Good morning and welcome to create with Heidi. I'm Heidi Kaisand, owner of hen and chicks studio in Conrad, Iowa, and lover of all things creative. Each week here on create with Heidi, we like to cover topics that educate and inspire you about how people are being creative, whether it's quilting, scrapbooking, food, wool, or just hanging out with others who seem to have their creative Mojo grooving in all the right directions. We are excited to share these things with you. Each week, I love to start our program with a quote. And today when I think about our guest and the work that she creates, I think of the word timeless. And I found this quote that was use the word timeless in it. And I thought you know what, I think it's appropriate. laughter is timeless. Imagination has no ages, and dreams are forever. And that is Walt Disney. And I think that several parts of that are true. And when he talks about imagination, I think of Nancy rink, and this morning, I would like to welcome this quilt designer, Nancy rinke. To the to our show. So good morning, Nancy.
Quilting Made Timeless
SPEAKERS
Heidi Kaisand, Nancy Rinke
Heidi Kaisand
Nancy Rinke
Good morning, Heidi.
Heidi Kaisand
It's so nice to have you with us. And timeless is definitely a word that I have used over the years to describe many of your works. Not all of your works are you know, they have you have a big plethora plethora of quilting designs. But you have been designing quilts for a long time, haven't you?
Nancy Rinke
Yes, a long time.
Heidi Kaisand
How did you how did you get started Nancy quilting, you know, Did you know Did somebody teach you to quilt? Did you self teach yourself? How did you get started quilting?
Nancy Rinke
Well, that's sort of an interesting story. So my maternal great grandmother was a quilter. I never knew her, but I knew her quilt. So whenever I went over to my grandmother's house, I always slept in a bed that had a quilt she'd made. And you know, I just loved touching she would did a lot of applique like touching on the applique and think looking at the patterns and the fabric. And so later when I got older my grandmother taught me how to sell when we did garment sewing, she was not a quilter when I was in labor in my 20s, early 20s my grandmother's decided she wanted to take this quilting class. And you know, I was young I didn't really care about quilting or anything but I wanted to spend time with my grandmother. And so she bought all the she said she would buy all the supplies I would take this class with her well we took the class she hated it she did not see the point as she said in cutting up perfectly good yardage into little tiny pieces and sewing it back together again. gonna stick with her garment sewing. But I fell in love. I mean, I was like, because I always drew and you know, painted and did all you know this crafty stuff when I was a kid. And for me, it was like, it satisfied my artistic need. And that word of mine. Like that puzzle. I like always like to do puzzles like putting it was like putting together a puzzle and doing art at the same time. And I just fell in love with quilting. I just couldn't get enough of it. Isn't that
Heidi Kaisand
awesome? And you know and and everybody certainly has different approaches. No, I have to say that I have to say I probably have the the feeling that your grandma had about quilting. I'd say that about garment sewing myself. Just the opposite but that I'm okay. I'm okay cutting up pieces into small sections and sewing them back together and making quilts but not garments. So I totally, totally get it. I totally get it. And Isn't it fun? How I mean you remember that that moment? And in Did she ever come around and do any more quilting or was that her was that our quilting expert? That
Nancy Rinke
was it. She never finished her project. In fact, she like invited me over one afternoon and she had like this big box of stuff and I'm like what is this? She goes all the stuff I bought for quilting. You know cuz you go to the clothing store and you know, she had a wooden frame which I still have to this day I can't bear to get rid of it. Because I don't do any more quilting. But yeah, I mean like she had everything so there it all was she just gave it to me. She just exited quilting right out the front.
