February Aurifil Designer, Linda Lum DeBono . Linda has a super fast Valentine project for us… let’s meet Linda and see her “Love” project.

Hi I’m Pat Sloan, the Aurifil Designer of the Month coordinator. I’d like to introduce you to our February Aurifil Designer, Linda lum deBono!

Linda is an amazing designer with books, fabric collection and she even designs scrapbooking items! What I love about Linda is that she creates fun and lively projects. They are often smaller so that we can make them quickly!


True to form Linda has a super fast Valentine project for us… let’s meet Linda and see her “Love” project.

Remember we are encouraging you each month to make our designers project. Post your photo at our Flickr folder and one quilter will win a prize of Aurifil thread each month starting in March!
Flickr folder – http://www.flickr.com/groups/2011aurifildesignerofthemonth/

• When was your FIRST quilt sighting? Did it inspire you to start quilting? If not, what did?

I only started sewing when i moved to the United States from Canada. I had left my Pharma job in Canada, got married within a week and I moved to New Jersey. I had no friends and nothing to do so I walked into a local quilt shop. I saw a quilt that was, in retrospect, difficult to hand sew but I tried it anyway. I didn’t finish it but I still have the blocks.

• What is your favorite type of quilt or quilt pattern?

My first love is hand applique but I only have time for machine applique these days. I love that too!

• We all have parts of the process we ‘prefer’ more than others. What part of quilt making do you ‘Prefer’ most and why?

I prefer to zig zag stitch the applique shapes and i love to free-motion quilt my quilts. i put on a mindless movie and sew. i think a lot while i am sewing and it relieves a lot of pressure for me because i do all of my designing in my brain first.

• Do you do other crafts now? Did you do those BQ ‘Before Quilting’, what types of ‘stuff making’ do you connect with the most??

I knit and crochet. I am doing more paper crafts now again. that was my first love and first business. I designed, made and sold handmade greeting cards before they were even popular. I love digital scrapbooking.

• Did you have a career prior to making art, and what was it? Do you still do that career while having your design business? If you’ve always done art, did you do another type before quilt making?

I have a degree in human biology. I worked in the pharmaceutical industry. I started out as a Pharma rep selling drugs [legally, of course!] and then as a medical liaison. My job was to set up clinical trials for a new application of a drug for hepatitis. I loved everything to do with paper before I started quilting. I am a stay-at-home designer and mom.

• How do you fill your soul? What I mean by this is – what makes you SO HAPPY that you know that if you do this you are experiencing a little ‘Heaven on Earth’.

I love digital work, graphic design. I love taking photographs of people and places and I love to travel. I would love to go back to Asia, go to Australia and Malta. My most favorite thing, though, is to photograph my kids. Ii love to write for my blog though other priorities usually take over and my blog often suffers.

• When you start a new project do you have a ritual you follow? Like cleaning your work area, buying a new tablet to sketch in, or maybe having a new bag of M&M’s on hand!

I have to think about it for a long, long time. By the time I’m ready, I’ve pretty well figured it all out visually. After that, It’s just a matter of making the project. There are times when my head hurts but it doesn’t come out unless the whole package clicks. I go for a drive or go to NYC/local quilt shop, etc… for a few hours and often, I feel relieved and inspired. The pressures gone and then i can start making the designs.

• Do you have a process to get your ideas started? I use a theme and words. Some people use photos, fabric swatches… etc

I use theme and words too. I’ve used words on my quilts for a long time. You can say that that’s been my signature.

• What is your favorite weight of Aurifil thread? What are you ‘go to’ thread colors?

I love 50 wt. but I would like to try the wool threads. fuchsia, lime/apple green, turquoise, brown

• Besides your sewing machine, what are the tools you MUST have when you quilt?

A reducer especially since I use so many colors. It helps me see the whole picture.

• Do you travel to teach?

I don’t travel to teach. My husband travels a lot and all of my family is in Canada. My kids still need me and the stability.

• How would you describe your personality? Are you process oriented, detailed, big picture, are you carefree, structured, unstructured, all over the place depending on the project?

I am a big picture person, high energy, all over the place when I am designing but I am focused, organized and a woman on a mission when I am making the projects.

• If you could train with, or work with, or follow one person for a day.. who would it be and why?

I would have loved to have trained with the late Itchiku Kubota. I went to DC with hubby. Hubby went to the FBI building across the way and I wandered over to the Smithsonian. The exhibit at the Smithsonian years ago moved me to tears. The security guards probably thought that I was some weirdo because I went there three times. His passion and determination – totally amazing.

http://meanderwithmenahem.blogspot.com/2010/11/on-kimono-sunset-and-praying-hands.html

And a few on the light side!
• The Book you are currently reading -I’ve just started “T Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and I am reading the Harry Potter series with my boys
• Your Favorite Movie – Gladiator, Bourne series, I love old movies like “Pillow Talk” with Doris Day and Rock Hudson
• A Song that makes you ‘dance the happy dance’ – I love all dance music but I like anything Lady Gaga or Pink
• The Color you have always loved – Fuchsia!

I hope you enjoyed meeting Linda and learning about her work. Isn’t her project so fun you want to start it right now?

I encourage you to check out Linda’s inspiration photos… they are amazing! Also go to my January 3, 2011 radio show and listen to my chat with Linda!
http://toginet.com/podcasts/creativetalkradio/?s=creativetalkradio

Visit Linda lum deBono
Website http://www.lindalumdebono.com/
FaceBook –http://www.facebook.com/lindalumdebono
Blog – http://www.lindalumdebono.blogspot.com/

*************************** THE PATTERN/The Giveaway ****************************


CLICK HERE To download the PDF pattern

Starting in March, EACH MONTH we will pick one random winner that has made one of the Designer projects to receive a special Aurifil thread prize.. wowzer!!.

You can make ANY of the designer projects (and we hope you make them all!)

Share your photos at our Flickr Folder… we can’t WAIT to see what you do!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/2011aurifildesignerofthemonth/

***************************Join us at FACEBOOK ****************************
Become a member of the AURlfil fan page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/aurifil.quilt.thread

Join January Designer at http://www.facebook.com/SusanBrubakerKnapp

and I hope you join me, Pat Sloan, at my facebook FUN PAGE
http://www.facebook.com/PatSloanQuiltFun
And read my daily blog http://www.PatSloan.typepad.com