Ricky Tims - As You Quilt, Life Unfolds

11/24/21 • 42 min

Ricky began designing and making quilts in 1991 and has been named one of the 30 most distinguished quilters in the world. He was selected by the readers of Quilters Newsletter Magazine as the most influential person in the quilting industry and was profiled on CBS Sunday Morning. Ricky is passionate about sharing his creative experience and enthusiasm and encourages individuals to cultivate self-expression, to reach for the unreachable, and to believe in the impossible.

His discovery story is rich in details. As he takes us on his journey, he shares that he was smitten with the process of quilting from the moment he made his first quilt in the privacy of his home. He says, “I wasn’t aware of the “quilt police” when I made my first quilt...and while it was pretty pathetic in many ways, I wouldn’t be where I am without that first quilt, so I’m not ashamed of it, and I usually display it when I’m doing my seminars.”

When new quilters come across his path, Ricky tells them that he doesn’t want them to be perfect and that they should simply enjoy the process, knowing that through the process they’re going to get better. Ricky believes that making a quilt is a journey and while you’re making the quilt, life unfolds, and as it does, those events, those moments, go into the quilt. Whether it’s a struggle or a celebration, those memories are fixed in the quilt so that when you look at it, you’re not just seeing a quilt but remembering the things you experienced in life. (7:02-11:40)

Ricky refers to himself as a creative soul and shares that he’s happiest when he’s creating. His first creative outlet was music; he learned to read music before he learned the alphabet. Then photography and quilting came along, and now he does all of them. Ricky doesn’t want to be a “one-trick pony,” and wants people to engage with him whether he’s talking about quilting or music or photography or things that happen in his day-to-day life. His overall message is one of inspiration and positivity, and he genuinely believes that we can all be more than we ever imagined possible. “I want my legacy to be that I’ve inspired people, entertained people, and hopefully educated them along the way.”

Ricky waxes eloquently about the ebb and flow to creating, and how different art forms inform and influence one another. He believes that quilters can become better artists through photography, saying that photography can teach us to see the world through new eyes, and once we do, we’ll never see it the same way again. (17:45 - 21:28 )

Whether he’s sharing the adventures of “Lizzy Albright and the Attic Window,” his young adult novel set in the 1960s, his special bond with ravens, or his pull to live in the mountains, one thing is clear: Ricky is passionate, colorful and inspirational. When you listen to the podcast, you’ll learn that his theme is “Carpe Diem,” and you’ll understand that he not only seizes the moment he embraces each and every one of them. (35:20-37:14)

To keep the inspiration going, visit rickytims.com, or check out his Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

To keep the inspiration going, visit rickytims.com, or check out his Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

Previous Episode

Leah Pitkin - A Dream Come True – Vintage Little Lady

Leah’s passion for fashion began when she was a young girl. When she was in the fifth grade, her mother enrolled her in a summer sewing class. Leah loved it and begged her mom to enroll her in another class. Unfortunately, none were available, so her grandmother became her teacher. Her first major creations were three hand-sewn A-Line dresses for herself, her sister, and their friend. Once they all had their dresses on, they decided to try them out on a friend’s trampoline. According to Leah, “One jump and a toe touch and them suckers split all the way down the side.” She laughs, saying that from that moment on it was, “game on.” (4:44-9:11)

Leah’s grandpa used to say to her, “Baby, you’re only as good as your tools.” After buying a very cheap machine when she was just starting out, Leah learned firsthand that having the right equipment can make a world of difference. She admits to being a perfectionist and says that now she always makes sure she has the right tools to ensure that what she creates looks professional. ( 13:45 – 16:18)

