Alex Anderson

I've been a fan of Alex Anderson's for several years.  I found Simply Quilts on HGTV and began watching it so that I could learn about the industry, meet the big names in the business, and learn techniques that would help me in my own work.  


It didn't take long before I was making quilts using the techniques I learned from Alex and her guests.  Some techniques worked for me, others didn't, but I stayed with Alex, searching for her on other channels and discussing her show with quilting friends.


When Simply Quilts left the air, I followed Alex's career and eventually found her again on the internet via The Quilt Show.  


One reason I like Alex has to do with her fun personality, which I found genuine in person, but a bigger reason is that she makes well-known quilters accessible to the rest of us.  My biggest reason, however, is her talent for hand-quilting.  Naturally, I was very happy to get a lesson from the master herself at the Ricky Tims' Seminar.  She makes hand quilting look so easy. 




I do enjoy hand quilting but find that it is a bit too relaxing for me--I dose off after about ten minutes.  Of course, that's not bad, especially when I do need a nap, but I don't get much quilting done in one sitting! 


Alex showed how she creates quilting designs from everyday objects, how she alters designs, and how she uses the fabrics and piecing designs in the quilt to create her quilting designs.  


How might this help someone who rarely hand quilts?  Many of her ideas and techniques can easily be applied to machine quilting and, if I ever find myself hand quilting again, I hope to apply some of her techniques to increase my efficiency.  With just a ten minute window, I have to work fast to get anything accomplished!

What about you?  Do you have some tips for hand quilting that you'd like to share?