Issue 2 Contributor - Jennifer Davis

You will have seen Jennifer's fabulous Circus Monkey Quilt in Issue 2 of Fat Quarterly.



It was designed using Caramel Town from Lecien. Such a fabulous quilt! Quick to sew up and so effective. If you are wondering what it might look like in other fabrics, wonder no more! Our Katy has been busy making one for herself.



In case you haven't seen Jennifer's work before, settle yourself down with the brew of your choice and find out a bit more about this talented lady and then go and visit Jennifer's blog Sugar Stitches or her flickr photostream, and tell her Fat Quarterly sent you!



Tell us a little bit about yourself

I grew up in a small farm town in Idaho. It literally had one stoplight. I spent my teen years dying to get out, and now I would give anything to move back! I live outside of Washington, DC for the time being...my husband is a pilot in the Air Force, so we're here until they decide to move us. I'm a stay-at-home mom to a 4-year-old, Liberty, and a 2-year-old, Wyatt. I spend my days up to my elbows in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and if I'm lucky, I can squeeze some sewing time in! I try to balance the designing with being a mom: my first and foremost priority is to be a mom...designing has to come second. As they are getting older, I am more able to spend more time sewing. I just don't want to regret missing anything with my children.

How did you become interested in quilting and sewing?

All the women in my family were sewers, quilters and embroiderers. I guess its just in my DNA! After my daughter was born and I stopped working, I got a whole lot craftier! I had been embroidering since I could hold a needle, so sewing with a machine was a little different. It was frustrating at times, but very rewarding when I finally "got" it. Sewing really gives me a sense of accomplishment, and I love making things for my family. I feel like its a testament to my love for them.

How would you describe your style?

I would say I have a "modern cutesy/kawaii" style. I love the more modern fabrics, but I'm still a real girly girl at heart. I love all things Kawaii! And I'm a sucker for a good 'shabby chic' fabric!

What inspires you?

My kids! The cartoons and children's books are always so bright and cheerful. I'm a little obsessed with rainbows. Japanese sewing books and magazines are a drug to me. I cannot get enough of them! I have a little stack in my sewing room. They're worth every penny, because I "read" them over and over!



Describe your sewing space. What's on the walls? What's the overall vibe?

I am really proud of my sewing room: I started out sewing at the kitchen table. When we moved to our current home, I set up a plastic table and some plastic bins in an unused room. Then one day I decided I should just claim the room as mine permanently. I painted the walls a light yellow, and slowly got some white furniture from Ikea. It really is my favorite room in the house. It gets great natural light, and the colors are cheerful: I have all my fabrics folded and put on shelves. I put little knick knacks here and there: Japanese Re-ment, little Kawaii toys, and, of course, my Blythe dolls. They are my muses! I wanted to be able to walk in and just see all the things that make me happy! I strongly encourage all sewers/crafters to stake a claim on a room or a space to create in. Once you have that feeling of permanence, your creativity flows a lot better.

What do you watch / listen to while sewing?


I usually always have the iPod on. I have a pretty eclectic playlist: 90s hip hop, classical music, and my "Chick Music"-Ingrid Michaelsen, Regina Spektor, Imogen Heap, and Lenka.



What is your favorite project that you've made?


Wow. That's like asking me to pick my favorite child! Usually my favorite project is whatever I'm working on. Right now I'm in the process of my first quiltalong-a Kaleidoscope quilt using my Lecien Minny Muu stash. Its bright, colorful, and a spin on a traditional quilt block.



What's your all-time favorite fabric line?


Again, like asking me to pick my favorite child. Its a close call: Flower Sugar by Lecien, Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt, Fresh Cut by Heather Bailey are some of my faves. But the minute I finish this, I'm sure I will immediately think of more that I can't believe I didn't mention!

Shoes, socks, or bare feet while sewing?

Bare feet, all the way! Unless its winter, then I wear cosy socks.

What projects (patterns + fabrics) are on your "must make" list?

Victory Garden by Busy Bee Quilt Patterns (I'm going to use Bliss!), some Carolina Patchworks and Don't Look Now patterns. And, of course, my OWN patterns, LOL!



If you were stuck on a desert island and could only have 5 fat quarters to work with, what prints would you choose?

I would have to say any Japanese Kawaii fabrics. They're so cheerful, and they all have little stories...it would be a great way to pass the time!

Where did the idea for your Caramel Town quilt pattern come from?

