May 7, 2025 • 37 mins
In this episode, Susan interviews Blair Stocker of Wise Craft Handmade, discussing Blair's unique approach to color and value in quilt making, her journey as a crafter, and her revival of the vintage stitching technique called "chicken scratch."
About Blair Stocker
Blair is known for her creative approach to scrappy quilts, focusing on value rather than strict color theory. She comes from a background in apparel design and fashion merchandising, bringing a unique perspective to quilt making.
Key Topics Discussed
- A multi-purpose tool Blair created in 2017
- Functions as both a cutting ruler and a value viewer
- Uses red film technology similar to what landscape painters and photographers use
- Helps quilters see value contrast (the "sunshine and shadow") in fabric selections
- Alternative to the black-and-white photo technique for assessing value
Resources Mentioned
- Wise Craft Handmade website
- Blair's Block of the Month programs
- The Ruby Ruler for color value assessment
- Blair’s first book - Wise Craft: Turning Thrift Store Finds, Fabric Scraps, and Natural Objects into Stuff You Love
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The episode is sponsored by Susan's Free Motion Quilting Masterclass, an on-demand course fo
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Susan (00:04):
Welcome to season five of Measure Twice.
Cut Once.
This whole season is anexploration into behind the
scenes of not just quilting, butbuilding a creative business
that truly lights you up.
As someone who's navigated theexciting and sometimes bumpy
world of turning a passion intoa profession, I'm excited to
pull back the curtain and sharemy own experiences.
(00:25):
Some episodes will be just medelving into my personal
journey.
While others will feature guestswho are also navigating the
world of creativeentrepreneurship.
We'll explore the nitty grittyof building a creative business,
the lessons learned and theunexpected challenges that come
with transforming your craftinto a thriving enterprise.
And don't worry, I'm not leavingstorytelling behind.
(00:47):
Instead, I'll be weaving theminto the conversations about
what it takes to grow a businesswhile staying true to your
creative spirit.
So whether you're dreaming ofstarting your own business, or
you just love hearing aboutcreative entrepreneurship, this
season is for you.
Joining me for a chat today isBlair Stocker of Wise Craft.
(01:08):
Handmade Blair is an absolutemagician with color when it
comes to using scraps in yourquilts.
If the formality and quoteunquote rules of working with a
color wheel has kind ofintimidated you.
You really need to meet Blair.
Rather than specificallyfocusing on color, she considers
(01:29):
value in mixing up and mixingtogether scraps in a quilt.
She has some remarkably simplebut incredibly helpful tools
that really aid toward that.
Plus, Blair is reviving avintage style of Stitchery
called, and I love this-chickenscratch.
So we're going to chat aboutthat a little today.
(01:58):
This episode is sponsored by myfree motion quilting
masterclass.
This online on-demand course isa comprehensive training for
mastering freehand quiltingskills and navigating design
decisions.
It not only teaches over 25specific quilt designs
demonstrated both at the longarm and at a domestic sewing
(02:19):
machine.
But also it teaches the practicemethods that advance your skill
level and thought processes thatenable you to create your own
original designs withconfidence.
For more information, I provideda link in the show notes, or you
can head to my website stitchedby susan.com.
And from there, click on thelearn tab.
(02:39):
Registration for a group ofquilters opens twice per year.
But you're welcome to join thewait list at any time, and
you'll be the first to know whenthe doors open.
So once again, the link is inthe show notes or the learn tab
on my website.
Susan mic (02:55):
Quilting friends today, Blair Stocker is joining
me in the podcast virtualstudio.
Thanks for coming.
Blair.
Blair mic (03:02):
Thanks for having me.
Susan mic (03:04):
We met in person recently at Quilt Con in
Phoenix, and I have followed youand your work and your tools and
your scrap quilts for years andyears.
It was really fun to get achance to meet in person and
right away I knew, I wanted tohave you on as a guest so we
could chat a little bit.
Maybe give me first just acouple of your thoughts about
Quilt Con and your experiencethere this year.
It was a first for me.
(03:25):
I know it was not for you, butwhat do you love about Quilt
Con?
Blair mic (03:29):
I have been to I think all but just maybe one or
two Colt cons and only once asjust a pure spectator I either
taught.
Yeah, most of the, I did a booksigning there, so there was
always like obligations atdifferent booths and things, but
this year was the first time Iever had a booth and I actually
(03:50):
took a like.
A 10 by 10 foot space in DeniseSchmidt's booth.
And so we just brainstormed inthe months leading up to Quilt
Con, how we could be a littlecohesive and, and that sort of
thing.
So that was the first time I'dever vended at Quilt Con, and it
(04:11):
was so great.
To just make connections withpeople who purchase what you
make, who follow what youdesign.
And yeah, it's just it's reallyI think it's so important.
So much of our, day-to-day isvirtual now, I do a lot of
virtual lectures, I teachvirtually.
(04:32):
And so to make those in-personconnections I think was probably
the very best part of Quilt Con.
So it was an experience that Imay still be recovering from
vending at Quilt Con, but it wasit was definitely a really good
experience.
Susan mic (04:51):
So essentially you were connecting with people like
me.
So I was a newcomer to thatshow, and quite honestly, I have
not.
Attended a lot of quilt showsover the year.
I've always, over the years I'vealways lived, in remote
locations and so forth.
So I was on the consumer end ofthat experience, but found it
equally valuable, like to beable to put faces to names and
(05:12):
just to have a conversation withfabric designers and authors and
tool designers like yourself andDenise and all these people,
which just, it adds suchrichness to what I do.
Blair mic (05:23):
Yes.
That's a good way to put it.
That's a good way to put it.
I'm glad you found it to be thatkind of experience, because I
always have, it's just a, it'sso unique to be in a.
In an environment whereeverybody is just talking about
quilts, like that's your people,
Susan mic (05:41):
it absolutely is.
No matter where you sit down forlunch or who you meet on the
escalator, you share that commoninterest.
Yeah.
Blair mic (05:48):
Yes.
Susan mic (05:49):
So you've been quilting, making quilts and
crafts surrounding quilts for alot of years.
What kind of got you started inquilt making or maybe even in
crafting?
Pick whichever you like.
Blair mic (06:02):
I've always enjoyed making things, although I did
not grow up with quilt makers.
My the women in my family wereamazing seamstresses for
clothing and I.
They did a lot of knitting andcrocheting and they would try
different things.
I remember my mom was crochetingsilver, elastic like cording to
(06:26):
make little rings and things.
I just remember her trying allthese different things.
So I always grew up with, likethis whole maker mentality, try
it, you can try anything kind ofthing.
And I went into the appareldesign industry and fashion
merchandising after I graduatedfrom college.
That's what I studied incollege.
(06:47):
And so I worked in that for myentire corporate life and worked
for, I like Union Bay, differentcompanies and approached my
love.
Of good fabric, through thatlens.
