Introducing Cotton Cuts Brand Ambassador Elaina

Meet Elaina! One of Cotton Cuts’ Classic Box Brand Ambassadors!

Elaina joined Cotton Cuts as a Brand Ambassador in October of 2018. She was selected from a very long list of talented sewists. We wanted our members to get a chance to get to know Elaina a little better, so we asked her a few questions:

How long have you been sewing?

I’ve been sewing off and on over the past 28 years. I was twelve when I learned hand sewing. First it was doll clothes. At the time country style bunnies and dolls made from muslin were all the rage and I really wanted to try make them too. Received my first sewing machine when I was seventeen from my mother and grandmother as a high school graduation present.

How did you learn to sew?

My mom taught me all of the basics and then some. By the time I was born her sewing days were pretty much over. She had an aversion to all things crafty. But to her credit, she was and still is my biggest fan, critic and biggest supporter of all my creative endeavors.

What is your favorite thing to sew?

Quilts are by far my very favorite to sew. I’ve always been fascinated by them. I remember one of the first quilts I wanted to make was a Clamshell pattern. We had just moved and I was trying to get used to a new school. I found myself a bit lonely and was trying to occupy my time when I saw the pattern in one of my grandmother’s many craft books. I traced the template and carefully cut out the fabrics and was determined to figure it out on my own. Had no idea how difficult of a pattern I had picked to start off with. In the end I couldn’t figure out how to sew them together. Several years later I decided to recut those fabrics and I made my first quilt using the Drunkard’s Path block. I still want to make a Clamshell quilt.

What is your favorite thing about sewing?

My favorite thing about sewing is how much it has enriched my life. There is nothing like the creative journey of learning and making something with fabric and thread, especially if it’s for someone you care about. Seeing what my fellow creatives make and share inspires me. Along with my family, they are a great source of support and motivation for me to try new things.

What is your favorite item you have even sewn?

My favorite thing I have sewn is a Double Wedding Ring Quilt for my awesome nephew and his wonderful wife. I made it in one of my favorite color ways, a rainbow. At first I wondered what had I got myself into. After some frustration, tears and some choice words over the next couple of days I finally completed my first block. The quilt was finally finished and gifted several months later.

Share something interesting with us?

My renewed enthusiasm for sewing really began over last summer. Shortly after I first was married I had tried to pick it up again but I just had a block creatively. Over the years I collected fabric, a fair share of magazines and was an onlooker from afar on sewing and quilting social media platforms. And that continued until I decided to try another sew-along on Instagram. The first two I joined I never finished. It took the third sew-along, known as the #100days100blocks challenge hosted by @gnomeangel for me to fully participate and finish. Finally was I hooked again on sewing. That positive experience, connecting with so many wonderful creatives has brightened my life in many ways. Through my fellow Instagrammers, I discovered the wonderful folks at Cotton Cuts, their amazing products, a.k.a. fantastic curated fabrics and other services they provide to support and enrich the creative and local community.

What do you love about your Cotton Cuts Subscription Box?

I love my Cotton Cuts Subscription Boxes because I love surprises. And when I open it, it’s like sunshine and rainbows. There’s nothing like a box of beautifully curated fabric that someone has carefully chosen, nicely folded and wrapped with a pretty bow based on what you love. The half-yard cuts are such a great option. I pick the fat quarters because I love fat quarters. Plus they are perfect for the sheer variety I prefer adding in my quilts. They are also nice and sizeable cuts that would work for many smaller projects like bags, zipper pouches and so much more.

Please feel free to go follow Elaina on Instagram at @on5thave !