The Five Favs Series with: Delia of A Stitch Is A Stitch Quilt Co.
Episode 19
The Story behind Five Favs
This series developed out of my love of movies, and specifically, movie lists. Critics and film geeks alike spend hours pouring over lists, ranking everything from best movies of the year (pretty standard fare) to top five music documentaries (getting a little more granular) to top five movie characters that shaped who you are (pretty personal and specific!). I thought it would be fun to play with this idea in the quilting world. Since we spend so much time in our sewing spaces, they contain interesting snapshots of who we are as creators, and can offer a sneak peek into other aspects of our lives, too. And so- the creation of The Five Favs Blog. This is a top five of the guests favorite items in their sewing space.
I am so excited to introduce this month’s guest, Delia from A Stitch Is a Stitch! Not only does Delia have amazing patterns, but I absolutely love the thought she puts into every.single.detail. From her impeccable colors and fabric choices, to her insightful tips and tricks, Delia puts so much care into what she creates. And the results are stunning!
Welcome Delia!
About Delia
“Hi! I'm Delia of A Stitch is a Stitch Quilt Co. I create original quilt patterns and offer technical editing services to fellow designers. I live in New Mexico with my husband and three kids, all of whom are proud owners of several quilts. I'm a total homebody, so staying in, drinking coffee, and quilting is a great day for me. When I'm not sewing, I'm likely riffing bad movies with my hubby, lost in a good book, or rock climbing with my family.”
Where Delia Works
“My sewing area is in what we call the ‘office,’ which is really a room that has my sewing desk, bookshelves, computers, and a bunch of board games & kids’ toys. The walls are covered in my children’s artwork and mini quilts. On one side of the room, my husband and I share a desk with our computers side by side, while my sewing desk is on the opposite wall. There are two large windows which let in a lot of natural light, so I take all of my Instagram photos on the floor right in front of them. My ironing board is always set up in front of the windows as well. It’s not a large room by any means, a bit cramped really, but I love that this is a space where the whole family can hang out. It’s wonderful to sit at my machine while my kids play behind me and my husband works at his computer.”
Fav 1 - Art Wall
“The wall directly above my sewing desk displays art from several of my friends and family. My best friend painted the two cactus pictures and the family painting. We grew up in Arizona, so the cactus paintings are dear to my heart. The drawings of the mouse sewing and the bunny under a quilt were gifts made by my dear friend Kristin’s husband after I pattern tested for her. The pineapple is the first mini quilt I ever made and was my first attempt at walking foot quilting. There are a few puckers on the back, but it’s a good reminder of how much I’ve learned over the years! My sweet SIL made my Starry Braids pattern out of paper, which hangs top right. Everything on this wall holds special meaning and brings me joy and inspiration every day!”
Fav 2 - Rechargeable Ottlite
“A lot of my sewing is done at night when the kids are in bed and it’s dark outside. I really wanted a light that I could put next to my sewing machine, but also one that could move with me around the house. I sit on the floor to trim HSTs, move to the ironing board to press, and often bring pieces to the living room to work as I watch TV with my husband. This Ottlite lamp is chargeable, so I can unplug it and take it wherever I’m working. It has three brightness settings and an adjustable neck. It’s turned out to be amazing and I use it all the time, day or night. If my sewing machine is on, then so is this light!”
Fav 3 - 3D Printed Thread Cutter
“I’ve used a thread cutter for years, but this 3D printed one is now my go-to. My son printed it for me after we got a 3D printer for Christmas last year. What I like about this thread cutter is that it gives a second life to old rotary blades! The flower part opens up and a rotary blade fits inside. It’s designed so the petals are close together and don’t allow fingers, big or little, to reach the blade. The flower/blade sits in the stand and makes separating chain piecing a breeze! The base also opens up and the flower part can be stored inside, making it easy to tuck it away or bring it along for travel. I chain piece my fabric any chance I get, so this little guy is well used and well loved.”
Fav 4 - Rotating Cutting Mat
“This mat is one of my most used tools in my sewing room, but not for the reason you’d expect. Yes, I do use it to trim half square triangles and small units. I love that it has its own flat, sturdy base so I can use it wherever I am in the house, and not just on a table. However, the main thing I use this mat for is holding my fabric pieces in my lap when I’m at my sewing machine. My sewing desk is small and I don’t have much space to keep the pieces I’m working with on the desk. I set them on my mat and keep it right in my lap as I sew. This has become my default state over the years, so on rare occasions where I’m sewing without this board, I literally feel weight missing from my lap.”
Fav 5 - Binding Spool
“This is an antique wooden spool that my aunt gave to me a few years ago. I’m not huge into having knickknacks, so I came up with a way to make this a functional tool for storing binding! I usually make my binding when I first start on a new quilt. I wrap it around the spool and it sits on the bookshelf next to my sewing desk as a pretty little art piece. I especially love when there are multiple bindings on the spool, because it shows off the different personalities of whatever quilts I’m making. Then when it’s time to bind a quilt, the spool sits in my lap and unravels as I attach the binding. It’s a simple item, but I appreciate that it can be both beautiful and useful.”
Thank you all so much for checking out this series and learning a little bit more about Delia and her sewing space! I’ll have a new guest talking about their favs coming soon!
Where To Find Delia and A Stitch Is A Stitch Quilt Co:
You can follow Delia on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and be sure to check out her website!