EnglishPaperPiecingpatterndesignerandTheDIYAddictstore
ownerKarenTripp is a forceto bereckonedwithonthesewing
scene. We chatted colour, collaborations and keeping it in the familyremindsmeof designingand
buildinga house...thepiecesfit
togetherlikea puzzle.It’ssimilarto
architecturebutwithfabric – it comes
instinctivelytome.
WhenI firstdiscoveredEnglish
PaperPiecingI wasreallyintoknitting
andcrochetbutneededa change
duringa particularlyhotsummer.
I stumbledona coupleof beautiful
LaPassacagliaquiltsonPinterestand
decidedtomakea goof it. Had
I haveknownwhatwastrulyinvolved
I mighthavenevergonedownthat
road!I struggleda littlebit at the
beginningbutfoundmy groove
with it eventually.Firstthingsfirst,tellusaboutyour
creativebackgroundandhowyou
gotintoEnglishPaperPiecing!
I havebeena makerfroma very
youngage.I gotmyfirstsewing
machineat 10yearsold– myparents
weregettinga divorcethatsummer
andI wasshippedofftomyaunt’s
house.Ofcourse,thatwasa horrible
timebutthepositivewasmyauntwas
a brilliantsewist.I madeallmyown
clothesfromthatpointon.
I havea collegedegreein FineArts
withanemphasisin designand
architecture,andI ownedanInterior
DesignandArchitecturebusinessfor
25 years. English Paper PiecingWhatis it aboutEnglishPaper
Piecingthatyouenjoy?
Thesoundandtherhythm.I know
thatseemsweird,butI lovetostitch
in totalsilenceat theendof theday
whenit is peaceful.It hasa meditative
quality.If youlistencloselyyoucan
hearthethreadrunoverthepaper
andthroughthefabric– it makes this
lovelyswooshingsound.
Thefussycuttingaspectis another
partthatI’mdrawnto.I feellikea
fabricdesignerwhenI makea new
patternwhenthepiecesfit together.
Ofcourse,I alsolovethatyoucan
takeit anywhere.Myfavouritepartis
stitching and chatting with friends.Whatinspiredyoutooriginally
launchTheDIYAddict?
TheDIYAddictnamecametome
duringmytimefilminga pilotforan
HGTVshow 10 yearsago.Theshow
nevergotpickedupbutI keptthe
nameandrana blogformanyyears.
AfterI finishedmyLaPassacaglia
quilttwoanda halfyearsagoI was
lookingtomakeanotherpatternand
couldn’tfindoneI liked,soI mademy
own.I putit uponInstagram,people
likedit, andseveralpeopleaskedif
I wouldbesellingkits.I happenedto
mentionthattomytech-savvyson
andimmediatelyheasked,“Doyou
thinkpeoplewouldbuyit if wemade
kits?”.Andthat’showit allstarted!
I wasexcitedtostartthebusiness,
thinkingI wouldbehandstitchingall
thetime.Ofcourse,that’snothowit
works.I spendmostof mytime
working on the business and notDESIGNER PROFILE
Karen Tripp
DESIGNER PROFILE