS Millennium and have been having fun ever since.

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

I TRY to get some piecing in….usually I have about 5 projects going at once. I get tired of working on a quilt and sit down and piece for a while. I have a machine in the kitchen at home, so sometimes I piece at night. Sometimes it is a project for me and sometimes for others. I seem to be getting more people wanting me to make the whole quilt for them. I really don’t like doing that for others but have a problem saying NO.

Lately I can’t seem to stay in the studio and quilt like I should. I have about 11 quilts in line to do, but find any reason not to do them. Sometimes I just get tired of other people’s quilts….either I don’t like the pattern, the fabrics, their choice of quilt design or something. But if I just get started and say I will just quilt for an hour, usually I keep at it longer. Sometimes I have to reward myself….just quilt for 2 hours…then you can go online and check out MQR. LOL Shirley's Lone Star

MQR: Do you have a quilting business? If so, what is your favorite part of quilting for other people?

Yes, I have a business….kind of….sort of. My sister says I will never make any money. I don’t care. I quilt mainly for family and people in my quilting class group. I am kind of slow and usually take about a week to quilt something. (I take a lot of breaks..LOL). I don’t want to do too many because I don’t want it to be a ‘job’…I want to have fun. So when someone gives me a quilt to do for them, they know they won’t see it again for 2 or 3 months. They seem to be OK with that. In fact, people are bringing 2 at a time now. Siggghhh!!!! My favorite part is when they give me their quilt and say ‘just do whatever you think is best’. Then I hang it on my design wall and look at it for a few weeks while I work on other quilts till it talks to me.

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

Coming up with new designs…sometimes I get stuck in a rut. I have about a million books, but forget to look in them for ideas. Or if someone wants something quilted that I can’t do at the time. Last year someone wanted a cable in their border…..I bought rulers….read the directions….tried it on paper…just could not figure it out. I felt like an idiot. Had to do something else that time. Last week someone wanted a cable…I got out the instructions again, read it, and did it…no problem. Now, why couldn’t I have done that the first time. Sheesh!!

MQR: What are your favorite quilting tools?

My 8” ruler that I use for SID and most all line work; chalk; and Marvy purple markers. Oh, and adding machine tape….that can be counted as a tool, right? Oh, and Renae’s arcs.

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

Gardening and canning the results. Reading murder mysteries. Taking road trips with my sister to find new quilt shops. And watching HGTV while on the treadmill. I love those design shows…I am constantly moving furniture around…drives my husband nuts.

MQR: Anything else?

I want it all and I want to try it all. Jean’s class opened up a whole new world for me with the fabric painting. It is very addictive. I painted a t-shirt last week…such fun. I am going to paint more fabric and then make myself a quilt with all my yummy fabrics. I only have to live another 40 years to make all the projects I have in line. The next quilt in line is for me and the back needs to be red or black….naturally, I don’t have enough of anything to use as a back….so, today I decided I could paint a backing from muslin. (Thank you, Jean). So, tonight I am painting a red and black backing for my next quilt.

MQR: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Shirley's Dragons

French vanilla…with perhaps some Hershey’s syrup on top. Yum…. OH, and remember the dreamsicle from when we were kids…..the vanilla ice cream with the orange sherbet inside….i really like those.

MQR: Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?

Sweet is my all time favorite but I am not opposed to some pretzels or chips. Better yet, is pretzels dipped in chocolate. My daughter-in-law makes these for me for Christmas…I love that girl.

MQR: What is your favorite beverage?

Raspberry Iced Tea…no lemon, please.

After that, just plain water.

MQR: What is your least favorite food?

Oatmeal…can’t take it….gags me. Yuck…also, cooked cabbage, cooked okra. BUT, oatmeal is GREAT in cookies. LOL

MQR: What are your favorite books/authors?

Murder mysteries are my number 1 choice. I pretty much read them all. I like the series where the characters stay the same and time seems to progress. I have read all of Ed McBain. Years ago I read all of John D. McDonald. Now I skip around and read lots of different people. We go to the used book store in Rolla…about 25 miles away. They trade books….I have not paid for a book in years. We take our books in and trade for different ones. Sometimes I get them at yard sales for a quarter and take them in to trade.

