1,2,3 Hopscotch Playmat

Why this particular craft? I often ask myself the same question! I’ve always loved fabric and can spend hours in the fabric aisles of our local Spotlight – quilting sort of became my go-to craft. I was making baby quilts as gifts for family and friends and loved that I was able to use so many gorgeous fabrics and mix and match colour and pattern so effectively.

What does this craft mean to you? Quilting has gone from a hobby to a business. My designs and my blog are a way for me to share something that I truly love and am good at. I can only hope that my patterns can help inspire others to try quilting for themselves (and hopefully fall madly in love with it at the same time).

Have you tried plenty of others? Yes! You name it and I’ve attempted it. There have been phases of cross stitch, bead and jewellery making. I spent a bit of my late teens scrapbooking. My mum taught me to knit, and I’m partial to a bit of soap making. I’d love to learn watercolour painting, but for now, think it’s probably best for my family’s sanity to stick to quilting!

Who taught you your crafting skills? When I was growing up, I was lucky to be surrounded by creative people; my mum and both grandmothers were always working on some crafting project. I’m in awe of Mum’s creative streak – she’s always got a DIY project, a mosaic and some knitting on the go. My grandma helped me fall in love with quilting, though, and what I didn’t learn from her was all found through lots of practice making lots and lots of quilts.

Do you teach your skills to others? I teach classes and weekend quilt workshops and retreats. I love these days, as I learn so much from the people I teach. I am a teacher, so this really combines two of my passions.

How would you describe your style? I love antique and vintage quilts and the stories behind those quilt projects. My style is a fun and fresh take on traditional design. I try to use colour and modern fabric prints to give these blocks new life. I love experimenting with fabric placement in my block designs, and make larger-scale blocks to really show off the fabrics in the quilt.

What is your advice for beginners? Just love what you do and the rest will come! Pick fabrics you love, designs and patterns you want to make and really make that quilt your own. It’s you that makes a quilt unique and gives it its own story. Oh – and never throw out your first quilt. Use it, and love it and look back on it to see how far you’ve come!