I always felt like thisconnection to fabric, and that's
(07:11):
probably why I went into thatsort of field.
We were constantly looking atnew fabrics.
What makes a fabric great?
What do people love about afabric?
What do we not like about it?
And so when I had my daughterwho's now 26, I.
Was no longer I had, we hadmoved to Seattle, Washington
(07:33):
from North Carolina.
I was no longer working in theapparel industry.
We've made the decision to tryto have me stay home with her
because we didn't have familyaround.
And all those feelings you havewhen you have a newborn baby,
and I wanted to make her aquilt.
And the only thing I knew aboutquilts, like in my mind's eye, I
(07:54):
just saw these patchwork quiltsmade with different fabrics, all
kinds of scrappy fabrics, and Iloved the idea of.
That fabrics in a quilt, ifthey're all different, they can
hold meaning like, I could makea quilt with her baby clothes or
I could make a quilt with littlescraps of curtains in her room
(08:15):
and things like that.
That's what the initial appealof quilt making was to me.
Was that it's a scrapbook.
Through or a a photo album ofsome sort told through fabric.
And so I made her.
A quilt.
We, when her son, when my son,her little brother came along I,
(08:41):
and I knew that, I probably was,we were not gonna have any more
kids.
Two was probably enough, so Ihad all these girl clothes.
So I made a patchwork quilt forher super wonky, there were a
lot of things I did notunderstand about quilt making
because I had never, been aroundit.
There's wonky seams.
I didn't really understand that.
(09:02):
Quarter inch seam didn't reallyregister with me.
I, was always with five eighthsinch seams and big seams because
of clothing and I.
Didn't understand how the threelayers of the quilt go together.
It's I finally, I was knittingback then, so I remember I took
some wool yarn and just tied thecorners of the little patchwork
(09:25):
squares that I had sewn togetherwhen I was putting the layers
together because I was like, oh,great, this will hold the layers
together and it'll camouflage mywonky seams and, it's funny
because in that quilt, thebottom third of the squares are
not tied together.
And the reason that they're nottied together was because I was
(09:46):
pregnant with my son when Istarted making the quilt.
And then I went into labor andnever finished the bottom.
And he's now, 23.
So it's never been finished, butI loved the idea of storytelling
and memory keeping throughfabric.
And then I think I was an avidMartha Stewart Living Magazine
(10:11):
person and I saw an article ofDenise Schmidt and her quilts in
a 19, I don't remember, 1990.
6 97, something like that, ormaybe even later.
And I was like, I wanna makethese, this is what I like.
(10:32):
So that sort of started me intopursuing an interesting quilts,
but it wasn't really until 2015or 16.
I started my business wise,craft handmade in 2015.
So that was really when I beganfocusing on quilts in earnest.
(10:55):
To backtrack a little bit, I waswe were living in Seattle.
My kids were young, and I wasasked by a chain of thrift
stores to, shop their stores forsupplies and then create all of
these DIY projects using thingsthat you could find every day in
(11:17):
the thrift store.
In their thrift store.
I did that for three years
Susan mic (11:21):
What are a few of the things you made with upcycled
bits?
So you're saying things you canalways find meaning the things
that commonly are right, likeblue jeans and what else?
Blair mic (11:32):
Yeah, so and then we would make seasonal stories
like, we would style a room forHalloween or something like
that.
So there might be, I would taketheir Barbies that you would see
every day in a thrift store, andI spray painted them white and
turn them into zombies.
And, that was a simple DIYproject and, you wrap them in
gauze and for their, or make amummy or something like that.
(11:55):
So that's just one example.
I would take old t-shirts inlike orange or black or gray or
something and show them how tomake, a bag for Halloween candy
or something like that.
Halloween was a big season forthem, so I often did a lot of
Halloween DIY projects, but itwas all the things that they had
(12:15):
in the store every day, notjust, for Christmas or for
Halloween.
So I did that for a few years.
I think three years.
I would do, like a summer partytheme, a Halloween theme.
Christmas or holiday theme,something like that.
And I kept the the intellectualproperty of all that content.
(12:36):
I did not they were allowed touse it, but I owned it.
So in the end when.
We had compiled all of theseprojects.
The photographer who took photosand myself compiled it into a
book and pitched differentpublishers and published that
into my first book.
And so that was, but I told themwhen we were doing, and I said,
(13:00):
I'd like to do one.
So I divided all of theprojects.
I think there were 60.
I divided them all into.
Seasons like I had been doingfor the photo shoot.
So I asked them, I'm like, I'dreally like to do one upcycled
quilt for each season.
And so that was a fun project toupcycle like men shirting and
(13:20):
things like that into, I thinkthe summer one.
I used like a picnic blanket.
As the backing and made a picnicblanket out of dad's shirts or,
something like that.
After I finished that book, Idecided that I looked around one
day at my house and I hadliterally DIY projects in some
(13:41):
state of completion.
Everywhere.
And I was like, I think thismight be the tipping point.
And I decided, you know what?
I really love quilts.
I'd like to just focus onquilts.
So that was probably when Ibegan, when I started my
business in earnest and juststarted focusing on quilts.
Susan mic (14:02):
I can see a strong thread running through here
though when you first mentionedyour, the first quilt that you
did and this idea that it wouldbe a memory keeper.
I see that thread runningthrough your quilts to this day.
That idea that it's not heavilycurated.
It's, you think of them asbuilding blocks, all the fabrics
that you use.
And so one of the things thatI've seen on your website over
(14:26):
the years and that I acquired atQuilt Con is your Ruby Ruler.
And this is a way whereby you ithelps you to sort and to use
your fabrics like an artistwould.
So maybe give us a, two minutecrash course in what your Ruby
ruler does when making a scrappyquilt with all kinds of fabrics.
Blair mic (14:45):
Yeah it's my favorite tool.
I use it every day in additionto teaching classes for it.
So I still, to this day, as youmentioned, I still like quilts
with lots of different fabricsand I am minimal in the fact
that I don't like to have a bigfabric stash.
I had a big fabric stash at onepoint.
I don't anymore.
(15:06):
And there was a lot of angst andlike adjustment to not having a
big fabric stash.
But I really, when I think ofthe quilts that I like to see
out in the world, they oftenhave lots of different fabrics
in them.
Just like that quilt that I madefor Emma all those years ago.
(15:27):
And these.
Don't always have to tellstories, but maybe they have
some significance.
Every quilt that I make, I lookat it as an I spy quilt in the
sense that you look up close,you're like, oh, we bought that
when we, visited, my aunt and wewent to fabric shopping or
something like that.
There's some tug of your memory,but coming from a design
(15:50):
background, I also like to.
Create some sort of shape andform with those fabrics that I'm
using.
And so I often rely on color,value and color.
Color is something that I.
Can be a source of confusion orfrustration for some quilters
(16:15):
because if you're used to buyinglike a fat quarter set from your
favorite designer or somethinglike that, those are often all
curated beautifully in a bundlefor you.