MQR: What are your favorite movies?

Usually I prefer comedies….I like Jack Nicholson and Eddie Murphy. I like Meryl Streep. I used to stay up late into the night to watch Sidney Poitier….I just loved his movies. But I do like to watch murders, too.

MQR: What is your favorite quote?

I don’t guess I have a favorite quote. My favorite thing to say if someone ticks me off is “Bite Me”. I don’t guess that counts…does it? LOL

MQR: What is one of your goals for 2008?

To learn to be more patient. And have a little more tolerance.

All photographs were provided by Shirley.

Don't forget, you can visit the forum here, if you would like to comment.

Thanks for playing along, Shirley! Tune in next week for the next Quilter In the Spotlight!

Diane Fink, Quilter In the Spotlight

This week's quilter in the spotlight is Diane Fink, she's the one in the hat at the Kansas Speedway. There's a reason why she's been dubbed our Princess of Speed! If you would like to leave a comment or ask a question, you can head on over to the forum (you do have to have a forum account). A post can be found here.

MQResource: First, tell us about your family!

Tell us about your family (kids, spouse, pets, etc.) DH, Matt and I have been married almost 18 years now. We have two son's Cody who will be a senior this coming year and Dusty who will be a freshman. We enjoy camping, fishing, hunting (them not me, well I like the quiet house when they go hunting), high school sports and Nascar. Let's not forget my baby girl Abby, the black labby, she makes our house a home.

MQR: Where do you call home?

We live in a small community in north western Wisconsin. We moved here in 1994, from Shakopee Minnesota, for DH's job. This is certainly a much quieter place to have raised my kids, than Shakopee has become since we left there. We live in a house that was built in approx, 1910. It is in town just 5 blocks from the high school and two blocks from the pool. Which made it easy for the boys to get where they wanted to go very easily. Up until last year Durand was a no stop light town. That just tells you how small of a town it is.

MQR: How long have you been quilting? How did you get into it?

When I as in 4th grade we had an assignment to do make something in that they would have made in 1776, as it was 1976 and the USA was celebrating it's bicentennial. Well since my mother was a quilter and I always wanted to make one of my own. I made my first big quilt, as I had made several doll quilts before this. Four years later my mother opened a quilt shop and I worked there for her durring my high school years. I took a break durring my college years and the when Cody was on the way I hand quilted a baby quilt top that I Diane Fink had made a shop sample when I worked at the shop. It wasn't until we moved here to Durand that the bug hit me bad. The first winter we were here we rented a house out in the country, seven miles from town. I had many fabrics in my stash as my DM had just closed her shop and I was able to stock up cheap. The winter brought lots of snow and I was at home with a 3 Y/O and an infant. I had an old knee operated machine, that got a good work out that year. Time passed, I had a couple of jobs and a move to town. In the summer of 2001 I started my hunt for a longarm quilting machine, I hit a couple shows, and looked at a couple of older used machines. I happened to be at home sick on September 11th and watching the today show as the events of the day unwound. I called the machine manufacturer that very day and bought a used machine that they had. I wasn't gonna work at job I didn't love, life was to short. On my birthday 3 weeks later my machine was delivered. I was since able to purchase a new A-1 machine and continue to love what I do (well most of the time) So 1976 to 2008, that makes 32 years I have been at this quilting thing.

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

I do it all, as I run a mystery group at a local shop that I make the samples for I get plenty of piecing time. I have also recently made time to do some piecing that I want to do that has nothing to do with the club. I need that variety to keep me interested.

MQR: Do you have a quilting business? If so, what is your favorite part of quilting for other people?

yes, I have a quilting business. My favorite part is when I get a great quilt that I can freehand to my hearts content, and then seeing the look on my customers face when I have blown them away.

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

When I have thread issues with the machine. I hate to mess with timing as I am afraid I will make things worse.

MQR: What are your favorite quilting tools?

Well of course my A-1. Followed closely by a drawing pad for doodling.

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

Camping and nascar, are those considered hobbies?

MQR: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Diane Fink

Toss up between chocolate with peanut butter in it, or lemon merangue pie ice cream

MQR: Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?

used to be sweet, but since I cut high fructose corn syrup out of my diet I now crave salty

MQR: What is your favorite beverage?

