Anniversary Giveaway!

Giveaway Reminder!
In less than a week the #QuitlInkChallengeFeb24 will finish and you can be the winner of one copy of the International Alphabet Foundation Paper Piecing pattern, designed by me at Amarar Studio (aka me!) I am giving away 3 of them for the 3rth #quilt_ink anniversary.
 
If you haven’t participated yet, here is a reminder of the rules, and hurry up! The more mock-ups you create, the higher your chances of winning! Start coloring now!
 
How to participate
 
1. Access to www.quiltink.com, sign in or create your free account.
2. Choose a pattern from the main page.
3. Color the pattern using the challenge palette, first in Solids palettes list.
4. Share your mock-up on our #quiltinkwall.
 
Boost your chances of winning by sharing your mock-ups on Instagram! Create a post or share in your stories, mentioning @quilt_ink and tagging #QuiltInkChallengeFeb24. Each post/story counts as 2 entries in the giveaway.
 
Prize: 3 winners will receive one copy of the International Alphabet Foundation Paper Piecing pattern, designed by me at Amarar Studio.
 
Selection: On March 1st, we will pick a mock-up randomly chosen between all the mock-ups in the Wall made with the QuiltInk Challenge Feb24 palette (the ones with the gift icon).

Designer Spotlight – Sarah Harris

In celebration of QuiltInk’s third anniversary, I’m delighted to introduce Sarah Harris, a exceptionally creative quilter proficient in various quilting techniques and quilt pattern designer on QuiltInk, with an exquisite taste for color combinations.

Sarah’s been a close friend since my pattern designing journey started. From the very beginning of QuiltInk, she’s been a steadfast supporter, always ready to lend an attentive ear to my ideas and offering her comforting presence during both the highs and lows. I affectionately call her the godmother of QuiltInk, and what better moment to shine a spotlight on her remarkable talents than during our 3rd-anniversary celebration!

Let’s meet Sarah Harris!!

Personal Background

Sarah, as we dive into your story, could you provide a snapshot of who you are and take us on the journey that led you to where you are today?

Hi, Sarah here from Acorn Corner Quilts. I come from a long line of quilters, sewists, carpenters, and other creatives. I have a degree in Fine Art, which has led me to incorporate many types of art into my sewing, quilting, and pattern design ideas. I live and work in Colorado with my two kids and dog, after returning from 20+ years in Ireland. I also have a day job as an elementary teacher, and occasionally teach Aqua fitness classes. 

 

Quilting Journey

When and how did you start quilting? What drew you to quilting as a form of expression?

My mum taught me to sew very young, but I didn’t sew and quilt consistently until I was in my late twenties. My first personal sewing machine when I moved to Ireland was from a lady who used to live down the coast who made costumes. Every time I would start to sew, glitter would start flying out of it (no matter how much I cleaned it). It was a very bright start to lots of sewing (and many machines). I love the way sewing and quilting can take you out of yourself, while also creating a harmony between your mind and body. Creating new ideas, and working with my hands has created balance in my life, and was thankfully modelled for me by my family.

 

Pattern Designing

What inspired you to start designing quilt patterns? How do you approach the creative process of designing a new pattern?

Most of my designs come from doodles or quick sketches. I draw everywhere, so often architecture or nature has a huge impact of my designs. Next, I sew up an example and then set to making a pattern. My favourite patterns usually involve curves, but I also love FPP and tiny piecing too.

 

Style and Aesthetics

How would you define your pattern style? Are there specific themes or elements that consistently appear in your designs?

I love crisp modern design and precision piecing when I make patterns. I tend to go on Improv piecing binges between patterns for a palette cleanser. The sea is a big theme for me. I lived by the sea for so many years and keep going back to it as a source of inspiration. It is all about ebb and flow. 

 

Color

How does color play a role in your pattern designing? Do you have a favorite color? Are there certain color combinations you find particularly appealing?

Colour can make or break a pattern for me, which is one of the reasons I love QuiltInk. Being able to see something quickly in many different colour ways is incredibly satisfying. I try to break out of my comfort colours, but greens, blues, greys, and black are what I tend to turn to. I am an introvert by nature and I tend to go for subtle combos, but sometimes I try new combos and love them. 

 

Business Activities

Apart from designing patterns, what other activities are integral to your quilting business?

(Membership, notions, courses, etc)

This is my second year as an Aurifil Artisan which has been so motivating and uplifting. Aurifil’s creative monthly challenges have helped me to push my creativity and be continuously inspired by fellow creatives. 