All the colors go together, butwhat do you do if you.
Literally are pulling all ofyour fabric from your stash and
trying to create some cohesion.
(16:38):
And so I was looking for ways toconvey the ideas that I use
about color value and how tomake these sunshine and shadow
shapes in your quilts.
And my, the family I marriedinto is very it's a very
creative family.
And my sister-in-law was hereone day and she goes, have you
(17:01):
ever heard of Ruby Lift film?
And I said, no.
And she said she said it's likea red film.
And landscape painters,photographers people like that
will often use.
A red film over their eyes todistort the colors and to keep
the focus of their eyes, not onthe color, but on the shapes
(17:23):
they're creating in theircomposition.
And that's how they view colorvalue they have.
A lot of times in paintings orphotography, you have the rule
of threes.
You want your three, areas tocome through visibly.
And a lot of times, if you'relooking at it with your eye.
It, you it's hard to get pastlooking at the actual color of
(17:46):
the shapes, so a lot of quilterswill take.
And I also recommend this to,when you're making a quilt with
many different fabrics or whenyou really are, trying to
manipulate the color valuesuccessfully in your quilt
layout.
I look at it through my Rubyruler all the time.
(18:07):
I look at I use it because I'llpull all my fabrics together
before I ever even cut anypieces at my work table.
And I'll look at them throughthe ruler and I hold it.
You hold it like midway between,your fabrics and your eye.
you're looking at them andsaying, okay, these seem like a
lot of darks.
(18:27):
These, it seems like a lot oflights.
Let's, go back and pull someother things.
And I explain to students when Iteach them, this is a tool to
help with color value.
Just if you take a photo withyour phone and change it to a
black and white image.
That's another way of looking atit.
This is just another way of.
(18:49):
Being aware of color valuebecause there's that old saying
color gets all the credit, butvalue does all the work.
And that's very true when itcomes to quilts.
And these scrappy very busysaturated quilts that I make
look very different up closethan they do from far away.
(19:10):
And.
Perspectives are equallyinteresting, but it's nice to
have tools in our toolbox tohelp us feel more confident
about manipulating color andcolor value and things like
that.
So that I came out with thatruler in 2017, and it's a
(19:32):
cutting ruler.
You can cut.
Five inch squares and smallerwith it.
I use it all the time to true upmy half square triangle units.
And then I also use it as avalue viewer as well.
Susan mic (19:45):
It is definitely geared toward the quilter like
me, who does not have artistictraining, right?
And I am your textbook classicstudent who looked, looks at a
variety of fabrics and says, butI don't know how to choose.
To get the effect that I want.
And I learned the smartphonetrick a while back too, that the
black and white of a photo makesthings come clear, but so does
(20:09):
the ruler.
So it's a filtering effect andit just takes away some of the
distractions maybe, and helpsyou to make some more confident
decisions and know what that endresult is going to be.
It's just a marvelous tool.
Blair mic (20:22):
Thank you.
I'm glad that you like it.
It's, I it's color and colorvalue, as I said, is a.
It can be a sticking point forquilters.
And I think that they need justa little, like I just taught a
group of students here in SantaFe last week.
(20:43):
They've got the color, they'vegot their likes.
And the colors that they'redrawn to, they just need maybe
tools and strategies of workingwith them to create the quilt
that they want
Susan mic (20:56):
I absolutely, I loved your phrase, sunshine and
shadow.
That's such a good descriptionof that, the contrast that
you're trying to achieve thatmakes it effective and
interesting, and it's hard to dothat by accident, and some
people seem to have a naturalgift for it.
Some people are trained into itlike artists and some people
like me, go and get your Rubyruler and use a tool.
Blair mic (21:19):
Yes.
Yeah.
And I tell people when I discusswith guilt and things when we
talk about color I didn't.
I never studied the color wheel.
I didn't study it in college,and when I was in the apparel
industry, the color wheel wasirrelevant.
It was all about what sells andwhat doesn't sell.
(21:39):
And you I.
The way that we would createcolor stories is we would put a
piece of interfacing up on thewall that, or flannel or
something, and stick littleswatches of color to it.
And if, a dark forest green soldreally well.
Last season, we needed tomanipulate it just enough to
(22:03):
make it feel new, but not lookout of place when it inevitably
would end up on sail racksomewhere.
You didn't want your sail rackto be higgeldy, pty and strange,
so those were the kinds of colordecisions that we would have to
make.
And I think not having.
(22:23):
Rules that I followed as far asthe color wheel and things like
that, probably opened my mindvery early in different
directions.
I didn't feel pinned in by, oh,we have a warm color, we should
use a cool color, and, that's weshould use that tone or
something like that.
I wasn't hemmed in by thatbecause I didn't really even
(22:44):
study it, use it, and it never,I had many chances in the
apparel industry to exercisethat color muscle and that color
value muscle and things likethat.
So it's probably a good thingthat I did not take that one
elective class on the colorwheel that did not fit into my
(23:06):
schedule because I had apart-time job.
And, it wouldn't allow me to getto work on time if I took that
one class.
So that changed the trajectoryof how I use color.
Susan mic (23:15):
It's so interesting how you can look back on those
little pivots and just wonderwhat would've been different.
But I do love that viewpointbecause I, that's how I approach
quilt making is not so muchacademically, knowing color
theory, for example, as just,does it please me?
Does it satisfy me?
And you mentioned earlier thatquilters, typically, if they've
(23:36):
been quilting for any amount oftime, they already know.
Their likes and their dislikes,their tendencies.
But within that, still thatidea, again, I come back to the
sunshine and shadow that's sodescriptive of that level of
contrast that we look for, andthat makes a picture out of our
quilt.
Another thing that you've donequite a bit of lately, you call
(23:56):
chicken scratch.
Would you tell us more aboutthat?
It feels like hearkening back toan old fashioned craft, but I
just, I love it.
It's so effective.
Blair mic (24:05):
So I think it was probably the last time I went to
Quilt Festival, which was inHouston, which was probably 20.
17, 20 18 I found a quilt blockat one of the booths that sold
antique quilt blocks and it hadall of the stitching on it in
(24:26):
the shape of a star on gingham.
And I thought, that's reallyinteresting.
I bought it and, at the sametime I was creating my business
and I didn't really have time tolook at it any further.
It of course got buried.
And when we moved from Seattleto Santa Fe in 2020, we got rid
of about half of what we had, ofeverything.
(24:50):
We went through everything'causewe were downsizing.
And I came across that blockagain and I, when we moved to
Santa Fe we, what I'm in rightnow is my studio.
We, this did not exist, so theywere building the studio for me.
So for.
A little over a year.
I did not really have any placeto make big quilts, lay out big
(25:14):
things.
But I had found that block and Ithought, you know what?
I can take hand stitching to anyroom I'm in.
Susan mic (25:22):
I feel like this is one of life's little pivots
again.
