Get to know The Guild by meeting our talented members! We have interesting and inspiring members all over the country doing amazing sewing and we want you to be able to share their work.

Meet Guild and Modern Quilt Group member, Kathy Moore.

What are you working on now?

Like most quilters I have multiple ideas floating around in my head but not quite ready to gel. In 2017 I was amazed and delighted to get a Judge’s Choice at The Festival of Quilts for a quilt with improvised blocks in shades of dyed pink fabric against a black background. Following a house move, the building of a little studio sewing space and then lockdown, I discovered some leftover blocks, pinned to a white background amongst the fabric piles so I am giving the white background a go. It could all change before I have finished! I am also working on a small quilt based on a design started on a Region 11 day course with Sarah Hibbert, and as usual I have a couple of grandchildren`s quilts on the go.

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What is your favourite quilt you have ever made?

My favourite quilt so far is ‘Back to Black’ a modern quilt which gained second prize at The Festival of Quilts in 2018. I do have a tendency to use black backgrounds, however, I tried to set these blocks against white but could not make it work so went back to black! There was lot of manoeuvring before I was happy with the balance of the blocks.

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Who are your quilting heroes?

There are so many! Most quilters I meet have some influence on me. I loved Jill Excell’s ‘Flight’ quilt in 2013, there is something about it that stays with you. I was fascinated by Brigitte Morganroth’s quilts displayed at The Festival of Quilts a few years ago. I unfortunately would not have the stamina or patience to produce a similar one. I’d also add Eleanor Marsden, she is always encouraging, challenging and never allows criticism of creations. Members of The Guild’s Region 11 Modern Group deserve to be mentioned here too; their discussions and experiments with modern quilting help me to clarify and develop ideas.  

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Can you recommend a good quilting read?

‘Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century’ from The Modern Quilt Guild in America is not exactly a reading book but is full of inspirational images to dip into. ‘Madly Modern Quilts’ by Carole Lyles Shaw. This includes patterns, techniques and bold use of colour. And I have ordered Sarah Hibbert`s new book ‘From Collage to Quilt’, so I am looking forward to it arriving.

Why is your Guild membership and your membership of the Modern Special Interest Group important to you?

In 2010 I was happily teaching Textiles alongside a busy management post when I attended the Festival of Quilts. I was inspired by the range and quality of the work. There was not a moment to lose! I joined the Guild, made my first quilt and retired from teaching. Since then I have entered Traditional, Contemporary, Journal, and Miniature categories, but focused more on Modern when that category was introduced. The Zoom meetings and talks have been excellent, bringing friendship and fresh ideas during these Covid times. I also enjoy the annual challenge from the European Quilt Association and have a quilt locked down somewhere in Europe and another on virtual display.

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The Modern Quilt Group helps to give you the push to try new ideas, and sets Challenges with deadlines to focus the mind! The examples below show a small modern quilt ‘Inside out’ made for The Guild Challenge at The Festival of Quilts 2019, based on the Bloomfield quilt from The Guild archives, and ‘Unwind’ made for a Modern Quilt Group Challenge.

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We are asking Members to tell us a bit about their sewing life using five simple questions. At the end of the interview each member suggests another to interview. This way we hope to bring you a wide range of makers from all corners of The Guild over the next weeks and months. If you know an inspiring quilter who we should feature, get in touch at marketingcommsgs@quiltersguild.org.uk and we’ll send out a copy of our questionnaire.