The short backstory is that when our book proposal (Crazy Shortcut Quilts) was accepted in 2006, I needed to make eight quilts in about two months. I struggled with comfort, stitching distortions, the weight of the quilts and more and I started innovating. Through much trial and error, I settled on a design that I still use to this day – in fact, I just set up another custom sewing table for temporary use just a few days ago.
For anyone who has seen the videos (there are three so far) or read the Squidoo Lens or even seen my old blog posts – you don’t really need the book unless there’s something about the reasoning, design or adaptations you don’t understand.
Who I wrote this book for is all the people who are not online, who don’t watch video on the computer, who are still in pain or struggling with their quilting and need that extra, printed, hold-it-in-your-hand and look at all the pictures (35 of them) in order to get motivated to create their own custom area.
I found out just how valuable this information is to other quilters by accident, sort of. That’s a whole other story.
My online friend, Margie Wallace, reached through the internet and twisted my arm to make her point about the usefulness of video. I’ll be in her debt forever.
She convinced me to make a video, any video, but make it about something I was passionate about.
Well, I’m passionate about comfort while quilting – I harp on it to anyone who will listen. I made a short video as a learning experiment. It’s a hit. It has been watched over 50,000 times and I get comments on it regularly. Comments like “brilliant!” or “I went from beginner quilter to advanced machine quilter in hours because of your design”. I even got an email that someone took my information and wrote it up in a magazine article!
The rest of the story is long, but the condensed version is that I’ve studied self publishing information for the past two years, recently quit my job, moved, bought publishing software and learned to use it, and I made this book my first self publishing effort. It’s not perfect – nothing I do is perfect – and there are changes I want to make already, but it’s out there, ready to help anyone who needs it.
If you know of anyone who is might benefit from the information in the book, I would be grateful if you would let them know about it. I’ve had too many friends need surgery because of a bad quilt-room, sewing or cutting arrangement when all they needed was some ergonomic intervention. Please help your friends and yourself quilt in comfort today – book or no book – it’s really important to be comfortable and kind to our bodies.
Thank you,
Comments
19 responses to “Sew & Quilt in Comfort”
I have watched your videos about the quilting table and am happy to say that I am using one for my sewing machine. Love all the space and being able to put notes under the vinyl.
YAY!! I am so happy! I get so excited knowing that my ideas are helping quilters! Thank you for telling me 🙂
Congratulations on your new book. Your first book and ALL of your videos have been so helpful and inspiring. I made the sewing arrangement using your video and it is wonderful. Now I just need to get an adjustable chair. Again, congratulations to a very knowledgeable and very generous person/quilter.
Thank you Martha! I am hard at work on another book too – one with more quilts in it. I am just having the time of my life 🙂
Yay!!! More quilts, I can’t wait.
Congrats on your new book! Way to go! A quilter’s best seller!
Hehehehe, I don’t think anyone on the New York Times bestseller list has to worry about being bumped off 🙂 This book is much more of a “I just have to get this off my chest” than anything else. If it helps just a few more quilters get comfortable and prevents some injuries and surgeries, I’ll be very happy with that. Thanks for stopping by Margaret – I think your new puzzle quilt pattern is going to be the BIG hit!
Marguerita, Congratulations on your new book. the videos are awesome. you are such an encouragement to quilters with your ideas and shortcuts. please continue sharing and teaching us. thank you.
Thanks Michelle!
Congratulations! I know I will be ordering my copy…only because I love your videos and helpful ideas. You have given all of us new quilters a guide on the side. Thanks! Can’t wait to read your future book too. Hope you are having a great time quilting. 🙂
Hi Annie – you don’t have to do that – but if you do, you might wait just a bit because I am hoping Amazon runs a discount promotion on it. I’ll post if I see them do that 🙂
Congratulations on your latest accomplishment! So many people have, and will benefit from the information you presented in this book.
Keep on writing books, producing great videos and I will continue to be your #1 Cheerleaader!
Thank you Margie! Most especially, thanks for being the motivation behind the videos that lead to this book – I owe so much to you!
A good person achieves good things, repeatedly. Way to go Marguerita! I’m proud of you and your accomplishments. 🙂
Thank you Judy, I am SO looking forward to our retreat!
Hi Marguerita!
I found your blog, finally! Some of us are just not up to speed on all the places to find information on this WWW. I got your new book & am just thrilled. I think I have been needing this for a long time. It is interesting that even though I have watched your videos, seeing it in writing really helps to remind me of each area to be aware of. I have often had the tight shoulders (hunching) & likely the wrong chair as well. I am really thrilled for you on this self-publishing journey, & hope you will continue to keep a notebook of all the other things you have taught us; perhaps for a future edition?
Best Wishes,
Cathy
Welcome Cathy! I have enjoyed our emails tremendously! I am glad that you like the book and hope it helps a little. Yes, I am already thinking of all the things I did wrong in organizing this book and ways to fix the layout for a second edition – but for the last 5 weeks all I’ve done is design, test and create quilts for a new book. It’s nice to get back to working with fabric and not computer programs for a while. I am really enjoying myself!
Congrats my friend you are amazing! How is your new digs? Do you love Arizona and how is your daughter doing in Alaska without her mom there? Where are you living?
Hi Jean,
I loved being in AZ for the winter, and we’re heading home soon. Mt daughter and her family came for a nice visit and my granddaughter and I stay in touch with looooooooooong video chats on Yahoo 🙂
We’re in Bullhead City, AZ right now but I’ll be taking video of our drive home and I can’t wait to share it!
I’m busy working on yet another book – this time with real quilts in it – all new quilts, and I’m having a great time. I can’t wait to start sharing them here. I have several quilts made, but no instructions written yet. Hehehehehe…time to start typing!