Blair mic (25:25):
Yeah.
Yeah, I think it is.
And I just went down this hugerabbit hole learning everything
I could about chicken scratch.
But it is a it's a vintagestitching technique.
I'm sure that most of yourlisteners have seen some version
of it at an antique store or avintage shop.
(25:45):
It's usually, stitching, handstitching that's done on gingham
aprons or napkins or things likethat.
It's a very utilitarian way toadd little motifs and little
stitching details to gingham.
It's always done on gingham.
You use the grid of the ginghamto, to, put your stitches in.
(26:09):
And so I started stitching it asthey were building my studio.
Fell into a rabbit hole.
There's not a ton about itonline.
It's also been called othernames like Amish Lace,
snowflake, lace depression,lace, and.
It's had ebbs and flows ofpopularity through the years.
(26:29):
I think that, I have somevintage pieces from the
eighties.
I can't believe that's vintage,but it is.
I have some from the forties.
Susan mic (26:37):
Clearly we are vintage too.
Blair mic (26:39):
Yeah.
And, so I just went nuts for howrelaxing and meditative it is to
stitch this.
I'm one of those people that Icannot sit down and watch a
movie or anything at homewithout having something for my
hands to do.
(27:00):
My husband would not be, notappreciate me having some
blinding light in the room sothat I could see everything.
And what I realized is that withthe gingham, you don't have to
have like super strong light.
It's very easy to stitch, andyou're doing this repetitive
stitching over and over again.
The stitches are a lot.
(27:21):
Like they're reminiscent ofcounted cross stitch, but it's
much easier than that.
So that's in 2021 after a yearof stitching it I, just put the
word out to my followers and Isaid, Hey, if I do a block of
the month, would you guys beinterested in doing it with me?
We'll learn together.
I'm not, a hundred percent sureof what I'm working on, but I
(27:43):
know enough to guide us and had,about 200 people join me.
It was super fun.
We learned a ton and I've beendoing it ever since.
Susan mic (27:56):
It is very fun and there are some great photos of
some of those projects and Ithink maybe a block of the month
might have been that one on yourwebsite.
So if people want to see whatChicken Scratch is, I love some
of those other names too.
What did you say?
Amish Lace and what was theother one?
Snowflake.
Blair mic (28:11):
Amish Lace, snowflake, lace depression,
lace.
Yes.
And honestly, I think there'sprobably some version of chicken
scratch embroidery in othercountries under other names.
So currently we're doing a brandnew block of the month.
We're just two months in calledGridline.
And in that I've got people fromAustralia and from Mexico and
(28:36):
different places.
And so they're enjoying findingout what it's called, and
learning little tidbits andfacts about that type of
stitching where they are.
And so I, I'm always like,please share.
'cause I wanna know, what itwhat do you see there?
What do they call it there?
Susan mic (28:54):
It is always so interesting to see what.
Quilt making or crafts ingeneral look like in other
countries.
I'm planning a trip to Englandthis summer with it on a textile
tour, and that's part of what Ilook forward to is seeing it
through different eyes in adifferent country, different
shops, maybe different, suppliesare available.
Yeah.
So that's fascinating.
I wonder, do you, is that one ofyour favorite things about
(29:17):
teaching or is there somethingelse?
What do you love best aboutteaching?
I know you do a lot of that.
Blair mic (29:24):
Gosh, I love a lot about teaching.
I feel as if I really like itwhen I feel like students' eyes
are opened to what color valuecan do as far as quilts and
things like that.
I find that very exciting.
I feel, I've been told by peoplewho have quilted for years when
(29:48):
they leave a workshop.
I actually learned something newthat I didn't really think of in
the same way before, and thatreally pleases me and humbles me
because Quiltings been aroundfor a really long time.
And, it's nice to feel like youcan bring something new to a
student's eye.
(30:09):
And then with chicken scratch,just the pure delight that
people experience when theylearn.
A, how easy it is, and B, howrelaxing it is.
I feel everyone should have somesort of hand stitching in their
life just for the meditativebenefits of it.
(30:33):
And just, I feel like it justcalms my breathing.
It's just, it's such a simplething, but I think that we're on
computer screens and telephonesso much.
It's nice to be able to engageour hands and just clear our
minds, which is what it does.
So I love bringing that topeople.
(30:53):
People get really excited.
I had one student jump up at theend of a class and she's I can't
wait to teach my 10-year-oldgrandchild when she comes over
this summer, how to do this.
And I'm like, yes, she can dothis.
This is something that you twocan do together.
I love that.
Yeah.
Susan mic (31:10):
I agree.
So meaningful.
I always like to ask my guestsat the end of the show, and I
didn't give you four warnings,so I always like to ask if there
is a gem that you would like toleave for our listeners.
It can have to do with quiltingor learning or just life in
general.
Some little nugget that you'dlike to leave.
Blair mic (31:31):
I think the best.
As far as quilts, I will saythis is my nugget.
'cause I just repeated thisduring my workshop this past
week.
A lot of times we will do onepart of a quilt, one small part,
and we will, especially in ascrappy quilt, and we'll look at
(31:53):
that and say, I'm not sure how Ifeel about that.
And I'm always looking for a wayto try to explain to them it's
probably too early in theprocess to make that decision.
And if you're not sure how youfeel about that color combo or
that half score triangle unit,how it goes together or
(32:15):
something like that, I wouldencourage you to do a little bit
more of it before you just ruleit out completely.
Because one of the things that Istill get excited about.
Quilting is these happy,accidental color combinations
that come up when you just ifyou do it once, it could feel
(32:38):
like it's problematic or amistake.
But if you do it more than once,then it's a des a design
decision, which is, a totallydifferent way to look at it.
And I've seen that happen overand over again where somebody's
I don't know if the scale ofthose two prints looks right, or
I'm not sure if those two colorslook right together, but if they
repeat it maybe two or threemore times around the layout,
(33:02):
suddenly it's it a point ofview, it's a design decision and
a point of view and it meanssomething different.
So I would encourage everybody,and it's all part of that, don't
overthink.
And so let Chance be your guide.
Go with it.
If it looks strange, maybe do afew more before you rule it out
(33:25):
completely.
Susan mic (33:27):
I love that.
I feel like, honestly, Blair,that's a pretty good life lesson
too.
Yeah.
Don't rule out the possibilitiesin this.
Circumstance too early on.
Too early on.
Thank you so much for sharingyour thoughts with us and in the
show notes we'll be sure andshow all you listeners where you
can go to find some of Blair'swork to look at it.
(33:48):
All of her scrappy quiltpatterns are just wonderful.
They're so imaginative and sofreeing, so good.
So be sure and check all of thatout.
So thanks for joining me, Blair.
Blair mic (33:59):
Thank you, Susan.
Bye everybody.
Well, that concludes my visitwith Blair.
Again.
Be sure to check out her websiteWise Craft Handmade and her
social media feeds as well.
You'll find them such a treat.
