December 31, 2020
in Blog, Blue Nickel Friends!, Designer Interview, Fabric Review, Inspiration, Quilter Interviews, quilting, windham fabrics
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Natalie Barnes and Norma Rose
So here we are at the end of the year 2020. Wow….that is all I can say. Those of you still hanging in with me, I appreciate you so much. I thought I had really dropped the ball on blog posts in 2020, but just added up blog posts from this year and last year, and in spite of my Dad’s passing and selling his estate and our house and buying a new one and moving to Whidbey Island (which is sublime, BTW), in spite of all that, I still managed almost twice as many posts as in 2019. So we can’t blame the Pandemic for my lack of posts…LOL!
And my last post of the year is a doozy, in my humble opinion….
I interviewed the lovely, creative Natalie Barnes via email – oh late in the summer I think, way before her new line Norma Rose from Windham Fabrics came out. But it is out in the shops now and the interview follows. I think you will enjoy it. I always ask random and sometimes off-the-wall questions, and Natalie answered them all so marvelously. All of the photos (except the title photo and the last photo) in this post are from her and in no particular order. I will tell you a bit about the last photo at the end of the post.
I interviewed the lovely, creative Natalie Barnes via email – oh late in the summer I think, way before her new line Norma Rose from Windham Fabrics came out. But it is out in the shops now and the interview follows. I think you will enjoy it. I always ask random and sometimes off-the-wall questions, and Natalie answered them all so marvelously. All of the photos (except the title photo and the last photo) in this post are from her and in no particular order. I will tell you a bit about the last photo at the end of the post.
Please welcome Natalie Barnes to the Blue Nickel!
Tell us about your mother, Norma Rose.
She’s the inspiration for the fabric line….
Driving in the car and singing at the top of our lungs to the radio was a good day.
Washing dishes and harmonizing to old 1940’s songs was a good day.
Picking peaches off of the tree for peach sundaes was always an end to a good day.
Just like clipping roses for a kitchen bouquet from the rose garden was a good day.
My mother always saw the good in everything she experienced, no matter the adversity she faced.
Hiding Easter eggs hand dyed and decorated – – it didn’t have to be “over the moon”, she could make the every day exceptional.
She always wanted to be a cancer survivor….planned on attending the Luncheon for survivors.
But she never did. She died when I was just in my 30’s.
Her lessons stay with me, even today….as I watch the White Ginger bloom, or as I pick the avocados off of my own tree. The simple moments make for a good day.
What is your favorite memory of your mom?
Watching her singing with Auntie Helena and the band in Hawaii.
She had no problem getting up on the stage and singing with her….muu muu, lei and all.
It was a sweet moment for my mom…
What did your mom get to do that you haven’t yet? And along with that was there anything that she wanted to do that she never got to do?
My mother had the great opportunity to travel to Japan. She LOVED it. My father went for business, and she went along. She was accompanied during the day by a lovely female tour guide. In those days, it was very formal. But she LOVED it. In their later years, my parents and a group of friends toured Australia and New Zealand and Tahiti and I think that might have been her most joyous time. The joy she found in those trips would be the only reason I would want to go, I think – but those are her happy moments. I have to make my own, don’t I?
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As for things she wanted to do, that she didn’t get to do – – well, that’s the bittersweet part. When I asked her, in her last days, if there was anything she wanted to do, she replied, “Well, I always wanted to go back to Disneyland…”
So now, that’s my saying, when I have to make a tough decision, and have to change direction in life – I reply, “I’m going to Disneyland.”
Who was your favorite actor while you were growing up? How about now?
Man from Uncle. Dontcha know. For sure! What was his name….and he has a role in NCIS, doesn’t he?
Wait. You mean I’m not still growing up???
John Cusak and Minnie Driver in Grosse Pointe Blank?
Ok, now, my favorite actor might be – – well, gosh, I loved Patrick Dempsey in The Greatest Show. And Lady Gaga in A Star is Born.
Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody.
I really was drawn in by Andy Allo in the new series she did – maybe it’s because she is a singer, and was in Prince’s band, too?
