Taupe Inspirations: Modern Quilts Inspired by Japanese Taupes
"I have loved fabric and color for as long as I can remember. My mum often reminds me that as soon as I was old enough to use scissors, I was cutting colored paper into little pieces and sticking them into patterns. Throughout my childhood, I continued to love sewing and everything creative. I even took oil painting and folk art classes, and learned to crochet and embroider when I was just a young girl."During my final year of university, I took a patchwork class at a local store. After making a log cabin, churn dash and star cushion, I was enthralled. I was lucky to receive an internship at the Chicago Apparel Center. While there, I visited the Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C., to see the antique quilts and was truly inspired by the patchwork."On returning to New Zealand, I started my working career in textiles and marketing and took up patchwork as a serious hobby, taking a class each week for several years."It wasn't for another eight years, in 2002, that I made the huge leap to leave my marketing career to start my own patchwork business where I specialize in pretty floral and taupe fabrics. I started designing patterns using taupe fabrics that I imported directly from Japan because they weren't available in England at the time. My naive little flower designs were an instant success with my customers and I hope you will love them too."Although born and raised in New Zealand, I have lived in Australia, America and Sweden and now live just outside of London, in Buckinghamshire, England, with my husband Murray, my two wonderful daughters Emily and Maisie, and a super soppy golden retriever called Lucy."