Say hello to a new member of the Island Batik Ambassador family – Kim Jamieson-Hirst! Residing in Calgary, Canada, Kim is the owner of Chatterbox Quilts, a quilting business dedicated to helping quilters learn and improve their skills. She is a YouTube influencer whose upbeat personality and easy to understand tutorials on her Chatterbox Quilts’ channel attract viewers. Kim shares her quilting knowledge through her Chatterbox Quilts’ YouTube channel, online courses, Chatterbox Quilts’ Crew group, and her private online membership, The Quilter’s Way, where members learn new techniques by creating projects. Kim is helped in her quilt studio by her purry assistants, Victor and Salem who are always eager to lend a paw or two. Kim doesn’t believe in the quilt police but does believe that quilting is more than stitching an accurate 1⁄4” seam (if it ain’t fun, it ain’t quilting 😉), that chocolate is an essential quilting tool, and that practice makes improvement…and you’re improving with each quilt you make!
We had the chance to ask Kim about her creative process, and here’s what she shared with us!
Island Batik: What sparked your interest in quilting, and how did your journey begin? Was there a particular quilt or moment that ignited your passion?
Kim: No one in my family quilted so I didn’t learn that way! Actually, I was never interested in quilting as I thought it was all done by hand and would take way too long but…I had two friends who had quilt projects that I admired and, when I asked about how to make them, I was surprised to learn that they had been done on a sewing machine – not by hand! One of my friends suggested that I take a quilting class to see if I would like it and, well I guess it’s pretty obvious as to the answer to that question! I was hooked from that very first class and pretty soon I was addicted!
Where do you find inspiration for your quilt designs? Are there specific experiences, places, or memories that influence your work?
I find inspiration in the work of other quilters – from quilts I see at quilt shows (so many ideas and inspiration) and also from social media. I belong to a local longarm quilting guild and those members are so amazing so I find inspiration in their work. I also get ideas from projects that my members in The Quilter’s Way are creating.
Can you describe your creative process from concept to completion? How do you decide on colors, patterns, and fabrics?
I often use EQ8 to design my quilts – drawing is not my strong suit – as I find that it’s very helpful to be able to substitute fabrics and colours in this program to give me the result I want. I also use a colour wheel to help with picking fabric colours. Once I’ve got a design down, I write out the instructions so I can make the project and then I’m ready to begin!
How do your quilts reflect your personal emotions or experiences? Do you find that quilting helps you process or express these emotions?
I don’t use quilting to express my emotions but I would say that quilting allows me to express my creativity. I’ve often said that I never thought I was a creative person until I discovered quilting.
What is the most challenging quilt you’ve ever made, and how did you overcome those challenges? What did you learn from that experience?
Probably the most challenging quilt I’ve made is the One World quilt. I hosted a quilt along for this design along with the quilt’s creator (know by “Uncle Gravy”) and still can’t believe that I actually made it. Lots of small appliqué pieces and I finished the edges of each one as well as adding embellishments to them. It’s still not quilted because I still haven’t landed on the “perfect” design but that’s for the future.
How does your cultural background or heritage influence your quilting? Are there specific traditions or techniques you incorporate into your work?
No cultural or heritage influences in my quilting. I like all different styles and like to explore the type of quilting done in other countries to see how I can add this to my work someday.
How has your quilting style evolved over the years? Can you identify key moments or pieces that marked significant changes in your approach?
Initially I did more raw edge appliqué projects and now I do more patchwork quilting. I think this changed when I created The Quilter’s Way membership and started to provide projects for members to learn new techniques – they couldn’t all be appliqué!
If you could have any superpower to assist you in your quilting, what would it be and why?
Ask me my least favourite part of quilting and I would say “binding” so my superpower would be to wave my hand and my quilt would automagically be bound.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, on a quilt project, who would it be and what kind of quilt would you create together?
I would say Gustav Klimt. I’ve long admired his work and I would love to the “The Kiss” as a fabric collage. As an aside, my iPhone case is “The Kiss” with Kermit and Miss Piggy – yes, I love the Muppets!
What are your future goals or dreams for your quilting? Are there new techniques, themes, or projects you’re excited to explore?
I would like to do more ruler quilting (I’d love to be a Sew Steady instructor) and would like to learn different methods of fabric collage as well as mosaic quilts like my friend, Heidi Proffetty makes. I’m always exploring new-to-me techniques such as kawandi and pojagi and hope to make some of those projects someday. With my squirrel brain there are always many more ideas than time to make them but hope springs eternal!
Be sure to follow Kim on Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram and subscribe to her blog and YouTube channel to see what she’s working on right now!
To see the whole 2024 Island Batik Ambassador team, please visit: https://islandbatik.com/2024-ambassadors/
Is there anything else you want to ask Kim? Leave us a comment below!