Discussions on quilting, fabric, inspiration, creativity and more. Hosted by mother and daughter Moda fabric designers Sherri McConnell and Chelsi Stratton, A Quilting Life Podcast with Sherri & Chelsi is a series of light-hearted and informative conversations that provide the listener with quilting industry news, quilting tips, and creative inspiration.
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The concept of being #blessed in modern society has little to do with the realities of our everyday. Those who were “highly favored” in the Bible were chosen to live a testimony that would bring people closer to God. This idea of being chosen often led to intense trials and tribulations all for the privilege and honor of leading people in the Faith. The Highly Favored podcast highlights gritty individuals who are not afraid to be in the arena of life with blood, sweat, and tears. These are t ...
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Quilt Block Construction from Idea to Finished Block and Writing Quality Quilt Patterns
48:07
48:07
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48:07In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi discuss their process of constructing quilt blocks from start to finish. They share how they take their ideas from paper or computer into their sewing space to start constructing their blocks. They also discuss what makes a great quilt pattern and how important it is to have someone proofread patterns before they …
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2025 Quilter's Tool Buyer Guide and Traditional Piecing vs Specialty Rulers
45:27
45:27
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45:27In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi share their 2025 Quilter's Tool buyer guide list. They discuss tools and notions they think benefit quilters of all skill levels. Sherri also shares an exciting news about a quilting vacation she will be taking part of next Summer in England! We have linked all the tools and products discussed in the episode below…
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Saving Scraps and Planning out Scrap Quilts
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43:15In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi share some of their best tips for saving and organizing scraps. They also dive into the process they use for designing and piecing their scrappy quilts. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1118069/support Show Notes Blog Post: https://www.aquiltinglife.com/?p=31554 Cozy Earth 40% off with our link (or code AQUILTINGLIFE): …
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Ep 23: From Frozen to Forward with Mrs. Spanish Fork, Ashlee Stratton
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50:42As we wrap up the pageant series, we are excited to welcome Ashlee Stratton, Mrs. Spanish Fork, with this episode releasing the day before the Mrs. Utah America/n and Miss Utah for America Strong pageant. Ashlee's platform, "Frozen to Forward," discusses actionable steps to reaching your goals and it is the perfect head space leading into the pagea…
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Deep Dive into Designing a New Fabric Collection and Making Crisp Quilt Blocks
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51:21In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi answer a couple listener questions in depth. Sherri and Chelsi take a deep dive into the process they use to design a brand new fabric collection. They also discuss how they keep their blocks nice and crisp and she what types of sprays and tools they use to achieve nice flat quilt blocks. https://www.buzzsprout.co…
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Ep 22: Power Women Stand Tall and Shine Together with Mrs. Vineyard, Aubin Palmer
1:14:39
1:14:39
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1:14:39Today's episode is dual hosted by Kim and Mrs. Vineyard, Aubin Palmer. As both women prepare to compete is the Mrs. Utah America/n and Miss Utah for America Strong pageants, they discuss empowerment and standing tall together as they overcome insecurities and grow as they go after their goals.By Kimberly Chatto
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Quilt Making Process | Starting a New Project & Sewing Efficiently and Accurately
43:37
43:37
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43:37In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi discuss their quilting processes. They share how they prepare to begin a new original project and what they do differently when they prepare to make a pattern written by someone else. They also share tips and give advice on how to sew more efficiently and accurately. Help Support our Show Here: https://www.buzzspr…
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Ep 21: Inspiring Others to Overcome Abuse with Mrs. Herriman, Michelle Jones
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1:03:11
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1:03:11Michelle Jones, Mrs. Herriman, shares her pageant experience as she competes in the 2025 Mrs. Utah America and Mrs. Utah American pageant. She has a passion in advocacy against child abuse and believes in using her voice to inspire others to overcome their abuse. "Be Brave, This is not your ending...it's theirs. Yours has yet to come!"…
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Ep 20: You are Worth Living for with Mrs. Maple Mountain, Portia Blanchard
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58:24
