Today I'm excited to be a part of Let's get acquainted blog hop organized by Beth of Plum and June. She is doing an amazing job of bringing together many wonderfully talented bloggers and their readers through this blog hop. I hope you'll stop by her blog too, as we both share this day to introduce ourselves.
So, let's get acquainted, shall we? My name is Svetlana Sotak (yes, that's where the name of my blog comes from) and I've been sewing for almost 2 years. I first started making bags and pillows and then graduated to quilts. I totally hated making my first quilt in December 2010 - let's just say I will never attempt to baste a twin sized quilt using pins. Thankfully I discovered a 505 spray for basting and my attitude towards quilts changed drastically. Now I can't stop making them. Here are some of my very favorite quilts. As you can see, I love bright colors combined with nice, crisp white fabric.
Beth suggested some fun questions, so here we go:
How long have you been quilting? about 18 months
Favorite quilting tip(s)? precision, precision, precision!!! A proper 1/4" seam can save a lot of heartache.
Favorite blogging tip(s)? Don't try to be someone else. Just be yourself, that's enough.
Favorite fabric? Oh, I have so many. Right now I'm crushing on anything and everything Denyse Schmidt.
Favorite craft book? Now, that might be even harder than choosing fabric. Books by Suzuko Koseki are some of my favorites.
Favorite children's book? The Lorax
Favorite quilting tool? rotary cutter and mat
Favorite TV show while sewing? Criminal Minds or Big Bang Theory
Binding? by hand or machine? machine
If I'd only - what you wish you knew about blogging before you started your blog? That not everyone will like everything I make all the time. And, people do unfollow blogs sometimes, that's just part of life and I had to learn how not to let it ruin my day or be too discouraging.
Today I'd like to share my tutorial for a child's backpack that was originally posted on Sew, mama, sew! blog. Please click on the link to be taken to the tutorial.
I love how easy and versatile this backpack is. I've actually made a few more of them for my children. Here's another one I made for my son (Echino is a perfect weight fabric for this backpack).
My daughters are a little older (9 and 12) so I made theirs without the front pocket. Again, Echino fabric worked great.
Please let me know if you have any questions. And, don't forget to hop on over to Beth's blog to see an amazingly fun project she has for you.
Enjoy your day. Svetlana
A fellow Criminal Minds sewist! That backpack is so cute ;) Glad to learn a bit more about you
ReplyDeleteLovely to learn more about you and that backpack is fab. I am a big fan of your work :)
ReplyDeleteSvetlana, I've so enjoyed following your blog, so it's nice to get to know you just a little bit better - not to mention being on the blog hop with you! Darling/versatile backpack idea - congrats again on being featured on Sew Mama Sew!
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of your blog. I love your projects and your tutorial is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLove the color combinations on your projects.
ReplyDeleteI am also seriously collecting denyse schmidt fabric right now :)
Svetlana, I love following your work on flickr. So happy to see your beautiful work and enthusiasm on this blog hop. Thanks for what your do.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed looking at all of your tutorials especially the stack and slash improv block quilt.
ReplyDeleteThat backpack is so fun! I love the fabric from the last one especially. I love all your bright colored projects too, you do some great work! I may have to try spray basting because it's one of the most dreadful aspects of quilting for me and I usually have other people baste and quilt my projects.
ReplyDeleteNice! Not too big but big enough! I love bright colours too with white. : )
ReplyDeleteLove your blog and projects, I've been a follower for quite a while now. It's fun visiting all of the blogs on the blog hop!
ReplyDeleteI made my first quilt in September 2010, before I took a class or got into the blogs. I got advice to THREAD BASTE it, on my garage floor. Which required me to tape down a bunch of contractor's paper and then spend a couple of hours crawling around on the concrete floor. It is lucky we both decided to keep quilting! I love 505 too. To hell with vapors.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Please don't take unfollowing personally. Sometimes I take on too many blogs in my Reader and find that I'm just spending too much time on the internet. Periodically I have to go through and unsubscribe to maybe even 10 or 15 at a time, just to get my life back on track and take better care of my family. To save me from myself. :-D
P.P.S. That string quilt is just stunning.
Haha Jenny! Oh my gosh I thread basted once too when I was new to quilting and had no idea what I was getting myself into. Live and learn! At least we can say we've paid our quilty dues :) Our badge says: "I survived thread basting."
