About Sallieann
The first thing Sallieann ever made was a cotton bikini top from her mums cast off work when she was 9!
After leaving school Sallieann flitted from “number” based jobs in insurance, banking, and tax (she wasn’t bad with numbers!). She married in the 80s and had two boys in the 90s. Then, the big change in her life came in 2000 when we moved to the USA for a three-year period so that her hubby could work on a military base.
It was there in New Bern, North Carolina that Sallieann found her very first Patchwork and Quilting Store. She walked in and was totally bowled over and knew this is what she needed in her life! She started with classes, mentoring from the incredible Shelly May of the “Raspberry Rabbits,” then some teaching, and by the time she left the USA, Sallieann was a prize-winning exhibitor!
When Sallieann and family moved back to the UK, she taught private Patchwork & Quilting, classes, as well as little gigs here and there for John Lewis and the American Museum in Bath. By 2016, she was designing for magazines, exhibiting more widely and started to work with Denman WI College teaching residential courses.
In 2018, Sallieann joined Sewing Quarter TV. One of the things that she loved about the Sewing Quarter was the genuine sense of community with the channel and feedback on the fan page, adding: “when people posted pictures of what they made following one of my shows, or what they made from my pattern, I can’t help but do a ‘Happy dance’!!”
Sallieann enjoys traditional quilting techniques and has won several quilt show awards both in the UK and USA.
Signature Technique
Felted wool appliqué on a sewing machine using speciality threads
Top Tips
- Run dental floss through your machine to get wool fluff out.
- To get a “touchy feely” vintage effect dip and tea dye the piece then tumble dry.
- Unpick seams with a Wahl trimmer. Works like a charm!
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.