I’m Rachel from The Sew Happy Quilters’ Association, and I had the pleasure of talking with two inspiring makers at the Festival of Quilts: Clare Wilkes, creator of Colours of Pollen A Beekeeper’s Quilt and Kristen Hubert, founder of the Scrap Fabric Love community. In this post I’ll share their stories, techniques and the joyful creativity behind their quilts, all through the lens of quilting patchwork sewing.
Why pollen, embroidery and a beekeeper’s quilt?
Clare’s quilt began with a simple discovery “pollen comes in all sorts of colours, not just yellow.” She told me how she had assumed pollen was only yellow or brown, then found reds, purples, greens, blues and even white. That revelation sparked a project that combines botanical embroidery with colour-focused patchwork.
Her approach was elegant and straightforward: embroider various flowers, then surround each embroidered motif with patchwork representing the colour of that flower’s pollen. The result is a vibrant sampler that celebrates nature’s hidden palette. Clare confessed this was her first quilt since she was about 20 and that it’s a gift for a beekeeper which makes the meaning behind every stitch even sweeter.
Techniques and future plans
Clare worked with both hand and machine methods in the past and is planning a new project for her son’s 18th birthday a maths-inspired quilt using colours to represent digits of pi. It’s a lovely reminder that quilting patchwork sewing can be deeply personal and playful at the same time.
Scrap club quilting: community, denim and improvisation
Next I chatted with Kristen Hubert about her founding members quilt made for her online Scrap Fabric Love community. This piece is a patchwork roll call over a hundred names sewn into a quilt that celebrates scraps, denim and spontaneity.
Key features of Kristen’s quilt:
- Denim base and an old sheet for contrast.
- Names of founding members embroidered or appliquéd into individual squares.
- Use of reclaimed and bought-together scraps (many sourced secondhand or from other makers).
- Surface embellishment with stencils, beads, cutout salvage-edge letters and stamps.
- A proudly improvised aesthetic “we’re not worried if it’s wonky.”
Kristen’s community meets monthly on Zoom and encourages beginners and experienced makers alike. She also explained her sustainable choices for wadding: flannel sheets, wool blankets, or reclaimed batting all excellent options when you want a lighter, eco-friendly sandwich in your quilting patchwork sewing.
Group quilts and next steps
Kristen is organising group quilts for shows first at the Scottish Quilting Show and next year at Festival Quilts inviting people to contribute single squares if they want to take part without making an entire quilt. It’s a brilliant way to get quilters’ work on display and to grow a supportive creative community.
Sustainable memory quilting: Wasted on the Young
We also looked at a beautiful entry in the sustainable category titled Wasted on the Young. Made entirely from recycled and upcycled materials, it’s a true memory quilt: the dress that formed part of the composition had been worn to several weddings, and the background uses a tablecloth. Jeans, fabric samples and other hoarded pieces were added and appliquéd with a long-arm.
The backing and wadding choices were made with sustainability and hand feel in mind: a sheet for the backing and a flannel sheet for the batting so the quilt wouldn’t be too thick but would still float nicely. This quilt is a lovely example of how quilting patchwork sewing can hold memory, narrative and practical environmental choices together.
Takeaways for makers
- Look closely at the natural world inspiration can be as unexpected as the colour of pollen.
- Scraps and secondhand fabrics are not limitations; they’re a creative framework that can kickstart improvisation.
- Sustainable wadding options (flannel, reclaimed wadding, wool) can produce light, warm and eco-conscious quilts.
- Community projects are a wonderful way to include people who want to contribute a square rather than a whole quilt.
Final notes
Meeting Clare and Kristen reminded me how wide the world of quilting patchwork sewing is from scientifically inspired samplers to community quilts and upcycled memory pieces. If you’re attending quilt shows or thinking about your next project, consider a theme that excites you and the materials you already have at hand. Happy stitching and I hope to see your work on a wall one day!
Come along to our SHQA Quilt Show at Brighton Racecourse tickets and details are on our website. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay connected with our community.
