Episode 149 - Andrea Funk – Truly Too Cool!

Summary: Andrea Funk, founder of Too Cool T-shirt Quilts, joins Sew & So to talk about how an unexpected request in 1992 led her to create a whole new approach to T-shirt quilt design. From her first quilt—made without instructions or examples—to developing her signature multi-size block, puzzle-style quilts, Stained Glass and Ultra Modern designs, Andrea has spent more than 30 years turning treasured T-shirts and memories into one-of-a-kind quilts. She also shares how her background in communications and graphic design influences her work, the stories behind some of her most meaningful quilts, her teaching and writing, and what she hopes to create next.

Episode Notes:  Today, we’re talking about something many of us have tucked away in a drawer or closet—T-shirts that carry memories.

Our guest, Andrea Funk, has spent more than 30 years finding a way to turn those memories into something you can actually see, use and enjoy. She’s the founder of Too Cool T-shirt Quilts and the creator of a multi-size block, puzzle-style approach to T-shirt quilting that grew out of a very simple question: How do you make a T-shirt quilt when nobody has given you the instructions?

Andrea started making T-shirt quilts professionally in 1992 after being asked to make one without having a pattern, instructions or even an example to follow. That first quilt became the beginning of a career—and ultimately led Andrea to develop several distinctive styles, including her Stained Glass and Ultra Modern T-shirt quilts.

But there’s much more to Andrea’s story. She has degrees in communications and graphic design, served in the U.S. Army as a military journalist, wrote the book How to Make a Too Cool Style T-shirt Quilt, has written more than 200 articles, and teaches quilters how to think about T-shirts as a design medium.

Today, we talk about how she learned to sew, the four quilting rules she broke without even realizing it, what makes her approach different, and some of the very special quilts she’s created over the years. We also talk about the stories people bring with their T-shirts, her love of bicycling and quilting, life in Michigan—and, of course, we meet Lucy, her very tiny dog.

(2:20) Andrea tells us how she learned to sew and all about the first machine she sewed on.

(3:38) How did Andres get started on t-shirt quilts?

(5:20) What did Andrea do as her “day jib” when she started her company and how did she balance everything?

(6:17) What are the four rules Andrea broke without knowing it?

(7:50) How did she come up with the name of her company?

(8:25) How is Too Cool different that other t-shirt quilting companies?

(10:10) What are the three different styles Andres created?

(11:50) What’s the most challenging thing for her when making a quilt?

(12:30) Andrea talks about her educational background and how it influences her work.

(16:14) Andrea talks about her Michigan location and invited people to visit.

(16:23) Andrea shares stories of some of the special quilts she’s made.

(18:05) Do people share the stories of the items they send to her for the quilts?

(18:50) Andrea shares information about the most important articles she’s written among the 200+.

(21:03) Andrea talks about her teaching.

(22:27) She tells us about her hobbies – biking and making quilts.

(23:28) What else does she use for materials for her quilts?

(24:11) Meet Lucy the micro dog!

(25:05) What’s next for Andrea and what’s her dream?

(26:30) Is there a question we didn’t ask?

(26:50) What to reach out to Andrea? www.toocooltshirts.com

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