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Christa Watson is an award-winning quilter, designer, author and teacher. She has been sewing since 1994, but it wasn’t until six years ago, when she came across a modern quilt in a magazine, that she discovered her true quilting aesthetic. Realizing her passion for modern design spurred Christa on to greatness. Over the last ten years, working in the quilting industry has become her full-time job. She has written numerous patterns and three books on machine quilting: Piece and Quilt with Precuts; The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting: Long-Arm and Sit-Down; and Machine Quilting with Style: From Walking Foot Wonders to Free-Motion Favorites.  Christa has filmed two classes with Craftsy and has a third on the way. And she just released her first line of fabric (named Modern Marks )with Benartex, as part of their new  Contempo division. Christa travels all over the country teaching others to love machine quilting as much as she does. Welcome, Christa! Continue Reading

Andrea Tsang Jackson is a textile artist and designer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She began sewing as a new mom, and parlayed her past experience in the architecture world into her quilt designs, where she explores her love of geometry, material, and place. In 2017, Andrea was the artist-in-residence at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Her quilt, The Here and Elsewhere Bee, compiles nearly 1,200 immigration stories and assembles them into a 114″ x 108″ quilt. The project is a collaborative effort, with each of the almost 1200 blocks having been completed by a museum visitor, representing a bit of each visitor’s immigration narrative. Andrea is also a pattern designer, and her patterns can be purchased in her Etsy shop. In 2016, Andrea was the recipient of the Etsy Award for New Talent Canada, and she has been featured in Uppercase Magazine as well as on the Modern Sewciety podcast. Andrea’s The Here and Elsewhere Bee quilt hangs at QuiltCon this week in Pasadena and won 1st Place in the Group or Bee Quilt category! Congratulations and welcome, Andrea! Continue Reading

This week, my guest is Shannon Fraser of Shannon Fraser Designs. Shannon has only been quilting for a short time, but her love for textiles began long before, when she spent time in Japan as an english teacher. Influenced by the colorful fabric of kimonos and her background as a painter, Shannon has an astute eye for color that makes her quilts stand out from the crowd. You can find her easy-to-follow quilt patterns on Craftsy and in her Etsy shop, along with adorable bags, mug rugs and other quilty items that showcase her signature style. Shannon also offers many quilting tips and tricks on her website and in her weekly newsletter, which shares behind-the-scenes updates from her studio, news about new pattern releases, and access to her library of free downloads and patterns. Continue Reading

Maybe you can guess from her company name, Quilting JETGirl, that Yvonne Fuchs had an interesting prior career as an aerospace engineer.  But a decision to focus on her own well being and spiritual health led her to take a different path and form a successful quilting business. Since then, Yvonne has become an integral part of the modern quilting community. Through her blog, Yvonne offers not only tutorials, quilting tips, and quilt patterns, but also a community where followers can use the comments section to discuss quilting-related topics. As the host of the New Quilter’s Blog Hop from 2015-2017, Yvonne dedicated countless hours of blogging and tech experience to help others establish their online presence in the quilting community. Yvonne’s quilting talents have been recognized at QuiltCon, as well as in numerous publications, such as The Quilters Planner, Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century, and on the cover of QuiltCon Magazine 2016. In addition, Yvonne was featured on two episodes of Fresh Quilting, the Modern Quilt Guild’s new television series dedicated to modern quilting. Continue Reading

My guest this week is Laura Hartrich (pronounced Har-trick), and I think you will love her vivacious energy and zest for all things creative. Laura is the recipient of the People’s Choice award at Quilt Con 2015 (there is no doubt you will recognize her “Quilt for Our Bed”), and she is also the curator of Quilt Stories, an Instagram account that focuses on the stories behind why quilts are made. Laura is gracefully balancing life as a mom, student (she’s returned to school for a BA in psychology with a minor in fine arts and eventually a degree in Art Therapy), new home owner, quilter, and active member of the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild! At school, Laura is focusing on bringing quilts into many of her projects by using them as sculpture and as a collaborative medium.  Continue Reading

If you’re familiar with the blog From Bolt to Beauty, then you already know that Michelle Cain is as talented at writing as she is at sewing.  Prior to becoming a mom to two boys, Michelle worked in publishing.  Her editorial eye carries through from her words to her quilts: both are simple, clean, impeccably done, and incredibly thoughtful.  Her projects are almost always made with the intention to give them away to a friend, a family member, or charity — thus they are made with warmth and soul stitched into every fiber.  Michelle’s work has been featured on Sew Mama Sew, on the Moda Bake Shop, and at QuiltCon 2017.  An active member of the New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild, she served as VP of events in 2016, and as president of the guild in 2017. Continue Reading

Jessica Skultety is a quilter, teacher, lecturer and editor of The Wonky Press modern quilting newsletter. The common thread to all of these roles is that while she loves what she is doing, she loves sharing it with others even more. Whether she is speaking at guild meetings, teaching workshops, providing information on her blog or through her newsletter, Jess loves to share her knowledge and experience. And people respond to her genuine openness with great receptivity. Jess’s quilts have been featured at several shows, including International Quilt Festival, QuiltCon, and a solo exhibition at the 2017 Quilt and Sewing Festival of NJ.  A self-taught quilter, she focuses on empowering others to take risks with their sewing. She recently discovered a new interest in making and sharing politically motivated art, and I can only assume that she will be using this newly discovered voice to empower others, as well. Continue Reading