My good friend Maura Grace Ambrose joins for me for this SEAMSIDE special episode I’m calling FREE ADVICE where we answer your questions on quilting and the creative life.

In this episode, we share our thoughts on the following questions:
➞ how our quilt aesthetic has changed over time,
➞ how to learn quilting without spending a lot of money or time
➞ what to do with random experimental pieces
➞ how to help objects made from imperfect salvaged materials look their best
➞ Maura offers a fool-proof method for getting started with natural dyes
➞ do you need a quilting hoop to hand quilt?
➞ what’s it like to quilt professionally?
➞ our favorite podcasts

We’re recording this on the one-year anniversary of our first SEAMSIDE chat, HOW TO GIVE AND RECEIVE which you can find here.

→ Claim your free copy of 10 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I STARTED QUILTING
→ Get your free trial to the QUILTY NOOK
→ See images and more at the EPISODE WEBSITE
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A special thanks to the folks whose questions made this conversation possible: Marie from Canada, Amy from Pittsburgh, Teresa from Losa Angeles, Sherry from Kentucky, Judy from Florida, Kara from Maine, Adelaide from the Twin Cities, and Polly from North Carolina

In this episode, I share more about a quilt I call LIKE FAMILY. It's part of the Southern White Amnesia Collection, which explores the kinds of stories that Southern White families tell one another, or maybe more importantly, the ones they don’t tell one another about their own family history. You may have heard me talk about other pieces in the same collection on SEAMSIDE before, and if not, I'd encourage you to check out some of those episodes. So far, we've got SILVER DOLLAR, SNAKE HANDLER, OUR CHILDREN, and ONUS // ON US.

In this SEAMSIDE conversation, we explore:

① an old Southern family burial ground

② why the phrase “like family” can often describe a one-sided view of relationships

③ a moment from THIS HERE FLESH by Cole Arthur Riley

WHY LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE? This episode weaves together a vulnerable exploration of identity, history, and responsibility, providing listeners with a deep, reflective experience on how historical legacies impact our current world

I first met Victoria Van Der Laan in Catskill, New York, standing in the gravel driveway in front of the HUDDLE House where me and twenty-five other NOOKers where spending a long weekend quilting together. I had assumed she’d just whisk me away for a quick coffee and pastry while I was in town and that would be it, but Victoria ended up coming back to the house for a trunk show and then spent all afternoon with us just sewing and sharing stories. Noticing the warmth and generosity she moves through the world with, I knew we’d become fast friends.

In this SEAMSIDE conversation, Victoria and I talk about:
① how the demands of life can pressurize our creative practice
② why her colors seem to vibrate
③ how to expand and contract as the season allows

→ Get your free trial to the QUILTY NOOK
→ See images and more from this episode with SEAMSIDE EXTRAS
→ Learn more about Zak
→ Support Victoria through Buy Me A Coffee