Meet the Star Link Quilt Pattern Testers!
This is by far one of my favourite parts of writing quilt patterns. Right at the point where you’re tired and worn out and wondering if it is all worth it, I gather all my testers feedback and photos and read through their amazing comments and see all their quilts in one place and it is like that final wave pushing me through to the finish. It is the best feeling and I would be lost without their support as well as their amazing quilts!
So here they all are, scroll through and take inspiration. Each one is so different but equally as beautiful, showcasing the Star Link Quilt pattern perfectly!
Meet Kathleen:
Hi, I’m Kathleen and I’m a quilter, quilting teacher and quilt pattern designer from Leicestershire. I’m also a mum to two little girls, wife to a physics teacher and significant human to our cat Honey. We live in the countryside in the middle of England, not far from where I grew up.
I've been making quilts for 11 years, teaching for five and designing my own quilt patterns since last year. I help to run the Great British Quilter Facebook community of over 1,000 people who are passionate about British quilting. I'm also a brand rep for online retailer Sew Hot.
My Star Link wall-hanging is made with Kona Solids in Butterscotch, Khaki, Olive, Dusty Peach and White and an ancient print from my stash for binding!
Website: www.cowdenquiltschool.com
Meet Hannah:
My name is Hannah 46. I discovered quilting about 8 years ago, but the last couple of years have seen me become totally addicted and rarely a day goes by that I don’t sew. I Love traditional blocks with a fresh modern twist.
I live in Sheffield on the edge of the beautiful Peak district with my 3 children and border terrier. My husband serves in the Army so we often spend long periods of time apart, which is tough, but also means I have more time for sewing!
I love running hence the name of my little business ‘Stitch and Run’. I make Memory quilts and have started teaching beginners quilting. Next month I am holding workshops on how to make heirloom festive stockings, so I am very much in the festive mood as I am working with lots of gorgeous Christmas fabrics.
This year I am honoured to be a brand rep for Sew Hot and I am looking forward to making lots of patchwork and quilting projects for them over the next 12 months
Website www.stitchandrun.com
IG: @stitchnrun
Fabrics used: Kona Essex yarn dyed Linen- Indigo, Kona Solid - Dresden Blue, Kona Solid - Lagoon, Kona Solid - Dusty Blue, Kona Solid - Regatta
Meet Anna:
I’m Anna, a contemporary quilter and fabric shop owner. I made my first quilt in my teens and started quilting full time in January of this year. I feel passionately in the power of quilting to improve wellbeing though mindfulness and community and believe that everyone can be a quilter. One of my favourite things to do is pattern test for designers; I love making connections with other quilters and enjoying the incredible range of creativity in the different interpretations. I’ve loved making the Starlink Quilt, it’s a very satisfying make and constructed so cleverly constructed! I love the hidden stars that pop out depending on what you focus on. It’s just my style, combining classic blocks with a modern twist! I have kits for my version and for Claire’s beautiful cover version in my shop The Hackney Quilter.
MEET SALLY,
I'm Sally from @jurassiccoastquilts. I live in Dorset near the Jurassic Coast in the UK with my family. I've been making quilts for nearly 4 years now but have sewn on and off from when I was a teenager. In the last year I started testing patterns for other pattern designers and recently started to write my own after taking a pattern writing course with @alderwoodstudio which was amazing! I love learning new techniques and have been trying to master curves in the last six months. I enjoy sewing with woven fabrics like the Alison Glass Kaleidoscope fabric I've used in this quilt as I find they add a nice texture and depth to a quilt. I tend to lean towards warm and sunny colours and I'm inspired by the colours found both in my garden and on the coastline near where we live. I loved making my Collider quilt. It was my first time sewing half rectangle triangles and they were so much easier than I anticipated with such clear instructions. I urge anyone looking for a new challenge and wanting to learn new techniques to give this a go!
meet tara:
Hi everyone! My name is Tara, I am 27 years old, and I am a middle school math teacher in the city of Chicago. I have grown up being an arts and crafts lover, but never ventured into sewing until a few summers back. I took a learn to sew class at a local studio and bought myself a little machine. Once in lockdown with a bit more time on my hands and looking for a new project to teach myself, I discovered modern quilts on Instagram. My grandmother has been a quilter all my life, but what I found was not like my grandmother’s quilts. After reading some blogs and watching some YouTube, I finished my first quilt and I was sold!
As I am developing my quilting style, I am finding that I am definitely drawn to more geometric patterns, bright colors and just quilts that give off happy vibes!