Blair offers workshops that arein person in a number of
locations across the us and alsoshe has several block of the
(34:19):
month programs where you canjoin up and each month a new
lesson is sent to you and thoseare on demand.
Online courses, so you can dothem at home, on your PJs, on
your own time, but they'resuper, super helpful if you want
to delve into working with yourscrappy quilts and value as
Blair does.
And also of course, with thechicken scratch Stitchery.
(34:40):
So be sure to check those out.
Again, all the links directly tothem are in the show notes.
Well, my friends, until nexttime, may your sorrows be
patched and your joys bequilted.
Welcome to season five of Measure Twice.
Cut Once.
This whole season is anexploration into behind the
scenes of not just quilting, butbuilding a creative business
that truly lights you up.
As someone who's navigated theexciting and sometimes bumpy
world of turning a passion intoa profession, I'm excited to
pull back the curtain and sharemy own experiences.
(00:25):
Some episodes will be just medelving into my personal
journey.
While others will feature guestswho are also navigating the
world of creativeentrepreneurship.
We'll explore the nitty grittyof building a creative business,
the lessons learned and theunexpected challenges that come
with transforming your craftinto a thriving enterprise.
And don't worry, I'm not leavingstorytelling behind.
(00:47):
Instead, I'll be weaving theminto the conversations about
what it takes to grow a businesswhile staying true to your
creative spirit.
So whether you're dreaming ofstarting your own business, or
you just love hearing aboutcreative entrepreneurship, this
season is for you.
Joining me for a chat today isBlair Stocker of Wise Craft.
(01:08):
Handmade Blair is an absolutemagician with color when it
comes to using scraps in yourquilts.
If the formality and quoteunquote rules of working with a
color wheel has kind ofintimidated you.
You really need to meet Blair.
Rather than specificallyfocusing on color, she considers
(01:29):
value in mixing up and mixingtogether scraps in a quilt.
She has some remarkably simplebut incredibly helpful tools
that really aid toward that.
Plus, Blair is reviving avintage style of Stitchery
called, and I love this-chickenscratch.
So we're going to chat aboutthat a little today.
(01:58):
This episode is sponsored by myfree motion quilting
masterclass.
This online on-demand course isa comprehensive training for
mastering freehand quiltingskills and navigating design
decisions.
It not only teaches over 25specific quilt designs
demonstrated both at the longarm and at a domestic sewing
(02:19):
machine.
But also it teaches the practicemethods that advance your skill
level and thought processes thatenable you to create your own
original designs withconfidence.
For more information, I provideda link in the show notes, or you
can head to my website stitchedby susan.com.
And from there, click on thelearn tab.
(02:39):
Registration for a group ofquilters opens twice per year.
But you're welcome to join thewait list at any time, and
you'll be the first to know whenthe doors open.
So once again, the link is inthe show notes or the learn tab
on my website.
Susan mic (02:55):
Quilting friends today, Blair Stocker is joining
me in the podcast virtualstudio.
Thanks for coming.
Blair.
Blair mic (03:02):
Thanks for having me.
Susan mic (03:04):
We met in person recently at Quilt Con in
Phoenix, and I have followed youand your work and your tools and
your scrap quilts for years andyears.
It was really fun to get achance to meet in person and
right away I knew, I wanted tohave you on as a guest so we
could chat a little bit.
Maybe give me first just acouple of your thoughts about
Quilt Con and your experiencethere this year.
It was a first for me.
(03:25):
I know it was not for you, butwhat do you love about Quilt
Con?
Blair mic (03:29):
I have been to I think all but just maybe one or
two Colt cons and only once asjust a pure spectator I either
taught.
Yeah, most of the, I did a booksigning there, so there was
always like obligations atdifferent booths and things, but
this year was the first time Iever had a booth and I actually
(03:50):
took a like.
A 10 by 10 foot space in DeniseSchmidt's booth.
And so we just brainstormed inthe months leading up to Quilt
Con, how we could be a littlecohesive and, and that sort of
thing.
So that was the first time I'dever vended at Quilt Con, and it
(04:11):
was so great.
To just make connections withpeople who purchase what you
make, who follow what youdesign.
And yeah, it's just it's reallyI think it's so important.
So much of our, day-to-day isvirtual now, I do a lot of
virtual lectures, I teachvirtually.
(04:32):
And so to make those in-personconnections I think was probably
the very best part of Quilt Con.
So it was an experience that Imay still be recovering from
vending at Quilt Con, but it wasit was definitely a really good
experience.
Susan mic (04:51):
So essentially you were connecting with people like
me.
So I was a newcomer to thatshow, and quite honestly, I have
not.
Attended a lot of quilt showsover the year.
I've always, over the years I'vealways lived, in remote
locations and so forth.
So I was on the consumer end ofthat experience, but found it
equally valuable, like to beable to put faces to names and
(05:12):
just to have a conversation withfabric designers and authors and
tool designers like yourself andDenise and all these people,
which just, it adds suchrichness to what I do.
Blair mic (05:23):
Yes.
That's a good way to put it.
That's a good way to put it.
I'm glad you found it to be thatkind of experience, because I
always have, it's just a, it'sso unique to be in a.
In an environment whereeverybody is just talking about
quilts, like that's your people,
Susan mic (05:41):
it absolutely is.
No matter where you sit down forlunch or who you meet on the
escalator, you share that commoninterest.
Yeah.
Blair mic (05:48):
Yes.
Susan mic (05:49):
So you've been quilting, making quilts and
crafts surrounding quilts for alot of years.
What kind of got you started inquilt making or maybe even in
crafting?
Pick whichever you like.
Blair mic (06:02):
I've always enjoyed making things, although I did
not grow up with quilt makers.
My the women in my family wereamazing seamstresses for
clothing and I.
They did a lot of knitting andcrocheting and they would try
different things.
I remember my mom was crochetingsilver, elastic like cording to
(06:26):
make little rings and things.
I just remember her trying allthese different things.
So I always grew up with, likethis whole maker mentality, try
it, you can try anything kind ofthing.
And I went into the appareldesign industry and fashion
merchandising after I graduatedfrom college.
That's what I studied incollege.
(06:47):
And so I worked in that for myentire corporate life and worked
for, I like Union Bay, differentcompanies and approached my
love.
Of good fabric, through thatlens.
I always felt like thisconnection to fabric, and that's
(07:11):
probably why I went into thatsort of field.
We were constantly looking atnew fabrics.
What makes a fabric great?
What do people love about afabric?
What do we not like about it?
And so when I had my daughterwho's now 26, I.
Was no longer I had, we hadmoved to Seattle, Washington
(07:33):
from North Carolina.
I was no longer working in theapparel industry.
We've made the decision to tryto have me stay home with her
because we didn't have familyaround.
And all those feelings you havewhen you have a newborn baby,
and I wanted to make her aquilt.