 

Online Presence

Where can people find your work online? (Website, social media handles, online marketplaces). How do you use online platforms to connect with your audience and fellow quilters?

You can find me on IG @acorncornerquilts and on fb at SewSarah. My website (and Etsy link) are www.acorncornerquilts.com

 

Upcoming Projects

Can you provide a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or designs you’re working on? Any exciting collaborations or events?

I have recently been showing my work at several galleries and have a few more events coming up. I will also have a few pieces in the upcoming Incognito show/project in Dublin. As for quilt patterns, I am finishing up a pattern with easy Y-seams which was created for a recent fabric collection. 

QuiltInk Challenge Feb24

Following the success of the January QuiltInk Challenge with 140 incredible mock-ups, we’re thrilled to kick off a new challenge for February! 🎉 But before we dive in, let’s give a big congratulations to PaulaB for winning a yearly supporter plan with 3 private patterns!
For the February Challenge, in celebration of QuiltInk’s 3rd Anniversary, we’re diving into the vibrant colors of the QuiltInk logo! 🎨 Our palette features the rainbow spectrum, a deep brown, and crisp white. I’ve chosen the Moda Fabrics’ Bella Solids collection for this colorful journey. Want to win a copy of the International Modern FPP Alphabet? Simply start coloring with our chosen palette and share your masterpiece in our QuiltInk Wall!
Bella Sodis from Moda Fabrics

Bella Solids—a premium 100% cotton fabric collection by Moda Fabrics, boasts an impressive palette of 324 colors. The extensive range provides multiple shades for each color, offering endless possibilities for finding the perfect combinations.

 

For our February palette, I’ve chosen Bella Solids for its vibrant hues and versatility. The broad spectrum of colors enabled me to select the most similar shades to the QuiltInk logo, ensuring a bright and harmonious celebration of our 3rd anniversary! 

Modern International Alphabet – FPP Pattern

For this special February Challenge, the prize is tripled in celebration of QuiltInk’s 3rd anniversary! I’m excited to give away 3 copies of the Modern International Alphabet Foundation Paper Piecing pattern, designed by me at Amarar Studio—my dedicated space for designing Quilt Patterns.

This versatile pattern features 63 different characters, each 3.5″ high, with a formula to scale them, allowing you to customize any quilting project. Whether you’re a seasoned foundation paper piecing enthusiast or new to the technique, this pattern is perfect for all levels. It includes a detailed tutorial, guiding you from easy letters to the most challenging ones.

How to participate
 
1. Access to www.quiltink.com, sign in or create your free account.
2. Choose a pattern from the main page.
3. Color the pattern using the challenge palette, it’s the first palette in solid palettes list.
4. Share your mock-up on our #quiltinkwall.
 
Boost your chances of winning by sharing your mock-ups on Instagram! Create a post or share in your stories, mentioning @quilt_ink and tagging #QuiltInkChallengeFeb24. Each post/story counts as 2 entries in the giveaway.
 
Prize: 3 lucky winners will receives a copy of the Modern International Alphabet – Foundation Paper Piecing Pattern by Amarar Studio.
 
Selection: On March 1st, we will pick 3 mock-ups randomly chosen between all the mockups in the Wall made with the QuiltInk Challenge Feb24 palette (the ones with the gift icon).
 
The more mock-ups you create, the higher your chances of winning! Start coloring now!
 
This giveaway is open internationally. You must be at least 18 years old. This giveaway is not sponsored by Instagram. Participants release Instagram of any responsibility and agree to IG terms of use.

Here are some examples of quilts hosted by QuiltInk and colored-in with the QuiltInkChallenge Feb 24 palette.

If you are wondering where you can find the QuiltInkChallenge palette, check the following video!

And here you can check the Jan24 Challenge fabrics, selected by Helen from Art Gallery Farbics, Paintbrush Studios and Cotton+Steel.

We can’t wait to see all your mock-ups! 

Happy coloring and quilting to you all!

QuiltInk Challenge Jan24 winner

The January QuiltInk Challenge it’s been a great success with 140 incredible mock-ups. We can only say thank you to all the participants, we really hope you enjoyed coloring with the palette and admiring all the mock-ups in the Wall.
 
And we have a winner! PaulaB will receive an annual Supporter plan with 3 private patterns.
Congratulations Paula, we will contact with you by email, if you don’t get our email, please contact with us!

Tomorrow we will announce the next QuiltInk Challenge Feb24. It comes with a palette full of color. Will you miss it? Stay tuned tomorrow morning!! 