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58:24Today's episode highlights one of the amazing women competing in the 2025 Mrs. Utah America and Mrs. Utah American pageant, Portia Blanchard. As Mrs. Maple Mountain, her platform, You are Worth Living For, shares the same title as her internationally-selling book as she advocates for making the most of your life and seeing yourself in the best ligh…
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Ep. 19: Strength Found in Sisterhood and Advocacy with Mrs. Utah America, Chelsi Rasmussen
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51:02Can you believe that the 2025 Mrs. Utah America, Mrs. Utah American, and Miss Utah for America Strong Pageant is in 11 Days? I am thrilled to interview Mrs. Utah America, Chelsi Rasmussen, as we dive into advocacy work, her pageant experience, the influence being a title holder and Queen has on her daughters, and the sisterhood found in pageantry.…
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Ep 18: Mold and the Brain, Neurodivergence, and Costco with Ashtin Pankratz
1:42:26
1:42:26
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1:42:26After a two week break, we are excited to welcome Ashtin Pankratz to the podcast! Ashtin is a military spouse, Christian, and shares with the Highly Favored listeners her experiences with neurodivergence and getting diagnosed as an adult. She also promotes healthcare advocacy with a diagnosis of mold exposure with her brain and her journey through …
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In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi discuss their new fabric collection, Delightfully Yours. They share their favorite floral and basic prints in the collection and discuss the inspiration behind this fabric line. This fabric collection is a sister collection to Simply Delightful and will also feature a 108" backing print. Delightfully Yours is expe…
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In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi share what is on their quilting bucket lists. They also tease their upcoming fabric collection they will be sharing on Friday February 28th, 2025. Leave your guess in the comments for what fabric line is the sister collection to this upcoming fabric collection. Help Support our Show Here: https://www.buzzsprout.co…
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Ep 17: Hearts, Heroes, and Homeschooling with Vanessa Jones
1:26:22
1:26:22
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1:26:22Vanessa is a military spouse and Christian mother who started homeschooling her children as a calling from God. With humor and humility, Vanessa shares her experiences - the good, the challenges, and the misconceptions that accompany homeschooling. Vanessa is a great friend of the show host's and one of the top reasons Kim brought her on the wad no…
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Ep 16: Dance with a Purpose with Miss Nebo Valley, Jaimee Beard
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1:17:07Join us as we interview the lovely and talented Miss Nebo Valley, Jaimee Beard, as she shares her platform, Dance with a Purpose. Jaimee has an absolute heart of gold and through this journey saw a need within the dance communities of California following the destruction created by the wildfires. Through her efforts, she raised awareness for the ne…
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Ep 15: Celebrating Neurodiversity with Mrs. Oak Hills, Charlotte Shores
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1:00:03We are so excite to have Charlotte on the podcast to speak on her immense pageant experience, being an adoption advocate, her career as a professional chef, and her platform of celebrating neurodiversity. As someone who also dabbles in "neurospiciness," our host Kim Chatto loved the discussions from this interview and how we can better advocate for…
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Ep 14: Build it Beautiful with Mrs. Utah County, Clarissa Thomas
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55:36Episode 14 features Mrs. Utah County, Clarissa Thomas with her platform, Build it Beautiful. She is strong, bold, and committed to helping women build their best lives as leaders. She presents everyday tools for everyday leaders for everyday life. We had the best conversations as she shared her unconventional pageant journey and how beneficial the …
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Ep 13: Bold, Confident, and Unapologetic with Miss Bountiful, Kimberly Wirfs
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1:19:18
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1:19:18Episode 13 with Miss Bountiful, Kimberly Wirfs, covers her platform of being prepared for the unexpected. She has developed an emergency preparedness binder so that you are ready regardless of what life throws at you. Her bubbly personality and fun demeanor make this episode a blast to listen to and we know you will enjoy everything she has to shar…
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Ep 12: Living Imperfectly with Great Delight with Mrs. Daybreak, Amanda McCombs
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1:16:36
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1:16:36Episode 12 continues the pageant series featuring Mrs. Daybreak, Amanda McCombs. We cover so much in this episode and many of the topics are heavy such as single parenthood, societal expectations, faith and religion, stalking, losing a loved one, grief, and recovering from live-changing illnesses. Despite this, Amanda is so incredibly resilient, fu…
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An In Depth Look at Thread and Favorite Valentine's Day Quilts & Decor
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50:24
