Jennifer Long ~ Weekend takeover

Hello creative friends!  My name is Jennifer Long and I am a quilt pattern designer and a doll designer.  I live on a rural property in Southern Manitoba with my husband and 4 children.   I love playing with fabric and color every day – sharing my ideas and bringing my drawings to life.  

Here are 5 things about me:

1. I trained to be a professional ballet dancer.  All through my middle and high school years I went to school half time.  The other half of my days, evenings and weekends were spent studying ballet.  Every day on my way to dance class, I would walk through the halls of the ballet studio and pass by the Costume Wardrobe.  It was filled with tutus, head dresses and so much magic!   I always thought if I didn’t become a ballerina, I wanted design costumes.  So as a student, I began sewing and designing my own dancewear and costumes.  At first for myself and then for friends, dancers and students.

2. My husband and I have been married for nearly 20 years.  We moved from the city to his hometown in rural, southern Manitoba.   It was a big transition for me at first, but I LOVE it so much now…  The space, the people, the community!

3. Being a mom is the most important thing in my life and I feel so fortunate I get to be a mom to 4 AMAZING children!  They make me a better person and teach me more than I could ever teach them.  My world, and everything I do, revolves around them… and I could not imagine it any other way.

4. I LOVE being creative and taking care of things… so animals and gardening are a big part of who I am.  I also LOVE canning!!!

5. Last but not least, SEWING and DESIGNING are my biggest passions!  I need to create everyday!  I feel that there are so many ideas inside of me that I want to share with the world.  It is so magical to take beautiful fabrics, cut them up, and turn them into stunning quilts that wrap people in love!   Equally, I started designing dolls when my children were young – in order to offer them creative, playing options that had a healthy body image.  I found that not only my own children, but all children, if given the option, gravitate to handmade toys!  They care for them more because there is something special, that even the youngest of children can sense.  This is the reason I began Bee Sew Inspired – to share the magic of handmade!

I LOVE connecting with this wonderful, creative community!  I am so thankful for the opportunity to “take over” the Canadian Modern Quilt Collective this weekend.   You can find me on Instagram and Facebook @beesewinspired.  I would love to connect together!

~Jennifer