Love Patchwork & Quilting - UK (2020-03)

projects where they can combine the

skills that they have previously

mastered. With such a wide variety of

projects I do hope the book will

appeal to all quilters, even those who

have been stitching for years.

What was the process like?

I actually approached Stash Books

with a proposal for a different quilting

book and when they asked me to

write a basics book I was initially a bit

perturbed. But the more I thought

about it the more sense it made.

I love the idea that I can influence

Above: Jo's style
combines fresh,
bright colours with
intricate details

a wholegenerationof newquilters

withtheideasI havedevelopedfrom

allmyteachingexperience.The

hardestbitwasdesigningthesimple

quiltsat thestartof thebook,I really

don’tdosimplequilts!I’veloved

designingandmakingalltheprojects

andI amsohappytobefinally

sharingthemwiththequiltingworld!

Whatdoesthequiltcommunity

meantoyou?

Thequiltingcommunityis sucha

generous,caringplace.Wereally

lookoutforeachotherandofferhelp

wheneverneeded.Thisis a very

specialthingthatgivesmehopefor

humanity.If onlyquilterswerein

chargeof thewholeworld!I alsolove

theimmediatefeedbackyoucanget,

it is absolutelyinvaluable.

Howdoyougoaboutputtingyour

Aurifil thread collections together?

I love to experiment with all the

different threads and this usually

leads to a new technique or project

Leftandbelow:

Twoof thequilts

fromJo'sbook.

PhotosbyC&T

Publishingand

DianePedersen

stitchgathering.co.uk

joaverystitch

thatI fallin lovewith.It thenseemsto

makesensetocuratea collection

aroundthisnewprojectsothatothers

canexperiencetheamazingthread

forthemselves.Thefunbitis

choosingthecolours,asI saidbefore

thisis usuallya quickandinstinctive

activityforme,anintenseburstof

creativitythat’sovertoosoon!

Whatcanweexpectfromyouin

thenearfuture?

KarenandI havesomeexcitingand

secretplansfortheThreadHouse

thatwecan’twaittoshare!I’llalsobe

workingmorewiththeQuilter’sGuild

of theBritishIslesandturningmy

attentiontoembroideryprojects.I’m

alsothecurrentcolumnistforToday’s

Quilterwhichgivesmea chanceto

expressmyselfaboutsomethingquilt

relatedat lengthona monthlybasis!

T he quilting communityis sucha generous,caringplace.

thing that givesmehopeforhumanity

DESIGNER PROFILE