About SusanB

I love crafts that involve fabric or yarn. I quilt, sew, crochet, knit and embroider with varying frequencies. I created my first original designs in 1997.

Quilting

I took my first quilting class in 1988. I love to piece, but seldom applique. Books, magazines, the Internet and television quilting shows inspire my quilts. I like to create my own designs instead of following a published design start to finish. I make many quilts for Project Linus, so simple, fast projects are my favorite.

Crocheting

Find me on Ravelry - SusanBLuvsCrafts

Grandma taught me to crochet when I was young. In my teens, with help from a learn how booklet, I learned to follow a pattern. Many afghans and hats later, I began creating my own patterns for gifts and quick-to-make charity donations.

Knitting

A stepmother, who was an avid knitter, taught me to knit houseshoes. Years later, I taught myself to knit on double-pointed needles to make socks for my dad. Crocheting is faster, but for some things, knitting results in a garment more to my liking.

Sewing

I learned to sew in Home Economics class and made many of my own clothes for a couple of decades. I still occasionally sew clothes and other non-quilted items.

Embroidery

I occasionally embroider. I mostly do counted cross stitch, rarely a stamped embroidery design. Long ago, I did needlepoint.

Other Interests

I read a variety of magazines and use the public library. My personal library includes western novels, science fiction / fantasy novels, quilting books and magazines, and many needlework pattern books and leaflets. My Kindle is loaded with books I've got free, many of them romance or mystery novels.

I strive to stay informed about financial planning and investments and follow a few personal finance blogs. My basic philosophy is save, budget, save, diversify investments and save.

I recycle and try to reduce my impact on the planet. Gas mileage is a major factor in my car purchases and I combine trips whenever possible.

Web Design

I designed my Handcrafting with Love web site. I have taught myself html, Javascript, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and PHP.

Personal

Having long been a saver, I retired at 49 years old when my job as a software developer was eliminated. I had the same employer for 26 years.

Born in Springfield, Missouri, I spent my junior high and high school days in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After graduating from Highland High School in Albuquerque, NM, I pursued my love of math.

I have a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from the California Institute of Technology (aka, CalTech) in Pasadena, CA and a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Brown University, in Providence, RI.

After college, I lived in New Jersey almost 16 years. I have lived in the Kansas City area since 1995. I no longer eat meat or dairy products and buy mostly organic foods because I feel it is a healthier choice.