Desire To Inspire

It is a busy last day of March around here. Today is the last day for quilt shop owners to enter the Kim Diehl Simple Whatnots Club Contest. You still have time to enter if you already have a finished sample of Heritage Stars on display in your quilt shop.  Contest details further down this post. 

It is also time to post our Desire To Inspire Challenge project. We can certainly say that this is one of our favorite things about the blog. We love to see what YOU make with our collections. If you want to join the list of potential challengers, send us an e-mail. Instructions are in the flyer below.

We sent our challenger a bundle of American Dreams by Beth Logan and we were excited to see the challenger's projects. Let's meet our March 2015 Desire To Inspire Challenger.

Name:  Julie Cefalu

Where do you live?  

I live in the Bay Area of California.  It used to be prime agricultural land with orchards everywhere.  Now it’s known as Silicon Valley.  I do have an amazing vegetable garden, though!

Family

I have been married to the love of my life for 30 years.  We have 4 children, and we’re currently empty nesters.  Our oldest daughter is married and lives in Austin, Texas.  She’s expecting a baby (our first grandchild) in July.  We have another daughter who is getting married in September and lives close by.  Our son is single, and he also lives and works nearby.  Our youngest daughter is a junior at UC Davis which is 2 hours away and visits often.  We also have a dog, Cooper who is our comic relief and a stress-reliever for my husband (not so much for me).  For the remaining animals, we’re down to one cat and a tortoise.  It’s always a zoo around here for one reason or another!

How long have you been quilting?

I have been quilting for 16 years.  I started when my youngest child was in preschool, and after being prodded encouraged by my older sister.  I’ve sewn since I was in junior high school, and I used to sew everything from curtains to maternity clothes and lots of Halloween costumes.  Now I stick to quilts, table runners and bags.

What's your favorite technique?

I love every aspect of quilting, but my favorite technique is applique.  I think it takes an ordinary quilt into the extraordinary category.  Free motion quilting can do that, too, and it’s another technique that I enjoy.  And if shopping were a technique, I’d be very good at that as well.  

Who taught you how to quilt?  

I taught myself how to quilt.  I had big footsteps to fill with my sister being an excellent quilter.  I took my first quilting class in 2001 when I wanted to learn free motion quilting.  Now I teach beginning quilting, free motion quilting and machine applique.  It’s my favorite job ever!

Do you belong to any guilds?  

I am the co-founder and co-president of the Silicon Valley Modern Quilt Guild.

Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

I have a blog, The Crafty Quilter.  I started it in 2012 as a way to facilitate my teaching.  It has grown a lot since then, and my audience is almost at 5,000 followers.  I have lots of tutorials and tips that I share for all levels of quilters.  I’d love it if you would visit me there! 

I have really enjoyed this challenge and working with Henry Glass fabrics.  I love to create and there are always designs and ideas swirling in my head.  I wish I had a twin who could take care of all the “busy-ness” of life while I quilt all day!

Thank you to July for stepping up to the challenge!

One last note of business. Today is the last day for submitting your photograph to the Kim Diehl Simple Whatnots Club Contest. You have until midnight at a chance of entering this fabulous contest. Good luck!

We have received some amazing submissions. All of the entries are beautiful and the photographs will inspire you to be part of the Kim Diehl Simple Whatnots Club. The stores have outdone themselves and we are so very proud and grateful that these shops support Henry Glass Fabrics. Thank you! Here are some more entries [in no particular order].

[Tom Thomas, Yankee Pride Quilts in Essex Junction, VT]

[Susan Lommen, Colorz Quilt Shop, 14091 Baxter Drive, Suite 112, Baxter, MN]

[Linda Pirtle, Granny's Quilt Fabrics, 1108-B Argent Blvd., Ridgeland, South Carolina]

[Sue Carmichael, Quilters Cupboard, 202 Brock Street East, Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada]

Good luck to all!

- HG