DeleteSvetlana, I'm so glad I found your blog! I first came over here from Sew, Mama, Sew! and am tickled to see you're also a part of the blog hop. I'm new(er) to quilting too but will not be expecting thousands of followers in such a short time as you! You rock. When did you start blogging about quilting?
Hi Svetlana, your projects are very pretty. I love your use of color! I'm new to quilting and have yet to tackle my first quilt. But it gives me hope to meet people like you who started quilting not too long ago and have accomplished so much. I'm so glad I joined the Blog Hop.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
What is it about quilter's and the Big Bang Theory - so funny! Loved reading your post and learning more about you. I had to leave favorite fabric and craft book off my list because I couldn't narrow it down. Seeing your mosaic reminded me how much I love your projects - they are all so fantastic. Great tutorial too.
ReplyDeleteI love that backpack! And my son's been needing one. Hooray!
ReplyDeleteI love this backpack, my daughter totally needs this! I already follow your blog and love it :)
ReplyDeleteLove the backpack! Happy Sewing!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Svetlana. So great to get to know you better. I am so thankful that I found your blog last year!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute backpack! Thanks for sharing about yourself and your craft!
ReplyDeleteOh that looks like a nice small backpack - I wouldn't mind using it myslef, bags aren't really handy on the bicycle ... I still have to discover spray glue and the like ...
ReplyDeleteAlready a follower, but I'm stopping by with Plum and June. Love the little back pack. I'm really going to have to get some of that 505 basting spray.
ReplyDeleteI love the bright colours in your quilts and thats a fab tutorial bag :)
ReplyDeleteNice to get to know you better :o)
ReplyDeleteSo nice to meet you Svetlana! Your bags are so cute and great design. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAmanda
You have some great quilts there.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you hated making your first quilt! Your quilts are among my favorite on Flickr .
ReplyDeleteSo nice to read more about you. I LOVE your quilts and enjoy following your blog.
ReplyDeletethat single single girl is crazy awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove your projects! So bright and colourful!!
ReplyDeleteI love all your projects Svetlana. I can't believe you've only been quilting for eighteen months! Very impressive :)
ReplyDeleteImpressive finishes for a newbie. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteAdorable backpack... and if you've only been quilting for 18 months, all I can say is WOW! I saw your link at Plum and June:).
ReplyDeleteI love all of your projects Svetlana - and the backpack is so cute!
ReplyDeleteHi Svetlana, I had no idea you had only been sewing for 18 months! You have finished so many amazing projects in that time! I love the colours and mix of prints that you choose and how everything always looks so fresh!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe i wasn't already following you! I am now. I love your style - so bright and fresh. Lovely to get to know you a bit through the blog hop. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeletelove your clean, crisp, colorful style - very refreshing!
ReplyDeleteHow amazing that you've only been quilting 18 months. You have really come so far!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI liked reading more about you...I don't really understand why so many people like The Big Bang Theory, but then again, I love Law and Order and NCIS and I know those drive lots of people (my husband included) nuts;)
I knew you would come up with a clever idea!
ReplyDeleteHi there, your quilts and bags are just gorgeous, I love your use of colour :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous backpacks, i love your use of the echino, and the pencil pocket is just adorable! I love Big Bang Theory too, especially as you can get the jokes even if you're looking at your sewing.
ReplyDeleteI love to use echino too and I really like how you've incorporated the selvedge info onto the bag, great extra touch :) Chrissie D (P&J's LGA Bloghop)
ReplyDeleteThat is so cute! I love looking through all your projects!
ReplyDeleteVicki @ Quilting Lodge
Very nice to meet you. For someone who hasn't been quilting all that long you certainly have an impressive number of quilt done. And they are all quite nice.
ReplyDeleteNice to learn a little bit more about one of my bee mates :) Precision is definitely the key to quilting and all of your quilts are just amazing!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to say that those back packs are very clever!
ReplyDeleteNice tutorial. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteVery cute backpack!
ReplyDeleteReplica Jimmy Choo shoes, combining elegant style and cutting-edge technology, a variety of styles of Replica men Jimmy Choo shoes, the pointer walks between your exclusive taste style.
ReplyDelete