Getting to Know You..A CM in Profile

Here is our first CM In Profile for the year.

Getting to Know You - Sara



1. What is your name (first only is fine if you prefer) and what do we call you at Crafty Mamas?
Sara

2. How long have you been around Crafty Mama and how did you find us?

I joined the forum in May 2007 and starting posting at the end of July 2007. I found Crafty Mamas because I subscribed to Ottobre through Lisa, head Crafty Mama.

3.What makes you a Crafty Mama - ie what is your activity(s) of choice?

I have two main activities, sewing and dyeing. I do other little handcrafts here and there which is a by-product of being a parent of Steiner-educated children.

4. Some people collect fabrics, others patterns - what's you addiction in the crafting sense.

I have two addictions. Farbenmix patterns and European fabric. Farbenmix and Ottobre were the first patterns that gave me great results from my sewing. Ottobre is awesome, but I am not able to use their patterns for items that I make for sale. I love the way Sabine and the Farbenmix team support the home sewist. I have an accordion file full of Farbenmix patterns. I don't own every single one, but I have a very healthy collection, and I am eagerly awaiting Nancy's book in February.

I love the Euro fabrics from Hilco and Stenzo. The designs, the colours, the quality just make me happy, and I feel like I can't make anything horrible when I sew with them. I also prefer the European poplins over the American quilting fabrics because they wrinkle less in the laundry. I hate to iron.

5. What's your creative space like?

Chaotic! We are undergoing a home renovation at the moment. I am still managing to sew some small projects here and there. My sewing cabinet is in the living room, and my cutting table is out in the new room. Some of my supplies are in my bedroom as is some fabric. And then there is the fabric in the shed and the rolls of fabric in the kids' room. When that dust settles (hopefully by mid February!!!), I will have a nook in the back room. It's near the back doors, so it will be easy for me to keep an eye on the kids. I will have my cutting table and sewing cabinet in that space, but will probably be storing my fabric in the study, so that it's not out in the open in our open plan living space.

6. What's your favourite crafty tool ?..ie your machines and why?

I love all sorts of sewing gadgets and notions that make any job easier, but I absolutely love my sewing machine. I started out with a Bernina Activa, and as I started sewing more and more, I decided that I wanted a machine with a few more features and the possibility of doing machine embroidery. I upgraded to a Bernina Aurora 440, and have never regretted it. The machine sews so sweetly and does everything that I need it to. When I originally bought the Aurora I toyed with the idea of buying the embroidery module, but decided that I should really think about whether or not I'd use it. Back in April, 2 years after I bought my machine, I decided to purchase the embroidery module and haven't looked back. It's great being able to sew anything or embellish how I want.

7. Tell us about the most dedicated act of crafting you have performed ie sewed all night, drove 2 days for a craft show - something bordering on silly!

I don't do silly things like sew all night. I am now able to recognise when I need to stop! Too many mistakes late at night! But I do have a certain intensity when I am working. It's not uncommon for me to spend 8 hours tie-dyeing stuff or making 17 pairs of leggings all at once.

The most fun act of crafting that I've done is hop on plane and fly to Melbourne to meet up with some other Crafty Mamas for a crafty weekend. It was fabulous.

8. Do you have a blog/website/business/etsy you would like to plug?

I have a blog, willowandmoo.blogspot.com, and I also have a neglected Etsy shop willowandmoo.etsy.com

I'm having a break right now because of the renovations, but I am hoping to be back at the machines and having purple hands (from my dyeing) in February. I get busy with custom orders which is why my Etsy shop gets neglected, so it's always worthwhile to ask me if you'd like something.

9. If you were stuck on a desert island and had the choice of three things to take what would you take (doesn't have to be crafty)?

Oh I hate picking just three things. And then the analytical part of me starts to kick in and I think, but if I was stuck on an island, I wouldn't really be able to choose what I was stuck with, and if I could, in reality I'd want things to aid my survival. And then I'd assume there's no electricity, so electronic gadgets wouldn't be useful. Oh stuff that rational thinking...

*my family

*my laptop

*chocolate

10. OK some one word answers to wrap up:

Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds (can't break 'em. I'm a klutz.)

Coffee or tea? COFFEE!!!!!!

Sweet or savoury? Sweet

Night owl or early bird? Night owl (would someone please let me children know to sleep in a bit more!)
Left or right handed? Right