Hey there, can you introduce yourself?

It was inevitable that I should become a quilter. Before I was even born, I was visiting quilt shops with my mother. As a child, my brothers and I were surrounded by shelves full of quilting fabric, the constant whir of Mom's Bernina, and piles of patterns ready for mailing. I never made plans to follow in my mother's footsteps, but somehow the fates decided differently... After becoming a mother a decade ago, I became reacquainted with my sewing machine and began quilting during naptime. One thing lead to another and I found my true love in pattern writing and fabric design. I have two active children, Olive and Lorenzo, who also like making things and keep life interesting down in southern Utah.

Tell us a bit about the book?

Jelly Filled is a collection of quilt "recipes" with 2 1/2" strips as the star ingredient. We begin by exploring basic techniques using the strips, and gradually work our way up to more advanced skills. You can expect to learn about strip piecing, easy corner triangles, half square triangles, log cabins, and more.

What was the inspiration behind it?

Jelly Filled came from my love of "Jelly Roll" precut strip bundles. A "Jelly Roll," by the way, is Moda Fabrics' fancy name for 2 1/2" x 40" strips rolled up in a concentric, cinnamon-roll style (just as irresistible as the real kind). When Jelly Rolls (and other "dessert precuts") were introduced to the quilting world, it was a revelation. For the first time ever, quilters could purchase a complete tasting of a fabric collection at a reasonable cost, perfectly coordinated, and already pre-cut into strips. Even though precut Jelly Roll strips are the inspiration for this book, I'll show you how easy it is to make substitutions using what you already have in your stash. I think you'll also enjoy the sweet names and stories that accompany each design.

Which is your favourite project?

My favorites change but for now it's Sprinkles on Top. As a kid, I firmly believed that everything was better with sprinkles on top. I sneaked them into my oatmeal, yogurt, and applesauce. To add sprinkles meant to make something extra special and fancy. One day, I gave the sprinkle bottle a hearty shake, and the screen came off, dumping the entire container of sprinkles onto my cereal. I learned the value of moderation that day. This graphic quilt gives the illusion of frosted cake squares--with just the right amount of sprinkles.

What is your craft space like?

My studio is a happy space with loads of natural light. Last year, I added a bit of drama to the space with charcoal accent walls, and big built-in shelving for my ever-growing collection of fabric.

Have you always been creative?

I have always found joy in making beautiful things. Even as a little girl, I remember spending hours in my mom's fabric stash. I found a lot of joy just looking at the prints and thinking about what they might like to be made into.

When did you first start crafting?

One of my earliest memories is making cloth dolls with my mom. She was an expert in the world of cloth dollmaking back in the 90s when it was a popular craft. I recall her bringing a whole batch of cloth doll bodies for my first grade class to paint and embellish with all sorts of fabric and trims.

Who are your crafty heroes?

Definitely my mom--Miriam Rawson. I grew up watching her add beauty to everything she touched. It never occurred to me that I couldn't write a book, or design fabric--because she has always been fearless in the pursuits of her life.

Where do you find inspiration?

It's everywhere. Rugs and tiles are one of my favorite sources for quilt block ideas.

What's next for you?

There's always new fabric and quilt patterns on the way. Folktale is my current fabric collection in shops; Smoke & Rust will arrive in April; and Christmas Morning ships in May.