The Name Game: Chasing Squirrels

I'm really happy to have Sue here from Chasing Squirrels. Don't you love that name? She was one of the first people to answer the call when I asked for submissions.

Welcome, Sue.

Wonky Baskets, a work in progress---currently have a challenge with Mary 

Elizabeth Kinch, who also has one, to finish these by the end of 

February 2016

How did you choose the name for your blog?

a work in progress, some DAMQG quiltalong blocks, going into a sampler inspired by Gypsy Wife by Jen Kingwell

I've been a quilter for a long time (about 28 years) and always loved it.  It's been a huge part of my life and pretty much affects everything I do---who my friends are, where I go, what I do, what I buy, how I spend my time (workshops, quilting conventions & shows, etc.)  I've also been in a traditional guild for 23 years and modern guild for 3.   But about five years ago, I got really fired up and focused on my work and had such passion and excitement.    A friend & I were talking about our art,  how many projects we wanted to make,  and she said something about the dog who is distracted  all the time, can't focus too long on one thing-----'look!  There's a squirrel!!' and in my head that went BAM!  That's me!  That's me quilting right now!  Start something, see something else, get all charged up & excited and start that too!  Now, I have always been a very prolific quilter & finish lots of things, but it also hit me that, hey, just because that's sitting there, you started it, there are no quilt police to make you FINISH it!  Follow your passion!  There are so many things in life that must be done a certain way, at a certain time, finish it, why on earth let that apply to our passion?   I decided right then that I would follow my muse and the excitement, and do whatever I wanted to quilting wise.  Life's too short not to.  I firmly believe that sometimes, you may get what you need of a project just by making a few blocks.  It's given you something.  Go ahead and try the next thing, it's ok!  Quilt with abandon!

How many of you relate to that? I know I sure do!!

 one of my favorite finishes ever, a Wagon Wheel quilt, 

quilted by Barb Lusk (usually I quilt all of my quilts myself)

Were there are names you considered and can you share any of them with us?

Chuck Nohara QAL, doing with an Instagram group

my sometimes-companion in the studio, Iris, my sweet cat

Nope---never thought of another!  I knew this was it.

 a work in progress, EPP, pattern is Fruit tingles by Sue Daley

Now that you are recognized by your blog/IG name, are you happy with it, or do you wish you could change it to something else?

Red and white quilt, for a challenge, completed November 2014

I only joined Instagram about 2 years ago.  I had joined a new chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild, the Detroit Area Modern Quilt Guild, and our President  Houseofduke1 (she's now a very dear friend) urged us all to get on Instagram, start establishing some relationships in that quilty world prior to Quiltcon 2015, and I am so glad she did.  The quilting world on IG has been HUGE for me---so inspiring,  vibrant and supportive, so much fun stuff going on!   Initially I didn't know WHAT name to pick, so I went with SLCQuilter, my initials----but then, some people at Quiltcon 2015 thought I was Salt Lake City Quilter, LOL!  So right after I got back I changed my IG name to SusanLorettaSquirrel to link it more closely to my blog. There's also been an ongoing joke about my name & I am frequently called Loretta, as that gets my immediate attention.  I love that IG name and don't think I would change it.  Instagram and my #DAMgirls are very important to me---they inspire me every day!

a few of us #damgirls in Austin for Quiltcon 2015 with my apologies to those not in this particular picture;

Thanks for being with us today, Sue.

You can follow Sue on her blog and Instagram @susanlorettasquirrel

Next Monday, Clare O'Rourke from selfsewn will be here and you won't want to miss it. I will also apologetically explain why it has taken soooooo long for Clare to be highlighted.