Frequently Asked Questions

I love to get emails, I really do! As much as I would love to answer each and every question I'm asked, a girls gotta sleep! And since I want you to know just how much I appreciate your emails and questions, and how flattered I am that you would ask, I came up with this idea, and I hope hope hope it works great for everyone.

Here's how its going to go. I'm going to answer some of the most common questions I'm asked right here. If your question isn't answered, please ask it in the comments section and I will post an answer beneath it, so come back and check a little later. That way if someone else has the same question, they get instant gratification, instead of waiting and waiting for me to answer it. I love instant gratification. Who doesn't?

*Which pattern to start with This is a tough one. I get a lot of emails from girls who get the quilting itch and don't know which pattern to start with. My advice?  Piece of Cake.  It is just a great place to start.  Simple piecing, rows, borders, quilting, binding.  You can handle it, I promise.  Piece of Cake 2 would also be a great option.  If you want a smaller project, try My Simple Kitchen.

    

*Paint colors  You'll be so proud- I actually dug up my paint chips just so I could be sure to give you the right ones

Family Room- Valley View by Valspar (Lowes)

Kitchen/entry/hallways- Toasted Almond by Olympic (Lowes)

Sewing room- Hidden Spring by Olympic (Lowes)

My Bedroom- White Gold by Kilz (Walmart)

Boys room/baby room- Smooth Stone by Glidden (Home Depot)

*Polka dot chair  Sadly, this is not a Pottery Barn original, is is just my first (and only) attempt at upholstery. The chair is a thrift store find, which I gutted, and the fabric is 54" wide Dotty fabric from the great and wonderful Moda. I suffered only minor injuries while learning how to upholster using the trial and error method and received one tetanus shot as a result.  I have no advice.

*Sewing machine This is something I plan on doing a post about in the near future. Once I do, I will link to it here. Right now I'm a proud owner of a Bernina 430 and I love it!

*Camera setup I shoot with a Nikon D200and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Lens. The D200 is an older model now and has been replaced by the new Nikon D300. I would reccommend either, or the Nikon D90 for a more experienced photographer, or something like the Nikon D5000 for a beginner.  

I use Photoshop to edit my photos, and regarding the two I don't know what the heck I'm doing. However, I'm learning more everyday and it is so much fun!  I have an (older) blog post about photography here. check it out!

*I'm 27. (And always will be.)

*Target If you are wondering where an item in my house is from, it is likely Target.

*Thimble Blossoms/Cotton Way My mom, Bonnie Olaveson has been the creative mastermind behind her company, Cotton Way for over 20 years (WOW!), and I started my company, Thimble Blossoms in the summer of 2007. They are two separate companies, but we design fabric for Moda together.  So far we've designed Cotton Blossoms, Simple Abundance, Bliss and Ruby.  Check out the links on my right sidebar for more info.

*Moda Cut Goods Have a question about Moda cut goods? (Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs, Layer Cakes, etc) Check out this post: What the heck is a jelly roll?

Well there you have it. If you have any other questions, ask them below! I'll answer them to the best of my ability. If you have a question you don't want to ask in the comments section, of course you can still email me at camille(at)thimbleblossoms(dot)com. And just in case, I reserve the right to delete questions that are too personal or I just don't want to answer.  (It happens)

Thanks everyone! Everything that would have been neglected in my life due to my inbox thanks you! Most especially, my pillow. And my youngest child. You guys are the best!