My Return to the World of the Quilter!

 

I am so excited to be here and to finally get this blog up and running.  I have been wanting to do this for awhile, and I have enjoyed following the blogs a lot of you have been writing.  I am not new to the world of quilting, but I have taken a bit of a sabbatical for about 15 years.  During that time I have developed skills in other areas of art, design, textiles, and sewing.  I hope that I have become a much stronger textile artist because of these experiences.  I think that it is only fair to tell you a little about myself before I dive right in, so here we go!

( I have shamelessly taken the remainder of this post from the “about” section of this site, so expect a case of déjà vu if you choose to read both!)

I love to create.  For me this takes many forms with this blog mostly focussing on my life as a fiber artist.  My mother taught me to sew starting around the age of three or four (the details are a bit fuzzy!)  I learned to quilt first, then I started sewing clothes, and quilted clothes.  After that I entered a career where I spent a lot of time sewing clothing as well as other things.  I have recently returned to the quilt world, and I am excited to share my adventures with you.

Why the not so dramatic life?  Almost my entire professional life has been spent in the theatre.  And no, I’m not an actress.  I am trained as a scenic and costume designer, and have also spent many years working in various technical roles behind the scenes.  These experiences inform my overall design aesthetic as well as helping me to develop skills which allow me to execute (almost) anything I can dream up.

Vital Stats:

Name: Cassandra Ireland Beaver

Education: MFA in Theatre Design (Specifically Scenic and Costume Design)

BFA in Painting (the Fine Art kind) and Drama: Theatre Design and Technology

States in which I have Lived:  Ohio, Missouri, Utah, Kentucky, Connecticut, Indiana

Places I have Visited: 29 US States, Germany, France, Belgium (well, the bus tour I was on had a rest stop there so that counts, right?), South Korea

Q&A Time

What is your Quilting Style?  I identify myself as a contemporary quilter because I’m going to make whatever I am inspired to create, and I have no intention of plunking myself inside a box.  My quilts each have a particular style, but I do not.

Okay then, what style do your Quilts tend to have?  Most of the pieces I create would be classified as either Modern or Art quilts, although occasionally something more traditional may appear.

What is your Greatest Quilting Strength?  A rather neurotic tendency to insist on seams lining up perfectly and points being sharp

What is your Greatest Quilting Weakness?  Free motion quilting (remember the neurotic thing?)  I shall conquer this!  Or else you will discover me huddled in a corner muttering something about inconsistent stitch lengths.

Do you have any experience teaching what you discuss here?  I was a college professor teaching scenic and costume design for a few years, and I managed a university (theatre) costume shop for a couple of years before that.  I have taught a lot of people how to sew, but not as many how to quilt.  I hope to return to teaching soon in a more quilt-based capacity!

How can I contact you?  You can email me at:   cassandra(at)thenotsodramaticlife(dot)com

What about that theatre stuff you mentioned?  If you are so inclined, please check out some of my theatre designs at www.cassandraireland.com

What is the best piece of advice you can give to a fellow quilter?  Be fearless with your work!  Try a new technique!  Create an original design!  You are in control of the fabric!

Thank you so much for visiting!  Your comments are important to me, and I will make every effort to respond!