In just under a month I’ll be headed to Austin to partake in the Modern Quilt Guild’s first ever conference! I am really excited for a few reasons– I’ll get to catch up with some friends I haven’t seen in a while, there are some amazing speakers lined up, and I get to take a class with one of my all time favorite fabric designers!
To get to know others who will be at the conference, the Modern Quilt Guild has organized a link-up so that people’s faces will seem a little more familiar. I think this is a great idea, and so although I don’t love posting pictures of myself, I thought I’d join in. For fun, they’re also asking us to share 5 things about ourselves that people may not know! So– here are some bits of information about me you may or may not know…
1. I have sloooowly been converting to be vegetarian, and my husband and I try to eat vegan meals at least a few times a week. My whole family has shifted to this way of thinking and eating over time, and films like Forks over Knives have been very influential! My husband has been a vegetarian for years, and although I still reserve the right to eat meat on occasion, I would say I am 99% meat free.
2. I would rather sew than blog. I know it might be sacrilege to admit that on my blog, but I have made MANY more things than I share here. I’m the worst about photographing gifts– I tend to make them and then give them away without taking photos!
3. I spend most of my day in front of my computer working on research, and I really love it. I finished my Ph.D in psychology and women’s studies this past year, and now work as a postdoctoral research fellow. I’m hoping to someday be a professor at a college, where I can continue to teach and work on my research!
4. Quilting (and my quilting friends) kept me sane while I was in grad school. I think without feeding the creative part of my brain I’d have gone crazy!
5. I think all the time about why I quilt and craft, and what sort of value it adds to my life. At times, I feel compelled to create, as if making something tangible is a sign that I was here and spent my time well. If I don’t have time to sew for a while, I don’t feel quite right, like something is missing. If I have a new idea for a project, I often want to try it out RIGHT NOW, because I so want to see if it will work! And I always, always feel happy when I finish a quilt and can show everyone else what I saw in my head before I even cut into the first piece of fabric.
Are any of you heading to QuiltCon?? If so, let me know– I would love to meet up!!
I’ll be there! Can’t wait
Lucky you, have fun there!
Karen and I are going too! Looking forward to representing the BMQG at QuiltCon.
i’ll be there, too! looking forward to meeting you, natalie! i became vegan my first year of college, did that for 6 years, then ate pescatarian for a long time, and since my pregnancy am now back to being vegetarian again. i don’t feel like i’m missing much at all… i love hearing about others transitioning to this way of eating!
I didn’t know you’d be at quiltcon!! That makes me so happy, I’ve loved getting to “know” you through our bee and your blog and Instagram, it will be wonderful to meet in person! Vegan for 6 years is amazing! Do you do a lot of your own cooking? That’s been our saving grace, we love to cook at home so it’s been easy to experiment with new recipes. The funny thing is Justin used to be the odd one out for being vegetarian, but last year my sister and parents did a one month vegan challenge and loved it, and it’s mostly stuck! So now Justin is in good company
and I’m happy that my parents are so aware of the link between nutrition and heart disease! I love food as much as I love fabric, so I could talk about this all day! Anyway, I’m so excited to see you next month, and to make some flying geese for our next quilt! 
Natalie
It’s fun to learn a little bit more about you, Natalie! I am totally with you on #2. Sometimes I hate taking time to blog when I know I could be doing something else, but then once I do I realize that I have missed it! I’m sure you will have an amazing time at QuiltCon!
Question 6. Who is the fabric designer you are taking a class with?!
I will be there! And I think almost any blogger if you asked them privately would say they enjoy the sewing more than the blogging.
At least…I sure hope it’s normal! lol
I definitely feel out of sorts if I haven’t sewed for a few days. Great to learn about you, Natalie and I look forward to meeting you at QuiltCon.
Hello! Can’t wait to see you again!
See you there, Natalie!
Hi Natalie, I look forward to meeting you in person! Ever since I was your FTLOS swap partner Ive enjoyed reading your blog.
I’ll be there! Who’s class are you taking? Maybe we’re in the same one! (I have one of the DS classes and one with AMH.)
Hi Natalie
I’m looking forward to meeting you and finding out more about the vegetarian/vegan recipes you cook. We are not vegetarian but try to eat meat only 3 times per week, rather than the 7 plus times we used to. Also, our youngest child has allergies to dairy and egg so vegan suits her dietary needs well, just today I made a vegan banana bread for the first time and it’s amazing! See you in a couple of weeks! Jules
Looking forward to seeing you again! And, yes, Ara Jane is going too. We should talk about meeting up…
Hi there Natalie! Your studies sound really interesting, and I’m totally with on on sewing over blogging.
Hope to see you at QuiltCon!
Looking forward to seeing you there!
this was super fun to read! i wish so badly that i was going to quiltcon! i hope you guys are safe in boston this weekend! xoxo