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Typecast of Characters Tour: I Is For I Love You

Kim Soper/Leland Ave Studios Typecast Pattern Project
Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios

Hello, hello! Welcome to my stop on the Typecast of Characters tour!

So, funny story. . . when Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill of Whole Circle Studio asked me to help celebrate the release of her new Typecast EPP pattern, I was a little bit nervous, but mostly psyched. I had never made anything with EPP before, so I looked at this as an opportunity to learn a new skill — or fail hard. But I’d seen so many pictures of pretty hexie EPP projects on line, I figured, why not give it a shot?

Which is why, when I opened the envelope with the pattern pieces, I was in a panic that I had misplaced something. I was so confused. . . this was EPP, right?!?. . . so, where were the hexies??? I decided I would track Sheri down at QuiltCon to apologize for losing the hexies she *must* have sent, and see if I could get a replacement package. Well, joke was on me! We all got a good laugh when it was explained to me that: You can EPP with ANY SHAPE! And the shapes in Sheri’s pattern make it super-easy to learn this new (and addicting) skill!

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios
(oh, hello, picture-I-thought-was-in-focus-but-turns-out-it-was-blurry)

Let’s get started: I began with some gorgeous Liberty fabric, my new scissors that I bought from Brooklyn Haberdashery, my Typecast EPP template, and a glue stick. (Note: do as I say, not as I do. Apparently this type of glue could have distorted my fabric and not easily come off of the template. Beginners luck, I had no problems, but I don’t know if I, or you, would be so lucky the next time around).

I started by marking the pattern pieces for my “I”, as suggested by Sheri in the pattern instructions. Now, if you’re wondering why I was selected for the letter “I” when my initials are I-lacking, it’s because I-is-for-EASY. No curves. No challenges for my EPP-naive self.

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios

Sheri recommends labeling each piece of the Typecast template with the letter name, as well as identifying each piece as either positive (a part of the letter) or negative (a part of the background), to help keep things organized once the template is pulled apart. I added additional numbering so I could keep track of the order in which I wanted to re-assemble the papers once the fabric was attached.

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios

Next, I used a whip stitch to sew the pieces together. At first I was using a ladder stitch, which made the stitches invisible, but was taking way too long. Then Jenny from PapperSaxSten mentioned a tutorial from Karen the DIY Addict that shows you how to whipstitch in a way that the stitches will not be visible from the front. It was really helpful, so if you are interested in EPP-ing like an award-winner, I’d recommend you check it out!

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios

Once my block was complete, I knew that I wanted to incorporate it into a Liberty-inspired embroidery project. I drew out the letters for “love you” while listening to the Don’t Keep Your Day Job podcast, and the time just flew by. Before I knew it, it was time to pick my kids up from the bus stop.

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios

In case you are interested in doing something similar, I outlined the letters using black pearl cotton in a chain stitch. To embellish the words, if you squint, you can see I faintly drew some motifs in pencil that mirrored the flowers in the Liberty fabric. I used Anchor floss in a variety of colors to fill them in — and had so much fun doing it!

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios
The finished pillow!

Finally, I stitched the words together and turned it into a bolster pillow, which is now sitting (much to my husband’s chagrin) as the 7th pillow on our bed.

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios
Sorry, babe. I love you?

Thanks so much to Sheri for including me on this blog hop. I was really fortunate to have this deadline to force me to learn a skill I’d been intimidated by for a long time. Now I know, not only is it easy, but it’s SO MUCH FUN!

My stop was only the 9th letter on the Typecast tour, so make sure to keep up with all of the letter project that Sheri is sharing on her IG feed and at the blogs below. There are so many chances to WIN! And a very special thanks to you, Sheri, for including me in this project! I’m forever changed for the better thanks to this experience!