Caramel Town was made for the Lecien Corporation. They were looking for a quilt to "show" the fabric line at Spring Quilt Market. When I saw the images of the line I fell in love! The prints are so fun and whimsical! There is a great panel in the line, so my goal was to showcase those in the square-in-a-square blocks. I think the pattern is very versatile: you can replace the panel blocks with a larger scale print fabric. Lecien is an amazing company to work with. I have been so honored to be asked to design for them again.

What's next for Sugar Stitches?

I have several (eek!) patterns in the works. There's just never enough time to do it all! I have a couple really fun applique designs that I can't wait to reveal! My goal is to publish a book, so I'm working on that in the background. I also plan on putting more free patterns on my website.


If you are interested in being a contributor for a future issue of Fat Quarterly, please email us at customerservice@fatquarterly.com

We are also looking for people to take part in the designer challenge in issue 3.

Patchwork Inspiration

One of the great things of being part of the Fat Quarterly Team is that we get emails from our readers. Whether it is ideas for features, pattern submissions or letting us know what you think of the magazine - we love it all!

A while ago Cathy from Catherine Daniel Pottery emailed us about how inspiring she found patchwork. She is not a quilter. She is not even a sewer! Her choice of medium is actually clay.

Her email reminded us how important it is to step outside of our own immediate sphere when looking for inspiration. How often when starting a new project do you browse through hundreds of photos of quilts? It is just as important to look through all types of photos. Perhaps a particular finish on a pot might spark an idea, the outline of a building, the shadows in a photo etc

So we wanted to know more about Cathy and how patchwork influences her work.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your artistic background.

I‘m married with three children and live in rural Norfolk, England. I enjoy anything creative. My formal Art education ended when I left school to study French and German at University. Many years later, having raised a family and built our own home in the meantime, I embarked on four years of Pottery and Ceramics courses, before deciding to buy my own kiln and go it alone. It was a decision that came completely from the heart and I had no idea if anyone would want to buy what I made. Amazingly, the first galleries I approached with my work were really enthusiastic, and loved the unique visual identity of the quilt-block designs on my ceramics. Two years on from then, and things have just grown and evolved and I have loved every second.

Are you a sewer?

Not really. I have very basic sewing skills, just enough to sew my own ceramic buttons onto my pottery. I have always loved the pattern and colour of patchwork quilts and I would just love to be able to make something so beautiful. But they seem so BIG, and I get daunted just thinking about it! I am currently looking into having some tiny quilts made to match some of my pieces, to be sold together. But I won’t be making them myself!


Why did you first start looking at patchwork for inspiration?

My fascination with pattern is as old as I am (very!). I’m always drawn to the colours and design on anything from wallpaper and curtain fabric to crockery and clothing. I’d have found it too dull to work with quiet, contemplative tones, so I chose to work with bright, joyful glazes. Thinking about how best to crowd in as much pattern and colour as possible, the answer was obvious – patchwork! Back then, I had never even heard of a “quilt block”, let alone a “fat quarter”! I just made up my first designs, and then eventually a few clicks of the mouse revealed that there were thousands of named quilt patterns out there – I was staggered and of course delighted at such a resource to work with!


Describe how you have used appliqué in your designs.

I did actually know what appliqué was as I had a child’s appliqué set for Christmas when I was about nine! With my clay I create a platter bearing a patchwork background, then cut from the clay slab individual folk-art motifs (birdhouses, leaves, hearts, etc) which I then place onto the design. The piece is then fired and the individual areas glazed by hand and fired again. I also make framed wall-pieces using a similar technique.

What do you think the advantage is of looking outside your crafting world for inspiration?

Maybe if you look outside your immediate craft for inspiration, there is more potential for creating something original, something a bit wacky that isn’t already being done by others within your own sphere. You also become more aware of the design that is all around you, in man-made objects and in nature, and the many ways of interpreting that design in the end product.


How do you recommend people start thinking outside the box for inspiration.

That’s difficult to answer because people’s minds work in different ways. For me, I often take an accepted technique for creating something, then turn it on its head, and experiment with other (possibly crazier) ways of doing it. Maybe not always going for tried and tested methods/designs/materials ..... but trying and testing some of your own.

Can you give us some examples of some ceramics that you think might be able to inspire us quilters?

Hmmm. That’s another hard one. Having looked at hundreds of quilts in my background research it became immediately obvious that there is no lack of originality and inspiration amongst quilters. You make a bewildering array of quilts in all shapes and sizes, patterns and colours, contemporary and traditional, drawing on anything and everything for your themes. I don’t know that there is any direct inspiration quilters can take from ceramics, but I hope that my own ceramics highlight the fact that Quilting is not a craft entrenched in the past but a medium open to new interpretations and innovation.


