It’s hard to believe that it’s been well over a month since I was in Colorado filming with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims on the set of the online TV show, The Quilt Show.
I had always dreamed of being a guest on this type of inspirational TV show but it wasn’t The Quilt Show that started my fascination with watch, learn and go make something TV shows. It was actually The Martha Stewart Show. It premiered in 2005 with the last episode airing in 2012. I adored this show. I’m guessing that I uttered Martha Stewart’s name around my house often because in this photo of a sweet Valentine’s card that my 10 year old daughter made for me (who’s now almost 16) she writes “Enjoys Martha S.”.
Back when Martha Stewart was airing, I couldn’t wait to watch it. Each episode was filled with the perfect amount of inspiration, education and entertainment. The show visually inspired me and filled my creative needs. I knew of a few other quilting and sewing shows and I made quilts and sewed things but I’m guessing the reason I didn’t grow to religiously watch these shows was because of my lifestyle at that time. With a young family and a job in the business world it left me little time to invest in the caliber of these other types of shows. I was happy watching Martha Stewart work her magic on set with cooking, baking, décor, gardening and clever crafting ideas. As a matter of fact, I think some of my best homemade Halloween costumes, festive home décor and many delicious baked goodies were a direct result of the inspiration I gained from watching this show.
Flash forward a few years, Martha’s show had ended and I had found a few new sources of inspiration through the mobile app, Pinterest and on the web with YouTube to fill some of that creative visual void I was missing. But while I enjoy both of these sources you can spend gobs of valuable time scanning Pinterest or watching YouTube videos to find good quality, entertainment and well-presented content.
In 2013, a good friend of mine mentioned The Quilt Show to me. I signed up to become a member and started watching both the current and past episodes. I immediately fell in love with the show. It filled that creative visual void that I was missing. Similar to The Martha Stewart Show, The Quilt Show offers its viewers the same perfect amount of inspiration, education and entertainment. The big difference being that The Quilt Show's audience are quilters, artists and enthusiasts alike. The show features top notch quilters from all around the world where viewers can watch as they share their talents and techniques, learn tips and tricks, see their stunning quilts and get to know more about the quilter who made them. I have been fortunate enough to have been a guest quilter on both The Quilt Show and on Quilting Arts TV. It is my belief that quality inspirational quilting TV shows such as these feed the minds and souls of creative people and as quilters and (creatives as I like to think we are) we need shows like these. For me, after I’ve watched an episode where a quilter has just unleashed their talents, ingenious quilting ideas and genuine passion for quilting and art I get pumped up and excited to go make something! And what I've learned from these shows not only inspires me but builds and expands my own abilities.
So if you’re new to quilting or if you’re already a quilter and just need a little visual inspiration to get you motivated then check out one of these two inspirational quilting TV shows. Here's the link to The Quilt Show. You need to sign up to become a member but it’s worth every penny. Once a member, you can watch all the online episodes anytime at your leisure. And to watch Quilting Arts TV, check for listings on your local PBS TV station or you can buy a DVD or download a season of shows here at The Quilting Company.
By the way, my experience on The Quilt Show was an amazing and a memorable one! The whole TQS family as they like to be referred to were some of the most genuine people I’ve met in the quilting industry. And this holds true for the guest quilt artists that I had the pleasure of meeting while I was out there filming. So if you quilters are reading this, if you ever get the opportunity to visit the set as an audience member or get invited on the show as a featured guest, I highly recommend it. Trust me, you’re going to have a great time and won’t soon forget your experience!
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