And the only thing I knew aboutquilts, like in my mind's eye, I
(07:54):
just saw these patchwork quiltsmade with different fabrics, all
kinds of scrappy fabrics, and Iloved the idea of.
That fabrics in a quilt, ifthey're all different, they can
hold meaning like, I could makea quilt with her baby clothes or
I could make a quilt with littlescraps of curtains in her room
(08:15):
and things like that.
That's what the initial appealof quilt making was to me.
Was that it's a scrapbook.
Through or a a photo album ofsome sort told through fabric.
And so I made her.
A quilt.
We, when her son, when my son,her little brother came along I,
(08:41):
and I knew that, I probably was,we were not gonna have any more
kids.
Two was probably enough, so Ihad all these girl clothes.
So I made a patchwork quilt forher super wonky, there were a
lot of things I did notunderstand about quilt making
because I had never, been aroundit.
There's wonky seams.
I didn't really understand that.
(09:02):
Quarter inch seam didn't reallyregister with me.
I, was always with five eighthsinch seams and big seams because
of clothing and I.
Didn't understand how the threelayers of the quilt go together.
It's I finally, I was knittingback then, so I remember I took
some wool yarn and just tied thecorners of the little patchwork
(09:25):
squares that I had sewn togetherwhen I was putting the layers
together because I was like, oh,great, this will hold the layers
together and it'll camouflage mywonky seams and, it's funny
because in that quilt, thebottom third of the squares are
not tied together.
And the reason that they're nottied together was because I was
(09:46):
pregnant with my son when Istarted making the quilt.
And then I went into labor andnever finished the bottom.
And he's now, 23.
So it's never been finished, butI loved the idea of storytelling
and memory keeping throughfabric.
And then I think I was an avidMartha Stewart Living Magazine
(10:11):
person and I saw an article ofDenise Schmidt and her quilts in
a 19, I don't remember, 1990.
6 97, something like that, ormaybe even later.
And I was like, I wanna makethese, this is what I like.
(10:32):
So that sort of started me intopursuing an interesting quilts,
but it wasn't really until 2015or 16.
I started my business wise,craft handmade in 2015.
So that was really when I beganfocusing on quilts in earnest.
(10:55):
To backtrack a little bit, I waswe were living in Seattle.
My kids were young, and I wasasked by a chain of thrift
stores to, shop their stores forsupplies and then create all of
these DIY projects using thingsthat you could find every day in
(11:17):
the thrift store.
In their thrift store.
I did that for three years
Susan mic (11:21):
What are a few of the things you made with upcycled
bits?
So you're saying things you canalways find meaning the things
that commonly are right, likeblue jeans and what else?
Blair mic (11:32):
Yeah, so and then we would make seasonal stories
like, we would style a room forHalloween or something like
that.
So there might be, I would taketheir Barbies that you would see
every day in a thrift store, andI spray painted them white and
turn them into zombies.
And, that was a simple DIYproject and, you wrap them in
gauze and for their, or make amummy or something like that.
(11:55):
So that's just one example.
I would take old t-shirts inlike orange or black or gray or
something and show them how tomake, a bag for Halloween candy
or something like that.
Halloween was a big season forthem, so I often did a lot of
Halloween DIY projects, but itwas all the things that they had
(12:15):
in the store every day, notjust, for Christmas or for
Halloween.
So I did that for a few years.
I think three years.
I would do, like a summer partytheme, a Halloween theme.
Christmas or holiday theme,something like that.
And I kept the the intellectualproperty of all that content.
(12:36):
I did not they were allowed touse it, but I owned it.
So in the end when.
We had compiled all of theseprojects.
The photographer who took photosand myself compiled it into a
book and pitched differentpublishers and published that
into my first book.
And so that was, but I told themwhen we were doing, and I said,
(13:00):
I'd like to do one.
So I divided all of theprojects.
I think there were 60.
I divided them all into.
Seasons like I had been doingfor the photo shoot.
So I asked them, I'm like, I'dreally like to do one upcycled
quilt for each season.
And so that was a fun project toupcycle like men shirting and
(13:20):
things like that into, I thinkthe summer one.
I used like a picnic blanket.
As the backing and made a picnicblanket out of dad's shirts or,
something like that.
After I finished that book, Idecided that I looked around one
day at my house and I hadliterally DIY projects in some
(13:41):
state of completion.
Everywhere.
And I was like, I think thismight be the tipping point.
And I decided, you know what?
I really love quilts.
I'd like to just focus onquilts.
So that was probably when Ibegan, when I started my
business in earnest and juststarted focusing on quilts.
Susan mic (14:02):
I can see a strong thread running through here
though when you first mentionedyour, the first quilt that you
did and this idea that it wouldbe a memory keeper.
I see that thread runningthrough your quilts to this day.
That idea that it's not heavilycurated.
It's, you think of them asbuilding blocks, all the fabrics
that you use.
And so one of the things thatI've seen on your website over
(14:26):
the years and that I acquired atQuilt Con is your Ruby Ruler.
And this is a way whereby you ithelps you to sort and to use
your fabrics like an artistwould.
So maybe give us a, two minutecrash course in what your Ruby
ruler does when making a scrappyquilt with all kinds of fabrics.
Blair mic (14:45):
Yeah it's my favorite tool.
I use it every day in additionto teaching classes for it.
So I still, to this day, as youmentioned, I still like quilts
with lots of different fabricsand I am minimal in the fact
that I don't like to have a bigfabric stash.
I had a big fabric stash at onepoint.
I don't anymore.
(15:06):
And there was a lot of angst andlike adjustment to not having a
big fabric stash.
But I really, when I think ofthe quilts that I like to see
out in the world, they oftenhave lots of different fabrics
in them.
Just like that quilt that I madefor Emma all those years ago.
(15:27):
And these.
Don't always have to tellstories, but maybe they have
some significance.
Every quilt that I make, I lookat it as an I spy quilt in the
sense that you look up close,you're like, oh, we bought that
when we, visited, my aunt and wewent to fabric shopping or
something like that.
There's some tug of your memory,but coming from a design
(15:50):
background, I also like to.
Create some sort of shape andform with those fabrics that I'm
using.
And so I often rely on color,value and color.
Color is something that I.
Can be a source of confusion orfrustration for some quilters
(16:15):
because if you're used to buyinglike a fat quarter set from your
favorite designer or somethinglike that, those are often all
curated beautifully in a bundlefor you.
All the colors go together, butwhat do you do if you.
Literally are pulling all ofyour fabric from your stash and
trying to create some cohesion.
(16:38):
And so I was looking for ways toconvey the ideas that I use
about color value and how tomake these sunshine and shadow
shapes in your quilts.
And my, the family I marriedinto is very it's a very
creative family.
And my sister-in-law was hereone day and she goes, have you
(17:01):
ever heard of Ruby Lift film?
And I said, no.
And she said she said it's likea red film.
And landscape painters,photographers people like that
will often use.
