Meet Trina
P: Where do you find inspiration for your work?
T: I find inspiration everywhere! I carry a small notebook and pen with me. I jot down notes and ideas as they come to me. I’ve also been known to take photos with my iPhone of interesting patterns, shapes and things in nature that I think might translate well in the creative work that I do.
P: What does your creative process entail?
T: I love to immerse myself in my projects! I generally start and finish a project before going on to the next one. I get consumed by what I’m working on and focus on it, looking forward to the final result!
P: Why do you enjoy sewing/crafting/quilting?
T: My Mom and Grandma (her Mom) instilled in me a love of the handmade. My Grandma was always knitting for us. My Mom made us clothes and home decor items. She let me help with more and more responsibilities as I grew older. I love the idea of making something for someone else. I very rarely keep the items I make, they are usually gifted and often a surprise.
P: Do you create mainly for satisfaction, gifts, art or other reason?
T: I love to create and then give the items away. I have often been asked if I will sell the stuff that I make but I have realized over the years that I get much, much more enjoyment from giving away what I make.
P: What tips or tricks learned through experience can you share?
T: I like to keep myself organized as I go along. For me that keeps creativity to a maximum and frustration at a minimum. I have fabric baskets that organize my projects (fabrics, notions, rulers, patterns can all be grouped together and grabbed at an instant). And I always have a project on the go that is portable (hexis are a fun one right now), this way I can take them on the bus, in the car, on a plane and maximize my time. I like being productive!
P: When and why did you start sewing/quilting/crafting?
T: I started sewing when I was young and lived at home. My Mom instilled in me a love of the handmade. Of course in junior high I took Home Ec (my Mom still has the first item I ever made in class – a pin cushion that straps to your wrist).
P: What inspires you to start a project?
T: Usually it’s a pattern or fabric or a need that has to be filled. My inspiration to start a project comes from so many different places. Usually I have so many ideas that I want to create that I have to “park” them in my notebook so that I don’t forget about them.
