MAUDE MACDONALD

We talk to Maude of the Retro Quilter about her quilting origins, favourite patterns, beginner advice and more...

How did you first get into quilting?

At the end of 2018, I needed a gift for Christmas for my Dad, so I decided to make him a t-shirt quilt from his old Nascar shirts. It was a hot mess, but I loved it!

Where do you find inspiration for your patterns?

I take inspiration from the 60s and the 70s primarily. Anything and everything from fabric patterns, makeup, the colours, architecture – you name it.

What’s your all-time favourite quilt pattern?

Oh my goodness, how am I to choose? There is too much talent and amazingness out there in the Quiltiverse! If you ask a rock band what their favourite album is, they always say their latest. So I guess I’ll go down that route and say Poppin’ Posies [above, left].

What advice would you give to a beginner quilter?

Embrace the imperfection and give yourself grace. It’s not going to be perfect – even when you’re a seasoned quilter it still may not be perfect. But enjoying the process and finding the joy in quilting is a lot easier and it allows for a lot more freedom when you let go of the perfection goal.

What’s your favourite thing about quilting?

The community, for sure. It’s such a wonderful, welcoming and supportive space to be a part of. It’s helped me out in so many ways, and countless others. Other than that, being creative. Whether it’s choosing fabrics or designing, I love the creativity in quilting.

What fun things can we expect from you in the future?

More patterns, more [Thread and Therapy] podcast episodes, and I hope to get a course in the works this year as well. Some really cool and fun collabs, and of course, more retro quilty goodness!