The TV show must sew on

PBS series will feature M’Liss Hawley and Whidbey scenes

M’Liss Hawley and her family normally don’t notice the traffic that buzzes by their Double Bluff home.

But the quilting mogul and her family found out last week that the cars they barely notice aren’t exactly conducive to a TV shooting schedule for a PBS show.

“Cut! OK, everybody hold your positions …” was the repeated phrase at the Hawley home as the cars passed, “Get ready to start up again — and action, M’Liss.”

A production crew of 20 people from Seattle-based TANSTAAFL Media took over the Hawley’s house, transforming the yard and home to shoot scenes for Hawley’s new show “M’Liss’s World of Quilts.”

The show, which will begin airing on PBS next spring, is the quilter’s first starring television venture.

The fabric and embroidery designer, nationally known quilting instructor, best-selling author, mother and wife has made guest appearances on other shows, but this time it’s all about M’Liss.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the crew was shooting segments to accompany scenes that will be taped at locations all around the world, including the American Textile Museum in New England.

The show’s executive producer, Adrienne Loska, was hardly frustrated over the cars since, on the whole, the shoot went well.

“When you come into a shoot you never know how things are going to go, but M’Liss’s performance has been awesome,” Loska said.

Hawley has a supporting cast of family and friends that made the shoot possible. In true country style, the welcome made it difficult for the production to leave, Loska said.

M’Liss’s husband, Sheriff Mike Hawley, is getting into the act. Look for Mike to be out in the garden on his rotatiller, strolling with his wife, and in other yet-to-be-shot appearances.

The Hawleys’ 18-year-old daughter, Adrienne, is a production assistant for the show, and will make regular appearances on the show cooking “quick meals for quilters.”

In addition, M’Liss Hawley’s friends are “quilting angels” for the show. They help iron fabrics, set-up scenes for filming, and rush M’Liss off to wardrobe to prepare for the next shot.

Expect to see more familiar faces when tuning in to watch “M’Liss’s World of Quilts,” as guest appearances from South Whidbey residents, including a local Girl Scout troop, are already planned.

Even in the show’s infancy, the production crew is eager to tell viewers one thing — “This is not going to be like anything else on TV.”

“We decided together with M’Liss that we wanted the highest standard. The things viewers are going to see will just blow them away,” Loska said while on set Thursday afternoon.

“It’s not going to be your mother’s quilting show,” said co-producer Raymond McCauley.