Although interested in crafts from an early age, I knew absolutely nothing about patchwork and quilting until the early 80's when we moved to the United States. My sister-in-law in Massachusetts had taken up patchwork and introduced me to the craft. However, it was nearly another ten years before I actually tried my hand at making a quilt. By this time we were back in England and, as far as I knew, a long way from any help.

My first quilt was made in 1990 and was a cot quilt for the new baby who, (unlike the eldest child), slept. After the first three patches I was already planning a school-house quilt for his brother.

I started going to classes, joined a local quilting group and explored a variety of techniques. Although initially attracted by the wonderful variety of patchwork, I found that I didn't enjoy hand quilting over the seams. Each new quilt had an ever increasing amount of plain space to show off the quilting designs.

1994 gave me a complete change of direction. A class with Barbara Chainey showed me how to draught a wholecloth quilt design. This was a hand quilter's dream: no seams to stitch over and no patchwork to get in the way of the quilting patterns! It was the start of my lasting passion for handquilted wholecloth quilts. The ensuing quilt, Berceuse, placed second in the cot quilt section at the Great British Quilt Festival.

Following several other small prizewinning pieces, 1996 saw my first full size wholecloth quilt 'Moonflower'. This was Champion Quilt at the Great British Quilt Festival that year and won the Merit Quilting award at the International Quilt Association, Houston the following year. It formed part of the IQA prizewinners' exhibit at Quilt Expo Innsbruck in 1998.

In 1999 my Welsh quilt 'Tarian Aur' was also exhibited in Houston where it placed third in the Merit Quilting (Hand) section. The same year the Quilter's Guild of the British Isles had a national exhibition at Lord's Cricket Ground. The themed challenge to members was entitled 'Under the Covers'. Having been an avid knitter for years, I made the connection between the theme title and a cricket sweater and set myself the challenge of making a quilt look as much like a real sweater as possible. However, I don't think anyone expected 'Slip One, Knit One' to be large enough to fit a single bed...

The following year I made 'Romantic Rose' using traditional Durham templates from old quilts. This quilt won several prizes at Quilts UK and a second place at Quilter's Heritage Celebration, Pennsylvania before being raffled in aid of the Quilter's Guild's 'Housing Our Heritage, Funding the Future' fund. The profits from the sale of this pattern also go to Guild funds.

Having donated 'Romantic Rose' to the Guild, I then decided that I would like something similar for myself. 'Aurora' was made in 2002 and also featured a mixture of old and new Durham templates. It was Champion Quilt at the Great Northern Quilt Show that year.

I continue to have great fun creating quilts which explore the effects of knitted texture. Purl 3 was exhibited as part of Quilt 2000 at The Knitting and Stitching Show and was awarded a judges' commendation for technical excellence. It has also been exhibited in Pennsylvania and went to Japan as part of a Quilter's Guild exhibition early in 2003.

I have since turned the original idea on its head and have started creating pieces of knitting that resemble quilts. First of the series, 'Full Circle', was created for the annual exhibition at Llanidloes, Mid Wales, in 2002 and  the second, 'Knitted Together' was made for the Quilter's Guild theme of 'Connected' at Festival of Quilts 2004.

In 2003 I (finally) finished one of the many applique quilts started over the past few years. What started out as 'Millenium Tulips' was eventually named '2003 Tulips', (nobody ever said I was quick!) Having placed second in the Traditional Large category at Quilter's Guild Festival of Quilts at the NEC Birmingham that year, it subsequently went on to get an Honourable Mention at IQA Houston and was chosen to feature on the photo finish page of Quliter's Newsletter Magazine. It was also successful at Quilts UK and WQTF the following year and went to Japan with the Quilters Guild in 2005.

2003 also saw me try my hand at writing. I was asked to write the Hand Quilting section of Katherine Guerrier's 'Quilting From Start to Finish' (The Quilter's Companion in the US). I added a section on wholecloth quilts and enjoyed the process enough that I may even get down to writing a book of my own some day.

In 2004 I was back with my beloved wholecloth quilts and finally got around to making one of my designs that had been on sale for several years, Fantasy. This was hand stitched on ombre (shaded) sateen that had been pieced in eight large triangles. Gaining a first and a second place at Festival of Quilts in 2004, this has subsequently gone on to become my most successful quilt, winning blue ribbons at QHC, Paducah and Houston. It was also the Champion quilt at Malvern in 2007.

2005 saw the completion of another applique quilt, Raphelle's Roses. This is a wedding gift for my husband's eldest nephew and his new wife. More of a wholecloth quilt embellished with applique, this design is to feature in Fabrications Magazine sometime in the future.

2006 saw the completion of No More Berries. This placed first both in the Traditional Large category at Festival of Quilts and Traditional Applique in Houston that year.
It was also in 2006 that I started combining candlewicking with quilting to launch my Colonial Cushion range of patterns.

2007 has been quite a momentous year. Not only has the new candlewicked and quilted quilt Crystal Dreams been very successful at Festival of Quilts, but also I was given the opportunity of my own gallery space. I had tremendous fun and I hope you enjoy the link to the images in the home section of this website.

As I write this, I still have several applique quilts started and a number of wholecloth quilts designed but as yet unstitched. I'm a long way from running out of things to do, so watch this space!

Sandie Lush, August, 2007