SWQ Traditional Quilt award at Quilts UK, Malvern 2008
The Heirlook Quilt by Pauline Ineson

I was so pleased to receive the South West Quilter’s award for Traditional Quilting at ‘Quilts UK’ in Malvern this year and am looking forward to spending my £50 Strawberry Fayre Fabrics voucher. ‘The Heirloom Quilt’ also received a first for Machine Quilting, came second in the Bed Quilt category and was awarded a Judges Merit from Sandie Lush.

My sewing experience is based on dressmaking and machine sewing techniques, quilting being one of them. I’ve always sewn my own clothes and set up a children’s sewing program about twelve years ago, when living in America. When we moved back to England, I continued with the children’s program and added adult sewing lessons. However, my approach to sewing changed drastically when I bought my first computer machine and was shown what can be achieved by using a wing needle. A whole new world opened to me as I explored different machine techniques. I was totally converted to sewing creatively rather than practically.

For about three years I toyed with the idea of making a sampler quilt using as many techniques as possible. Originally it was to be made up of simple squares with a different technique in each. The design moved on from that to crazy patchwork in each square. It was while we were on a holiday in Venice that the design really took off. I loved all the curvy shapes of the architecture and decided to base the design on this –thus, ‘The Heirloom Quilt’ was born.

In this quilt, I have managed to incorporate over thirty techniques including: raw and finished edge appliqué, cutwork, wing needle sewing, chain stitching, pulled thread work, circular sewing, shadow appliqué, lace shaping, puffing, fagoting, corded sewing, twin needle sewing, corded wavy tucks, cathedral windows, machine smocking, machine lace, couching, trapunto and more!

I’ve been teaching this quilt in Worcester for a few years now, with almost fifty ladies having completed the course and I’m about to start another class next February. I’m hoping, one day, to have all the class notes on how to make the quilt published, but don’t hold your breath as I’m now busy starting up new classes for my next one – ‘The Applique Quilt’!

Pauline Ineson