Shell Rummel talks Business, Creative Process & Quilting Fabric with Quilt Addicts Anonymous!

Last week I sat down to chat with Stephanie Soebbing from Quilt Addicts Anonymous about my newest collection of quilting cottons for Free Spirit Fabrics, called Natural Affinity.

I really enjoy Steph and as you’ll see, the conversation flows with a relaxed ease. It’s always interesting when two entrepreneurs chat about the personal challenges their businesses face and this conversation goes there in a real and honest way. I am so grateful for the Quilt Shops ( brick and mortar and online resellers) who bring my quilting collections to the quilting community. Big love to Quilt Addicts Anonymous for being such a strong supporter of my brand for so many years.

Have a watch/listen…hope my words inspire you!

Creative Spotlight - Ana Buzzalino

I had the pleasure of meeting Ana Buzzalino at Quilt Market in Houston, Texas a few years ago after she wandered into my booth. We had easy conversation about shared interests which became the starting point for our friendship.

Ana is an accomplished fiber artist in Calgary, Alberta… a skillful quilter and embroidery artist. One glance through some of her recent projects and I instinctively wanted to collaborate with her. As my newest quilting fabric collection, Time & Tide, was just launching, I knew that my ocean inspired fabrics combined with Ana’s artistry would be a phenomenal match. And I was so right:)

“Low Tide at Rocky Point”

The STUNNING wall hanging that Ana created showcases my new collection, particularly the Tides Panel at the top. Ana’s beautiful stitchwork really enhances the fluid, watery flow and movement of the Tides Panel.

She incorporated several other coordinating patterns from the Time & Tide collection into the oceanscape and enhanced each with hand embroidery. You can see snippets of Ebb & Flow, Urchin, Sea Glass and Pebble patterns gracing the landscape interspersed with some solids.

Rocks, pebbles and stones are Ana’s speciality… she offers workshops to teach her technique (info below!) and we wanted to showcase them… they are so cool! To add even more texture, she hand embroidered using a variety of shades of 5-weight embroidery threads and then added French Knots with beading details for a bit of shimmer… very intricate and quite a beautiful result.

A dreamy collaboration that shows how you can incorporate hand embellished techniques and intricate stitching onto quilts, wall hangings and many other home decor products using my fabric lines.

I absolutely LOVE how this came out… Ana honored my fabrics beautifully and the incorporation of the rocks, pebbles, hand stitch work and beading added a textural component that really appeals to the artist in me, drawing me in for a closer look. An heirloom piece, for sure.

Gratitude to Ana Buzzalino for her many talents and artistry!

Want to learn how to make those gorgeous tactile rocks, pebbles and stones with your own fabrics? Click here for information about her online workshops!

Learn more about Ana on her website: www.anabuzzalino.com

Creative Spotlight - Barb Brandt

For those who follow me regularly on Instagram, you know that I am always on the lookout for talented creatives to collaborate with. It’s not always easy to connect creatively so when I do meet someone who not only truly gets my vision but also understands how to make my vision come to life, well, that’s a big win/win!

I always think of Barb Brandt when I want to see beautiful, textural hand work in projects that feature my fabrics. She knows exactly what I mean when I ask for precise Sashiko stitching that still feels natural or, organic hand embellishment that’s not too fancy but still feels special. Lucky for me, Barb speaks my language and her work always delights and surprises. So naturally, I thought of her when I needed a few items sewed from my current quilting fabric collection, Reverie. All Barb’s gorgeous projects were featured during a special Facebook Live, hosted by my local quilt shop, Sew Worth It. There is a link that will direct you over to watch the video at the bottom of this blog post:)

Look at this beautiful Boro Rice Bag she made using my Reverie fabrics from Freespirit Fabrics. The stitchwork is fantastic! Little embroidered and beaded accents that perfectly complement the fabrics.

And then she whipped up these adorable cosmetic and travel jewelry bags… I think it’s the details that make them extra special.

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Then, because I am obsessed with Kimono’s, Barb sewed up a a truly special women’s robe/kimono. I love the length of this… It is accentuated with deep side slits and a tie belt. It features 4 coordinated fabrics from Reverie and it turns a simple robe into a sophisticated look. This one is begging for a coordinated pajama set (hint, hint:)

And finally, I asked Barb to make an exaggerated large, artsy tote bag that also featured some hand stitched embellishments. She added a solid painters canvas for the body of the tote and added leather handles for durability. I can envision this bag created in linen for an even lighter, beachy look. This bag idea is a great way to use up some of your Reverie scraps and a fun way to get creative with the addition of spontaneous stitching details.

Watch: the Facebook Live Video that I did with Sew Worth It Sarasota:)

Follow: Barb on Instagram: @barbbrandt3 and reach out to her directly for inquiries about any of the lovely projects she sewed for me!

Pattern Sources:

Modern Japanese Rice Pouch pattern is by Karen Stevens …https://www.kzstevens.com/shop-1/modern-japanese-rice-pouch.

Kimono pattern is by Seamwork patterns https://www.seamwork.com/catalog/quince.