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50:24In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi discuss all things thread. They share some information about thread count in the Moda 108" wide backings that they were previously unaware of. They then discuss the threads they use for piecing, quilting, and binding and share why they use the threads they use in different situations. They also share some of their…
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Ep 11: Being a Single Mom from Afar, Co-Parenting, and the Healing Power of National Parks
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29:07Episode 11 was recorded after a longgg day of driving after doing a custody swap of my kids back to their dad after Christmas break. If you saw my National Parks video, it’s like a mini documentary of the complex emotions you run through over a seven hour drive back home without the two people who mean the most to you in this earthly life. If you e…
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Ep 10: Healing, Self-Reflection, and Perspective with Mrs. Mountain Ridge, Ashley Butler
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55:19
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55:19Ashley Butler, Mrs. Mountain Ridge, discusses how experiences with abuse became the motivating factors to be a chain-breaker and to change her perspective on life. Going through therapy helped to become the foundational premise for her platform and to inspire others. Ashley is also our first guest on the podcast who is a member of the Church of Lat…
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Ep 9: A Loving Kindness through Grief and Loss with Mrs. Rocky Mountain, Abbey Magee.
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59:53
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59:53Abbey's platform and ministry, Not Yet My Daughter, provides Biblically-based hope for those experiencing infertility, miscarriage and baby loss. Through her platform, and as she competes in the Mrs. Utah America and Mrs. Utah American pageant system, she has created and distributed "Hesed" kits that are self-care kits for women who are navigating …
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Ep 8: When Stories are Meant to be Told with Mrs. Wasatch Front, Kaylyn Lippert
1:22:52
1:22:52
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1:22:52Kaylyn is a southern girl through-and-through, hailing from Alabama and now has several Utah pageants under her belt. We think you are going to love her charming self in Episode 8. As a military spouse, Christian, and nurse her platform, Reclaimed, is an opportunity for her to share how to navigate intimate conversations with the goal of strengthen…
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2025 Goals, AI in Quilting and Advancements in Quilting over the last 25 years
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42:11
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42:11In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi share their quilting goals for 2025. They then discuss the advancements made in quilting over the last 25 years and predict what quilting might look like 25 years from today, in 2050. Inevitably, the topic of AI in quilting is also brought up. Help Support our Show Here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1118069/support …
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Ep 7: Being a 30-Something Single Mom in a Beauty Pageant
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41:29
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41:29Episode 7 kicks off the special pageant series leading up to Miss Utah for America Strong, Mrs. Utah America, and Mrs. Utah American 2025 with podcast host Kim Chatto sharing about why she is doing a pageant as a 35-year-old single mom. Kim dives into insecurities, showing up confident, moving into a new community and calling it home after serving …
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Ep 6 (Part 2): Navigating the Military with Emily Barielle
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59:38
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59:38We are back with Part 2 where Emily continues to share from her military experiences, but this time under the lens of navigating service as a woman, approaching mental health resources, community, rising above toxic leadership, and taking care of yourself. We leave you with the message that you deserve to be here!…
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Ep 6 (Part 1): Learned Leadership as an Air Force Officer with Emily Barielle
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1:13:08
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1:13:08Part 1 - Emily Barielle reflects on her experiences serving in the military as an Air Force Officer. Emily brings up how she navigated starting her career as a nuclear combat crew commander and then transitioned to maintenance. She also shares on the leaders who greatly impacted her and her leadership style through lessons learned, especially throu…
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Ep 5: Faith and Divorce in a Small Town with Katy Lindsey
1:11:21
1:11:21
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1:11:21As ones who wrestle with Faith in real ways as we actively navigate pursuing a relationship with Christ, Katy shares her journey as a Christian going through a divorce in a small town. She is a force of nature and an incredible representation of faith during unexpected trials. Episode 5 dives into the importance of that foundation of faith, and not…
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1st Annual A Quilting Life Awards and Favorite Bella Solid Fabrics
