Louisa Goult talks to quilter and textile artist Abigail Booth, half of the crafts partnership Forest + Found.
How and when did you get into quilting?
I started quilting about two years ago. Even though I had studied colour and sculptural art at college, I hadn’t really touched on textiles as such. When Max and I booked our first craft fair, I decided I needed to make a quilt to sell, even though I had never made one before and really had no idea about piecing or quilt construction. This first effort was somewhat bodged, there were no matching points, and certainly none of the accuracy that many quilters aspire to. My mum ended up buying it to keep it in the family – it still hangs on their wall at home. When Max bought me a book on American Patchwork, I did learn to piece and quilt accurately, but this didn’t interest me for long. I kept going back to the freedom of that first quilt, of not having a pre-set idea of the finished item. I feel this original naivety of knowledge that made me just get stuck in and have a go is what guides my work today, I have now regressed to that improvisational style and find the best results are when mistakes happen, or when materials react in an unexpected or strange way.
Where do you work from?
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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.
Block Of The Month - Point Squares
Block Of The Month - Point Squares
Novel Stitching
This spring, Jane Austen’s House Museum will unveil a very special quilt to commemorate Jane Austin’s life at Chawton in an exhibition entitled: Piecing Together Jane Austen. Elizabeth Betts describes a year in the making.
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.
“I hate it, but it's over fast.”
In the morning, I take five Duolingo lessons. I do three French lessons, one Portuguese lesson, and, of late, a Japanese lesson.
Mind Over Matter
In an era of body positivity, some companies are selling mindfulness as a way to lose weight. The approach is not as healthy as it seems.
Parks and Recreation
With its new Public Lands stores, Dick’s Sporting Goods is venturing further into the values driven terrain that has defined its past few years.
High-speed 5G drives new opportunities for small businesses
AS THE 5G ROLLOUT CONTINUES, IT OFFERS SMALL AND MIDSIZE BUSINESSES A FAST, SIMPLE, AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL BROADBAND
Space Jam
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps is training to fly into the unknown. She shares how she prepares mentally and physically while still managing to stay grounded.
Intelligently electrifying the planet
NUVVE TRANSFORMS ELECTRIC VEHICLES INTO ENERGY-EARNING ASSETS
SLY GERALDO OUTFOXING FOX
Positions himself to plant his flag at rival network
Giving new life to old roofing shingles
GAF IS BLAZING A PATH TOWARD MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION
Horizon Lines
How Safdie Architects created a daring new skyscraper that reaches both up—and across—the skyline
Before & After
Productivity means something different now. Let's embrace that.