MEET LORENA URIARTE

Today it’s my pleasure to be talking to Lorena Uriarte from Lorena’s Patchwork & Quilting Notes. I can’t quite remember how I came to know of Lorena’s work, whether it was Instagram first and then a brief meeting in a Local Quilt Shop (LQS) or whether it was the other way around, but what ever it was I’m really grateful to be able to share in her work.

I love Lorena’s eye for colour and her use of pattern and shapes to create interest. Lorena is so generous with her knowledge and has often helped me out with tips, tricks or just answering some of my newbie questions.

So I thought it only fitting that Lorena be the first person I profiled as part of The Fussy Cutters Club.  I asked Lorena some questions about her work and she kindly answered them (twice – technology ate the first lot) and shared some images of her work. I hope you enjoy reading about her journey and her work, she shares some great tips!

1. How did you come to be a quilter/sewer?

I started quilting when I had kids. Initially it was an escape from the mundane tasks of baby rearing. It soon became a full blown obsession!

2. What is it that you love about being a quilter/sewer?

Quilting has introduced me to so many wonderful friends. They are creative, generous and never criticize the size of your stash. Often our interests spread beyond quilting and we find we have a lot more in common, like the love of good food, social justice and environmental issues. It’s true that quilty friends are the best.

3. What do you look for when buying fabric to use for fussy cutting?

Depending on which project I’m working on, I’ll shop with a template and a mirror set to get an idea of how a print will look once I’ve cut it up. Sometimes I’ll buy fabric without a project in mind because I can see that it has potential. If it’s a print with spaced out motifs I make sure I can get at least 6 from the piece. Stripes and edge to edge prints are the most economical to fussy cut. Some designers are much more fussy cut friendly than others, I think it’s due to their use of digital design media. The motifs are identical making them easier to match up.

4. What’s your favourite fussy cutting tool?

I couldn’t live without my Marti Michel Magic Mirrors! When working on a project I keep them and a window template of the shape I’m looking for in my bag when fabric shopping. I also love her acrylic templates for cutting and Kim Bradley’s Holey Peepers for hexagons. Kim will also make up templates to order.

5. What are your favourite 3 fussy cutting projects that you’ve either completed or are works in progress?

Number 1 is Definitely my Little Apples Hexagons and Stars quilt! It started with a weekend workshop with Catherine Butterworth and a layer cake of Aneela Hoey’s fabric. I was only making a table runner but by the end of day two I had a whole quilt top planned for my daughter. Piecing the individual hexagons and diamonds was never boring as I kept finding more stories to add to the quilt.

Number 2 is My Swings and Roundabouts quilt that was again started in a workshop, this time with Lessa Siegler. Her quilt had appliqued flowers at the centre of block. I had picked up this wonderful Alexander Henry stripe and cut 60 degree diamond stars from the one fabric for the entire quilt. Each star looks different. That was the most economical use of fabric I’ve managed to achieve with fussy cutting!

Number 3 I’m currently working on, a variation of Grandmother’s Flower Garden. The fabric which inspires me to fussy cut is from Amy Butler’s Bliss line. It has big blowsy flowers, long straight stems and lots of beautiful leaves. The motifs are perfectly symmetrical and there’s a great mix of light and dark colour. By just adding in a few extra fabrics this project is quickly becoming a favourite. Well, not so quickly because they are 1” hexies!

6. Which fussy cutter(s) inspire you?

Catherine Butterworth has a brilliant knack for fussy cutting and can see beauty in even the ugliest of fabric. Her machine piecing skills and fussy cutting techniques were what made me excited to try more fussy cutting. More recently I love what Florence (Flossie Teacakes) is doing with the Passacaglia quilt. She has a wonderful sense of style and her work just oozes patience.

7. What are you most proud of from your quilting/sewing journey?

I love sharing what I’ve learnt with others either in a formal teaching environment, a casual guild sewing day or just online on Instagram etc. There are so many fabulous techniques and tools out there I want to learn it all and share the knowledge. The more we share the more beautifully made quilts there will be in the world.

8. What’s the one piece of advice about fussy cutting that all new fussy cutters should know?

If you are trying to achieve a kaleidoscope effect, buy enough fabric to get enough repeats! There’s nothing as frustrating as opening that yard of fabric to find you can only get 4 perfect cuts. [pullquote width=”300″ float=”left”]Open the bolt up and actually count the motifs, making sure they are facing the same way. You’ll need 6 repeats for any 60 degree shape, 8 for 45 degree shapes.[/pullquote]

9. What quilting/sewing challenges would you like to conquer in the next 12 months.

I have a number of unfinished projects that I really need to finish so I can move on to some of my own designs. I have a 10 year old Dear Jane quilt that really needs to be finished before it becomes a difficult teenager. These school holidays I will tackle putting my 60 AMH (Anna Maria Horner) Feather Quilt blocks together made by the wonderful girls in the Aus Mod Bee. I really need a huge quilt for our bedroom and I’m looking forward to clearing some space on my shelves with all the AMH backing that will take.

There’s also a Hunter’s Star quilt that’s lingering in a tub and Jacob’s Ladder blocks from the Must.Stash Bee. Throughout the year I will keep hand piecing my little 1” hexies to keep me busy in the car and at school events.

10. If you weren’t a fussy cutter, what other creative endeavour would you like to master?

If I had the space and money I would like to try long arm quilting. It has really evolved into its own art form and I love the look of what surface patterns are being added to quilts now.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with my readers?

I don’t always fussy cut, I try to mix it up as I believe we miss out on a lot of the whimsy created by random placement of fabrics. The Japanese do this brilliantly, they seem to just throw things together and I believe this is what gives their work that special quirky appeal. Text, floral, taupe’s, geometric and solids, stitched together intricately and beautifully. I work hard at (not) letting my OCD tendencies takeover, not over think it and just go with the fabric flow.

A Bit of Fun

If you could only have one or the other for the rest of eternity what would you choose?

You can just choose a word, or choose to elaborate on your choice, it’s just a little bit of fun.

1. Fabric: Solid or Pattern? Pattern
2. Quilt Styles: Pattern or Improv? Pattern
3. Seams: Open or to the Side? Side
4. Stitching: Hand or Machine? Machine
5. Binding: Hand or Machine? Hand
6. Food: Sweet or Savory? Savory
7. Entertainment: Books or Music? Music
8. Entertainment: Television or Movies? Neither!
9. Computer: Mac or Windows? Windows
10. Drink: Coke or Pepsi? Neither

You can find Lorena on Instagram by clicking this link. Or you can read about her adventures on her blog by clicking this link.

If there’s someone you’d like me to interview or a question you’d like me to ask please just leave a comment below or drop me an email via my contact page.