51:37
51:37
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51:37In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi share information on current and upcoming sew-alongs and projects. They then discuss their favorite Bella Solid fabrics and present their first-ever A Quilting Life Awards for 2024. Help Support our Show Here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1118069/support Show Notes Blog Post: https://www.aquiltinglife.com/?p=31114 C…
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Ep 4: Love and War - Interview with the Ex-Boyfriend
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1:13:58
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1:13:58Relationships can impact how we think, respond to other people, grow, heal, and they have the capabilities of leaving a lifelong impression. If you could talk to an ex who had a tremendous impact on your life, good or bad, what would you say? If you've listened to the start of the podcast, you may be familiar with my two "main character" relationsh…
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Ep 3: Cat Fights, Situationships, and Understanding Your Worth with Stacey Yun
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1:35:38
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1:35:38Women-dominated corporate and professional environments are incredibly inspiring to career-driven individuals but today the Highly Favored Podcast also talks about their unique challenges and the accompanying professional stressors, all while navigating personal goals like trying to find the love of your life. The Highly Favored Podcast is thrilled…
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How Much Fabric Should I Buy, Masculine Fabric Lines & Paper Patterns vs PDF
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40:25
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40:25In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi answer some new listener questions. Some topics discussed include the pros and cons of paper patterns vs PDF patterns, quilt retreats for beginners, how much fabric to buy, masculine fabric lines, and more! Help Support our Show Here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1118069/support Show Notes Blog Post:https://www.aqui…
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Ep 2: That Christian Cake and my Problem with Bare Minimum
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41:57
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41:57Podcast host Kim Chatto has a major issue with surface-level rhetoric when fed to Christians. She dives into how "bare minimum" is not the fruit-of-the-spirit and what diving into a deep, personally connected relationship with God should be like. We're seeking that Bread of Life, not just cake for spontaneous consumption...and Kim loves cake so the…
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Christmas Eve Bonus Episode: Nuclear War, Bikini Bottom, and Godzilla
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37:12
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37:12In a special Christmas Eve Bonus Episode, podcast host Kim Chatto welcomes her son William as the first guest and biggest supporter. As an 8-year-old military brat, William shares his experiences but also his extensive interest in geopolitics with nuclear capabilities (yes, you heard that correctly), his knowledge of Godzilla, and how he believes n…
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In this episode, Sherri welcomes fellow Moda fabric designer and quilter Janet Clare to the show! Janet joins us today from her home in England and shares her journey as a quilter and fabric designer. She shares some great advice that any quilter can benefit from following. She also shares the backstory of her infamous Artisan Apron. Thank you Jane…
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Ep 1: My 35th Birthday and Gaslighting Myself on Dating Apps
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45:46
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45:46Join podcast host, Kim Chatto, as she reflects on her dating journey as a single woman in her 30s, the Stockdale Paradox with balancing realism and optimism, her running an hour late for a date because she had to buy meat, and leaning into her faith through difficult times.By Kimberly Chatto
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Opening trailer for Season 1: Pray not Prey of the Highly Favored PodcastBy Kimberly Chatto
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Sherri & Chelsi Quilt Retreat Info, 2024 Christmas Sewing and Recapping a Busy Year
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45:32
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45:32In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi share more information on their upcoming Quilt retreat in May 2025 with Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms. They then discuss their current Holiday/Christmas sewing projects they are working on or plan to work on this season. They then give a recap of 2024 and look back at what they have accomplished this year.…
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Last Minute Quilting Gifts, Giving Thanks and Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Debate
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1:03:00
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1:03:00In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi tease some exciting news coming in 2025. They then give some ideas for last-minute gifts for quilter friends and family. They also thank everyone who has continued supporting their quilting lives. Lastly, the crew plays a fun game where they debate which Thanksgiving foods deserve to make the final menu on the big…