Leah started out sewing and doing pattern testing for several leading pattern companies. After about five years, she became a designer for Violet Field Threads. Soon, however, she knew it was time to dive in and follow her dream of designing her own patterns and opening her own company. The company’s name, Vintage Little Lady came from her telling her little girls, “You look like a vintage little lady,” every time one of her daughters put on one of her creations. She talks a lot about the ins and outs of starting a company and her process of making her dream come true. “When a dream is written down with a date, it becomes a goal, then it’s broken down into steps which becomes a plan, then it’s backed up by action, which becomes a reality. And the action for me is diving in.” (17:45 – 21:30)

Leah talks in-depth about the process of creating a pattern: the vision, the research, the designing, drafting, checking, re-designing, re-drafting, re-checking, and doing it all again until everything is perfect. Then she explains that you have to fit the models, style their hair, and do the fashion shoot. The process she says, takes 6 to 8 weeks of very long days, with a lot of back and forth. A lot of trial and error. (24:30 – 34:26)

The Vintage Little Ladies store has been up for over two years, and Leah has no plans for slowing down. When you listen to the podcast, you’ll be engaged, uplifted, and 100% inspired. If you have questions or would like to share your inspiration, you can reach out to Leah and her team at vintagelittlelady.com

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.

Next Episode

Paul Ashworth, CEO - BERNINA North America - Quality, Innovation, Performance…Walking the Talk

British by birth, Paul Ashworth is an avowed world traveler and has lived and worked in multiple countries. Bernina of America represents half of Bernina's business worldwide, and during his time there, he has successfully grown the business by over 65%.

When asked what brought him to Bernina, he says, “...I guess you can say it’s luck.” He shares that if someone had told him he’d one day be joining the sewing industry, he probably would have chuckled to himself. He had it in his head that the wine and spirits industry was where he belonged, but when BERNINA approached him with the opportunity to be its CEO, he couldn’t pass it up.

When asked what inspires him on a daily basis, he doesn’t miss a beat before exclaiming it’s the passion, the people, and the power of the brand. He talks about waking up daily, thrilled at the opportunity to move the company and the brand forward. He believes that his European background enables him to bring a unique perspective as to what the Swiss might be thinking. He also talks about working with premium and luxury products—from the Louis Vuitton Hennessy group to BERNINA—and how critical it is to work with the BERNINA dealers to bring a product to life, nurture the product, maintain its premium appeal, and never dilute the brand. (3:55-6:52)

When he talks about how BERNINA on the outside BERNINA on the inside is, he explains that the passionate professionals at BERNINA make and control every step of the production, manufacturing, and sourcing process. He goes on to explain that every product, across every segment it competes in, is made in its own production facilities. He explains that this type of precision, control, and craftsmanship is part of the brand and the company’s DNA. He takes great pride in the fact that the company doesn’t outsource anything, and that includes their new longarm machines and high-end sergers. I shared with him that while many of our guests didn’t start out on a BERNINA, they always aspired to owning one, and once they got one, they ultimately got more. He says that is quite common, because once you get into using the best, one is never enough. He talks about how BERNINA is very much about quality stitches. “It is,” he says, “a bit of an obsession.” Once people work on a BERNINA, they can see, hear, and feel the difference. (15:07- 18:44)

The more we talk, the more apparent it becomes that Paul is truly passionate about the people he works with. As he continues with the details of his time at BERNINA and his insights into the industry, his pride in being part of this family-owned company is evident. It’s not surprising that he shares 30% of his time on developing and nurturing talent. Mr. Ashworth is convinced that everyone who is part of the BERNINA team shares his commitment to ensuring that every aspect of the BERNINA experience is a quality one, and that everything works together to enhance the sewist’s creativity. Everything from the parts to the dealerships, the software to the technology, the in-store offerings to the online classes, is designed to create a premium user experience. It’s not surprising then that the relationship between the sewist and their BERNINA becomes a sort of love affair. (21:49 - 37:36

If you’d like to know more about the vision of the company and its leader, you can visit Bernina.com or reach out to Mr. Ashworth himself at [email protected]

If you know someone who has an outstanding story that should be shared on this podcast, drop Meg a note to [email protected] or complete the form on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform...and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.