making it fun: Brand Ambassador Intro- Marie Segares

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Brand Ambassador Intro- Marie Segares

Our 10th Brand Ambassador is the fantastic Marie Segares. Her talents span across the entire crafting world. Get ready for all the Michael MIller fun she will be sharing.

Marie is the Proprietress of Underground Crafter. Marie shares sewing patterns and tutorials, crochet and knitting patterns, crafty tutorials, recipes, and more creative inspiration on her blog. She also hosts virtual make-a-longs throughout the year. Marie's favorite projects to sew are gifts for her family and friends and small quilted projects. You may be wondering about the Underground Crafter name. Marie isn't part of a secret society of crafters (though that would be pretty cool), but she enjoys crocheting and knitting underground while commuting on New York City's subway system.

1) How long have you been sewing/quilting?

I come from a family of excellent seamstresses, so I can’t say for sure if it was my maternal grandmother or my mom who first taught me to sew. I didn’t do much sewing until 2005, when I went to a quilting retreat with two of my best friends. We headed to a bed and breakfast for a long weekend to learn to quilt, guided by the owner and a copy of Quilt in a Day: Log Cabin Pattern by Eleanor Burns. That’s when I really started sewing with a machine, which I much prefer to hand sewing. I’ve been sewing regularly ever since, but I still prefer the piecework to actually finishing the quilt. Please don’t ask how many completed quilt tops are lurking in my fabric bins!

2) What other hobbies do you enjoy?

I love to crochet, knit, bake, and cook. I regularly geek out on science fiction novels, movies, and shows. I love to read, but these days I mostly listen to audiobooks so I can craft at the same time.

3) What was the biggest change in your life in 2019?

In 2019, I traveled much more than I usually do. I visited St. Louis for the first time to attend Baby Lock’s Machine Smart event. I used a serger for the first time and made this clutch. (Not bad for a serger newbie!) I also visited Houston for the first time to attend Quilt Market and met the wonderful folks from Michael Miller Fabrics!

4) What is your favorite food?

I come from two food-obsessed cultures (I’m Cuban and Italian-American) and I was born and raised in New York City, which is a real foodie city, so this is a very difficult question to answer! My favorite New York City quick bite is pizza, my favorite kitchen gadget is my slow cooker, and my favorite sweet treat to bake is banana bread. Sorry, can’t pick one favorite food!

5) Do you have any pets?

I have two rescued black cats. It’s fair to say that I’m a “cat person,” though I do love other people’s dogs (haha). My cats love everything handmade. Cappuccino loves my first log cabin quilt, made during that retreat I talked about, and James Bond loves my crocheted blankets.

Cat photographs courtesy of Matt Champagne.

6) What is your favorite color?

Purples and pinks are my favorites, but I also like blues and greens. I love colors (what quilter doesn’t?!?), but my favorites could best be described as “Caribbean colors.” Most things I sew or make end up as gifts, so I try to keep the recipient in mind when I’m choosing colors, which sometimes means working with colors that are outside of my comfort zone. When I make quilts for my own home, I tend to favor blues.