Perhaps some of these images might get your creative juices flowing! Where do you look to for inspiration? We'd love to know.

Issue 2 Contributor - Caroline

Circular Logic is project in Issue 2 - Scraps. It is a brilliant way to use up tiny scraps. We chatted to Caroline Press to find out more about her and her inspiration.



Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm Caroline and I live in Corvallis Oregon with my husband of 19 years and our two children. By day I'm a scientist, I have a PhD in Plant Pathology and work full-time in the field. By night, I'm sewing, a lot! I sew almost every day during the evening as time allows but I also juggle the usual household pursuits, kids sports, activities, and so on. My online alter ego is Trilliumdesign and I blog about my sewing exploits at trilliumdesign.blogspot.com.


How did you start sewing?

I just started quilting this year but I have been sewing all my life. My mother is an accomplished tailor and I remember using her scraps to make tiny purses for myself when I was a child. I spent many hours in her sewing room watching and later helping her and even started sewing clothes for myself when I was in high school. I put sewing on hold for a long time after college while I was studying and then working towards my career. I started back up a few years ago when my daughter was in the 'princess' phase and made her dresses and outfits which I realized I could do much more economically on my own. When she grew out of that, I realized I really enjoyed the process of sewing and designing not to mention the lovely fabrics and colors. So I moved on to making purses and bags for myself and still design those today. I am currently putting the finishing touches on my own purse patterns since so many people have asked me for the patterns for my designs. I'm hoping to make these available soon in my etsy shop.


What is your favourite quilt that you have made?

I started quilting in January and made a few doll quilts for my daughter as practice pieces. They turned out so well, I was inspired to make my mother-in-law a lap quilt for her belated christmas gift and the quilt bug has stuck ever since. I'm entirely self taught thanks to the internet and countless helpful quilting bloggers, flickr members and you-tubers. So far I have made 5 quilts this year and am currently working on 4 more. My favorite quilt is probably the Mod blooms quilt I made earlier this year. I love the combination of colors on that one and the mod vibe.


Who is your favourite designer?

My favorite designer is a tough question to answer. I'm an avid fan of textiles and there are many designers whose designs I typically gravitate towards. Probably the most influential for me is Paula Prass. Her use of color and print design is really vibrant and fun and definitely speaks to me. Her Flights of Fancy line is a favorite of mine.

Do you have a dedicated sewing area?

I sew in our home office on an armoire that my husband modified for me as a sewing space. It was intended to hold both my machines and my fabric but in truth I have taken over much of the house with my fabric and supplies. My fabric collection lives in part on our living room bookcases. My family puts up with a lot from me. My daughter told me recently that as long as she hears the sewing machine she knows that I'm around and that is comforting to her.


What are you working on at the moment?

My current project is a quilt I'm making for my son. He rarely benefits from my sewing skills, so he's overdue for a nice quilt. I also have a couple of other quilts on the go and I always have a long list of projects on the horizon. I'm a planner.

My etsy shop can be found at trilliumshoppe.etsy.com where I destash, and sell my purses and other sewn goods. I'm so thrilled to have the opportunity to share my love of sewing with everyone and would like to extend a big thank-you to the Fat Quarterly folks for inviting me to do so.

From Little Things

Sarah Fielke of the Material Obsession books fame and all round quilting hero (to us here at FQ Towers) is bursting with excitement at the minute. And rightly so. Her very first line of fabric is at the strike off stage.

I spy a bird, and some flowers, and a whole lot of great colours in that sneaky peek up there!

The line will be produced by Lecien, and will be available later in the year. We'll keep you posted!

Featured Sponsor - Burgundy Buttons

FQ: How did your creative journey start?
BB:'I was always a crafty kid, give me some crayons or glue and I would create a Picasso-
like masterpiece that my parents always displayed proudly about the house. I remember a turning point, however, about 18 years ago. A women my friends affectionately called “Momma Albertsen” and I sat around stacks and stacks of fabric wondering how to make a quilt. 

We scratched our heads, bickered over the instructions
and viewed the pattern from every conceivable angle yet still remained mystified. We painstaking and meticulously cut each piece with a plexi-glass template and a pair of scissors. Relentlessly hovering over a never ending pile of cotton, we completed our first quilt in a mere 3 years!
 
Fast forward several years and Momma Albertsen opened herself up a little quilt shop in Burlington, North Carolina. . Armed with a lot more knowledge of quilting and (thank goodness) ROTARY CUTTING skills she taught all those willing to learn! Admittedly, I was still a bit resistant bitterly recalling the amount of time it took to complete our first project, and didn’t quite have the fabric-fever for several more years!
 
