The Five Favs Series with: Mary Catherine Longshore of Due Pinoli
Episode 2
The Story behind Five Favs
This series developed out of my love of movies, and specifically, movie lists. Critics and film geeks alike spend hours pouring over lists, ranking everything from best movies of the year (pretty standard fare) to top five music documentaries (getting a little more granular) to top five movie characters that shaped who you are (pretty personal and specific!). I thought it would be fun to play with this idea in the quilting world. Since we spend so much time in our sewing spaces, they contain interesting snapshots of who we are as creators, and can offer a sneak peek into other aspects of our lives, too. And so- the creation of The Five Favs Blog. This is a top five of the guests favorite items in their sewing space.
And for my first guest I am so excited to have Mary Catherine Longshore of Due Pinoli! Mary Catherine and I met in 2022 as members of Quilter’s Candy Quilt Pattern Writing Course. We were put into the same small group session, where we met every week to talk about the course and our progress. Fast forward to today, where our small group still meets weekly! It’s been such a joy getting to know Mary Catherine over the last few years. She is one of the most thoughtful quilters I know, and puts so much heart and meaning into everything she creates. I love hearing about her thought process when she designs a quilt- there is a lot of love that goes into it!
About Mary Catherine
“I'm Mary Catherine, the creative person behind Due Pinoli. My family and I live in Colorado, and I am constantly inspired by its beauty. I discovered the power of quilting to refill my cup after becoming a mother and it continues to restore and empower me. My favorite thing about quilting is connecting with other quilters and I love sharing joy through quilting! I recently released my first quilted bag pattern, the Baseline Tote. You can find my Midnight on the 707 quilt pattern in the Art Gallery Fabrics Eerie lookbook and I have a quilt showing at Quilt Con.”
Where Mary Catherine Works
“Welcome to my studio! I’m excited to share it with you. This corner is where I do my sewing, and it’s filled with things that make me smile. Often, my family is nearby, my kids playing with fabric scraps and my husband sharing the news of the day. Their presence makes this a sacred place and fills my studio with good energy, even if it is harder to get the sewing done! When I do get quiet time to myself, there are a few tools I consistently reach for and special things that always make me smile. Here are my five favorite things in my studio, in no particular order.”
Fav 1 - 3D-Printed Pin Dish
“I love this pin dish because my husband made it for me using a 3D printer. 3D printers were fairly new then, and he was looking for an idea for something to make. I sketched out this rough design and he made it come to life. I love everything about it – the shape, the size, the printing marks, and the fact that he made it for me!”
Fav 2 - Mobile Phone Holder
“I got this mobile phone holder from Ikea for about $5 a few years ago and I use it all the time while quilting to watch Pride and Prejudice (the BBC version), Emma (the Romola Garai version), or the Eagles documentary. Since I’ve seen each of these at least a dozen times, I listen more than I watch, but it’s nice to be able to look up during key scenes (especially that Mr. Darcy post-swim encounter which obviously requires a pause).”
Fav 3 - Pressing Station
“I set up a little pressing station next to my sewing machine and it has been a game-changer. I love this felt mat. It fits perfectly in the space next to my sewing machine, makes it easy to do a quick press as soon as I finish a seam, and makes my seams lay SO flat. I love this mat so much I sometimes forgo the ironing board and press throw-sized seams on it! If you don’t have a wool mat, I recommend it. It’s one of those moderately-priced notions that can make an outsized improvement on your piecing. I also have a tiny iron to go with my mat. Technically, it’s a travel iron. And it gets HOT. So hot. And it doesn’t automatically shut off. It’s a hazard. But, man, does it get my seams flat. This iron and wool mat are a knockout combo!”
Fav 4 - Surfing Poster
“I ripped these pages out of a surfing magazine years ago and framed them because they make me smile and remind me to take it easy. Now, they hang above my pressing station. The words say, ‘Life is better in board shorts’ and whenever I read that I can feel the sun on my head. I started buying surfing magazines in high school and enjoyed daydreaming about faraway tropical places. One day during the pandemic, when things were feeling pretty bleak, I decided to buy myself a Surfer magazine to cheer myself up and discovered it had published its last issue just the month before. It felt like my childhood dreams had died in an instant. Now, these faded, poorly framed pages are even more precious to me. Each time I sit down to sew, I see them and feel connected to my youth and feelings of hopefulness and warmth.”
Fav 5 - Modern American Vintage Seam Ripper
“Last but not least is my gorgeous seam ripper! If you have to rip seams – and we all do – it’s worth the upgrade to make it less un-fun. I bought this Modern American Vintage seam ripper last year at Quilt Con and got to speak with the person who makes them, which was delightful. How often do we get to chat with the maker of one of our quilting notions? It was special, and I treasure this one-of-a-kind item that makes me smile whenever I must undo something I have just done.”