Iced coffee lately, but the green smoothies run a close second, and water is also good

MQR: What is your least favorite food?

Liver

MQR: What are your favorite books/authors?

Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts and of course the Harry Potter books.

MQR: What are your favorite movies?

Mystery Alaska, Escanaba in the Moon light, Titanic, the Notebook, I enjoy a good laugh or a good cry.

MQR: What is your favorite quote?

I know that you are looking for some quote from someone great here, but in our house we are more about lines from movies. We have two favorites. From Mystery Alaska, the little boy is being intereview on national TV and says "I have a toys pony and he takes big poops (well he uses the other word)" I know it dumb but it makes me laugh everytime I hear it. Another quote and I don't know where it is from. "Bla bla bla, all I hear is I'm a dirty trap"

Diane Fink MQR: What is one of your goals for 2008?

I have been fighting illness since last November, so the big thing for me is to get healthy. That involves healing, losing weight and eating healthier. Things are going in the right direction for all three of those things currently.

All photographs were provided by Diane.

Don't forget, you can visit the forum here, if you would like to comment.

Thanks for playing along, Diane! Tune in 2 weeks for the next Quilter In the Spotlight!

Abby, Diane's lab

Tracye Quinlan, Quilter In the Spotlight

This week's quilter in the spotlight is Tracye Quinlan, who has recently been dubbed "Princess Hick Chick" in our forums, in honor of the really cool quilt she created and showed at the Machine Quilters Showcase this past spring. Tracye managed to make her quilt look like leather, and it's even cooler in person than a photograph can show.If you would like to leave a comment or ask a question, you can head on over to the forum (you do have to have a forum account). A post can be found here.

MQResource: First, tell us about your family!

I’m married to Norlan, 11 yrs this August, with 2 fabulous kids, Tanner 6 and Tehya 4. We have 2-3 horses (long story, mom owes me one of her broodmares so for now we “share” her LOL). Aprox 1.5 dogs (also shared w/mom thingy on the others) 2 cats and “today” 6 gold fish, but that could change by the time this comes out as they die like flies.

There are 5-6 other horses, 2-3 other dogs and 9 surviving goats (from the fires that killed the rest of our herd) that belong to my Mom but live among us and ours. Tracye
My mom, grandma, and my family all live in our own homes on the same 160 acre property.

MQR: Where do you call home?

We live outside of the town of Florence Colorado. Florence is between Pueblo and Canon City off of hwy 50 in the south central part of the state.

MQR: How long have you been quilting? How did you get into it?

I’ve been quilting since 1999, and longarming since 2004. Tracye Quinlan
In 1999 I lived on a 1000 acre alfalfa hay farm in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, 1 hour southeast of Alamosa, and worked 4 /10 hour days as a 911/State patrol dispatcher in Alamosa. This meant I had 3 days off every week. In the fall of that year my DH went to California for a month, starting up the business he now has, and I needed something to do for those 3 days alone in the middle of nowhere. Since I’m allergic to doing too much housework I went to Walmart and checked out the crafts section (that no longer exists in the same form). I’d taught myself to crochet and everyone I knew already had an afghan so I thought it time to learn something else. I bought a book on Knitting, and one on quilting called Make A Log Cabin Quilt In A Weekend by Marti Michell. I couldn’t figure out the knitting book but the quilting one made sense. My first 2 quilts were made that way.
Quilting has always been about never saying never. I started out with everything Marti Michell had about strip piecing. I’d make a complete lap size quilt every 3 days off. The folks at work were really impressed.
I picked up a block from a BOM at a quilt shop in New Mexico once that required me to make a template and it turned out so bad I SWORE I’d NEVER use templates. Then I had the chance to take a class with Marti Michell in Farmington, NM and it was using HER templates. Things were much better. I now use template.
It’s gone on like that. I’d NEVER paper piece, do it all the time now. I’d NEVER have a longarm! Why? Now, on my second machine, it’s my creative heart.

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

I’m mostly about the quilting. The piecing serves a purpose, either to create a canvas for the quilting, or someone needs a gift or, gasp, a quilt to use in the house.

MQR: Do you have a quilting business? If so, what is your favorite part of quilting for other people?

