Glorious Autumn Block Party – The Patchsmith

Hi everyone! Welcome to Day 15 of our Glorious Autumn Block Party. Amanda Weatherill from The Patchsmith is today’s featured designer.

Visit the Block Party Headquarters for more info and upload your completed blocks to the Flickr group.

Featured Designer: Amanda Weatherill

How did you get into quilting?

I stumbled into quilting when I found a used pattern and decided to give it a go. My first quilt was a stars and moon wall quilt. I didn’t know anything about fabric or cotton or quilting so it was made from old clothes and backed with an old sheet. My sister loved that little wall quilt so I gave it to her to hang in her bedroom.

How/when/why did you transition from a quilter to a designer?

I made the transition from quilter to designer because I like to bring nature into my home in small ways and I had trouble finding items which enabled me to do this. So I designed my first autumn wall quilt entitled ‘Oak Leaves’.

I like designing because I prefer small wall quilts and household items; I find a lot of patterns are just too big. I like to mark the difference in the seasons by changing the runner on my coffee table, the mug rugs on my work table, the table topper and the small quilt hanging in my hall (which I lovingly refer to as a quiltie). In addition, festive occasions are marked with home-made quilted banners, bunting and napkins.

Which quilt is your favourite? Did you design it? Why is it your favourite?

Everything I make is a favourite item as I make things which I like to look at daily. If I don’t love it then it doesn’t get made. I like my pieces to be functional and decorative. If I had to choose just one thing as a favourite then it would have to be my signature quilt, the Bee Hive wall quilt.

How many UFOs do you currently have? I have one UFO outstanding – an American civil war style wall quilt. It is unfinished because I have become side-tracked with a recent sew-along and designing patterns.

What size of quilt do you prefer to make/design? I prefer to make small items – items that add a home-made touch. I also like to give small items as gifts, that way I feel I am less inclined to impose my style and tastes on another.

What colour do you use most often in your quilts? Nearly everything I make will have red in it somewhere – often red check. For me it signifies ‘simplicity’, ‘modern country’ and ‘home-made’ – all of which embody my ethos and style.

Favourite one-sentence tip for a new quilter: Don’t worry about matching seams – crooked points and mismatched seams have a charm all of their own.

Favourite quote or mantra: “If it’s not working then stop doing it.” (Dr. Phil McGraw)

Block Party #15 – Spinning Pumpkin

Here’s Amanda’s block, Spinning Pumpkin. Head over to her blog to download the tutorial. Amanda’s also included instructions for turning her block into a table runner.

Download the block here!

Designer Give-Away

In celebration of the Glorious Autumn Block Party the Patchsmith is giving away one free pattern to accompany every 25th pattern purchased from the Patchsmith’s pattern shop up until midnight (GMT) on 14th March 2012.

Also there will be a competition on on the blog to win a goodie pack of autumnal fat quarters, autumn notions and a spider mug rug, made by The Patchsmith herself.

Be sure to check out the earlier 14 free blocks in our Glorious Autumn Block Party.