Heidi Kaisand
Oh my gosh, isn't that funny? I love it. I love it. Well, and so then as you got hooked and he and I can really, you know relate to Your your conversation about you know it satisfying a an element of art or you know, different, you know, creativity in you. You know what, what was your path? Did you just start making quilts right left? Did you take more
Nancy Rinke
classes? No. So I mean, I was in my 20s, I was early 20s, I think I was finishing up college, I was sort of a, you know, one of those on and off to college. And then finally, I figured out what my path was. And so I went to college, I became math and English teachers, and I taught middle school and high school for 25 years. And all the while I was doing that I was still quilting with my like, sanity, you know, when I had a bad day or long day and a quote on the weekends, like married kids, the whole thing, the cool thing, really, it was always there in the background, but it was never like a dominant part of my life. Well,
Heidi Kaisand
it is certainly obviously at some point that changed, because because you are I mean, I think you're a design force to be reckoned with, on in many ways that your name is so familiar amongst quilters, it certainly is at hen and chick studio. And, in fact, as I, as I say that if anybody has been at hen and chicks studio in the last 10 years, Amish twist, one, Amish twist to Amish twist, three, getting to know Hugh, and now galactic explosion are just a few of the quilts that you've designed that we have featured. And my gosh, we could we could go on and we will. But we're gonna take a quick commercial break. And then we're gonna be back right after this. Welcome back to create with Heidi, this is Heidi Kaisand at hen and chicks studio. And my guest today is Nancy rink. She is a quilt and fabric designer that has been cranking out quilt patterns for quite some time and we love them at Hen and chicks studio, just before the break, I listed off several of her patterns. Again, galactic explosion is the current one that is hanging in our store and available for sale. And at the beginning of the show, I use the word timeless. And I think that when I think of Nancy's patterns that I guess that I'm drawn to, is that I think that she is able to take traditional blocks traditional looks, but put a little bit of a more modern twist to them, especially with instructions on how to make them and and just create some very graphic, very, you know, dramatic looking quilts that stand the test of time. I mean, I know we have quilts that come in and out of the store. And I know Nancy, you understand when I say this, then that they're they're great quilts and they look great today. But you know, in a couple of years when that colorway is no longer popular, or that the maybe the motif that's on the fabric is now out of style, or whatever is gone. That they're not they're not timeless, whereas there is not a quilt, the Amish twist 123 getting to know you galactic explosion, like I will never want to get rid of them. Because they're that that feeling of they could they will stand the test of time. And I'm sure I don't know if that's where your where your inspiration comes. And I'd love to hear that. You know, when you design those. What are you thinking about as you as you create those patterns?
Nancy Rinke
Oh, that's a hard question.
I bet. I bet it is.
Heidi Kaisand
I'll put you on the spot. But But even the fabric collections now, getting to know you was your fabric collection. But I think in galactic explosion, maybe I think the fabrics are technically credited to Laura Berenger. Is that correct?
Nancy Rinke
Yes. So the funny thing is, I was transitioning out of teaching. When after my mom died, she'd had cancer for like five years and lived with me. And I'd taken a leave of absence from teaching to take care of her. And during the time I was out of teaching, the whole administration at my school changed. And I was had to tell them if I was coming back or not. And my I was really debating, I mean, I love teaching. It was my passion, but I felt like I was going back to a place like didn't belong, you know? And my husband said to me, At the time he goes, What do you really want to do? I said, I think I want to pursue this coaching thing. And he goes, Well, okay, treat it like a job and see what happens. Well, not long after that Patti violet, who's the marketing director at Marcus, she called me just out of the blue. she'd seen a quote in a magazine of mine. And, you know, Heidi, it's so weird how one event, like, completely changes your life. I mean, but you got to, you got to be willing to walk through that door. I mean, I was so scared. And she called me and she said, we're interested in you designing some quotes for us. For you know, for the website, I'm like, Okay. All right, you know. And so I did that. And then I did a few for them. And she goes, Okay, now we want you to do a block of the month. And mind you, I had never even participated.
Heidi Kaisand
Yeah, and for a quick explanation of a block of the month program, there are a block of the month program, instead of having all of the instructions in one pattern at one time, they break it up into a certain number of months, it might be six months, 10 months, 12 months. And a lot of quilt shops would send you that one block or a portion of those instructions. And then each month, you would get another element. And at the end, you would have a complete quilt, but you would have all the instructions at once. So there that's what a block of the month is for somebody that isn't aware of that.
Nancy Rinke
Perfect, it's like eating an elephant one bite at a time. That's exactly right. So then, Patty's like, she said, Okay, do you would you be willing to do a block a month? So I researched it? And then I said, Well, what would I be making it? And she goes, Well, we want you to do something with our solids we want we've never really done much with our solid line. And I am not really a thought, if you look at all my clothes I've ever made. I've never I've never made a solid quote with just all solid. But you know, I love challenges. And so, you know, I said, as long as I can add new colors. So that I think, you know, everybody tells him one of my Forte's is color, like picking a color palette and making it work. So that was fun for me just working in that pure color. And so that was the birth of Amish one. And it was I guess the to success that Marcus has asked me to do to Amish 234. And then you sort of look at my quotes that have evolved from them. And a lot of them. Maybe not in solids, but fabrics that look like solid, and just letting the colors speak for themselves. There's something about that. You don't get like tied up in all the little, like you said plants that may go out of style, or, or patterns or you know, I've had people who just are like, Oh, I don't know, with stripe, I never use a stripe, any
Heidi Kaisand
good. And getting to know you was a collection of fabric that was exactly that it was totals. It was it had it had print to it, but not not dramatic. Not one stood out from the other. It had stripes, but it was a more muted stripe. It had all of those elements. And in fact, I have to tell you, I did cry when they told me they were no longer printing that fabric because we had bought it so much at the store. I mean, it was it. It went with everything. That's I mean, that's what was great about that collection was that it it went with so many other fabrics. That it was it was not only did we like it in the actual project, which was a beautiful quilt, but we liked it with other pieces too. So yeah, it was a sad day when I found out that I wasn't gonna be able to order that one anymore. Because
Nancy Rinke
that's very rewarding to hear Heidi because in designing that line, I went back to the drawing board like five or six times because I wanted the line that would work. You know, I didn't initially intended to be a standalone in a wine for a quilt. You know, I when designing it I got out like like cave, Fassett fabrics, I got out some motor print. I mean, I had like a slew reproduction. And I tried to work with colors and patterns that would sort of bridge across all of those.