You can follow Tara here: @thewindycityquilter
MEET ALICIA,
Hi I’m Alicia from Southern Utah, USA. I have been quilting for 10 years and love it! I have an online fabric shop Modern Vintage Handmade that I started in January. I love working with pattern designers and testing patterns! I love seeing the many quilt variations a pattern can produce!
Meet Laura:
Hi, I'm Laura and I live in London with my family. I started quilting a few months ago, although I have been sewing all my life. I grew up with a collection of quilts that was passed down in my family, at least as far back as my great grandmother. Now I want to make all the quilts, to carry on the tradition!
Fabrics used: Kona Foxglove, Caramel, Lingerie, and Bright Pink
Meet Sara:
Hi I am Sara! I am a modern quilter based in Appleton, Wisconsin. I received my first machine shortly after my first daughter was born, and I have been hooked ever since! My most favorite part of the quilting process is playing with all the beautiful fabric! Besides quilting, I enjoy spending time with my family in the great outdoors.
Meet Annie:
Hi all! I’m Annie. I live with my husband and two daughters near Montreal, Canada. I learned to sew watching my mom when I was just a kid. I discovered quilting during the pandemic as a newbee on Instagram. I made my first quilt last fall in a QAL and I was hooked! It is very relaxing and gratifying.
meet coral:
I’m Coral, a quilter and general all around fabric lover from South Wales, UK. I studied Textiles at university but my love for all things creative began many years before that, I remember sewing with my Grandma from around the age of six.
I am very grateful to have grown up on the coast and find that the beautiful Gower and Pembrokeshire coastlines are an influence often explored in my creative process. My take on the Star Link Quilt draws colour inspiration from a photograph taken on one of our many ‘lockdown walks’ in April 2020 through the dunes close to our home.
Fabric Used: Moda Bella Solids in Feather, Tan, Summer Sky, Pastel Blue, French Blue
Meet Breanna:
Breanna lives in Ontario, Canada and has been quilting since she was ten. She spends most of her free time with her sewing machine or a good book. She started Rose & Ivy Quilts to sell her quilts when she realized she was making more than she could keep for herself.
Meet Stacey:
I love most crafts but have been sewing for 4 years now. I also like creating my own sewing patterns which I sell on etsy or share as tutorials on my blog.
Meet tina:
I'm Tina, a German quilter and I started pattern testing in the summer of 2020. I'm also currently working on my first own quilt pattern.
For my version I used Alison Glass sun print 2018 diatom in peach, seaside, hydrangea and iris and for the background Moda Bella Solids in steel.
Meet Jessica:
The fabrics Jessica used were: Kona gold, slate, ivy, spice and natural. Jessica used the ‘Walk 2’ book for machine quilting using the Sashimi Cubes.
IG: @dedhamquiltco
Meet Rebecca:
I'm originally from the West coast County Kerry in Ireland, but I live in Wicklow now with my partner, two children, dog, cat and 5 hens. I started sewing in 2018 and the love for patchwork and quilting has grown since then. In 2019 I was diagnosed with breast cancer so I bought a bigger sewing machine, it is a second hand Janome Horizon but it is the best and it has helped me so much in the past 2 years. Passing time sewing after treatment has helped my body and mind recover. Making quilts allows me to set and achieve a goal during what was a very uncertain time in my life. Now I can say I am cancer free and absolutely hooked on tread, fabric, patterns and trying to make beautiful quilts. I still have so much to learn but I'm looking forward to having more energy to do so.
Meet Jenny:
Hi, I’m Jenny. A mom to 3 wonderfully wild boys aged 5 and under, married to my best friend, nurse by day, and maker during nap-time and after bedtime. I love this community and how satisfying quilting is for my left and right brains at the same time.
IG: @boymom_creative
Meet Michelle:
I'm a single mom to two amazing children. I live on the Canadian prairies and quilting is my therapy. I have enjoyed expanding my skills in the last few years and am always looking forward to the next new challenge.
Meet Victoria:
I am a stay at home mom of 4 little cuties. I've been quilting for 20+ years and releasing my first pattern next month.
Meet Paige:
Paige is from Little Rock, AR and has been quilting for 4 years. Paige also loves to read, travel with her husband, and spend time with her dogs.
Follow Paige here: @paigekibbey
Meet Jenny:
Jenny is a fabric addict and quilter based in North Cumbria in the UK. You can find Jenny on instagram under @patchworkmummy.
Website: www.etsy.com/shop/sewsmilefabrics/