What’s in Your Sewing Bag Prairie and Ocean?

Welcome back to your favourite series 😊The latest guest in the What’s in Your Sewing Bag Series is the lovely Janice Reimer of Prairie & Ocean.

As you might suspect, we first met on Instagram many moons ago. What I love about being connected with fellow creatives is seeing their progression, and Janice has been on such an inspiring journey. Most recently, you might have caught her winning quilt at Quilt Con earlier this year. So cool!

The thing that stands out the most when I think of Janice is her authenticity! I love seeing people be themselves, and that’s 100% the vibe I get! I hope you sense that too as you sneak a peek inside her sewing kit!

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Introduction

Introduction – tell us a little about yourself! How did you get started on your quilting journey?

Hi! I come from a lineage of quilters but refused to join their ranks for over three decades. I was into a lot of other fibre arts (crochet, embroidery, etc.), but quilting just didn’t hold any interest for me. After I finished grad school, I was determined to set healthy work/life boundaries and started looking for a new hobby to fill my now science-free evenings. Fast forward eight months – I was hooked, bought my first sewing machine, and said goodbye to ever eating at our dining room table again.

Lol – I had a similar resistance/discovery of quilting and have the perpetually covered dining room table to prove it too!! Although, I don’t come from a lineage of quilters (lucky you!).

Sewing Bag

What kind of sewing bag do you have? (e.g. did you make it? Buy it?)

So, the first thing I thought of when I read this was that I don’t have a sewing bag! I’m a big proponent of using what you have and use a tiny little Rubbermaid container at home to carry all my hand-quilting supplies around.

But then I remembered I made a bag out of leftover scraps, and it’s played the role of traveling sewing bag ever since. The HSTs came from the cut-off corners of some square-in-a-square blocks, and they were too cute to leave just sitting in my scrap box. I had never sewn a zipper at this point, and so making a little zipper pouch seemed like a great little project to use the HSTs and learn how to conquer The Fabled Zipper.

I was in a heavy Essex linen phase at the time, and honestly, I’m not sure why I left – I love the added texture that it gives! The hand quilting was also like icing on the texture cake. It still surprises me how a little hand quilting can pull a whole project together.

I’m so with you on using what you have on hand. Especially as your fabric stash expands and starts taking more room – ha! Ah, yes, Essex is swoon-worthy. I have quite an obsession with it too. It looks fabulous paired with your HSTs!

All-Star Essentials

What are your all-star essentials? Your tried-and-true must-haves that you can never run out of?

ThimblePads – I have tried so many different thimbles and I hate them all. I’ve probably been using the same pack of these leather pads for the last two years and they just keep giving.

The Unnamed Needle – when I started quilting, my mom enthusiastically donated a bunch of things from her stash to set me up in the hopes that quilting would stick – five years later, I think we’re both still pleasantly surprised that it did. Part of that donation package was a needle – I have no idea what kind of needle it is, but it is the only needle that I like using for hand binding. I’ve tried to find replacements but nothing glides through as nicely as that one needle. Of course, my mom has no idea what kind of needle it is, but it remains the unnamed hero of all my hand binding.

I thought I would love ThimblePads because, like you, I found thimbles to be beyond uncomfortable and cumbersome. That was until I tried these leather ones. Have you tried those? They feel a little weird initially, but they mold to your finger and become incredibly soft. I’m often caught walking around the house with it still on because I forget it’s there! Emily shared them as part of her kit too! Maybe I need to revisit them 😉

Favourite Item

What is your favourite item in your kit? Why?

Probably my great (great?) grandmother’s pin cushion. I’ve lost a lot of family members in recent years, and quilting has been an unexpected way that I have found connection to my family roots. There is quilting history on both sides of my family, and I have inherited notions from many of them that I use on a regular basis. Sometimes I feel like I should preserve them and not use them, but just like quilts, they are meant to be used.

Wow, that’s amazing, Janice! Not the loss part, gosh, that’s always a hard part of life to navigate, but having notions that you can use that once belonged to your relatives, that’s just priceless! I agree with you, using them is a great way of honouring them and keeping their memory alive.

Surprise Item

What’s one thing we’d be surprised to find in your bag?

Anyone who has been following me probably won’t be surprised by this, but dog treats. ‘Always be beefing’ is the motto of my family right now as we’ve been working on training our dog and cat to get along. I usually have one animal curled up beside me while sewing, and so there’s opportunities that arise.

Ha! I love that! Do you make your own dog treats? Furry friends make for the best sewing companions. Two just extra extra love!

Quilt Kits Will Travel

When do you find yourself using your kit the most? (Travelling, on the sofa, attending sew-ins?)

Travelling, whether it be a trip home to see my family or a trip out to the woods to go camping.

All good occasions to sneak in some stitching time 😉

Travel Memory

What’s your favourite travel memory with your sewing bag?

Camping trips with my husband and our previous dog, Combo. Us humans would spend the hot afternoons sewing and painting beside each other while our dog protected the campsite from invading chipmunks and unknown forest noises.

That’s so cute! See, furry friends truly bring the most special spirit – whether we’re at home or away and camping. I love that your favourite travel memory with your sewing bag involved Combo!

Where Can We Find You?

Tell people where we can find you.

On Instagram you can find me @prairieandocean or my website – prairieandocean.com.

You’re just the best, Janice! Thank you so much for participating in the WIYSB series and giving us a sneak peek inside your kit! I will now forever think of your sewing kit being used in the wild while you’re being protected by Combo. Love that story! Keep being you, my friend!

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For more What’s in Your Sewing Bag fun, check out these guests:

• Yvonne from Quilting Jet Girl
• Andrea from 3rd Story Workshop
• Sarah from Sarah Handmade
• Jennifer from Penelope Handmade
• Holly Clarke from Hold My Seam Ripper

Happy quilting!

xo

Shannon

PS don’t forget to sign up for the weekly newsletter so you don’t miss out on any future WIYSB guests!

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