Meet the Collider Quilt Testers!
They say it takes a village - and this is so true when it comes to designing and releasing a new quilt pattern in to the world.
I designed this pattern in that space of time between Christmas and New Year and as I reached out to find a few testers at the beginning of 2021 we were entering our third lockdown of the pandemic in the UK. Knowing how unpredictable all our lives were going to be during these crazy times I took on more testers than I would do normally, I didn’t want anyone to feel any pressure if life became too much, so I took more than I needed to cover all bases.
But what happened instead was that EVERYONE completed their quilts, got AMAZING ‘quilts in the wild’ photos and were all incredible humans who really helped hype up the pattern on social media before the release.
I wanted a dedicated a space to share their amazing work and for you to get to know a little bit more about who is behind those quilts.
Lets meet the Collider Quilt testers!
meet Sally,
I'm Sally from @AnsteeMakes. 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!
Fabric used for Sally’s Throw size Collider quilt:
Fabric A: Kaleidoscope Plaid Sunrise by Alison Glass
Fabric B: Kona Grellow
Fabric C: Kona Amber
Fabric D: Kona Ochre
Fabric E: Kaleidoscope Plaid Marmalade by Alison Glass
Background: Kona Natural
Backing: Pacha Rising Sun by Art Gallery Fabrics
Meet Hannah,
My name is Hannah 45. I discovered quilting about 7 years ago but during the last couple of years I have 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 little sewing business I started last year is called Stitch and Run. I make Memory quilts and have started teaching beginners quilting.
I organised a community Stay Home quilt in Lockdown 1.0 which was a great community project where people of all ages contributed. The quilt is now hanging in our community library. This lockdown I started a FB group showing people how to make their own quilt.
Website: www.stitchandrun.com
IG: @stitchnrun
The fabrics used in Hannah’s Collider quilt are;
Ruby Star Society; Speckled - Confetti, Grid- Papaya and Add it up - lavender
Figo Fabrics; Retro Rove - Half-circles yellow
Background- Moda solids - Prussian blue
Meet Cassie,
Cassie is a quilter and pattern designer based in Phoenix, Arizona. When she’s not at her machine she can be found scoping out quilts in the wild photo locations under the guise of “hiking.”
Fabrics used in Cassie’s Collider quilt are:
Art Gallery Fabrics, Kismet range
Fleuron Haven
Busy Bee Karma
Kantha Mica
Cut Flowers Favor
Cloak and Petal
Meet Sonja,
I have a little fabric store in Linz/Austria mainly with organic cotton in various qualities. A couple years ago I started to hand-screenprint and started my own little fabric collection. That’s how quilting came into my life. For me, cutting fabrics and putting them in a different way together is one of the most fascinating things about quilting.
Fabrics that Sonja used in her Collider quilt;
Fabric is all organic cotton: "white" from www.c-pauli.de (the light green was from c-pauli as well, but unfortunately they don't have it at the moment. A good alternative is "glacier" from birchfabrics. "slate" (dark green) from www.birchfabrics.com with my own handprinted design "minidots"
meet Cheyenne,
Hi, I’m Cheyenne! Mom of 2 sweet boys who love to explore the Pacific Northwest of the US with me. I quilt with an array of color palettes but my current favorite is a bright and fun warm color scheme as shown by my version of the collider quilt.
@studiocornerquilts
Fabrics Cheyenne used in her Collider quilt;
Kona bone & ice peach,
Figo elements fire burnt artic brown,
Ruby Star Society speckled copper metallic,
Art Gallery pure solids dusty rose & candied cherry.
MEET CLAIRE,
I am 31 and I live by the sea in Suffolk, UK (although I will soon be relocating to Oxford!). I have been sewing since I was young but only started quilting in 2016. My main sources of inspiration for my quilts are people and nature :)
Fabrics which Claire used in her Collider Quilt;
Kona Solids, the shades were haze, slate, shark, fog, iron and lighthouse.
meet melissa,
Melissa Demand (@houseofvinesstudio and www.houseofvinesstudio.com) has been sewing for over 16 years, with more focus the past 4. She lives in Austin, TX and is a non profit fundraiser during the day. She loves live music and reading.