Typecast of Characters Blog Tour by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill Letter I by Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios

TYPECAST OF CHARACTERS BLOG TOUR hosted by Whole Circle Studio:
• Wednesday, March 27: Tour Introduction by Whole Circle Studio
• Monday, April 1 — A: Kate Brennan of Aurifil
• Tuesday, April 2 — B: Mathew Bourdreaux of Mister Domestic
• Wednesday, April 3 — C: Tara Curtis of Wefty Needle
• Thursday, April 4— D: Leah Day of Free Motion Quilting Project
• Friday, April 5 — Week 1 Wrap Up featuring A-D and GIVEAWAY at Whole Circle Studio
• Monday, April 8 — E: Jess Finn of Paper Pieces
• Tuesday, April 9 — F: Sylvia Schaefer of Flying Parrot Quilts
• Wednesday, April 10 — G: Giuseppe Ribaudo of Giucy Giuce
• Thursday, April 11— H: Hilary Jordan of By Hilary Jordan
• Friday, April 12 — Week 2 Wrap Up featuring E-H and GIVEAWAY at Whole Circle Studio
• Monday, April 15 — I: Kim Soper of Leland Ave Studios
• Tuesday, April 16 — J: Yvonne Fuchs of Quilting Jetgirl
• Wednesday, April 17 — K: Karen O’Connor of Lady K Quilts
• Thursday, April 18 — L: Kristy Daum of St. Louis Folk Victorian
• Friday, April 19 — Week 3 Wrap Up featuring I-L and GIVEAWAY at Whole Circle Studio
• Monday, April 22 — M: Molli Sparkles of Molli Sparkles
• Tuesday, April 23 — N: Nicole Daksiewicz of Modern Handcraft
• Wednesday, April 24 — O: Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios
• Thursday, April 25 — P: Pat Sloan of Pat Sloan
• Friday, April 26 — Week 4 Wrap Up featuring M-P and GIVEAWAY at Whole Circle Studio
• Monday, April 29 — Q: Joanna Marsh of Kustom Kwilts
• Monday, April 29 — Q: Lindsay Széchényi of Lindsay Széchényi (and Patchwork Threads)
• Tuesday, April 30 — R: Andrea Tsang Jackson of 3rd Story Workshop
• Wednesday, May 1 — S: Sarah Thomas of Sariditty
• Thursday, May 2 — T: Rachel Rossi of Rachel Rossi
• Friday, May 3— Week 4 Wrap Up featuring Q-T and GIVEAWAY at Whole Circle Studio
• Monday, May 6 — U: Kitty Wilkin of Night Quilter
• Tuesday, May 7 — V: Jenn McMillan of Fabric, Ink
• Wednesday, May 8 — W: Jenny Meeker of Bobbin Roulette Studio
• Thursday, May 9 — X: Stephanie Kendron of Modern Sewciety
• Friday, May 10 — Week 5 Wrap Up featuring U-X and GIVEAWAY at Whole Circle Studio
• Monday, May 13 — Y: Debby Brown of Debby Brown Quilts
• Tuesday, May 14 — Z: Nisha Bouri and Kim Martucci of Brimfield Awakening
• Wednesday, May 15 — Week 6 Wrap Up featuring Y-Z, Tour closeout and GIVEAWAY at Whole Circle Studio

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The Creativity Project Week #52: Kim Soper

Kim Soper The Creativity Project Week 52 Leland Ave Studios

Welcome to the final week of 2018, and the last week of The Creativity Project! Over the past 52 weeks, we’ve come together every Friday with so many amazing artists and makers to try to get to the heart of “why” we create. For 52 weeks, we’ve come to this space with an open heart and curious mind, to hear each participant give voice to their personal creative process.

Throughout the year, many of you have asked if I would provide my own reflections on the interview questions. While I didn’t want my opinions to influence any of the respondent’s interpretation of the questions, I thought it only fair for me to experience what it is like to be the one sharing their personal process. And so, for this final installment of The Creativity Project, I give you — me.

Before we begin the final interview, I’d like to express how much I appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time out of your busy lives to read this project and reflect on its meaning. It has been a privilege to bring you this series, and I only hope that you have enjoyed it as much as I have. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me.

