The Nest is A-Burnin'! Robin Koehler is in the Hottie Hotseat!

Jingle Penguin, Nestlings by Robin

Welcome to April's Hottie Hotseater, Robin Koehler!


Robin is a pattern designer whose designs are just as sweet and lovely as she is. Let's get the down and dirty on the real hottie behind the designs!

Name: Robin Koehler 

Business Name/Title: NESTLINGS by Robin, Owner

 Location: Tarpon Springs, FL

# Years in Business: 10

Current Quilt project:

Hawaiian quilt for Mom.

I am currently working on some miniatures for a book submission, pre-rejection. (Editor note: We certainly hope it is pre-ecstatic party!) I am also binding a 40 plus” x 60 plus” Hawaiian applique quilt for my mother, as well as designing a fun and secret quilt for my youngest who will graduate from college this May- YAY YAY YAY!                       

Question 1:  Tell us about the worst quilt you ever made.

It's a happy sun. - BH

Answer: My worst quilt, in retrospect, is my first quilt and to be fair, I didn’t know how to quilt at the time.  It is also the quilt I start my ‘How Hard Could It Be!’ trunk show/lecture with because it REALLY shows that we all start somewhere. It is a sun-theme quilt that was much loved until I finally got around to making a brand new king size quilt for us.

Question 2:  If I came to your house unannounced, could you give me a tour of your studio, or would it be such a disaster you would make up an excuse as to why we couldn’t go in?

Answer:  I could and would give you a tour about the creative space of an ADD quilt designer if you were so interested. It will not look anywhere near its best (usually doesn’t), but you would be welcome to poke around curiously.There aren’t any excuses that another quilter wouldn't  believe anyway.

Looks pretty normal to me. -BH

Question 3:  What do you love about your studio? What would you change?

Answer:  I have been extremely fortunate to have a designated space of my own our last 3 houses with each one getting better and better. In my best Goldilocks voice, “Too small, but great cabinets; Bigger, but NO cabinets/closets; Just right!”

My current studio is just lovely with lime green walls and black molding and flooring. I know it sounds ghastly but it just fuels me! The funny thing is that according to my mother, green and black have been favorite colors of mine since childhood. 

The story goes that my kindergarten teacher (I think) came to my mom concerned about me because while all the other girls were drawing rainbows in all the pretty colors, I used a lot of green and black to color most things. What’s a girl to do? Go with what you love!

Butterfly Cabin, Nestlings by Robin

As to what I would change?  Not too much other than a design wall.  The room itself isn’t huge but since we no longer have children at home, I have the guest bedroom to use as well.  That queen bed makes a great design layout area and my ironing board is right there too.  I just have to climb onto a stool to get a distance perspective sometimes.

Question 4: What is your favorite meal to feed your family when you are desperately trying to meet a deadline?

Answer: My guilty secret (not-so-secret with our friends who love his cooking) is that my husband is a great cook and has taken on most of those duties since the very beginning of our 25 year marriage. Now that the kids are out of the house, there are days he doesn’t feel like cooking and I graciously tell him that I will do it and would he like Chinese or pizza? 

Question 5: I am going to give you a two for one here-

Are you more likely to sing or to dance while quilting? 

What is the nerdiest thing about you?

Please tell me the man has finally cut his hair. -BH

Answer: These two go hand in hand for me because one of the nerdiest things about me is that I am a huge Broadway Musical/ Musical Movie geek. Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Danny Kaye, any of the Disney musicals, etc. I love to spend a day of sewing while singing my off-key heart out at the top of my lungs. My pups are either tone deaf or very forgiving. This cannot be done on a designing or math day for that music needs to be wordless and usually in the new wavey-electric harp genre of Andreas Vollenweider, etc. Yes, I may even listen to Yanni if they play him on that station. 

Thanks for sharing your innermost thoughts and lovely designs with us, Robin!

Gingko Romance, Nestlings by Robin

Tropical Bluebells, Nestlings by Robin

Want more? Visit Robin at her Facebook page or her website and tell her I sent you. Maybe she'll give me a kickback.