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
Sewing Retreat at Denham Bucks
A weekend away sewing with like minded people and no responsibilities - what a great idea that is! Pictures by Matt Bigwood 15 ladies joined Valerie and Maggie at the Denham De Vere Hotel and you can see they were hard at work. They all worked on their own projects but there was inspiration in the form of quilts on the wall and a small shop of goodies provided by Creative Quilting.
Fine Cell Work exhibition
We spent a whole day filming this small but great exhibition that is being hosted by Lady Sew & Sew at Henley on Thames. Founded by Lady Anne Tree in 1997, Fine Cell Work trains men and women in prison to do high-quality, paid needlework in the long hours spent in their cells. Last night we were fortunate enough to meet up with and interview Tracy Chevalier who is a leading author and patron of Fine Cell work - indeed she commissioned a quilt entitled the Sleep Quilt which was made by 60 men and women from 9 different prisons - and this is on display in the exhibition.
Variations on Going Crazy
Thanks to all the contributors: we have included some of the early ones that Valerie made too : Crazy with sashing One for him and one for her Small crazy with sashing In the Deep fabric range On display at Lady Sew & Sew for the Henley Arts Trail WIP Made for Simply All Sorts in Truro Made for Creative Quilting Made for Pauline's Patchwork Made for Lady Sew & Sew with Kaffe Fassett Fabrics