Heidi Kaisand
Because that's where the heat the hue came in, right. I mean, that's where and we're not talking about like, you know, Hugh Grant, the actor here we're talking about you know, as in color each up. And again, that was one of the things I liked about it was that it wasn't just orange. It was different shades or different hues of of those colors.
Nancy Rinke
Yeah, yeah. If you look A lot of my quilts I really try and when I'm using a color, I usually do at least a light, a medium and a dark shade of that color. It just adds so much more depth and movement to a quilt. It's one of my like rules I live by.
Heidi Kaisand
It does, it does. Well, Nancy, we're having a great time chatting, and it's time for a commercial break. So we'll be back right after this. Welcome back to create with Heidi, this is Heidi Kaisand, owner of Hen and chicks studio in Conrad, Iowa. And we love to talk about all things creative here. And today, my guest is Nancy rink, and she is a fabric and quilt designer. And we've been talking about some of the projects that she's done. And and Do you still have any of getting to know you left in your stash that for sale? So in case somebody like drooling as we talked about this, that we can direct them to you?
Nancy Rinke
I do have a few pieces on the shelf? Well, GM many.
Heidi Kaisand
Yes. And and Nancy, what is your website address for people? It will of course put that on our website as well. But what is the website address for you?
Nancy Rinke
Nancy rink designs.com.
Heidi Kaisand
Very good. And it's just like, it sounds like an ice skating rink. So ri r i n k. And, you know, Nancy, you again, you've been designing fabric and stuff do you have? Do you have a preference? Like do you like designing patterns more than you like designing fabric? Or is it fun to do both of them together to see how they work together? You know, do you have a you know, Do you have one? Or is it kind of like you like all of that?
Nancy Rinke
Interesting question. When I'm starting a new line, to me, it's excruciatingly painful. Because I know it's I have a long process ahead of me. But you know, it's just like making a quote, you know, you just, you just start and just work, you know, work your way in. But I do my line and sort of my quilts simultaneously. So usually, as I'm building a palette, I'm looking at magazines and books, I have an extensive quilt book library to get an idea of maybe what where I'm going to go with it like what I'm going to do. And if I don't have an idea, a lot of times I'll pull out like an old trusty quilt pattern that is sort of one of those standbys, that looks good. And like anything, you know, and, and I just start plugging in the fabric, as I'm going, you know, sometimes I gotta like, change the shade a little bit, make it lighter, make it darker, you know, change the scale of the print, yada, yada, you know, just there's 1000 million tiny decisions. And at some point, you just have to say, Alright, I have a deadline. This is what it's gonna be. Yeah. And then you know, you, I submit it to Marcus. And now fortunately, you know, they have great, a great design team. And they like fine tune things. And we'll tell you like, No, not this. Yes, this. So my initial line is not well, lately, they've been more, what my initial line is, comes out is the final line. But early on, it's a lot of trial and error for me.
Heidi Kaisand
Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure. Now, what is the newest project that you're working on with Marcus.
Nancy Rinke
So the newest project is sort of like, it's very different than what I've been doing. So when Marcus, they recently sold the timeless or merged with timeless fabrics last year. And they were cleaning out their offices, because they were going to have to move and they are 100 year old company. So I don't know how long they've been in their offices. But Patti kept sending me these snapshots. She's like, oh, You'll never believe what I found in this closet, it would be a photograph, you know, this gorgeous stack of fabric, right? And they were in the process of scanning and digitizing like all their swatches in all their sample cards. So you know, and purging a lot of the actual fabric. And I'm like, What do you guys gonna do with all those files? And she goes, Well, we're archiving them. And I like for what you know why, you know, what do you you know, we just filled her there. And so, I got to think and I, you know, and I had very old Marcus collections and pulled them out. And I said to Patti, I go, what about could we like, go back and create new fabric groups based on the old fabric? And she goes, Well, I don't know. You know, people might remember those. I go, well, we're just not going to reproduce them, recover them and recombine them, you know, maybe rescape Some of the prints. So we tried that with one line. So that's for Rosa, it's just, I think, hit the shops right now. And that has a real soft vintagey look to it. But very different from the original group. And I just finished up my second group with them. I'm not sure what the name of it's going to be yet, and it's completely Li looks different from the original groups. So we created a few new little more modern prints to go in with it. So I'm really excited about that one.
Heidi Kaisand
I that sounds exciting. And you know, I think it's important to say that fabrics, you know, they do come and go and there are some great fabrics in the past. And so I think that's exciting