New Palette: Verdigris

The Verdigris Fabric Collection by Lis Elliott for Andover Fabrics is landing in shops! Graffiti and spray paint polka dots mixed with calligraphy, florals and geometrics inspired designs, with names after different spots Libs have lived in. You can’t miss it!
 
Now, you can plan your quilts with this amazing collection on QuiltInk and go to the shops to buy the fabrics to sew your #quilt.
 
To color with these fabrics on QuiltInk, click the icon palette in the coloring pages, choose the tap “Shop/Designer Palettes'”, and below Libs Elliott name you will find the Verdigris Fabrics.
 
We can’t wait to see all your #quiltinkmockups!!

QuiltInk Tip #1: Install QuiltInk as an app

Introducing #QuiltInkTip! 🎥✨ You will learn all the #quilt_ink features to enhance your QuiltInk color experience to the fullest!
The first Tip: How to Install QuiltInk as an app in less than 30 seconds! 🚀   
Enjoy more screen space and keep your login active even when you close the app.
Questions or concerns? Drop them in the comments—I love chatting with you! 💬👇
If you want to receive all this fun and useful info directly in your inbox, subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter!

Designer Spotlight – Libs Elliott

Discover the creative force behind QuiltInk’s mesmerizing patterns. In our inaugural Designer Spotlight, we sit down with the talented Elizabeth Elliot. Join us as we delve into her inspirations, artistic journey, and the stories woven into her stunning quilt designs. Get ready to be inspired by the artistry that shapes the QuiltInk experience!

 

Let’s meet Libs Elliott!!

Personal Background

Libs, as we dive into your story, could you provide a snapshot of who you are and take us on the journey that led you to where you are today?

I’m Elizabeth Elliott. Most people know me as ‘Libs’. I’m Canadian and I live in Toronto, Canada with my husband, two kids, dog and cat. I grew up in a small town but always knew I wanted to be in the city and Toronto is the biggest one in Canada so I’ve been here for almost 30 years.

 

Quilting Journey

When and how did you start quilting? What drew you to quilting as a form of expression?

My father was an antique dealer and we had a shop attached to our home. He bought antique quilts for collectors and clients and we had many around our house both as decoration and to keep us warm. I was always drawn to antique textiles as a child. I studied weaving and natural dying in college and, eventually, took up quilting classes starting in 2009. I love the visual impact quilts can make and I’m drawn to their duality between decoration and function. 

 

Pattern Designing

What inspired you to start designing quilt patterns? How do you approach the creative process of designing a new pattern?

In the beginning, I was making a lot of unique commissioned quilts for art and design shows. In 2015, another quilter told me that I should publish a pattern for other quilters. It wasn’t something I’d considered or knew much about. But I took a leap and put The Rebel Quilt out into the world. It was great to see other people making my pattern. Initially, I was using a programming language to randomly sketch unique designs and, from there, I’d make them into quilts or patterns. Now, for most of my patterns, I take basic shapes or traditional blocks and modernize them by playing with negative space, changing scale, repetition and colour palette.

 

Style and Aesthetics

How would you define your pattern style? Are there specific themes or elements that consistently appear in your designs?

I’m not sure how I’d define my style but overall, it’s definitely a modern aesthetic. I use a lot of half-square triangles, quarter curves or stripes in my designs. I like to build on elements in patterns, like using 8″ orange peels in more than one design. That way, if a quilter makes more than one of my quilts, they can transfer the learned skill from one pattern to the next.

 

Color

How does color play a role in your pattern designing? Do you have a favorite color? Are there certain color combinations you find particularly appealing?

In addition to designing quilt patterns, I also design fabric collections for Andover Fabrics. I release 4-5 collections a year. Sometimes a quilt design is inspired by a fabric collection and other times, it’s a palette of colours that I’ve used in a quilt mock-up that will drive my fabric design. I work with a whole bright rainbow spectrum of colour and I love to mix that with black and white or neutrals. I don’t have one favourite colour.

 

Business Activities

Apart from designing patterns, what other activities are integral to your quilting business?

(Membership, notions, courses, etc)

Fabric design, teaching online and in-person, running an online membership community of quilters, being an affiliate for several product companies.

 

Online Presence

Where can people find your work online? (Website, social media handles, online marketplaces). How do you use online platforms to connect with your audience and fellow quilters?