A red film over their eyes todistort the colors and to keep
the focus of their eyes, not onthe color, but on the shapes
(17:23):
they're creating in theircomposition.
And that's how they view colorvalue they have.
A lot of times in paintings orphotography, you have the rule
of threes.
You want your three, areas tocome through visibly.
And a lot of times, if you'relooking at it with your eye.
It, you it's hard to get pastlooking at the actual color of
(17:46):
the shapes, so a lot of quilterswill take.
And I also recommend this to,when you're making a quilt with
many different fabrics or whenyou really are, trying to
manipulate the color valuesuccessfully in your quilt
layout.
I look at it through my Rubyruler all the time.
(18:07):
I look at I use it because I'llpull all my fabrics together
before I ever even cut anypieces at my work table.
And I'll look at them throughthe ruler and I hold it.
You hold it like midway between,your fabrics and your eye.
you're looking at them andsaying, okay, these seem like a
lot of darks.
(18:27):
These, it seems like a lot oflights.
Let's, go back and pull someother things.
And I explain to students when Iteach them, this is a tool to
help with color value.
Just if you take a photo withyour phone and change it to a
black and white image.
That's another way of looking atit.
This is just another way of.
(18:49):
Being aware of color valuebecause there's that old saying
color gets all the credit, butvalue does all the work.
And that's very true when itcomes to quilts.
And these scrappy very busysaturated quilts that I make
look very different up closethan they do from far away.
(19:10):
And.
Perspectives are equallyinteresting, but it's nice to
have tools in our toolbox tohelp us feel more confident
about manipulating color andcolor value and things like
that.
So that I came out with thatruler in 2017, and it's a
(19:32):
cutting ruler.
You can cut.
Five inch squares and smallerwith it.
I use it all the time to true upmy half square triangle units.
And then I also use it as avalue viewer as well.
Susan mic (19:45):
It is definitely geared toward the quilter like
me, who does not have artistictraining, right?
And I am your textbook classicstudent who looked, looks at a
variety of fabrics and says, butI don't know how to choose.
To get the effect that I want.
And I learned the smartphonetrick a while back too, that the
black and white of a photo makesthings come clear, but so does
(20:09):
the ruler.
So it's a filtering effect andit just takes away some of the
distractions maybe, and helpsyou to make some more confident
decisions and know what that endresult is going to be.
It's just a marvelous tool.
Blair mic (20:22):
Thank you.
I'm glad that you like it.
It's, I it's color and colorvalue, as I said, is a.
It can be a sticking point forquilters.
And I think that they need justa little, like I just taught a
group of students here in SantaFe last week.
(20:43):
They've got the color, they'vegot their likes.
And the colors that they'redrawn to, they just need maybe
tools and strategies of workingwith them to create the quilt
that they want
Susan mic (20:56):
I absolutely, I loved your phrase, sunshine and
shadow.
That's such a good descriptionof that, the contrast that
you're trying to achieve thatmakes it effective and
interesting, and it's hard to dothat by accident, and some
people seem to have a naturalgift for it.
Some people are trained into itlike artists and some people
like me, go and get your Rubyruler and use a tool.
Blair mic (21:19):
Yes.
Yeah.
And I tell people when I discusswith guilt and things when we
talk about color I didn't.
I never studied the color wheel.
I didn't study it in college,and when I was in the apparel
industry, the color wheel wasirrelevant.
It was all about what sells andwhat doesn't sell.
(21:39):
And you I.
The way that we would createcolor stories is we would put a
piece of interfacing up on thewall that, or flannel or
something, and stick littleswatches of color to it.
And if, a dark forest green soldreally well.
Last season, we needed tomanipulate it just enough to
(22:03):
make it feel new, but not lookout of place when it inevitably
would end up on sail racksomewhere.
You didn't want your sail rackto be higgeldy, pty and strange,
so those were the kinds of colordecisions that we would have to
make.
And I think not having.
(22:23):
Rules that I followed as far asthe color wheel and things like
that, probably opened my mindvery early in different
directions.
I didn't feel pinned in by, oh,we have a warm color, we should
use a cool color, and, that's weshould use that tone or
something like that.
I wasn't hemmed in by thatbecause I didn't really even
(22:44):
study it, use it, and it never,I had many chances in the
apparel industry to exercisethat color muscle and that color
value muscle and things likethat.
So it's probably a good thingthat I did not take that one
elective class on the colorwheel that did not fit into my
(23:06):
schedule because I had apart-time job.
And, it wouldn't allow me to getto work on time if I took that
one class.
So that changed the trajectoryof how I use color.
Susan mic (23:15):
It's so interesting how you can look back on those
little pivots and just wonderwhat would've been different.
But I do love that viewpointbecause I, that's how I approach
quilt making is not so muchacademically, knowing color
theory, for example, as just,does it please me?
Does it satisfy me?
And you mentioned earlier thatquilters, typically, if they've
(23:36):
been quilting for any amount oftime, they already know.
Their likes and their dislikes,their tendencies.
But within that, still thatidea, again, I come back to the
sunshine and shadow that's sodescriptive of that level of
contrast that we look for, andthat makes a picture out of our
quilt.
Another thing that you've donequite a bit of lately, you call
(23:56):
chicken scratch.
Would you tell us more aboutthat?
It feels like hearkening back toan old fashioned craft, but I
just, I love it.
It's so effective.
Blair mic (24:05):
So I think it was probably the last time I went to
Quilt Festival, which was inHouston, which was probably 20.
17, 20 18 I found a quilt blockat one of the booths that sold
antique quilt blocks and it hadall of the stitching on it in
(24:26):
the shape of a star on gingham.
And I thought, that's reallyinteresting.
I bought it and, at the sametime I was creating my business
and I didn't really have time tolook at it any further.
It of course got buried.
And when we moved from Seattleto Santa Fe in 2020, we got rid
of about half of what we had, ofeverything.
(24:50):
We went through everything'causewe were downsizing.
And I came across that blockagain and I, when we moved to
Santa Fe we, what I'm in rightnow is my studio.
We, this did not exist, so theywere building the studio for me.
So for.
A little over a year.
I did not really have any placeto make big quilts, lay out big
(25:14):
things.
But I had found that block and Ithought, you know what?
I can take hand stitching to anyroom I'm in.
Susan mic (25:22):
I feel like this is one of life's little pivots
again.
Blair mic (25:25):
Yeah.
Yeah, I think it is.
And I just went down this hugerabbit hole learning everything
I could about chicken scratch.
But it is a it's a vintagestitching technique.
I'm sure that most of yourlisteners have seen some version
of it at an antique store or avintage shop.
(25:45):
It's usually, stitching, handstitching that's done on gingham
aprons or napkins or things likethat.
It's a very utilitarian way toadd little motifs and little
stitching details to gingham.
It's always done on gingham.
You use the grid of the ginghamto, to, put your stitches in.
(26:09):
And so I started stitching it asthey were building my studio.