Yes I have a business. I think the favorite part is getting to work on something I haven’t already quilted 5 different ways in my head, like I would have if I’d sat thru the piecing of it.

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

Not being stuck in a rut with the same designs over and over. Also creating what I really love is challenging. I love the traditional looking quilts, but it’s just not what I’m best at. I keep trying though, and in the meantime let myself be my odd self and do funky things.

MQR: What are your favorite quilting tools?

I love my rulers/templates, but I think my FAVORITE quilting tool would be THREAD. Thread can surprise you by taking your quilting farther than you expected.

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

There is something besides quilting? Just kidding. I don’t really have any others. I tried different things but nothing makes my heart sing like quilting.
I spend a lot of time herding cats…ahem, chasing kids, but I’m not sure it qualifies as a hobby yet.

MQR: Anything else to add?

Quilting, especially longarming, is my happy place. When life starts to suck, and I begin to get down, or feel overwhelmed, I can even just start imagining a longarming project, or technique I want to try/learn and escape if only for a little while.
I am so thankful for the amazing online communities we have. I totally attribute my creative growth and any skills I’ve acquired to what I’ve learned from all the fantastic quilters around the world who are as close as my computer screen, and more generous and giving than I could have ever imagined humanly possible.

MQR: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Vanilla with either, strawberries or hot fudge on top.

MQR: Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?

Hmmm… I have to choose? Well, probably salty would win, but mixing them is also good (popcorn w/M&Ms in it, hence the size of my butt).

MQR: What is your favorite beverage?

Water is what I drink most, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be Limeade (the frozen Minute Maid kind), and Cosmos for adult beverage time.

MQR: What is your least favorite food?

Bell peppers! Double yuck!!

MQR: What are your favorite books/authors?

Janet Evonvich, Dana Stabenow, Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottolini, Nelson Demille, Dan Brown, Barbara Kingsolver (her fiction is more my cup of tea, though she is very profound in her non-fiction) Tracye Quinlan

MQR: What are your favorite movies?

KPAX, American History X, The Birdcage, French Kiss, Armagedon, White Palace, Ant Bully, Wild Thornberrys (you know I only get to watch kids movies these days right).

MQR: What is your favorite quote?

If I could only have one it would be “Balance is the key to life”.
You know, I collect quotes, so want to add a couple of others I like.
“Everything is okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end.”

"Perhaps strength doesn't reside in never having been broken... but in the courage required to grow strong in the broken places." Unknown

"We are continually faced with great opportunities which are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems." Margaret Mead
Oh, and of course this one….
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.” ~~ Marianne Williamson

Okay, I’ll stop…

MQR: What is one of your goals for 2008?

Hmm…a goal?…do the laundry BEFORE it’s as high as my butt, like only to my knees….Well, maybe that’s a bit too much… Oh, here’s one, do another leather quilt, not quite as torturous as housework, but almost.

All photographs were provided by Tracye.

Tracye's Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/tracyeq

Don't forget, you can visit the forum here. if you would like to comment.

Thanks for playing along, Tracye! Tune in next week to see who will be the next Quilter In the Spotlight!

Janet Murdock, Quilter In the Spotlight

This week's quilter in the spotlight is Janet Murdock, our very own Little Miss Sunshine. Janet has got some beautiful work to share with us, we need to convince her to post quilt pictures more often!

If you would like to leave a comment or ask a question, you can head on over to the forum (you do have to have a forum account). A post can be found here.

MQResource: First, tell us about your family!
My DH Chad and I have been married 9 years this month. I can honestly say he is my best friend. I have two grown children, Chad has 3 of his own plus two adopted step children from his first marriage and together we foster any teen that shows up needing a home. We joke that we are a yours, mine, hers and theirs family. We have also been known to take in a few families. I can’t say no. Our fur babies are Princess the cat and Abby the dog. Janet Murdock

MQR: Where do you call home?

We live in the Portland Oregon area where it is nice and rainy. There is nothing better than a cold overcast day in my book.

MQR: How long have you been quilting? How did you get into it?

