About

I have a somewhat {ir}rational fear of the internet, so writing an “About” page is an exercise in nerve taming.

I’ve been married to the D since Arbor Day of 2007. He came with a fat lab named Abby and I added my high-strung English Setter, Gracie, to the mix. Well, the mix soured and now we just have Flabby Abby — though Gracie visits from time to time. {I couldn't bear the thought of writing her out of our life, so just a note from me that our sweet Abby sadly left us on February 2, 2011.}

I am a Christian and seek to “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with [my] God” (Micah 6:8), yet I have not arrived in that respect. The Bible admonishes believers to pursue holiness, fight the good fight of faith, and imitate Jesus Christ. This is the desire of my heart…

I practice at quilting and sewing, and have been doing so since 2008 when I decided my 2-year-old niece deserved a quilt of her own. I started the quilt two weeks ahead of her birthday and finished the binding the night before {with more than a little help from my MIL.} It is a well-loved quilt indeed!

When making quilts, I gravitate toward patchwork and symmetry. I like the use of negative space, straight lines, and lots of bold prints! I struggle to wrap my mind around the "wonky" craze; I would much rather be a liberated quilter like Gwen Marston or Jacquie Gering. I see purposeful, controlled "wonkiness" in their work that is kind of lacking in many of the contemporary quilts floating around Flickr. Oh, did I mention I like Flickr, too??? It is a Technicolor wonderworld for the likes of me!

In my stash you'll find lots of 30's reproduction prints {grin...I just can't help myself}, bits and pieces of a few modern fabric designers, a whole lot of Alexander Henry and David Walker {love, love, love his prints for boys}, a healthy, varied dose of MODA, and quite the collection of dots, stripes, and zig-zags. And the fabric world became a better place, to my way of thinking, when Cosmo Cricket crossed over. {wink}

I sew on a Kenmore and love it — I guess I just don’t know any better {psstt...it's a Janome in disguise!} And recently my parents surprised me with a limited edition Eden Rose by Husqvarna. I probably shouldn't admit this, but it's still in the box...I'm a little intimidated by all that pink!

If I remember to label my quilts, I do so under "Branching Out Design."


When I’m not at my machine, you’ll find me coaxing my rhubarb to grow, riding my bike, walking {in the middle of the night}, doodling, or sitting in front of the TV watching Bones, Perry Mason, or myriad classic movies. I am madly in love with John Wayne, much to my husband’s dismay…