I am probably more drawn to music than film/television, truth be told.
Favorite 80’s band / musician? Favorite song of theirs?
The 80’s? Hmmmmm……ok – music will be much easier than movies for me!!
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Bruce Hornsby – The Way it Is, Mandolin Rain, Look Out Any Window
Wang Chung – To Live and Die in LA, Wake Up Stop Dreaming
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Michael Hedges – Aerial Boundaries
Steve Winwood – While You See A Chance
Prince.- Let’s Go Crazy, Purple Rain
Phil Collins. – Against All Odds, You’ll be in my Heart, Take Me Home
U2 – With or Without You – Still haven’t Found What I’m looking For
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror
Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time
Bill Medley/Jennifer Barnes – The Time of My Life
George Michael – Freedom (borderline 80’s)
Don Henley – The Boys of Summer, The End of the Innocence
John Waite – Missing You
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I think I better stop here…..
When you sew by machine, do you wear shoes or socks or barefoot?
I seem to always be in tennis shoes…..because of Stitch the dog, and all of the walking we do.
But if it’s at the end of the day, and he has put himself to bed, I will sew barefooted….cozy late night sewing. Just me and Jessica Fletcher. (Murder, She Wrote)
Is there a particular Color that you really don’t like to use? Can you tell us why?
Yellow. Definitely. I have ONE piece of yellow fabric in my stash, the original Denyse Schmidt yellow.
And nothing more.
My high school boyfriend made me a quilt – yellow and lime green polyester. Seriously.
I think that did it for me, with yellow.
Gold, I’m fine with. Yellow, not so much.
It’s a hard color to work with – it’s so shifty, and it’s hard to find a “true” yellow.
You know, not to green, not too bright, not too dull.
Definitely Yellow.
Would you rather go for a walk, ride a bike, or take a drive?
Walk. Always a walk. It’s the pace. And the ability to see the details.
Favorite Vegetable? and how is that served best?
Cocktail cucumbers, thinly sliced, tossed in ponzu sauce with a dash of rice wine vinegar. Served chilled.
Or chilled seaweed salad.
Or freshly picked baby arugula from the raised bed garden with sliced Hass avocados, right from my tree.
If you could spend the day with anyone famous dead or alive, who would it be and why?
I don’t know if they’d have to be famous…..so many I can think of that are not famous, that I’d like to talk a long slow walk with….
But if I have to choose someone famous, I might say,
Melinda Gates (ok, and Bill….)
Queen Elizabeth (ok, and her grandsons)
Dali Lama
Mother Teresa
Condoleezza Rice
Queen Liliokolani
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern
Diana Spencer
Favorite jewelry?
Any family piece.
Or my last dog’s dog tag with a little heart charm from when I was a child. It made a lovely necklace….
Tell us about your workspace..
I am fortunate to have an extra bedroom that is my studio. It has wall of books, a day bed for hand stitching, and an antique dining table for the Janome HD-9 workhorse!!
And of course, a small screen for streaming or Murder, She Wrote marathons for piecing marathons!
Oh, and good speakers, for those times when you’ve just got to rock it to the finish.
Favorite sewing hack?
Oh gosh – there are so many.
Great strong fast straight stitch manual machine.
Hot iron. Press, press, press.
Piece larger, then trim to the precise size square.
And my most favorite sewing hack?
Just SEW.
Keep trying things. New things. Difficult things.
Fabrics you wouldn’t usually use.
Fail a lot. Throw out a lot of samples. And then, try again.
Find out what you end up liking and not liking.
Don’t wait until you have the perfect tools, machine, space – if you’re passionate about creating, just start.
Grab some fabric and start.
be.do.create
What other Creative endeavors do you pursue?
I love knitting quick projects – and just as I love fabric, I love yarns.
Does that count?
And gardening. Oh how I love my garden. Right now I’m enjoying the last of the white ginger blossoms.
And I can’t wait to see the fuchsia bloom again that my friend let me take cuttings of, as she moved out of state.
And kayaking in the bay. Is that a creative endeavor?
Favorite Candle Scents?
