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
Cathedral Windows
Susan dropped us a line recently with pictures of her latest project. It is cathedral windows using her husband's old trousers, her 'no longer fit' jeans, Suffolk puffs and lots of fabric left overs. A really great recycling quilt - we're sure you'll agree. If you fancy trying your hand at cathedral windows, check out Joanna Smith-Ryland's workshop, where she shares with us how to make a lovely folded patchwork cushion with her favourite fabrics - which are silk.
20 April 2018
New Videos Every Friday Meet Sarah Hatton Today we [...]
Fun at the Jane Austen House Museum, Chawton, Hants
Brilliant day filming - despite the damp English weather; we got to see the Jane Austen Coverlet which was sewn by Jane and her mother and sister and they used the EPP method; the Community sewing Project organised by Lucy Bailey, (that Valerie and she are standing in front of) reimagines the Jane Austen quilt and commemorates her life and legacy, and the Admiral's Quilt was created with the EPP blocks left over and is on the approppriate bed in the house, is quite stunning.