WHY ENTERING YOUR QUILT MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK. Every second year, as the South African National Quilt Festival approaches, I start hearing the same quiet concerns from students and fellow quilters: ‘My quilt isn’t good enough.’ ‘I can’t compete against master quilters.’‘ The judges terrify me.’ Every year, I want to gently shake you and say: you’re missing the point of quilt competitions entirely! I am not only talking about the South African quilters! Many of you are f

It’s happened again! December has once again sneaked up on me! However, I must admit, it feels like a gentle exhale after a long, busy year. It’s the one time when I deliberately slow down and make space for all the things that simply don’t fit into the rest of the year. I walk more — longer walks, unhurried ones — because the weather is glorious. I get up earlier too when the world feels fresh and quiet, before the heat and the noise arrive. Those early mornings are a gift.

Hi everyone! Just lately I’ve been exploring a few ideas that have been sitting quietly in the back of my mind — and one of them has taken me down the most unexpected path. Paper. Not the kind I write class notes on but paper as a material. I’ve started looking at it differently and it has completely shifted the way I think about what “textile” really means. So today, I’d like to share a few thoughts on this idea of paper as textile  — because once you see it that way, you ca

It’s that time of the year again — when pumpkins grin, ghosts float about and spiders suddenly become fashionable! Whether you’re planning to dress up or simply enjoy the spooky atmosphere, why not bring a touch of Halloween into your quilting? I’ve got a few fun ideas to help you add some playful “scary” touches to your stitching. A Spider Web Corner Filler When I’m doing graffiti quilting, I often get stuck for ideas to fill awkward corners. That’s when a spider web comes t

When most people in my community hear the words free-motion machine embroidery , they immediately picture it on a quilt top—swirling...

As quilters, we often think of fabric as a source of comfort—soft, colourful and deeply tied to tradition. Fabric can also be a powerful...

There’s something deeply magical about capturing the spirit of a wild creature with fabric and thread—especially when it’s one of our...

WORKING WITH COLOUR: WHAT WE FEEL…WHAT WE CREATE  As quilters and textile artists, we often talk about fabric, thread, texture and...