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
What sewing machine would you recommend for a 6 year old.
Question: Can anyone advise me on a suitable electric beginners sewing machine for my 6 year old grand daughter who wants to appliqué and quilt! Help please!
Many thanks Answer: How great that you have the next generation so interested. Two of my ladies have children also sewing and they have started them off with a small machine, around £100 I think; if you buy something cheaper they will often not have the grown up options of applique and quilting - so you should check that she won't outgrow whatever you purchase too quickly.
Chris Porter and Mary Gamester join Valerie in the studio.
We had a great day as always and some great workshops were filmed; Chris shared with us her love of Flying Geese and Dresden Plates, for which she has designed her own templates, as well as showing us how to put a sleeve on the back of a quilt, which she personalises with text and lovely pics too. Valerie gets ready to sew some Yo-Yo's and Mary reminded us how great she is at transfer printing with woven strips, printing blocks and lace (all of which are in her book - Transfer Painting) so keep watching!
Update 20th February 2015
Out and About Encore! - today we get to enjoy [...]