You can find my website at: www.libselliott.com

You can join my online community – the Sew Squad – at: sewsquad.libselliott.com In this membership-based community, I host monthly workshops with special guest instructors, lectures, virtual sewing retreats, and share free quilt patterns. We do monthly virtual sewcials to get to know one another and we’ve got members from all over the world which is pretty fantastic!

 

Upcoming Projects

Can you provide a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or designs you’re working on? Any exciting collaborations or events?

I’ve just finished two more fabric collections which you’ll all get to see in March. You’ll be able to play with them here on QuiltInk before they land in stores!

I’m hosting a sew-along for the Electric Pineapple Quilt which starts Jan. 22nd and runs until April 15th. You can get details at www.libselliott.com

In the Sew Squad – on January 24th, we have a workshop ‘Making Space for Creativity’ with Kim Soper and on February 7th, we have a Dresden Plate workshop with Johanna Masko (All our Squad workshops are live on Zoom and then recorded and available to members for 30 days.)

QuiltInk Challenge Jan24

First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to all the users who participated in the Dec23 Challenge. The response was fantastic, with 48 incredible mock-ups. It was truly enjoyable experiencing the creativity together, and we sincerely hope you had as much fun as we did.
 
The coloring fun doesn’t stop with the new year—exciting challenges await in 2024!
For the January Challenge, we’ve teamed up with one of the Fabric Shops in QuiltInk, and Helen from Floyd the Fox has curated a palette named ‘Wintery Meadow,’ featuring a delightful blend of solids and printed fabrics.
Helen shared her inspiration behind the Wintery Meadow palette with us, saying,
“The sun is setting early so we use the crisp afternoon air for a walk and some daylight in these cold months. 
She paints light pinks and warm oranges into the icy meadow, the tall feathery grass glowing like torches. “

Helen, is the heart and soul behind this virtual quilt shop, settled in Stuttgart, Germany. She is a devoted sewing addict who transforms her late-night inspirations into delightful projects.

During her pregnancy with her third daughter, Helen sewed her way through every dress, romper, and bloomer imaginable, leaving no stitch unturned. The baby quilt became a masterpiece, and from that moment, her sewing journey soared.

Visit Helen’s virtual quilt shop to explore her handpicked fabrics and be immersed in a world where sewing dreams come to life. Feel free to seek inspiration or assistance anytime you step into this cozy haven of fabric wonders.

Floyd the Fox website
How to participate
 
1. Access to www.quiltink.com, sign in or create your free account.
2. Choose a pattern from the main page.
3. Color the pattern using the challenge palette.
4. Share your mock-up on our #quiltinkwall.
 
Boost your chances of winning by sharing your mock-ups on Instagram! Create a post or share in your stories, mentioning @quilt_ink and tagging #QuiltInkChallengeJan24. Each post/story counts as 2 entries in the giveaway.
 
Prize: The lucky winner receives a Supporter Plan with 3 private patterns. This means you can upload unlimited printed fabrics to your custom palettes and add 3 private patterns to our platform.
 
Selection: On February 1st, we will pick a mock-up randomly chosen between all the mockups in the Wall made with the QuiltInk Challenge Jan24 palette (the ones with the gift icon).
 
The more mock-ups you create, the higher your chances of winning! Start coloring now!
 
This giveaway is open internationally. You must be at least 18 years old. This giveaway is not sponsored by Instagram. Participants release Instagram of any responsibility and agree to IG terms of use.

Here are some examples of quilts hosted by QuiltInk and colored-in with the QuiltInkChallenge Jan 24 palette.

If you are wondering where you can find the QuiltInkChallenge palette, check the following video!

And here you can check the Jan24 Challenge fabrics, selected by Helen from Art Gallery Farbics, Paintbrush Studios and Cotton+Steel.

We can’t wait to see all your mock-ups! 

Happy new year full of color and quilting projects to you all!

New Pattern: Sunny Days Ahead

Title: Sunny Days Ahead

Designer: In the Light Quilts

Technique: Traditional piecing

Sizes: 1

Next week, on 6th January, Allison from In the Light Quilts will launch the Sunny Days Ahead #quiltpattern. Which will be free for Alison’s email subscribers and you can start planning your color choice now.
 
The design is a simplified version of my Sunset Hike Quilt pattern. The pattern is written to create a throw size quilt and is great for all levels of quilters. If you have always wanted to try quilting, but you haven’t known where to start, this is a great pattern for you! Subscribe to my email list on my website and I will email you this free pattern!
 
Go to Alison’s website to get the link to subscribe to her newsletter and don’t miss this amazing pattern!