Fell into a rabbit hole.
There's not a ton about itonline.
It's also been called othernames like Amish Lace,
snowflake, lace depression,lace, and.
It's had ebbs and flows ofpopularity through the years.
(26:29):
I think that, I have somevintage pieces from the
eighties.
I can't believe that's vintage,but it is.
I have some from the forties.
Susan mic (26:37):
Clearly we are vintage too.
Blair mic (26:39):
Yeah.
And, so I just went nuts for howrelaxing and meditative it is to
stitch this.
I'm one of those people that Icannot sit down and watch a
movie or anything at homewithout having something for my
hands to do.
(27:00):
My husband would not be, notappreciate me having some
blinding light in the room sothat I could see everything.
And what I realized is that withthe gingham, you don't have to
have like super strong light.
It's very easy to stitch, andyou're doing this repetitive
stitching over and over again.
The stitches are a lot.
(27:21):
Like they're reminiscent ofcounted cross stitch, but it's
much easier than that.
So that's in 2021 after a yearof stitching it I, just put the
word out to my followers and Isaid, Hey, if I do a block of
the month, would you guys beinterested in doing it with me?
We'll learn together.
I'm not, a hundred percent sureof what I'm working on, but I
(27:43):
know enough to guide us and had,about 200 people join me.
It was super fun.
We learned a ton and I've beendoing it ever since.
Susan mic (27:56):
It is very fun and there are some great photos of
some of those projects and Ithink maybe a block of the month
might have been that one on yourwebsite.
So if people want to see whatChicken Scratch is, I love some
of those other names too.
What did you say?
Amish Lace and what was theother one?
Snowflake.
Blair mic (28:11):
Amish Lace, snowflake, lace depression,
lace.
Yes.
And honestly, I think there'sprobably some version of chicken
scratch embroidery in othercountries under other names.
So currently we're doing a brandnew block of the month.
We're just two months in calledGridline.
And in that I've got people fromAustralia and from Mexico and
(28:36):
different places.
And so they're enjoying findingout what it's called, and
learning little tidbits andfacts about that type of
stitching where they are.
And so I, I'm always like,please share.
'cause I wanna know, what itwhat do you see there?
What do they call it there?
Susan mic (28:54):
It is always so interesting to see what.
Quilt making or crafts ingeneral look like in other
countries.
I'm planning a trip to Englandthis summer with it on a textile
tour, and that's part of what Ilook forward to is seeing it
through different eyes in adifferent country, different
shops, maybe different, suppliesare available.
Yeah.
So that's fascinating.
I wonder, do you, is that one ofyour favorite things about
(29:17):
teaching or is there somethingelse?
What do you love best aboutteaching?
I know you do a lot of that.
Blair mic (29:24):
Gosh, I love a lot about teaching.
I feel as if I really like itwhen I feel like students' eyes
are opened to what color valuecan do as far as quilts and
things like that.
I find that very exciting.
I feel, I've been told by peoplewho have quilted for years when
(29:48):
they leave a workshop.
I actually learned something newthat I didn't really think of in
the same way before, and thatreally pleases me and humbles me
because Quiltings been aroundfor a really long time.
And, it's nice to feel like youcan bring something new to a
student's eye.
(30:09):
And then with chicken scratch,just the pure delight that
people experience when theylearn.
A, how easy it is, and B, howrelaxing it is.
I feel everyone should have somesort of hand stitching in their
life just for the meditativebenefits of it.
(30:33):
And just, I feel like it justcalms my breathing.
It's just, it's such a simplething, but I think that we're on
computer screens and telephonesso much.
It's nice to be able to engageour hands and just clear our
minds, which is what it does.
So I love bringing that topeople.
(30:53):
People get really excited.
I had one student jump up at theend of a class and she's I can't
wait to teach my 10-year-oldgrandchild when she comes over
this summer, how to do this.
And I'm like, yes, she can dothis.
This is something that you twocan do together.
I love that.
Yeah.
Susan mic (31:10):
I agree.
So meaningful.
I always like to ask my guestsat the end of the show, and I
didn't give you four warnings,so I always like to ask if there
is a gem that you would like toleave for our listeners.
It can have to do with quiltingor learning or just life in
general.
Some little nugget that you'dlike to leave.
Blair mic (31:31):
I think the best.
As far as quilts, I will saythis is my nugget.
'cause I just repeated thisduring my workshop this past
week.
A lot of times we will do onepart of a quilt, one small part,
and we will, especially in ascrappy quilt, and we'll look at
(31:53):
that and say, I'm not sure how Ifeel about that.
And I'm always looking for a wayto try to explain to them it's
probably too early in theprocess to make that decision.
And if you're not sure how youfeel about that color combo or
that half score triangle unit,how it goes together or
(32:15):
something like that, I wouldencourage you to do a little bit
more of it before you just ruleit out completely.
Because one of the things that Istill get excited about.
Quilting is these happy,accidental color combinations
that come up when you just ifyou do it once, it could feel
(32:38):
like it's problematic or amistake.
But if you do it more than once,then it's a des a design
decision, which is, a totallydifferent way to look at it.
And I've seen that happen overand over again where somebody's
I don't know if the scale ofthose two prints looks right, or
I'm not sure if those two colorslook right together, but if they
repeat it maybe two or threemore times around the layout,
(33:02):
suddenly it's it a point ofview, it's a design decision and
a point of view and it meanssomething different.
So I would encourage everybody,and it's all part of that, don't
overthink.
And so let Chance be your guide.
Go with it.
If it looks strange, maybe do afew more before you rule it out
(33:25):
completely.
Susan mic (33:27):
I love that.
I feel like, honestly, Blair,that's a pretty good life lesson
too.
Yeah.
Don't rule out the possibilitiesin this.
Circumstance too early on.
Too early on.
Thank you so much for sharingyour thoughts with us and in the
show notes we'll be sure andshow all you listeners where you
can go to find some of Blair'swork to look at it.
(33:48):
All of her scrappy quiltpatterns are just wonderful.
They're so imaginative and sofreeing, so good.
So be sure and check all of thatout.
So thanks for joining me, Blair.
Blair mic (33:59):
Thank you, Susan.
Bye everybody.
Well, that concludes my visitwith Blair.
Again.
Be sure to check out her websiteWise Craft Handmade and her
social media feeds as well.
You'll find them such a treat.
Blair offers workshops that arein person in a number of
locations across the us and alsoshe has several block of the
(34:19):
month programs where you canjoin up and each month a new
lesson is sent to you and thoseare on demand.
Online courses, so you can dothem at home, on your PJs, on
your own time, but they'resuper, super helpful if you want
to delve into working with yourscrappy quilts and value as
Blair does.
And also of course, with thechicken scratch Stitchery.
(34:40):
So be sure to check those out.
Again, all the links directly tothem are in the show notes.
Well, my friends, until nexttime, may your sorrows be
patched and your joys bequilted.
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