Of course I’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to all of the project participants: Melanie Tuazon, Jess Skultety, Michelle Cain, Laura Hartrich, Yvonne Fuchs, Shannon Fraser, Tiffany Horn, Andrea Tsang Jackson, Christa Watson, Silvia Sutters, Michelle Wilkie, Deborah Fisher, Michelle Bartholomew, Kirsty Cleverly, Steph Skardal, Laura McDowell Hopper, Daisy Aschehoug, Heather Black, Shelagh Jessop, Kathryn Upitis, Carole Lyles Shaw, Dash Masland, Victoria Gertenbach, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Mel Beach, Diana Vandeyar, Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill, Kristin Shields, Alexis Deise, Sujata Shah, Sara Trail, Gina Adams, Tara Faughnan, Melissa Averinos, Luke Haynes, Jen Broemel, Sarah Goer, Timna Tarr, Heidi Parkes, Alyce Blythe, Scarlet Sparkuhl, Riane Menardi, Zak Foster, Karen Duling, Jenny Haynes, Carolina Oneto, Kim Eichler-Messmer, Suzy Williams, Heather Jones, Sam Hunter, and of course all of you who participated in the survey. Thank you for taking the time to thoughtfully consider the interview questions. Without you this project could not exist! 

And now, without further ado, I give you the final installment of The Creativity Project.

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The Creativity Project Week #51: Survey Results

Survey Results The Creativity Project Week #51 Kim Smith Soper Leland Ave Studios

This week, I’d like to start with a thank you.  To everyone in this community who has read an interview of The Creativity Project, found a new artist to follow, commented on my blog, sent me messages, or recommended this series to a friend – Thank You. When I embarked upon this journey at the beginning of the year, I knew it would be a lot of work.  However, the support you’ve given me, and the people that shared their words in this space, have made it all truly worth it. From the bottom of my heart, I cannot thank you enough.


Week #51 is a very special week as this week is all about you — the community of makers. A total of 444 of you participated in The Creativity Project survey over the past year.  You provided feedback and thoughtful comments from every corner of the United States and around the globe.  You were different ages and quilt at different skill levels. You work in different mediums and have different levels of engagement with various quilting communities. But no matter where you’ve come from, or how long you’ve been doing it, you were willing to be part of this project and share your thoughts on what drives you to create.

Thus, in spite of our differences (and our differences of opinion in how we answered the survey questions), what I’ve found is that overall, there is way more that make us similar than sets us apart.

For this week’s project, I will share how you answered these questions about creativity as well as some comments that reflected the general thoughts from the community. Thank you one last time again for taking the time to participate!  Welcome, and I hope you enjoy!

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The Creativity Project Week #50: Sam Hunter

Sam Hunter The Creativity Project Week #50 Leland Ave Studios Kim Smith Soper Photo Credit:Melissa Joy Sleasman

Sam Hunter is a fiber artist and quilt pattern designer. Born in England, Sam split her formative years between Europe and the United States before settling in the USA permanently in  1981. Sam started sewing when she was only seven years old and then began quilting in her late twenties. Shortly thereafter, she started teaching quilting. Sam holds an MFA in Fiber Arts, and blends this classic training with a  sense of play in all that she does. Sam has exhibited her artwork throughout the United States, and has received numerous grants and awards, including a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship. As a pattern designer, Sam is a champion for helping beginners develop their skills, while making patterns that are interesting enough to entice more advanced sewists. Sam has developed a Pattern Mission Statement that informs all of the work she creates. In addition, Sam is a champion for artists getting paid a fair value for their work. She created the We Are $ew Worth It campaign to empower artists and designers by providing resources on topics such as: keeping track of time when working, pricing, and other issues that arise when trying to place value on the work that we do. Sam is the author of numerous patterns and the book, Quilt Talk: Paper-Pieced Alphabet with Numbers & Symbols – 12 Chatty Projects. Her beautiful collaboration with artist Lisa Congdon is currently touring with the Modern Quilt Guild’s Modern Showcase. Welcome, Sam! Continue Reading

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The Creativity Project Week #49: Heather Jones