Quilting seems to be in my family’s blood. We go back at least 6 generations that we know of. My 5 sisters, my brother and I all learned to sew by 6. In my first sewing class in Jr. high we were told to sew a simple square pillow. I turned in a skirt with a zipper and snaps, and a vest with buttons and received an F for not being able to follow directions. I think that’s why I like quilting. There are no quilting police! My first quilting memory is lying under a quilt that was being hand quilted for my soon to be married sister. The younger kids took turns pushing grandma’s needle back up to her. The ladies got to giggling and giving my other newly married sister sex advice, forgetting we were under the quilt……we didn’t know whether to laugh or throw up. I’d never seen this side to these normally dignified ladies. Ahhhh memories. Sorry back on track…. I’ve been LAing about 7 years.

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

I’ve recently started piecing again. But I tend to do simple get’er done tops. I’ve pieced around 6 quilts this year which is more than the last 3 years combined. (Truth be told, 3 were very small)

MQR: Do you have a quilting business? If so, what is your favorite part of quilting for other people?

Janet Murdock If so, what is your favorite part of quilting for other people? Yes I do have a quilting business and my favorite part would be seeing all the different tops coming in. I love being inspired by their quilts. I’ve been blessed with great customers.

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

I can get stuck in my box. I know I can get it done fast and the next one loaded. To keep it fun I need to take the time to think outside the box and get creative.

MQR: What are your favorite quilting tools?

Rulers and loud music. For some reason a song with a good bass beat pounding through the floor clears my head and lets the creative juices flow. I used to listen to DVD’s but I’d end up watching all the good parts and made very little money quilting. Then I read a thread here about listening to music. Now I’m hooked. AnnMarie gave me some Bobbin Genies to try this week and I have to add those to my list!

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

Hmmm, I think I’m boring; I like to hang out with family and friends. I’d say we are pretty social. I enjoy beading or trying any new artsy thing. I started a book club 5 years ago but usually listen to audio books rather than read. I live for Halloween so we can go to corn mazes and haunted houses, the scarier the better. If you are ever in a corn maze and find your self being followed by the grim reaper or a clown……that would be us. I’m obsessed with Belly Dancing DVD’s. I try to follow along, but what I’m doing and what they’re doing is not even remotely similar. I get a good workout from trying and my DH gets a work out from laughing. Janet Murdock

MQR: Anything else to add?

Um, just that I feel lucky to come from a family of quilter’s. We are all close and love going to quilt shops together when ever we see each other. Almost all my sisters are in the business in one way or another, either designing fabric lines, patterns, writing books or teaching/lecturing.

MQR: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

I’m not a big ice cream eater, but if I do I LOVE Coffee Haagen-Dazs. YUM.

MQR: Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?

Sweet all the way.

MQR: What is your favorite beverage?

Water because it’s good for me and then diet Coke because it is the nectar of the Gods.

MQR: What is your least favorite food?

Any seafood. Double yuck.

MQR: What are your favorite books/authors?

I was on a Dan Brown kick. Right now it’s Jane Austen, J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer. I think I am drawn to YA books because they don’t have heaving bosoms and bulging manhood’s…..oh, can I say that here? I don’t like smut……just a light hint at it, tee hee. My book club gets me to branch out, but these are my favorites.

MQR: What are your favorite movies?

I love a huge variety of movies, Sense and Sensibility, Anne of Green Gables, all the Harry Potter’s, Ponette (French), Hell Boy, North and South (The cotton mill one, not the war one), Pride and Prejudice, The Others…...It’s hard to narrow it down. We go to the movies just about every week.

MQR: What is your favorite quote?

To despair is to turn your back on God.

MQR: What is one of your goals for 2008?

Finish all my UFO’s started prior to this year or toss them and step out on a limb and try new things when opportunity knocks. (Like inchies, noodles and postcard swaps…and answering Suzanne’s questions when she asks me to)

All photographs were provided by Janet.

Don't forget, you can visit the forum here if you would like to comment.

Thanks for playing along, Janet! Tune in next week to see who will be the next Quilter In the Spotlight!

Cheri Gilleland, Quilter In the Spotlight


This week's quilter in the spotlight is Cheri Gilleland. Sorry for the delay in posting this articles, I'm sure you've all been waiting with baited breath for the latest spotlight! If you would like to leave a comment or ask a question, you can head on over to the forum (you do have to have a forum account). A post can be found here.
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