MQResource

This week we are featuring quilter and designer Celine Spader of Attleboro, MA.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy getting to know a little more about her; and I know you’ll love the photographs of her quilting that she has shared with us. Please be sure to visit the forum and thank Celine for taking the time to participate in our “In the Spotlight” feature.

MQResource: (MQR) Can you tell us about your family?

I’ve been married for just 13 years to a great, loving husband who helped me get started in my quilting business; and I have three children ages  29, 27, & 8 (that is another looooong story). We have no pets at present, but I am thinking about a dog again.

MQR: Where do you call home?

I live in southeastern MA in a city of 45,000 people called Attleboro. I am 45 minutes south of Boston and 20 minutes north of Providence, RI. I’m close to Cape Cod, too! I love this area.

MQR: How long have you been quilting?

I started quilting in 1986 thanks to my mother.  She was always exploring some craft or art. She loved all forms of art and is very talented IMHO.  One day she came to my home with the latest cool craft tools…rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat and of course fabric. Right before my eyes she put together a quilt top. I was totally enamored and of course I had to try it. Shopping for fabric was so fun. I loved making quilt tops and collecting fabric and books.

My first quilt was a very simple sampler. I tied my first quilt and loved it to death. My second quilt I machine quilted in the ditch.  (I hated the quilting process and felt it was much like wrestling a bear). I also tried some hand quilting and was discouraged with how child-like my stitches looked as well as how long it took.  I also did not have space to leave my sewing machine out; so in time, I put it all aside.  I did a few small projects but no “bear-wrestling” quilts.

After having a difficult miscarriage in 1999 and while I was recovering, I picked up a new quilting magazine and read an advertisement for a quilting machine. All I could do was say WOW at every proclamation!!! And look honey, it’s got this bell and that whistle!!! Wow, wow, wow! My husband said I sounded like a boy with a car magazine. Well, I had to find out about these machines. This is what I really needed and it could make the quilting quicker and fun too!

Over the next six months, I schemed and saved and planned until one day I found an ad about MQS in Springfield, IL. My husband lived in the general area before we were married and had friends that he talked about visiting all the time. So my plan came together quite well. We went to visit his friends in May during MQS! I had already shown him I was serious about quilting and because he was a business-minded man, we started a business before the trip. I signed up for classes and signed him up for some business classes, too! He came out of class saying “No honey not that little machine but this one”. I am sure I heard a choir of angels at that very moment!!! By the way, as a little side note, I got pregnant on the trip to MQS. My machine was delivered in September, and I learned to quilt with a big belly. My precious baby girl was born in February.

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

I wish I was better about scheduling my time because I love piecing. I usually have to go away to quilt camp to really have time to quilt. Not that I will then have time to quilt it. I still try to squeeze some piecing in when I can.

My friend Lisa Calle told me of her experience and encouraged me to talk to someone about my freehand designs, which I did but was not quite ready to commit to a contract. In time, Lisa and Karen started up their business “Intelligent Quilting”; and again Lisa encouraged me to give it a try. Thanks Lisa!

MQR: Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

I have no idea, maybe a wonderful accident! In a way, my inspiration came from the fact that I loved the look of pantos because the spacing could be kept even but hated that it was so easy to find the repeat. I wanted to design patterns that have the consistent spacing of pantos; but it would be more difficult to find the repeat (like rows of freehand).

MQR: What is the most challenging part of quilting for you?  Finding time to play, refresh and recharge.

MQR: What are your favorite quilting tools?

Oh my gosh, I love tools! But, truly, I collect them instead of using them. Still I love rulers, stencils, chalk, marking pens, books, and the internet. The truth is my most used tools are school chalk and a tiny crochet hook for frogging!

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

Is there anything else???? No, I’m kidding. I love many other hobbies including gardening, scrapbooking, reading (especially MQR & MQP lists), listening to praise music, and playing with my grandchildren (my favorite).

MQR: What are your three favorite foods?  Lobster with butter, bread with butter, any veggie with butter! I love butter!

MQR: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?   Peppermint

MQR: Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?  Both

MQR: What is your favorite beverage?  Coffee… is there any other?

MQR: What is your least favorite food?  You’re kidding right?

MQR: What is your favorite time of year?  Love it all; but if I have to choose, it’s summer!

MQR: What are your favorite books/authors?  Anything by Jane Austin and the Bible

MQR: What are your favorite movies?

Pride and Prejudice and all classics--Romeo and Juliet, Merchant of Venice, where you actually have to listen to the words and use your brain to understand what is really being said.

MQR: What is one of your goals for 2009?  Quilt one of my own quilts! Another is having more time to play.

I love quilting, all of it!!!! It is my passion. But it is the quilting that drives me to create and inspires me to play. I have been surrounded by very talented, artistic people. When I was younger, I thought I missed it, I did not get that gene…….until I found what inspired me. It’s the quilting that makes the quilt!

All photographs were provided by Celine.  For the newest designs, check out DigiTech Patterns.

http://community.webshots.com/user/celinespader

http://stores.digitechpatterns.com/StoreFront.bok

http://www.intelligentquilting.com/

Thanks so much, Celine! 

Please don’t forget to visit the forum.