Votivo – No. 17 Desert (I don’t believe it is available any more)
Second choice – Red Currant
Compagnie de Provence – Bougie Parfumée Extra Pure Figue
Favorite movie?
Why, Lilo and Stitch, of course!
And Up, The Devil Wears Prada, Lost in Translation, Hidden Figures, Bohemian Rhapsody – cried on every flight I ever saw that movie!
The Lake House
Chinatown
Sunset Blvd.
Favorite book?
Right now, because we are at home so much, I would say the cookbook, Food to Live By by Myra Goodman of Earthbound Farms
My other favorite is a gift from a dear friend, Adventures in Yarn Farming – Four Seasons on a New England Fiber Farm by Barbara Parry. You know, living vicariously.
What must every quilt you make have for you to feel it is complete?
For it to be seen.
Whether it’s gifting the quilt, or showing what can be done with someone’s new fabric line….
I like quilts to be seen. Used. Given. Shared.
For me that makes the process complete
What is your favorite part in creating a Quilt?
The potential.
Thinking about what you could do – what you could make.
The pattern, the fabrics, the time to do it and the place you’d make it.
Who you’d make it for —
As a designer – seeing the people that might make that quilt that you designed, and who they might make it for….
I’m always honored.
Who do you admire most in the Quilting World?
You know, there are so many talented people in our Industry. I don’t think I could narrow my list down to even ten.
I admire so many people for so many different reasons!
I always admired Gwen Marston – and am so sorry she is too soon gone.
Nancy Crow is an exceptional artist.
Jean Wells – her daughter Valori – for bringing people together, and of course, their works.
Anna Maria Horner, for making fabric design and owning an exceptional shop just effortless (which I know, is NOT)
Jenny Doan and the whole team at Missouri Star Quilt Co. for making quilting accessible to so many.
The Owners of Robert Kaufman, Moda, Windham/Anthology….
Latifah Saafir, Giuseppe Ribaudo, Jenny Pedigo, Sarah Bond, Amy Ellis, Violet Craft, Tiffany Hayes, Krista Moser, Shayla Wolf, Robin Long….. anyone that has ever been “My Nine” and helped me along the way, sharing freely their knowledge and time….
I could go on, and on, and on….
How did you start designing fabric for Windham?
I was so pleased to be able to make a personal connection with the team, and started designing quilts using other designers’ fabrics.
Relationships were built, and when the time was right, I asked if I could show them a portfolio.
I’m so thankful for our continued good working relationship! They are a great team.
Christmas – Halloween – or Thanksgiving? Which is best and why? which is worse and why?
Thanksgiving. Absolutely. Because it is a time to give thanks. And be surrounded with those you love and those that love you.
Definitely Thanksgiving.
I don’t think I have a “which is worse” – – I like any opportunity to give gifts or give thanks!!
Farthest you have ever traveled? what did you think about that local?
While I was in college, I studied in Heidelberg, Germany.
We would all get together and play frisbee on the castle grounds – and we once tried to break into the Neuschwanstein Castle….
It was a requirement of the studies that we travel three to four days a week.
But I think it would be difficult for me to select just one location out of all of those travels.
I guess that’s the farthest from home (born and raised California girl) I have ever been….
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That is it. Wasn’t that a fun visit?
Norma Rose is in shops NOW so look for it locally or online- whichever works best for you!
Places you can find Natalie and her work online:
Website: www.beyondthereefpatterns.com
Facebook: facebook.com/
Instagram: instagram.com/
Pinterest: pinterest.com/beyondthereefca
And since you made it all the way to the end of the post, I will tell you more about the below quilt featuring Natalie’s Norma Rose and Marcia Derse’s The Blue One lines (both from Windham). This quilt is called iForest and I designed this pattern a long time ago using my Tie One On line for Quilty Box. Now reworked in these new colors, the PDF pattern should be ready for you to purchase online here or on my Etsy shop within a month I hope.
That’s a wrap for 2020! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post (yes TWO in a row!) I have a fun project that I am planning on doing next year, and I hope you will follow along as I go through it in 2021.
As always,
Keep Sewing, Keep Happy, Keep Safe,
Scott