Welcome!

Welcome to my site!

I hope this can be a place to learn, share, and try new quilting things and ideas! I started this site because I have a lot (I mean a lot) of pattern ideas floating around my head. If I go through all the work to figure out materials requirements and construction methods, I figured I should share that effort with you!

Who am I as a quilter?

As I develop more patterns, I hope to also develop my quilting voice. I have a broad range of interests in quilt designs, though I tend to lean into geometric and minimalist modern styles, and I try to create motion within the design. I really enjoy using solid fabrics to emphasize my designs, preferring to use colors that POP or gradients, but I am also a sucker for floral prints. There are no rules to my style and voice, and I enjoy branching out from time to time (as every artist should).

The story of my first quilt(s)

There is a perception that you can’t begin quilting unless you’re formally trained. This is so untrue! Sure, you will probably mess up and waste some fabric, but that’s how learning works. I learned quilting primarily from online resources and books. And a lot of just-trying-stuff-to-see-what-happens. Be prepared for the frustration that comes when learning anything of value and enjoy what you make.

My first attempt at a quilt happened in 2014 when I was in college. My grandmother (an incredibly skilled hand quilter) gifted me with a simple crafting sewing machine at Christmas. I had only used a sewing machine once the previous summer. She also gave me a package of precut 4” squares of quilting cotton for some reason. I decided to try to make a simple patchwork quilt top. So I started, and I sewed the squares into rows. I was very careful to make sure my seam allowances were all the same. Then I sewed the rows together. Could you believe how frustrated I was that my corners would not line up! Even after all that careful measuring and sewing! As it turns out, no matter how careful you are, fabric is stretchy. After this revelation, I abandoned the project. I have since learned to exploit that stretchiness for my own benefit, but that never occured to me at the time. (Unfortunately, I do not have any photographic evidence of this event.)

My second attempt at a quilt came in 2017 when I tried to make a throw size version of Suzy Quilts Triangle Jitters quilt. I finished the whole top, which is made entirely of half square triangles, and I even nested the seams to help the corners line up! But I noticed some gunk from the iron on the white fabric. In a panic, I decided to delicately clean the whole quilt top in a bucket of water with gentle detergent. I thought avoiding agitation would be best, especially since I still had raw edges. As I learned, when fabric bleeds and the water is not agitated, the dye settles wherever it wants. I had blotches of blue all over the quilt top! With my panic increasing, I tried to fix is by soaking various times in my bathtub with OxyClean. Eventually, I called time of death when the fabric became so bleached and brittle.

I finally succeeded on my third attempt in 2019, which was the Jeli Quilts Postcard from Sweden pattern. I purchased the kit from Cali Quilt Co. Believe it or not, it worked! I quilted it using the craft machine I recieved from my grandmother in college and in the end, I HAD A REAL QUILT. It’s currently in the hands of my best childhood friend and was gifted to her at her medical school graduation.

The moral of the story is that you might mess up, but that doesn’t mean you can’t quilt. Any quilting technique can be learned through trial and error. It just sometimes requires a heafty dose of patience.

Design

After completing several quilts using other designers’ patterns, I began sketching out my own designs. It mostly started as a way to scratch an itch when a fleeting idea came to mind. Eventually, the sketches became more sophisticated and included cutting and assembly methods. Finally, I took the leap and made my first quilt from an original design, which was inspired by a fat quarter bundle I had found and consisted of many equilateral triangles appearing to dissociate from a pyramid. When I proved I was able to take a quilt from conception to snuggly reality, I was hooked! (I may even one day write up this pattern.)

With more experience, I feel confident in publishing my designs to distribute. I am excited to see how other quilters will interpret my patterns or extend beyond them. The community of modern quilt pattern designers is supportive and enriching and I’m so thankful I found this space where I can grow, create, and refine my style.

If you’ve read this far, that must mean you find me somewhat interesting. Sign up for my email list to get a free pattern and keep in touch. Feel free to explore my site and reach out with any questions. If you’re interested in helping me pattern test, I have a special list for that, too.