Featured Designer - Wendy Williams

As we look to bring in wool and more wool appliqué patterns and projects, I was delighted to discover this month's Featured Designer, Wendy Williams of Flying Fish Kits.   Wendy works closely with Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession in Sydney, Australia and has a distinct style of her own with a bright, fresh take on wool appliqué.

Jen:  Where were you born and raised?

Wendy: I was born and raised in a town called Wollongong which is approximately 1-1/2 hours south of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Jen:  Tell us about your quilting journey.  How did you learn to sew?  To quilt?  Have you always worked with wool felt?

Wendy:  I was taught to sew as a small child, being the youngest of four children.  Everyone in my family stitched, mum, nana, aunts, sisters; it was what we used to do in our spare time.  I have always loved embroidery and hand stitching, and I guess it all came together when I tried wool appliqué.  I have always done appliqué, so I guess it was inevitable that I would try using wool and eventually wool felt as my medium of choice.

Jen:  So, how did Flying Fish Kits come to be?

Wendy:  This came about as I already had a business called Flying Fish.  I used to have it as a children's clothing label so when I turned to patchwork and quilting, I decided to keep the name.  And, I have always thought flying fish were pretty cool. 

Jen:  Tell us about the process for designing your patterns.  What are your inspirations?

Wendy:  My inspiration comes from my life.  I love nature, trees, animals, flowers etc which are featured often in my designs.  I love colour, and I think this is the motivator for me...working with a new background and playing with colour combinations.  I am never bored with how colours interact and play together.  I enjoy designing with specific topics in mind, it narrows down my realm of possibilities and helps me to focus.  I always use a design wall and spend a crazy amount of time 'looking' at my work in progress.  I drive myself (and my family) mad sometimes rearranging and trying something different on the wall.  Mostly I love the creative process, but sometimes it is hard, and it can make me want to throw the piece away and start on something else.  I have learnt that if I work through this, the outcome is so much more worthwhile.  I always learn something new about colour and design with each new quilt or piece I make.

Jen:  Complete this sentence. When I am not sewing, I am...

Wendy:  When I am not sewing I usually wish that I was.  The down side of making new quilts etc., is that soon I will need to write up the pattern.  This is the hard part where I have to be diligent and sit quietly at my computer for quite a considerable amount of time.  Making them is definitely more fun than writing them.  

I find hand stitching is especially relaxing. I can get lost in my thoughts when my hands are busy.  When I am not hand stitching, I am working on either of my Bernina sewing machines.  I have the 440 Quilter's Edition, and this year, I have added the 215 model with a stunning skin designed for a retreat I was teaching at Uluru (the big rock in the centre of Australia).

Jen: What is your worst sewing habit?

Wendy:  My worst sewing habit would have to be starting a quilt and then not liking it and wanting to start something else new. I have learnt to keep working through my doubts until I am happy with it. Sometimes the quilts come together really quickly and other times I have to work a little harder to perfect it. 

Jen:  What is one sewing notion that you can’t live without?

Wendy:  I can't live without my thimble.  In fact, I feel naked even threading a needle without having it on my finger.  I recently purchased an antique thimble holder that you wear on a chain around your neck.  It works wonderfully with my antique silver thimble.  With this new toy, I don't have to search for my thimble anymore.  Hopefully, this will mean more time actually stitching. 

Jen:  Any new big plans for the rest of the year?  

Wendy:  After I return from Houston, I have a few more teaching gigs in Australia and New Zealand.  After that I am looking forward to my Christmas vacation at my holiday beach house on the south coast of New South Wales and then a whole month off to relax and work on new designs. 

Be sure to check out Wendy's Instagram feed for some wonderful eye candy or shop our collection of Flying Fish Kit patterns at Red Thread Studio.