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AUTHOR: BJ Tatum
TITLE: Let Me Introduce Myself
STATUS: publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 1

DATE: 5/29/2011 10:19:53 PM
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BODY: 8

Hi there.  So glad you stopped by to pay me a visit.  I have established this website to share my quilting and sewing journey and techniques with anyone who may be interested.  Eventually, I may sell my quilts and other items I make from this site, but not yet.

I love fabric art of all kinds, including art quilting, traditional quilting, wearable art, bags, heirloom sewing, and even basic sewing and tailoring.  I love looking at it, making it, wearing it, hanging it on the wall, photographing it, and studying it. 

Years ago, I had my own fashion design and tailoring business where I designed and made clothing for both men and women.   I made everything from men’s suits and tuxedos to bridal gowns and tailored women’s clothing.  In more recent years, I have taken up quilting at the urging of my delightful daughter-in-law, Beth, who is also a quilter.  It was a wonderful solace for me following my dear husband Marvin’s passing a few years ago.  I now find that I have a real and abiding passion for making wall art quilts of various sizes primarily for competition and have spent the last couple of years honing my techniques and turning my fashion making skills into quilt making skills.

I have a long background of work with fabrics and threads, having learned to sew from my mother, who started teaching me when I was 5 or 6.  She also taught me to knit, hand embroider, and crochet, though I was never very good at the latter.  She was a very advanced fabric artist herself, although she trended toward the traditional highly advanced needlearts.  I wish she were still here today to share our needlework.

Now, I love the new techniques, supplies, and technologies that have enabled me to go so far beyond what I ever thought I could, even though I have a full time job elsewhere.  But I am nearing my retirement, and hope to dedicate a lot more time to play with fabrics and thread and even paint on fabrics.

I have a bit of an art background, though not as much as I would like.  I took many art classes in both high school and college and occasionally private lessons.  Perhaps I will take more such classes after I retire.  I studied music at the University of Iowa and also graduated from George Washington University in International Affairs.  I have traveled all over the world and the United States to many interesting places over the years  But now, my favorite place is at home in my small, but almost adequate, quilt studio, or at quilt shows.

I have two wonderful grown sons, one of whom is married to Beth, and one who still lives with me.  I have a grandson, Kevin, who is eight at the time of this writing.  I believe that the Lord has given me the talents and the opportunities I have to be creative, and that belief is often reflected in my art quilts in particular.  Some of the quilts I have made are actually banners designed for churches.

I hope we will have a lot of fun together, and I will be able to provide a little help to other fabric artists and also hope I will learn from you all.  My favorite websites for these pursuits include The Quilt Show, MQResource, and Ravelry.

I also love photography and writing.  Oh my, there just simply is not enough time in a day!!!

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