Quilted by Design: Wendy Sheppard

 

 

Your latest book, Scrap Quilting with Wendy Sheppard, is out! What do you love most about working with scraps, and do you have a favorite tip for quilters who want to start scrap quilting?

My favorite tip is that there is NO ugly fabric. I prefer to not having all the colors matching just so for scrap quilting. I think sometimes the off-the-wall color choices give visual interest to the overall look of a scrappy quilt.

 

Several of your beautiful quilt designs are available in our shop as kits right now - when you create a pattern, do you start with the fabric collection in mind, or does the design come first?

It's hard to say. Sometimes it's the fabrics, but sometimes it's a concept I have had brewing in my head for a while. In either case, I always try to highlight how the fabrics compliment the designs.

 

Many quilters love that your designs balance classic beauty with a fresh, modern feel. How would you describe your design style in just a few words?

I am so glad to hear! The positive feedback always makes me feel happy! I would say my style is definitely traditional with a twist.

 

Where do you find your best bursts of inspiration—are you someone who sketches at the kitchen table, or does it strike when you're surrounded by fabric?

My designs are inspired by antique quilts, as well as observations from everyday life. I don't ever sketch things out. The concepts tend to whirl in my head until it's time for them to be transferred from head to my computer screen. :)

 

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with quilters who want to grow their skills and try more challenging projects?

Pick a design you like when you make a quilt, and not let the suggested skill level deter you. I didn't quite like the beginner's project my quilting teacher was teaching. So instead I browsed through many quilt books until I found a design I liked. The quilt project was beyond my skill level, but I got to make a quilt I liked. I think because of that, I didn't stop at just making one quilt. To date, I have made hundreds of quilts.