Fabrics Melissa used in her Collider quilt;
Melissa used all Art Gallery Pure Solids in Miami Sunset, Emerald, Black, Parisian Blue and turmeric.
meet liz,
Beginning her professional career as a graphic designer for fashion magazines in New York City, Liz Colley discovered a love for quilting years later while raising her now 9 year old son. There was nothing that boy loved more than being buried under blankets, and Liz struggled to find the modern style quilts that she envisioned for her home. Being the designer and crafty-lady that she was, she decided to just make her own! Mostly self-taught through blogs, books, and youtube videos, Liz is currently living in Princeton New Jersey with her husband, son, and two pugs. She works for her local quilt store and Bernina dealer, Pennington Quilt Works, as well as teaching virtual quilting classes from her home studio. She loves testing new quilt designs, and as a quilting instructor always appreciates a beautiful and well edited pattern!
Fabrics used in Liz’s Collider quilt;
Sally Kelly for Windham Fabrics - Fantasy Large Flowers in Oyster
Jen Allyson for Riley Blake - Rose Gold Sparkle Dots
Liberty of London - Winterborne Nina Poppy
Free Spirit Solids - Flax color
Meet Anna,
I have been quilting for almost a year now, between my long-time hobby of knitting. When I’m not quilting, I’m riding my horse or spending time with family.
Fabrics Anna used for her Collider quilt;
Moda Grunge Deep Teal
Moda Grunge White Paper (I believe)
Moda Grunge Glitter Grey Couture
MEET michelle
Michelle is an American who has made her home in the UK with her family. She has been making all her life; from the handsewn dolls of her childhood to the enamel jewellery that first brought her to the UK, and on to her recent quilting adventures.
Fabrics Michelle used for her Collider quilt;
Kona solids in Pickle, Storm and White,
Makower Linea in Azalea, Berry and Peacock,
Backing is Dashwood Studios Night Jungle.
Meet Beverly,
Beverly is a good friend of mine as we used to work together as Biomedical Scientists. She is now retired took up sewing five years ago when her daughter wanted a baby bag to put all her new baby stuff in. Naively, Beverly thought she could make one cheaper than those available from shops. This led to lessons in Worcester and a sewing bee in Alcester. Now she has gained lots of friends, a bit more experience and a fabric stash that doesn't seem to decreasing in lockdown despite lots of projects finished.
Fabric Beverly used in her Collider quilt;
Kona Robin egg and Kona Riviera from Cotton & Stitch.
Meet Janey,
Janey left a career in F1 to set up The Tartan Reel, on the Northants/Bucks border. She loves Kona and starts more projects than she finishes!
Fabrics Janey used in her Collider Quilt;
Kona was Wine and Sage
Freespirit fabrics, Vintage, Stapleton Park
Meet Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn is a Canadian quilter living in New Jersey. As someone from a family of quilters, she believes that every quilt is part of your legacy and is an important piece in your story. With a degree in earth science (dubbed a "rock nerd" by her dad), she finds inspiration in nature, and loves to hike and explore with her husband, son, and poodle, and misses travelling terribly.
Fabrics Kitlyn used for her Collider quilt;
A - + Your Heart Timid from Wonderland by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics
B - Firefly Sigh Mint from Hello Bear by Bonnie Christine for Art Gallery Fabrics
C - Trouvaille Routes Ocean from Indie Boheme by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics
D - Twinklestar Blue from Garden Dreamer by Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics
E - Speckled in Metallic Soft Blue by Rashida Coleman Hale for Ruby Star Society
Background - AGF Pure Solids in Snow
Backing - Peppered Cotton in Fog by Pepper Cory
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 Co to sell her quilts when she realized she was making more than she could keep for herself.
Meet Sarah,
Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sarah is relatively new to the quilting world, having started in 2020! She primarily works in embroidery and loves to experiment with different types of art!
Fabrics used in Sarah’s Collider quilt were all Kona Solids and a fabric called Hearts and Kisses Fabric in Pink.
