MEET THE QUILTER: KEYANA RICHARDSON

We talk to talented Keyana about the start of her quilting journey, her inspirations and what comes next…

How did you first get into quilting?

I began my quilting journey in 2017 after my mother-in-law gifted me my very first sewing machine. But I actually come from quite an extended family of sewists. Lucina, my greatgrandmother, was a quilter and sewist all her life.

I never really took up the hobby until I was given my own sewing machine though. I vividly recall my mother-in-law teaching me how to make a tea towel, my less-than-perfect scissor cutting skills (since I didn't know what a rotary cutter was) and being proud of my first make. Let's just say I figured out how to use a rotary cutter pretty quickly!

Back then, never would

I have imagined quilting becoming a passion of mine. But I remember the first time I searched the internet and found Color Girl Quilts ( colorgirlquilts.com) and through her, I found the modern quilting community. Since then, my love for modern quilting has grown infinitely.

What kind of quilts do you like to make?

I love to make modern quilts with a traditional feel. This is very much reflected in my first-ever quilt pattern, the Diamond Path Quilt. I wanted to create something modern but timeless. I always want my quilts to tell a story.

What’s your all-time favourite quilt pattern?

This is a really tough question as there are so many great

pattern designers! I am biased towards my new quilt pattern, however, I don't know if I have a favorite. I do love to work with Half-square triangle blocks and sawtooth star blocks. It's safe to say that if a pattern includes those types of blocks, it will be love at first sight for me.

You can only use prints from one fabric designer for the rest of your life… who is it? Another tough one! I love pretty much all designers from Art Gallery Fabrics – my two favorites designers are Maureen Cracknell and Sharon Holland. Their prints are always fresh but timeless and their aesthetics are just amazing. In my opinion, the colour palettes they create are incredibly versatile and can be utilised in both modern and traditional quilts.

Have you ever met a quilt block you don’t like?

I am not a fan of making Flying Geese. I love the aesthetics of the block, however the process of making them leaves less to be desired. I really should get over my hesitancy of creating with them as they are extremely versatile and look great in a lot of patterns!

What can we expect from you in the future?

I hope to continue creating and designing more quilt patterns and inspiring people with my work. You can also look forward to reading more blog posts as I share my love for quilting.