On Wednesday, W131 \u2013 To The Point<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Thursday, T126 \u2013 Compass Points<\/p>\n\n\n\n And on Friday, S130 \u2013 Marys Contrary Garden<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u201cstitching up a storm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tammy started teaching quilting to help pay for her second stint in college of getting her high school teaching certificate.\u00a0 Her quilt students kept asking for new projects, which led to designing.\u00a0 Teaching them \u2013 and designing for them \u2013 led to Tammy\u2019s passion for teaching quilting, which further spurred her desire to design. Tammy remarked, \u201cWhy would you want me to come teach at your guild or show unless I\u2019ve designed something you like, right?!\u201d And now twenty years later, Tammy Silvers is still designing patterns and fabric. As she joyfully says, she is \u201cLiving the dream!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tammy Silver admits, \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her iron is Tammy\u2019s favorite quilting tool. She says, \u201cI firmly believe that no matter how inaccurate your piecing is, your quilt will look 100% better if it is well pressed.\u201d Another favorite is her Aurifil thread. She uses it \u201cfor EVERY project!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pivot <\/em>is Tammy Silvers word for how she has survived the Coronavirus lockdowns. She defined pivoting as \u201clearning more about producing videos, teaching online, and adjusting my class offerings and my guild offerings to work better in an online platform.\u201d It has been more difficult for Tammy to stay connected with students, customers, and friends, and to \u201cbe there for them.\u201d <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tammy also has discovered more appreciation for her family. She has \u201cbeen 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 \u2013 big projects, small projects \u2013 and in sharing with others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tammy realizes that online classes have a different pace<\/strong> and a different level of expectation<\/strong> 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. \u201cI know you aren\u2019t supposed to have favorites \u2013 but I\u2019ll confess, they are. I love the freedom these projects have and I\u2019m excited to see how students take the techniques and expand on them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students in Tammy Silvers\u2019 classes can expect \u201cto become empowered to express themselves through the art of creation. The satisfaction \u2013 and often sheer joy \u2013 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!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Tammy](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/To-the-Point-Refractions-Tammy-Silvers.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Tammy](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Compass-Points-Photo-1-Tammy-Silvers.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Tammy](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Marys-Contrary-Garden-Tammy-Silvers.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLiving the Quilt Designer\u2019s Dream<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/tammysilvers0622.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Tammy](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/tamarinis_logo_1_dk_teal_first.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA Cozy Quilt Studio for Tammy Silvers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Tammy](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TammySilvers4-e1610173316347-767x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Tammy](\"https:\/\/road2ca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TammySilvers-e1610173418999-767x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLessons Learned from COVID-19<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Teaching at Road@Home<\/h3>\n\n\n\n