In Kim's Own Words
What I wanted to be when I grew up:
Like many little girls years ago, I wanted to be a teacher or nurse. I grew up in San Diego, California, and in the seventh grade I won a countywide art contest open to students through the 12th grade. Still, an artistic career never occurred to me, so I’m very happy that quilting found me.
The best present I've received:
One Christmas morning when I was a child, there was a shiny new Schwinn bicycle waiting for me by the tree. It had a horn and beautifully colored streamers coming from the handles. To top it off, there was a Slinky and an Oscar Meyer Wiener Whistle, too.
On my iPod:
What’s an iPod?
Life philosophy:
My philosophy is that anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Restraint is highly overrated, especially when it comes to gardening and quiltmaking.
What I do to unwind:
In the summertime, I love sharing a few quiet moments with my husband on our covered front porch while sipping cool drinks in our rocking chairs and visiting. During the chilly winter months, we move indoors and spend time together by the fireplace in our sitting room.
My ideal day:
An ideal day for me would be one without anything on my “to do” list. I’d spend the morning sewing in my pajamas while sipping triple-shot coconut mochas, and then get dressed up in my sweats to work in my flower beds and listen to the birds sing. Best of all, someone else would cook dinner and wash the dishes.
Wished-for talent:
I cannot bake a cake to save my life--they all cave in or end up lopsided. My goal is to one day win the cake bake-off at our state fair, but until then, thank goodness for frosting.
Most prized possession:
My antique treasures and furniture pieces, especially those that I’ve rescued and given new life to. They’re like having a little peek into the past, and I love imagining what they’ve seen and the stories they could tell.
Biggest challenge in my work:
It’s important to me that my designs remain fresh and original, so with the exception of my subscription to American Patchwork & Quilting, I don’t purchase or read any quilting books or publications; I depend on my surroundings to fuel my creative energies. I also want my workmanship to stand up to the closest scrutiny, so I rely on creative time management while juggling multiple deadlines, a teaching schedule, and, of course, time with my family.
A typical workday:
My workdays can vary depending upon which deadlines are approaching. Winter days are my favorites, though, because there are no flowers to be deadheaded or weeds to be pulled. I often head into the sewing room in my pajamas early in the morning and can sew all day uninterrupted. I know that I’ve had too many favorite days when my husband comes home to find me dressed and wants to know if we’re having company!
My favorite part of quilting:
There are several aspects of quiltmaking that I love, and depending upon my mood, any step of the process can be my favorite on any given day. I love sitting at my sewing machine and just feeding the patchwork pieces through because I find the repetition very calming. But my very favorite part is probably the time I spend hand-sewing the binding--all of the steps are behind me, and I love how it feels to sit under my brand-new quilt while I sew my stitches and anticipate tying off that last stitch.
More to check out:
Green Pinwheels
Four-Square Pillow
Dotty Stars |
