About Lucy
Lucy Engels is a Modern Quilter and Visual Artist, Based in Edinburgh.
With a background in Fine Art and a BA (Hons) in Printmaking from Grays School of Art, Lucy has always been creative. But the real world beckoned, so she side-stepped into the world of social work for a good decade of her life. When Lucy moved back to Edinburgh for her partner’s work, this was her opportunity to step back into her artist shoes. She hasn’t looked back!
Lucy feels that her artistic background helps her bring different kinds of knowledge, skill and inspiration to the quilts and patterns that she creates.
You may have seen some of Lucy’s work exhibited at QuiltCon in 2018, 2020, and 2021 – – where she won an award in the appliqué category for my Naive Melody Quilt. She is heavily influenced by music!
Lucy collaborates regularly with industry leaders such as justhands-on.tv, JanomeUK, Aurifil Thread, FIGO Fabrics, Oakshott Fabrics, Purl Soho, and RJR Fabrics. She also teaches online workshops to individuals, groups, and Guilds, as well as in-person workshops in my Edinburgh studio.
According to Lucy, “I create unique, modern quilt patterns that coax out your inner artist by allowing you to put your own personality and stamp on what you’re making. This isn’t quilting by numbers. You don’t have to follow what I do to the letter. Consider it more as a map to guide you towards creating a stunning piece of art that you can curl up under when it’s done.”
To see Lucy’s designs and limited edition fabric collections, visit her website: https://lucyengels.com/
You can watch Lucy make a colourful modern quilt design using a foundation paper piecing technique that she calls, “controlled improv” in this episode of The Makers Studio series.
Signature Technique
Controlled Improv
Top Tips
- Experiment with colour to create movement in your quilt.
- Map out your design on a wall before cutting and sewing.
- Use music as an inspiration for your quilt design.
- Blue tip needles work a treat for paper piecing. Fine and sharp.
- A single line of different colour thread in your quilting creates lift.
- Fold the freezer paper along template lines to help with your foundation paper piecing.
Videos
Patterns
Posts
Kimono by Makower
This is a vibrant range of Japanese inspired fabrics printed with metallic gold detailing on a cream and dramatic black background. Valerie has used the range of 10" squares as they are - no additional cutting required - and then created this interesting (but simple) sashing from strips of black and gold with gold squares acting as cornerstones.
If you like the sashing, then Valerie used in in her Modern Pieced Hearts quilt, so you can find the workshop notes there.
Little Sweethearts from Makower
This delightful range of fabrics comes in pink (and blue) and is printed in soft tones of reds, pinks and creams with pretty floral designs, perfect for quilts and handmade projects for the home. Another super collection from Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts - and the accompanying pattern called Dear One - is available as a free download from the Makower project page.
The Good Life from Makower
This delightful range of fabrics has been inspired by the garden and vegetable patch, which seem fit to burst with prize specimens, while chickens roam freely on the luscioius grass. Fruit trees are laden and golden sunflowers flourish in the breeze..... Valerie has combined simple large rectangles of the prints (some of which need to be the right way up!) with simple green and white check (also from Makower) plus a border from her stash.