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Another Terrific Quilt Market! | 2024 International Quilt Market Recap
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52:11
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52:11In this episode, Sherri, Chelsi, and Billy discuss their recent trip to Houston, Texas for the 2024 International Quilt Market. Sherri and Chelsi share some of the highlights of this year's trip and Billy gives his thoughts on Market as a first-time attendee. Sherri also shares some fun things happening with Moda Fabrics in a new segment, Moda Minu…
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In this episode, Sherri welcomes the prolific quilter Nancy Lane to the show! Sherri met Nancy through her quilt guild in Orange County, CA. Nancy has since pieced several of Sherrri's quilts and has done a fabulous job on every quilt she has pieced. Nancy has a great backstory as to how she first began quilting. She was a professional seamstress a…
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Preparing for Quilt Market and Finding a Long-Arm Quilter
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46:38In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi discuss their preparations before attending the International Quilt Market each year. They also offer advice for anyone attending Quilt Market for the first time. Lastly, they share some insight and advice for people interested in starting a long-arm quilting business and how to find a new long-arm quilter. Help S…
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Selecting the Right Stitch Length, Hanging Quilts on Walls, and Cutting Mat Lifespans
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53:00
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53:00In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi answer a fresh batch of listener questions. Some topics discussed include using the right stitch length for piecing, making napkins and placemats, hanging mini quilts, tips for chain piecing, cleaning and/or replacing cutting mats and rotary blades, quilt labels, and more! Help Support our Show Here: https://www.b…
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Garden of Quilts Recap, Family Favorites Sew-Along, and Quilting History Resources
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41:17
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41:17In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi announce an upcoming sew-along they will be participating in with Chelsi's Brightly quilt from their new book, Family Favorites. Books are available now, and the sew-along will begin after Laguna Sunrise fabric has finished shipping. Fat Quarter Shop will be hosting this fun sew-along. Sherri then recaps her recen…
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Electric Quilt 8 Software and Designing Quilt Patterns
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46:54
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46:54In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi do a deep dive into the software they both use to help them design their quilt patterns, Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8). They first share some new features that have recently been released and then discuss how this software has helped them throughout the years as they have continued to design new quilt patterns. They also…
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In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi welcome the prolific quilter and head of marketing for Moda Fabrics, Lissa Alexander, to the show! Lissa shares how she went from working at a local quilt shop to becoming the head of marketing at Moda Fabrics. She explains some of her responsibilities as the head of marketing and reveals how she still gets so muc…
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Back to School Means Back to Sewing and Quilting in Literature, Film, and Television
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45:57
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45:57In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi discuss what they have accomplished so far this Summer and what they plan on completing by the end of 2024. Chelsi shares how she anticipates her schedule will change as her kids return to school. The group then discusses how quilting is represented in literature, film, television, and other aspects of pop culture…
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Profitable Quilt Projects, A Potential Retreat and Finishing "All the Things"
54:44
54:44
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54:44In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi answer an excellent batch of listener questions. Some topics discussed include making profitable quilt projects, a potential Quilting Life retreat, being unable to put a quilt down, managing multiple projects simultaneously, EQ8 tips, how to search for videos, a future tutorial, and more! Help Support our Show Her…
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Raspberry Summer Fabric Collection and Inspirational Quilting Stories
36:28
36:28
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36:28In this episode, Sherri and Chelsi discuss their new fabric collection, Raspberry Summer. They discuss the inspirations behind this fabric line and the story of how they could not agree on the name. This fabric collection is a sister collection to Strawberry Lemonade and also features a 60" wide dresden block cheater print. Raspberry Summer is expe…
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