Modern Quilter, Tammy Silvers, is teaching 3 classes during Road@Home:
On Wednesday, W131 – To The Point
On Thursday, T126 – Compass Points
And on Friday, S130 – Marys Contrary Garden
Living the Quilt Designer’s Dream
Tammy Silvers discovered quilting when her sister-in-law invited her to take a quilting class with her. It was a slow start, but Tammy never gave up and today, she is “stitching up a storm.”
Tammy started teaching quilting to help pay for her second stint in college of getting her high school teaching certificate. Her quilt students kept asking for new projects, which led to designing. Teaching them – and designing for them – led to Tammy’s passion for teaching quilting, which further spurred her desire to design. Tammy remarked, “Why would you want me to come teach at your guild or show unless I’ve designed something you like, right?!” And now twenty years later, Tammy Silvers is still designing patterns and fabric. As she joyfully says, she is “Living the dream!”
Under the label Tamarinis, Tammy’s designs are regularly published in a variety of quilt magazines. She worked with some of the major fabric manufacturers, designing projects to showcase and promote their fabric lines, including Northcott, Free Spirit, Maywood, Dear Stella, Timeless Treasures and Island Batik.
A Cozy Quilt Studio for Tammy Silvers
Tammy Silver admits, “I have a lovely quilting studio now. It has room for tons of fabric storage, a dedicated pressing area, a huge sewing table, large, lovely windows, and even a fireplace. No matter the time of year, it is a cozy, inviting space to create.”
Her iron is Tammy’s favorite quilting tool. She says, “I firmly believe that no matter how inaccurate your piecing is, your quilt will look 100% better if it is well pressed.” Another favorite is her Aurifil thread. She uses it “for EVERY project!”
Lessons Learned from COVID-19
Pivot is Tammy Silvers word for how she has survived the Coronavirus lockdowns. She defined pivoting as “learning more about producing videos, teaching online, and adjusting my class offerings and my guild offerings to work better in an online platform.” It has been more difficult for Tammy to stay connected with students, customers, and friends, and to “be there for them.”
Tammy also has discovered more appreciation for her family. She has “been made more aware of how amazing my family is, and reminded of how grateful I am to have loved ones in my life. This forced time at home has also helped me rediscover the joy in creating – big projects, small projects – and in sharing with others.”
Teaching at Road@Home
Tammy Silvers has lots experience teaching quilting, first at a local chain store and then at local quilt shops, community centers, at large shows, and for guilds.
Tammy realizes that online classes have a different pace and a different level of expectation than in person classes. Slowing down, repeating, showing processes in greater detail have all worked well to make her online classes work for her students this past year. She plans on utilizing all those experiences in her Road@Home classes. Tammy says that her Road@Home classes are some of her favorite projects. “I know you aren’t supposed to have favorites – but I’ll confess, they are. I love the freedom these projects have and I’m excited to see how students take the techniques and expand on them.”
Students in Tammy Silvers’ classes can expect “to become empowered to express themselves through the art of creation. The satisfaction – and often sheer joy – of completing a task, mastering a skill, making something that expresses who they are is so rewarding. I am always fascinated to see how others interpret my designs as well. Sometimes it is a change in color, or a combination of prints. Sometimes it is a change in design, such as adding or leaving off sashing, or changing the borders. Mostly, I love sharing my passion for quilting and helping others discover the fun in quilting too!”
You can learn more about Tammy Silvers on her website.
