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
Decolourant, upcycling and a little bit of crazy
We had another superb filming day last Thursday (despite the rain!) and we were joined by Dee Paramour on behalf of Mulberry Silks who did a series of workshops using two new(ish) products called Decolourant and Decolourant Plus; these are products that take the colour out of fabric without distressing it and without any nasty noxious fumes. https://www.mulberrysilks.co.uk We were also visited by Steve Weekes who runs the upcycling company in Wiltshire called Texworks and she showed us to make turn a shrunked jumper into a wonderful, warm hat (which I should have bought 'cos I love it!) for more information about her and her workshops/vintage shop go to https://www.texworks.co.uk and as well as layering, quilting and binding Your First Sampler Quilt there was a bit of crazy - in patchwork form of course.
Not considered to be art!!!
Amanda Richardson creates pictures by using fused applique as a technique having first dyed her fabrics. She was featured recently on the BBC programme 'Show me the Monet' and her work was not considered to be art and therefore not eligible to be hung at the Mall Galleries -the judges felt it was craft Here is an example of her work and here is the link to her website What do you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What to watch in March 2013
This will be a busy month as there are 5 Friday’s so lots to see and be inspired by: Inspiration from the Embroiderer's Guild We start the month off with enjoying a quilt made by members of the Embroiderer’s Guild entitled ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ with Jo Bostock Workshops to Enjoy and a workshop with another Jo - Jo Gourlay – sharing with us how to create a delightful cushion for the house and/or garden using recycled fabrics and being inspired by the fabric itself. This is a great project for the younger sewers to try as well as it uses fused applique and some simple embroidery stitches.