Heather Jones The Creativity Project Week #49 Leland Ave Studios Kim Smith Soper

Heather Jones is an artist, designer, and educator whose work questions and pushes traditional conceptions of both quilt making and painting. Her work is represented by The George Gallery, Charlestown, SC , Imlay Gallery, Montclair, NJ, and she has work available through the Marta Hewett Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a three-time winner of the Project Modern Quilt Design competition, a two-time finalist for the Martha Stewart American Made Awards, and was named a “Creative Genius” by DIY Network.  Her work has been exhibited widely at venues across the United States. Heather’s first book, Quilt Local: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday was released in October 2015 by STC Craft, an imprint of Abrams, New York.  Heather’s work has been featured in numerous books and magazines such as Martha Stewart Living; Lucky Spool’s Essential Guide to Modern Quilt Making; Modern Patchwork; and Curated Quilts. She teaches quilting and design workshops across the country, offers online classes through Creativebug.com, and has appeared on PBS’s Quilting Arts TV and Fresh Quilting. A native Cincinnatian, Heather studied art history at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning, earning both a Bachelors of Arts and Masters of Arts (ABT). She currently lives just outside the city on a small farm with her husband and two young children. Continue Reading

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The Creativity Project Week #48: Suzy Williams

Suzy Williams The Creativity Project Week #48 Leland Ave Studios:Kim Smith Soper

Suzy Williams is a quilting entrepreneur. She has used her modern, minimalist aesthetic to take pattern design to a new level through her use of stunning photography and a vibrant social media presence. Suzy came to quilting at the age of 15, when she curiously peeked into her friend’s mom’s sewing room. Brenda Winkelmeyer became Suzy’s quilting mentor, and, combined with Suzy’s background in graphic design, the textile business Suzy Quilts was born. Suzy’s quilts have been featured in numerous publications, including Modern Patchwork Magazine, QuiltCon Magazine, Modern Quilts Unlimited, and the book Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century. She also writes a monthly column in Love, Patchwork & Quilting Magazine. Suzy is a BERNINA Ambassador, and even flew to their headquarters in Switzerland to film videos to promote the release of their new machines made specifically for quilters. Suzy has released countless successful patterns, all of which are available for purchase on her website, and has licensed textile designs to Land of Nod and others. In 2016, she partnered with Toyota, where her quilt of a cityscape was featured in print and web ads for the brand. The Suzy Quilts website is full of educational tips and tutorials about quilting, all delivered with a dose of Suzy’s wit and photos of her adorable dog, Scrappy. Suzy lives in Chicago with her husband, dog, and almost-here baby boy. Welcome, Suzy! Continue Reading

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The Creativity Project Week #47: Kim Eichler-Messmer

Kim Eichler-Messmer The Creativity Project Week #47 Kim Smith Soper Leland Ave Studios

Kim Eichler-Messmer is a textile artist living and working in Kansas City. Born in Iowa as an only child to two hard-working and creative parents, Kim developed a love of art from an early age. In college, she discovered a passion for working with textiles, and almost all of her quilts are hand dyed. Since 2008, Kim has been an Associate Professor in Fiber at the Kansas City Art Institute, where she has taught surface design, quilting, and natural dye. She received an MFA in Textiles from the University of Kansas and a BFA in Drawing and Printmaking from Iowa State University. Her hand dyed, one-of-a-kind quilts have been exhibited nationally in numerous solo and juried shows and featured on prominent design blogs including Apartment Therapy and Design Sponge. Kim is the author of Modern Color: An Illustrated Guide to Dyeing Fabric for Modern Quilts and her work has been featured in many books and publications, including: Quilting with a Modern Slant by Rachel May; The Essential Guide To Modern Quilt Making, edited by Heather Grant; and The Uppercase Compendium of Craft and Creativity by Janine Vangool. Most recently, Kim has been exploring natural dyes and dying techniques. This summer, she traveled to Japan, where she studied with shibori masters. She also taught a summer workshop for the Penland School of Crafts, in Penland, North Carolina on natural dyes and quilting. Welcome, Kim! Continue Reading

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The Creativity Project Week #46: Carolina Oneto

Carolina Oneto The Creativity Project Week #46 Leland Ave Studios Kim Smith Soper

