I got my very first sewing machine when I was 7 years old from my Aunt Marie. It was a tiny little thing, but I loved it! My mom sewed and taught all of us girls (4 at the time – we got a “bonus sister" when I was 14) to use the sewing machine. I loved making all things “dolly”; Barbie, baby & troll clothes, etc.

I made my first quilt in my high school home-economics class, where I was the teacher's assistant. The quilt was for a fund raiser. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing! But thankfully, my teacher helped a lot.

I didn’t really start quilting seriously until about 6 years ago, right before the infamous Camp Fire. Luckily, my husband and I were part of the fortunate 5% that didn’t lose everything. We were displaced for about 5 months and then it took an additional 5 months for our house to get put back together.

2.   What is one quilting notion that you can’t do without?

Is there just one?  I think not!  My three notions that I can't live without would have to be my rotary cutter, my rulers and glue.  I love glue.  No judging here.  It just works so well for so many things.  I glue a lot more than pinning.


3.   If you’re willing, please share a funny quilting experience that taught you a memorable lesson.

About 10 years ago, I was inspired to once again take up a quilting project after watching the Christmas movie “Saving Christmas” by Kirk Cameron. My kids were all married or would be by the following Christmas. I wanted to make them each a Christmas basket filled with a quilt, a candle and the movie “Saving Christmas” to inspire them to not take this holiday for granted.

So, I went on YouTube and found a video from Missouri Star Quilt Co. with Jenny Doan on the disappearing 9 patch. That looked like a winner to me! I went and bought as much Christmas fabric as I felt I needed to do the job (which was about 10 times more than necessary and I still have some). I also watched videos on “quilt as you go” and figured I’d give it a try  I really had no idea what I was doing. I made 4 quilts and the kids loved them.

So, here’s the funny thing I learned: A little over a year ago, I was helping our oldest daughter pack up for a move to Tennessee and found the quilt I made her. Oh my Lanta! It was soooo awful! The sashing didn’t even remotely line up and you could see the selvage on some of the blocks (because of my “waste not want not” mentality). The lesson I learned??? Don’t gift too soon. I look back on and appreciate all of my “lesson learned” quilts.



4.  If it’s possible to choose just one, what is your favorite quilt that you’ve made?

My favorite quilt is absolutely my first strip quilt. It was the first quilt top I had completed after I'd gotten back into quilting, right before the Camp Fire.

After the Camp Fire, I didn’t know what kind of damage to our home we'd be dealing with once we returned. Thankfully, the quilt top was safe. It felt like it was waiting for me when I got home.

I didn’t end up quilting it until about 2 months ago on my new longarm (what a learning curve that has been). It’s not a fancy quilt, but it makes me smile every time I see it. It’s the one we use in our living room for our grandchildren to play on. When one of our granddaughters first saw it, she said “Gaga (my “grandma” name), this looks like it should be mine!” Another reason to smile 

5.   What do you do with your quilts?

Most of my quilts are just stacked up, hung up, or on a blanket rack. I do gift a lot more of them now.




I’m currently working on 13 quilts for our grandchildren for Christmas. One of our daughters’ requests has been “a quilt for every season.”


6.   Have you ever received a quilt as a gift? If so, please share a bit about the experience.

I have never been gifted a quilt. Although, I have a dear friend who is an amazing quilter (especially hand quilting). She sent me a quilt top that she'd made for my mom and asked me to quilt it with my longarm as a “co-effort.” She also sent me some finished log cabin blocks for me to use in a quilt top (which just needs to be quilted now).



7.   What type of quilting do you most enjoy?

My favorite type of quilting is any kind of a quilt pattern that tells a story or reminds me of a memory (typically “prairie” style). It could be the fabric choice, pattern choice, or just a “this pattern reminded me of…" situation.

I used to want to be a writer, but quilting is so much more fun! I also love, love, love to make Christmas quilts as well as quilts for other holidays.







8.   We would love to include some personal details about you (anything you’d like to share) such as your profession, interests outside of quilting, future plans, etc.

So, here’s the down low on Kim Long:

I was born 1 day shy of my brother John’s 8^th birthday. There are 7 kids in our family to which I am #7 (Do the math. My mom is a rock star!)

I grew up on a 540-acre ranch in the little town of Occidental, CA in Sonoma County. It was every bit as wonderful as you can imagine; cattle, horses, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, tractors and motorcycles. My cousins lived “next door” (a mile away) where my uncle managed a CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) camp. It was on 300 acres with pools, tennis & basketball courts and a small lake for fishing.

When I was 13, we moved up to Richardson Springs (AKA Springs of Living Water) where my dad became the pastor and principal of the school out there. It was another dream lifestyle for a kid. 

We moved back to Sonoma County for a couple years, but then moved back to “The Springs”. At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I tried a semester in Costa Mesa where my sister was in college (I had just turned 17 and was way too young for college life). I went to Butte College for a semester and then settled on Chico Beauty College and graduated when I turned 18.

I was a hairdresser in downtown Chico for 4 years and then decided to go to the Netherlands to a mission school with Youth with a Mission. I spent 4 months in Holland and another 3 in Kenya. I had planned on going back to Kenya with the Bible Street Ministry, who reach out and empower the hopeless, the homeless, the addicted, and the poor by providing basic necessities. But, I met my husband, Tim, about 2 months after getting back home, which my mom was very happy about! We married 5 ½ months after we met and are now coming up on 38 years of marriage. 


3 1/3 years later we welcomed our first child, Jillian, into our world. Then, 15 months later, our son, Tony was born. Followed 2 years later by our daughter, Karlie. We added another “bonus” daughter, Janelle (who babysat our children), to our lives about 10 years later.

My husband worked for Pepsi Cola for about 17 years until we bought the franchise, Budget Blinds, serving Butte, Glenn & part of Tehama counties. We just celebrated our 21^st year in business. It has been a great fit for us. I stepped away from the Soft Treatment Specialist role at our business and retired almost 3 years ago. I “gifted” myself a Janome M7 Continental, from Cathy’s Sew and Vac, as a retirement present. Since then, I’ve been “happily ever after” quilting my life away.

It may seem hard to believe, but I really do have other interests outside of quilting. I love my ever-growing family. Grandchild #14 is expected in March 2025! I love to cook and entertain. I play piano and serve on our church worship team.

My future plan is to get as many of my grandchildren as possible sewing on my machines.

I love all the people I’ve met that share my love for quilting. Sew many inspiring friends to share this passion with! I love quilt retreats (especially Linda Ballard ones), “quilt-a-longs” and sew days with like-minded people. I am truly quilt happy!

By the way…I currently have about 30 “flimsies” (quilt tops that are complete but not quilted). Oh boy!