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
Sashiko Quilt Block and Rice Bag Weekend in Hampshire, 26 and 27 April 2025
Date: 26- 27 April 2025
Location: New Place Hotel, Hampshire
Price: £440 Early Bird Special before 26 October 2024 / £470 after
Spend two days with Sarah Soward and Terry Summerfield of Pauline’s Patchwork mixing patchwork with some hand stitched sashiko.
Quilting and Embroidery Weekend in Surrey, 15 and 16 March 2025
Date: 15 - 16 March 2025
Location: DeVere Horsley Estate, East Horsley, Surrey
Price: £440 Early Bird Special before 12 October 2024 / £470 after this
Make this beautiful Sentiments Quilt with Karen Crookes of Sunflowerstitches!
A Grand Quilting & Textile Tour of India
This holiday takes you on an immersive journey into the unique textile traditions of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Discover the vibrant Kutchi embroidery, intricate patchwork and unique Ajrakh block-printing of Gujarat and travel into Rajasthan to encounter the region’s tie-and-dye bandhani, distinctive block prints, colourful double Ikat Leheriya fabric and applique embroidered Gota Patti.