Popular Patchwork - December 2016

Wedding Quilts

Diana Woolf takes a fascinating look at the history of quilt making and the designs traditionally associated with weddings.

Handy Hints For Project Success

If you are new to Popular Patchwork or sewing in general, following a pattern can be confusing. We want you to enjoy making the projects in the magazine, so to help you here are some questions we regularly get asked.

Patchwork Of My Life Ruth Singer

Ruth Singer left a much-loved job in museum curating to follow her heart and has since become known for her amazing talents in stitching and fabric manipulation. Her recent projects have ranged from being an artist in residence and honorary fellow at Leicester University Department of Genetics to extending her Criminal Quilts project, which was originally commissioned for the Shire Hall Gallery in Staffordshire. Here we find out more about this versatile and scholarly artist.

Ruaab - A Producer Company Of Women

How a group of women in India have taken their hand sewing skills into the international marketplace.

Abigail Booth of Forest + Found

Louisa Goult talks to quilter and textile artist Abigail Booth, half of the crafts partnership Forest + Found.

Down By The Riverside Competition

Back in May we launched a group design competition, in partnership with Lewis and Irene. Each group who entered was given a 10m length of the stunning ‘Down by the Riverside’ border print and the brief was to design a quilt to incorporate it. The entries were a varied and gorgeous mix of designs and choosing the winning quilts was a challenge. However, judging by the overwhelming response from visitors to the Popular Patchwork stand at The Festival of Quilts, we are confident in our final choice. Here we talk to the finalists about their experience of working as a group for this design challenge.

Stuart's Surgery

Each month Stuart Hillard answers your quilty questions!

Q&A Amy Butler

Amy Butler is known the world over for her stunning designs that include fabrics and textiles, sewing patterns, rugs, wallpaper, and fashion. She’s also the author of many best-selling craft books including her most recent, Piece Keeping. Here she tells us how she maintains her work-life balance as she launches her new Soul Mate fabric collection.

Orange Peel

This striking modern quilt repackages a very traditional block.

Swatch This Space

This month’s issue is all about muted shades accentuated with sharp, clean bursts of colour. The first two collections from Robert Kaufman and Birch Fabrics give us grown-up, minimalist style in the shape of Arroyo with its subtle markings, and Western Birds that depicts our feathered friends in a modernist style. Bag lovers will be delighted to hear that there’s a free download of the Trail Tote bag using the Arroyo fabric to be found at: robertkaufman.com/quilting/quilts_patterns/trail_tote_2073/ To Market, To Market by Emily Isabella for Cloud 9 injects colour and life with its depictions of market traders and their goods in delicate brush strokes whilst Artichoke Garden captures the gastronomic delights of Corinne Haig’s California upbringing.