Hi there!!
Today as part of my “Come sit in my Polkadot Chair” Interview series, I’m featuring Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew!
Last October at the Sewing Summit, I was VERY excited to take Allison’s free motion quilting class. Free motion quilting had been on my “to learn” list for a while and I was a little excited (okay that’s probably an understatement). Excited enough that I asked a MILLION questions, but Allison was super sweet and answered them all.
After I got to talking to her for a bit I found out that she ALSO has a family of Dentists! I thought I was the only one with a crazy dental family (well her family might not be crazy like mine). After that realization I knew I had met a kindred spirit!
Thanks so much Allison for agreeing to be interviewed today.
Q: Okay, to start… just the facts… introduce yourself. Do you have kids? How many? Where do you live? Where did you grow up?
A: My name is Allison Harris, I live in Eastern Idaho with my husband, 2 young boys (4 1/2 and 1 1/2) and a baby (GIRL!!!!) on the way in March. I grew outside of Seattle in a pretty little town called Poulsbo with the best bakery ever. My parents still live there, and hopefully soon we’ll be moving back that way.
Q: Favorite Musical group when you were in Junior High… did you have a favorite song?
Oh geesh I don’t even remember what music was popular then…but I was a semi-dork so I wouldn’t have known anyways. I do remember some good ol’ TLC Chasing Waterfalls during the school dances though.
Q: When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I think I always planned on being a Dental Hygienist because my Dad always told me I would be a Dental Hygienist (exciting I know). And he got his wish….I’m a Dental Hygienist. That’s as exciting as it gets when your from a family full of Dentists.
Q: What’s one thing that you’d love to do but can’t?
Water ski really good, or snowboard, or run more than a mile and not feel like I’m going to die.
Q: Any hidden talents?
I’m really good at gardening… I grew flowers and sold bouquet’s in high school. I’m also really good at making cheesecakes…and then making the cheesecakes disappear. :)
Q: When and how did you learn to sew?
I learned from my Mom when I was young, then picked up quilting and really got into sewing about 5 years ago or so. My brand new Bernina that I got as a wedding present sat unused in its box for about 5 years….now its so sad to think about. :)
Q: What made you decide to start a blog?
My husband complained that our family blog was getting “too girly”….as in too many of my craft projects. So the sewing blog was born to keep my husband happy.
Q: What are your 3 favorite projects that you’ve posted on your blog?
My son Ben’s quilt, my raw edge circle quilt with a free tutorial that I made for my second son, and my Sprocket pillows. That tutorial and template took me forever so I am still to do this day pretty happy that it actually worked.
Q: What’s the most difficult thing that you have made and posted on your blog? How long did it take you? Any sewing machines thrown out the window?
I made a little whirly-gig quilt from a pattern that I thought would be a quick project…instead I wanted to poke my eyeballs out because it took me so long and involved a lot of squaring up blocks…gag. I loved the way it turned out though…so I guess it all worked out.
Q: Last craft fail
A skirt that is in my garbage can as I type this…I tried to add a “maternity band”. It was a big fail but luckily the fabric was super cheap.
Q: What fabric do you WISH you had lots and lots of?
I can honestly say there is not one fabric that I really want at the moment or wish I had bought more of. I’m not a big fabric hoarder, and I don’t like keeping a big stash because it stresses me out. Plus it seems like I get sick of fabrics pretty easily…so I buy small pieces. I loved the Pez fabric…but I over-used it and I’m still sick of it.
Q: What fabric in your stash can you not bring yourself to cut up?
I have some flea market fancy that I just don’t know what to do with. It’s not that I can’t bear to cut it up because I would…gladly. I just don’t know what in the world to do with it! It’s kind of pathetic…I should probably find it a new home.
Q: What’s the next thing on your sewing “to do” list?
I have a couple of gift-quilts to finish up, and then I’m going to start sewing for this baby girl I have on the way. After 2 boys I’m ready to sew some dresses! After I buy a serger…that’s on my to-do list too.
Q: Describe your perfect day.
My kids sleep in until 8:00, I get some morning sewing in while they read books quietly and snuggle on my bed, we go to a park (because it’s not snowing outside like it is right now) and have a nice picnic lunch, I get to take an uninterrupted nap and read, and then we have a nice family movie night, my boys snuggle with me while I read to them and I go to bed by 9. Today was almost perfect until my boys woke up at 5:45 AM and promptly started fighting and my 1 year old emptied a box of Trix cereal on the ground…it was so close to perfect. :) Luckily I enjoy the almost / not-quite / not-even-close-to perfect days just as much.
I’m a fan! Thanks for the insights into Allison’s life.
I adore Allison. She is the first blog person I contacted about learning how to quilt, and she was so sweet to send me some suggestions on places that helped her get going. :) I’ve been a loyal fan of hers for the last 2 years and look forward to many more…and finally getting to see some cute baby girl stuff. ;P
-Amanda-
http://www.thecozypumpkin.com
Thank you for sharing a bit about your life and quilting. I love your work.
What a fun interview! I’m a huge fan of Allison, since I would go to her blog almost daily when I was learning how to quilt and follow all her tips and tutorials. She’s super-fab!
Great interview!
I love these interviews! You learn so much from them! I had no idea that either one of you came from crazy dental families! I worked as a dental assistant for 6 years and loved it!! :)
These are fun interviews I enjoy reading them because they are a lot of things you don’t read about the people on their own blogs.
My husband laughs at me for wearing a cardigan sweater with cropped sleeves over a long sleeve Tee. But I love it, and I see I’m not the only one who wears it that way, Thanks Allison for showing me that!
~Edith