Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill has been a graphic designer for over twenty years. More recently, she turned to quilting as a creative outlet for stress relief from her daily life. She soon realized that her training as a graphic designer was well suited to pattern design and she founded her pattern design business, Whole Circle Studios in 2015. In just a short time, Sheri’s quilts have gained international recognition, including awards from QuiltCon, International Quilt Festival, Quilt Week/Paducah, the Quilt Alliance and the Modern Quilt Guild. In addition, Sheri’s quilts have been featured at art centers and galleries around the country and are held in private and corporate collections. In 2016, Sheri was the recipient of the first annual Craftsy Quilt Designer Fellowship. This fellowship enabled Sheri to debut Whole Circle Studio’s first business-to-business trade show booth at International Quilt Market in Houston in fall of 2016. Sheri’s quilts have been featured in Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century, Modern Patchwork magazine, and International Quilt Festival Quilt Scene. Sheri has partnered with numerous fabric designers, manufacturers and thread companies, including her role as an Aurifil Artisan and a Craftsy contributor. Welcome, Sheri!
Sheri building her booth at Quilt Market. Photo credit Craftsy.
How would you describe your quilting style/aesthetic?
Sheri: Graphic, clean, a combination of modern and contemporary
Up and Away mini quilt. Pattern available for purchase in Sheri’s shop. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
How would you describe the creative environment in your home as a child?
Sheri: I loved ALL types of arts and crafts (jewelry, weaving, bookmaking, pretty much anything!) My family was supportive, but I was the only one into art and design. All of my electives in high school were art classes. I even had the opportunity to spend a summer at a pre-college residential program at Wesleyan University that allowed me to intensively study all types of art. I had the same art teacher for four years and when it was time to apply for college, he encouraged me to look into graphic design programs.
What artists and makers do you most admire or have an influence on your work?
Sheri:
- Andy Goldsworthy. I love how graphic his sculptures are. His work is a great reminder that working within boundaries can lead to amazing results. I am always in total awe of his use of color and shape and all of his materials are found in nature!
- Marimekko. I love the simplicity and timelessness of their design and use of color
- Typographers. I am in love with letterforms and am so inspired by typography—probably because the first two years as an undergraduate studying graphic design we weren’t allowed to do anything on a computer. We drew all of our typefaces by hand.
Roadwork Quilt. Pattern available for purchase. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
Do you consider yourself a “quilter”, an artist, or some combination of both?
Sheri: Definitely a combination and then some. I consider myself a designer and a maker first and foremost. Designers typically do work with others in mind. Artists typically do work for themselves. I’d say the majority of my work I have others in mind when creating (sometimes not even a real person, but an imaginary client). I do occasionally make pieces just for me, but I find it much more rewarding to create for others.
How would you define “making with intention”?
Sheri: For me, “making with intention” ties into what design does. It either solves a problem or it communicates an idea. I believe that design and content have a symbiotic relationship. Both need to support one another and require a strong concept to fuel them. Typically, all of my designs start with a concept, and content (which could be research, a backstory, color, fabric selection and/or a technique) helps shape the design. It’s pretty rare that I design just for design sake.
Sheri’s Sew Speedy quilt. The pattern can now be purchased in Sheri’s shop. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
Do you think that having a craft makes us more compassionate? If so, then how?
Sheri: I do think that making and sharing can make us more compassionate and empathetic. Sharing what we create connects us with others and allows us see other points of view. I’m often fascinated, not just by the actual finished product, but more so by the process and stories behind the work. Learning the stories behind the work gives us the opportunity to see and understand different perspectives.
Sun Salutation. Pattern available here. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
How does creating feed your soul/spiritual purpose?
Sheri: My mission is to both enhance people’s lives through beautiful, meaningful design, as well as to empower and inspire others to enjoy the process of making. At the end of the day, it’s incredibly rewarding to brighten someone’s everyday life through what I create. I also love encouraging others to create.
Big Island Blossom Quilt. To learn more about this project you can read about it on the Whole Circle Studio blog. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
Are there any rituals that you perform to prepare/ground yourself in your work?
Sheri: I usually just jump into my work. When I’m designing or making, I have to have some sort of sound going on in the background (probably because the television was ALWAYS on when I was growing up). I usually listen to podcasts, but occasionally stream shows or movies through my laptop.
Four of Sheri’s patterns available for purchase in her online shop: (clockwise from left) Bzzzzzzz, Dragonfly Dance, Butterfly Bunch and Ladybug Loop. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
What is the support system you have in place for creating your work?
Sheri: I wouldn’t be able to be as prolific as I am nor would I have been able to start and sustain Whole Circle Studio if it wasn’t for my husband, Jason. He literally does everything around the house from cleaning to cooking so that I can stay focused on my design and business. I also have an amazing support system of close friends and family. They don’t always understand what I do, but can appreciate it and cheer me on.
Sheri with her husband at her first Quilt Market as a vendor. Photo credit: Craftsy.
How do you deal with comparison to / envy of others? Can you describe a time when you used comparison/envy/admiration to push yourself in your own work and self-discovery?
Sheri: I am an overthinker so it can be a struggle. I really do try to remind myself to stay in my own lane. When I start comparing myself to others, it’s usually when I lose my focus—and that’s when my work starts to suffer. I can’t take credit for it, but I keep hearing and reading a quote which I really love: “Stop comparing your behind-the-scenes with everyone’s highlight reel.” You have to remind yourself that you only really see what others want to put out there, and most people are only going to put out the things that show them in the best possible ways.
Patchwork Petals. This pattern is available for purchase in Sheri’s shop. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
What was the most challenging thing you ever made?
Sheri: As far as quilts, I would say the first couple of quilts that I ever made. I collected quilting books for years and they sat on a shelf. I convinced myself that since I didn’t know how to sew, I could never make a quilt. About six years ago, I needed a distraction. I dusted off a Denyse Schmidt book that I bought about seven years earlier, bought some fabric, taught myself how to sew, and never looked back.
With almost everything I design and make there’s a challenging aspect, something I’ve never done before, or an unexpected issue that comes up. That’s sort of the fun part—problem solving and then celebrating a victory!
An early table runner Sheri made using a pattern by Denyse Schmidt. Once she finished this first project, Sheri was hooked! Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
How do you see your current work in the context of quilting history?
Sheri: I love being just one of the millions of quilters around the world. Most people, even non-quilters, have a story about quilting, whether it be a quilter that was in their family or a quilt that was gifted to them. It’s heartwarming when I tell someone that I’m a quilter and that reminds them of a memory. Connecting with others through quilting, designing and making is amazing.
Sheri photographing her Big Island Blossom quilt. Image courtesy of Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill.
Thank you, Sheri! It was so fun to learn more about your approach to designing quilts! For more about Sheri, visit her at Whole Circle Studio, or connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. In addition, you can sign up for Sheri’s newsletter to get all the latest news about pattern releases and workshops.
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Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
July 6, 2018 at 10:20 amIt is amazing to connect with others through quilting! Lovely to get to know Sheri better.
lelandavestudios@gmail.com
July 16, 2018 at 8:18 pmThanks Yvonne! I was lucky enough to meet Sherri when my guild hosted a lecture – she was great and I knew I wanted her for the project.