By August of 2008, having developed said fever; I desperately wanted to design my own children’s bedding & quilt collections. With Momma A’s guidance, I ventured into the quilt e-commerce business to start paving my way. I will never forget Peggy; a Physician in Germany; was my first customer. I was immediately international! I even felt a little fancy! I have been so busy ever since that I hardly have time to sew!'

FQ: What does a normal day entail?
BB: 'My normal day starts about 4am! I tend to Burgundy Buttons for about 2 hours in the morning before getting ready for my day in Corporate America. When I get home, I am back at it for another 3 hours or so before hitting the sac. Needless to say, I haven’t watched TV in years!

Saturday mornings I have the limited luxury of spending time in my sewing room before getting out there and being active with my day. I have recently developed quite a fondness for potholders and pillows- as they are actually finish-able in the amount of time I have.'

FQ: What are the best parts about running the store?
BB: 'The best parts are seeing the amazing fabric and “meeting” so many talented people! Julie Herman, Tracey Jacobsen, Rachel Griffith, Vanessa Christensen, the Fat Quarterly Team and so many more never cease to inspire me with their creative ideas. I am so thankful for their blogging as they really have nice projects out there for all levels of quilting.'

FQ: Are there any aspects of the job that you don't enjoy?
BB: 'Owning an e-commerce business does take up an exorbitant amount of time. I do hope to one day make Burgundy Buttons a full time endeavor and put the 14 hour days behind me.'
 
FQ: Do you have a favorite designer?
BB: 'Anyone who has read my blog knows that I am over-the-moon for Kate Spain. Being a scrapbook junkie as well, I can never go wrong with Basic Grey! I received an email once from Kate Spain thanking me for my support by carrying her collections. My friends still like to tell the story about how giddy I was when she signed her email with “Hugs, Kate”! We now often end our emails, texts and IM’s with “Hugs” in her honor.'

FQ: Are there any creative skills that you would like to learn.
BB:'I am always a little embarrassed when people ask for my help with a (non quilting) sewing pattern. I am one of those who can see something and sew it- but put a traditional sewing pattern in front of me and it might as well be in Greek.'

I am honored to have been sponsoring the Fat Quarterly from the beginning. To celebrate for the entire month of August, FatQuarterly readers can save an additional 10% off Burgundy Button's already amazingly low prices.  Use promotion code FQ at checkout to save! 

Jennie's Flying Geese Tutorial

Jennie's fabulous block "breaking Out" was the winner of the Fat Quarterly Reader Designer Challenge from Issue 1 - Fresh Start.

Jennie originally designed her block for the Pillow Talk Swap but now she has very kindly written up a tutorial for you to make one of your own! If you make this block we would love it if you upload photos of your block to our Flickr group as we would love to see!

Tutorial for “Breaking Out” - a flying geese block
designed by Jennie Finch Schauer

Materials (for one block):
12- 2.5” x 4.5” print rectangles
24- 2.5” background squares
4- 2.5 x 6.5” background rectangles



Draw a line diagonally across each of the 24- 2.5” background squares:



Place the square on top of a print rectangle, making sure the line is as shown in the photo below:



Sew on the line, then trim ¼” away from the line towards the outside of the block. Press towards the background (the grey, in this example):



Take a second 2.5” background square and position it as shown in the photo below:



Sew on the line, then trim ¼” away from the line towards the outside of the block (see photo):



Press towards the background (the grey, in this example):




Repeat these steps to make 12 flying geese blocks. : Sew the flying geese into 4 groups of 3 geese each. Then lay them out!




You can spin them to the right…



Or to the left…



Once you decide which way you’d like the geese to spin, place the 2.5” x 6.5” rectangles on the outside edge of the flying geese units:



Sew the 2.5” x 6.5” rectangles to the outside edge of each of the flying geese units, pressing towards the background rectangle. Sew the quarters into your finished block!

MEGA MODA WINNER!!

We have selected a winner for our Mega Moda Giveaway! (Actually, random.org selected it, so don't hold it against us!)

Our lucky duck winner is #636, Annalies, who said:

Winning some Bliss would be pure Bliss...and I would LOVE to make any of Camille's quilt with my loot. HOPING HOPING HOPING!!!!!

Annalies blogs over at Sew Blessed, so why dont'cha go over there and wish her a big congrats? I know we'll be watching to see what she makes with all of that fabric goodness.

Congrats, Annalies! Please email us at fatquarterly@googlemail.com with your mailing address and we'll get your prize out to you ASAP.

Keep reading Fat Quarterly for more chances to win amazing fabric and other prizes!