Meet Your (quilt) Maker - Taslim (Taz) Sidi

Have you been wondering who is behind those awesome logos popping up on our blog and social media sites? You know, these:

Meet Taslim (Taz) Sidi - the designer behind the CMQG logo that we conceptualized at our March meeting AND our Sew Boston logo.  We are so appreciative of her talent and willingness to volunteer her time!

What’s your favorite podcast/music/audiobook genre to listen to when you quilt?

Hmm, I’m either listening to Spotify (Chill Hits playlist is a current favorite) or watching the series du jour on Netflix if I’m cutting or pressing. 

 

What sewing skill are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of my fabric curation - haha is that a thing? 

 

What skill are you itching to master?

I’d really like to try my hand at needle turn appliqué. When I first started quilting 5 years ago I never would have thought that would interest me. But to see the modern designs that are possible with appliqué I’m dying to give it a whirl!

 

Do you sew for a living?

Nope! Its my creative escape :) I’m a photographer by day. I shoot mostly newborn portraits, weddings and commercial. So ironic considering I’ve never taken a ‘real’ photograph of any of my quilts- oops! I’m usually breaking out the iPhone five minutes before wrapping up a quilt for its recipient. 

Photography is creative in a whole different dimension than quilting and mentally demanding. I love the physical process of quilting - stacks of fabric, pressing, cutting, piecing units - it's not always about the end result for me.

 

What kind of fabric are you most attracted to?

Lots of modern options! I love bright and bold colors but tend to use mostly single color geometric prints and combine them myself. I’m really into the Cotton & Steel Basics and Carolyn Friedlander lines. To contrast all that color I use a lot of low-volume prints as well. 

 

Tell us about the quilt that means the most to you and why. This doesn’t have to be one that you made. And we’d love to see a picture!

Gosh that is tough! There are so many quilts that others have made that I admire, I’m constantly feeling inspired. One of my favorites is Latifah Saafir’s ‘Neon & Neutral’ - it encompasses so many elements that I love and would love to include in my own quilts - curves, bold colors offset against neutrals and straight line quilting. 

 

Latiifah Saafir's Neon and Neutral

You can spend the rest of your life practicing and becoming close to perfect at one of the following: piecing or quilting. Which do you choose?

Quilting. I have a long way to go! Thus far my quilting has been pretty basic but I have seen how quilting can make a quilt design come alive, especially in the negative space, and I’d love to master that.

 

From designing and picking fabrics to watching a recipient’s face when they see your quilt for the first time, what is your favorite part of the whole process?

I love nearly everything. Well, except for basting ;) I would say designing and selecting fabrics is my very favorite though, based on the number of WIPs I have. I have a bit of what I call ‘starter-itis’ - I get so excited picking out fabrics and drawing out my design that sometimes I jump to a new idea before the current one is finished. Most of the quilts I’ve finished have involved a deadline :) 

 

What do you do get over a hump when you get stuck on a quilt?

I dive into my scrapbin. Either by sorting my scrap basket into color piles, cutting scraps into 2.5” squares (I use these for leaders & enders) or a bit of improv piecing. The plethora of color and pattern is the best way to get my sewjo flowing again. 

 

What kind of other crafts are you into besides quilting?

Hmm, I’ve been knitting a scarf for 7 months, haha- that one might never get finished. The next craft I have my eye on is sewing related - making garments. I would love to work on making myself a dress that I would be proud to wear outside the house. 

 

Where’s your fave place to eat in Cambridge?

Oooh, so many great places! A favorite is Greek Corner - love their gyros and tkatziki. In college I spent a Summer semester abroad in Greece so I have a soft spot for those flavors. 

Do you have any favorite blogs/insta accounts we should know about? And where can we find you on the internet?

I’m at @taslimsidi on Instagram for my daily life/quilt stuff. And also @bringtolightphoto for my photography. Some fav insta accounts are @suzyquilts, @owensolivia, and @ihavethisthingwithtiles.

See you all on July 31st!