Carolina Oneto is a South American Industrial Engineer with a Master’s degree in Business Engineering. She worked in the industry and was a university professor for more than 10 years. In 2010, Carolina and her family left Santiago, Chile to relocate to Buenos Aires, Argentina. After the birth of her third child, she chose this opportunity to slow her life down. It was at this time that she discovered her love of patchwork. Carolina went on to study patchwork and quilting with Cecilia Koppman and Teresita Leal, and afterward has traveled yearly to study with experienced quilters here in the US. In addition, Carolina’s time spent studying “The Interaction of Color” at the art school of Chile’s Catholic University has had a huge influence on her work. Color (and its interaction) is a recurring theme for her. Carolina teaches classes and workshops in her studio. She has also partnered with Janome Chile to teach workshops in the Janome Academy and in the craft fair “Materia Prima” throughout Chile. This year, Carolina has taught workshops in Buenos Aires, and in September she participated as Professor of The Quilt and Patchwork Festival in Gramado, Brazil. She is member of the Modern Quilt Guild, member of the Studio Art Quilt Association (SAQA) and the International Quilt Association. Carolina lives in Chile with her husband and their three children. Welcome, Carolina!  [Editor’s Note: this interview is presented in both English and Spanish.]

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The Creativity Project Week #45: Jenny Haynes

Jenny Haynes The Creativity Project Week #45 Leland Ave Studios Kim Smith Soper

A Swedish exile residing in in London and Sheffield for the past 20 years, Jenny Haynes began her textile journey by studying Pattern Cutting and Tailoring in her native Stockholm. Soon after, she followed her passion for fabrics and moved to London to study Fashion and Textiles at the London College of Fashion. She then went on to develop her own label ‘Papper, Sax, Sten’ (that’s ‘Paper, Scissors, Stone’ in case you’re wondering!), creating designs that reflect her many different influences. Her bespoke quilts and furnishings are recognized for their clean, simple, mid-century modern design. Jenny mixes vintage fabrics with modern prints; rich colors with pastels; often using her trademark curves; while remaining faithful to her Scandinavian roots. In 2015, Jenny was invited by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, along with 18 other Swedish designers, to be a part of a Swedish Summer Exhibition at famed London department store Heal’s. More recently Jenny was asked to contribute to a publication by Thames & Hudson for the V&A. Two of Jenny’s quilts are featured in Patchwork & Quilting: A Maker’s Guide; and her Reel to Reel quilt will be featured in QuiltCon Magazine (2019). Apart from designing and making quilts, Jenny also teaches and lectures about quilting and her design process. In 2019, she will be teaching graphic design at Sheffield Hallam University. Students will work with Jenny on a project titled Protest, where the medium is patchwork and quilting. Welcome, Jenny! Continue Reading

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The Creativity Project Week #44: Karen Duling

Karen Duling The Creativity Project Week #44 Leland Ave Studios Kim Smith Soper

Karen Duling creates thought-provoking work that is both clever and introspective. Karen began making quilts to raise funds for her community animal shelter. Over time, she realized that these quilts could offer comfort to those grieving the loss of a pet, or celebrating the joys of life. Her 2014 book, Quilting for the Paws, is a celebration of the animals she loves so much, featuring patterns to make a variety of pet-themed quilts. But while her interests may have started with animals, the subject manner of her work is far ranging.  Karen’s designs are conceptualized through weeks of rumination and carried out with a good dose of improvisation and whimsy.  Karen has been deeply inspired by Gwen Marston, and considers her now both friend and mentor. Karen’s quilts have been featured in exhibits around the country, including “Quilt + Resist:  Art, Politics, Storytelling” (currently at the Woman Made Gallery, Chicago Illinois); the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters, Oregon; “Art Quilt Invitational”, an exhibit at the Bonifas Art Center in Escanaba, Michigan; and her quilt “Fish Squared” was included in an exhibit featuring medallion-style quilts shown at the American Quilter’s Society show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2012. In addition, Karen’s quilts have been featured in numerous publications, including Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century, and have been the recipient of awards from the American Quilters Society and at the Modern Quilt Guild’s QuiltCon 2016 show in Pasadena, California. Karen currently lectures and presents trunk shows across the midwest, sharing her work with fellow quilters.  She lives in the middle of Michigan with her husband and canine quilting pal Merle, renowned as the creator of “Merle’s Tips” in her book Quilting for the Paws. Welcome, Karen! Continue Reading