About Claire
Claire is a modern quilt designer and teacher, based in Stratford Upon Avon in the UK.
Claire has always had a love for sewing which was reignited when her children were born and needed a creative outlet for herself. It wasn’t long before quilts were the only thing she wanted to sew.
In 2020, during the pandemic, when Claire was stuck between never ending on-line lessons with her kids home-schooling, she designed her first quilt pattern, the Retro Metro Quilt. It was a way she could still channel her creativity when life wouldn’t allow much time behind the sewing machine. Since then, Claire has immersed herself into the quilt designing world and has had her work featured in Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine and justhands-on.tv videos.
Claire’s designs are Inspired by modern geometric designs and repeated patterns – – wherever she finds them – – including toilet tiles and the front covers of books. Claire is the designer behind Made Just Sew. Click her to see her bright, colourful designs.
Though not formally educated in art or teaching, Claire has excelled as a quilting teacher – – winning the Big Janome Skill Share in 2021. What makes her unique is her passion for quilting and a passion for sharing what she has learned.
Click here to watch Claire share her Walking Foot Quilting techniques in an episode of The Makers Studio.
Keep up to date and follow Claire’s quilt journey over on Instagram @madejustsew
Signature Technique
Quilting with a Walking Foot
Top Tips
- Pick your backing fabric first, then match your front colours to your backing. This works really well for those of us who love colourful printed fabrics for our backing.
- If you’ve struggled with quilting, use the walking foot. It makes quilting so much easier.
- Don’t be afraid to quilt straight lines across your patchwork. It gives your project enhanced depth and texture.
- Marking quilting lines with a hera marker provides a useful guide for your straight line quilting.
- Don’t worry about mistakes. We all do it! Remember, you can always unpick stitches and come at it fresh tomorrow.
- Use quilting gloves to help you guide your quilt under the walking foot. The sticky tips of the glove give you a little extra grip.
- If you want your quilting to stand out, choose good quality colour thread to contrast the top. Colour thread can look dominating when on the spool, less so when on your quilt.
Videos
Posts
To wash or not to wash your fabric ?
In today's world of pre-cuts pre-washing your fabric is not always possible; Question: Some time ago you had a little talk with Jenny about the pro's and con's of washing or not washing patchwork cotton material.this means I do know that it appears to be an individual choice.---- However, I found that the limpness and the sometimes distorted outcome of the washed material quite a challenge when doing small precision pieces.
Spray starch is also not the answer, as it invariably is not applied equally over the fabric.
I really do not feel like washing any more except where the material has either been from an old garment/article or it is soiled.
Have you got any kind of advise I might have so far overlooked?
The Most Watched for 2014
Top 15 films in 2014 Midsummer Mystery Quilt Miniature Quilts with Julia Gahagan Hexagons with Carolyn Forster Owl Bunting with Jennie Rayment Courthouse Steps Scrap Quilt with Valerie Nesbitt Quick-Strip Childrens Quilt with Valerie Nesbitt Lily Block with Jennie Rayment Wrist Pincushion with Jennie Rayment Chicken Pincushion with Jennie Rayment Strip Pieced Diamond Quilt with Valerie Nesbitt 40 Minute Scrap Quilt with Valerie Nesbitt Hexagon Tree Decorations from Jennie Rayment Tucked Up band with Jennie Rayment How to Make Secret Pillow with Valerie Nesbitt Your First Sampler Quilt with Valerie Nesbitt Did you miss?
9th January 2015
Happy New Year What was your new year’s resolution- to [...]