Meet a Member – Anne Deister
Each month we will be taking time to get to know one of our members, both on a more personal level and to find out more about their quilty preferences and projects. We would love to have you participate! The post information and form is available in the member section.
First up is Anne Deister. Anne has been quilting off and on for 20 years and has been a member of the Boulder MQG since day one. Her bright, graphic style is easily recognizable and her designs have been seen at QuiltCon and printed in magazines and books. She loves large scale prints and her favorite designer is Kaffe Fassett. Today we are going to get to know her a little bit better.
Please tell us about yourself
I grew up in a small town in Indiana and would take rural living over city life any day. I love hiking and exploring the mountains. I love reading historical fiction and murder mysteries. I also love going for walks with my camera, taking pictures and creating compositions of the things I see.
I have a degree in graphic design from Purdue University. After college I lived in Wisconsin, Virginia and finally Colorado working for graphic design firms that mainly did corporate work.
I’ve lived in Colorado for 33 years, am married, and have two grown children. While my kids were small I was a stay-at-home mom doing free lance design work and crafty things. When my kids went off to college I more or less retired and turned my full attention to quilting. I started my blog and began publishing quilting patterns under the name Springleaf Studios. My patterns are for sale on Etsy and Craftsy.
What’s your favorite part about being involved in the Boulder MQG?
I enjoy being part of a like minded community of quilters that share a similar aesthetic and inspire me to make modern quilts. I also appreciate how open and supportive the guild is toward all styles of quilting. We don’t all make modern quilts all the time and that’s ok in this guild.
How did you become interested in modern quilting and what is your favorite part?
When I started my blog in 2012, I became aware of the online quilting community and discovered modern quilting. I was designing modern quilts before I knew what to call them. Now I realize that I straddle both the modern and traditional quilt world. Some of my work reflects my design background with bold graphic compositions. Other times I work with block based designs in bright prints and colors that you might call contemporary rather than modern. My favorite aspect of modern quilting is the freedom to explore new ideas and concepts and rethink the traditional definitions and images of quilting. It’s not your grandmothers quilt. As a graphic designer, I love being able to design really graphic quilts.
Do you like to follow a pattern or improvise?
I love designing my own quilts. My work is primarily more structured than it is improv although the improv part comes into play as I work through color and fabric placement on my design wall.
What is a technique or something new you would like to try?
I want to explore the quilt-as-you-go method more this year. I’ll be doing a presentation it at a guild meeting in the fall. I also want to give EPP a try this year.
What is your favorite part of quilting?
Definitely the design process. Coming up with ideas, pulling fabrics, cutting and playing with placement on my design wall. I could do that everyday.
What is your least favorite part of quilting?
Finishing. I’m the worst at finishing a quilt because I really don’t enjoy the basting and quilting parts at all. I’d rather send a quilt out to be quilted so I can jump into a new project and start designing and playing with fabric again.
Do you have a lot of WIPs or do you focus on one project at a time?
Seriously. Since I’m not a finisher you know I have a lot of WIPs. So many I don’t want to count.
What kind of sewing machine do you use?
Bernina 1090 which is about 20 years old. Fingers crossed it keeps working.
Tell us about your sewing room/space.
We added on to our house about 12 years ago and I was able to carve out a small room upstairs to call my studio. It’s my colorful oasis where I spend a little time everyday being inspired and trying to be productive.
What project are you working on right now?
I have 2 queen sized quilts that need binding. Three different projects in progress on the design wall. Two more tops sewn and waiting for quilting. And too many to mention in various stages of being cut or in boxes waiting to be started. Like I said, I’m a starter not a finisher.
Anne can be found on Instagram at @springleafstudios and blogging at Springleaf Studios. You can find her patterns on Etsy and Craftsy.
