Etsy Shop Profile- Fleurdelisquilts

I'm happy to bring my second etsy shop profile of shop owner Mary from Fleurdelisquilts. Mary is regular poster in the etsy blog team. This week her shop hits it's 1 year anniversary!! This grandmother loves to sew and pours into it the same love that she pours into the items she sews for her own family. Last year this caring woman had to all but close up her shop in order take care of her mother who passed away of cancer. Her shop is not just full of quilts but also has hair accessories, bridal veils, purses, bibs and more. But now she is back and ready to take on the challenge of custom pieces just for you! Please check out her blog at fleurdelisquilts.blogspot.com and  become a facebook fan.

When and where did you learn how to sew?
I've been sewing for as long as I can remember, but I was mostly playing until high school. After marriage and children, I really honed my skills sewing for my three boys and seven sisters. I've made prom dresses and a couple of wedding dresses. Eventually I found my way to making quilts, probably because I was raised with quilters as both my mom and grandmother were quilters. They influenced me quite a bit and really encouraged me in all of my sewing and quilting.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Anything can be inspiration....a beautiful flowers, a grandchild, a request or commission from someone else who has specific ideas for a quilt, lots of different magazines, dreams, fine art and, of course, memories of my mom and grandmother. When I pick up fabrics from mom's stash, I immediately begin reminiscing about her, often those are tearful memories, but they are also happy, love-filled memories. Calico, especially in blue or purple, take me back to my grandmother's dresses and her sweet smell.
       



What is your favorite use for your quilts?
Originally all my quilts were meant for the bed--queen size or perhaps twin for the grandchildren, but today I find that I am making more wall hangings, quilted pillows, art quilts, and even doll quilts. So really my quilts are meant to be used in all sorts of ways from art works to home decor to their original purpose of keeping loved ones warm.


What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
That would have to be a quilted pillow that I made a few weeks ago. (www.etsy.com/listing/74837559/designer-throw-pillow-in-quilted-cotton) 
It was fun to make in so many ways but especially in the designing and quilting stages. I was able to explore color and learn some new quilting motifs.

Lastly being a book blog do you have any recommendations for books I should read? 
I am currently reading "Ask for it" by , Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever which is nonfiction and really not my genre, but I'm enjoying it immensely. 

I just finished "Inside out girl" by Tish Cohen, which is a fabulous book about a family with a child who has nonverbal learning disorder (NLD). It's such a timely novel in that we educators deal with children who have learning disorders every day. This novel helped me to see the world through the eyes of child who might be in my classroom. 

And just before that I read "The Night Journey" by Kathryn Lasky. It's a great historical fiction which is my favorite genre. I love to read about the lives of people who experienced the world at a different time and place. 

I have several others waiting in the wings for summer reading but I'd prefer to read those before mentioning them

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