Designer Interviews

Meet Sue Jensen, from Quilter's Escapes

When did you start quilting and how did that happen?

I purchased my first Quilt Frame when I was 18 from the Mary Maxim catalogue back in the 70’s.  No one in our family quilted, I didn’t know anyone who quilted, but the art of  Quilting just fascinated me.  My husband and I moved from Ontario to BC in 1984 packing my treasured quilting frame along with us!  Growing up my Dad made it a tradition that you had to make everyone in the family their Christmas gift, and when June came around there were more secrets in the household that you can imagine!  There were 6 of us in total and it took 6 months to get all our gifts completed (though most of us were up to the wee hours on Christmas morning finishing off the last of the gifts). One year my sister-in-law gave me a small log cabin wall hanging for Christmas and I remembered my quilting frame.  But it wasn’t until 1990 when I met my now long time friend Jordana who happened to be a quilter.  I was so excited and I told her about my frame and she offered to show me how to quilt! And as they say the rest is history!   I still have my Mary Maxim quilt frame that I bought that many years ago, but to this day I have never used it!

 

How did you come up with your company name, Quilted Escapes?    

I had been quilting for a couple of years and joined a small group who loved to do stitchery.  I was playing around with a design idea during one of our group get together when someone asked if they could purchase my design once I was finished it!  I looked over to my friend Annemarie and she smiled!  I answered with an “Okay”! The design I was working on I called “Little Escapes” because it was something you could take along to Dr’s offices, soccer practices, ferry lineups and work on the project. 

I told my husband what had happened he said, “You need to have a company name” and he asked me what quilting meant to me.  I was working 50 hours as week at the time so quilting was an escape for me so he suggested “Quilted Escapes”! 

How would you describe your style?
I’m a romantic at heart, so my quilts reflect that.  Machine appliqué and embellishing is my favorite. I like to incorporate beading, crystals, embroidery, buttons...to name just a few.

What inspires you to create a new design? 

Life, my family, a joke, a fabric, threads, nature, I absorb what life has to offer and then run with it!

 

Do you use technology when you develop new designs? If so, how?

It’s amazing what technology can do.  I’m an Electric Quilt user, I’m able to down load the material I plan to use so I can see a completed virtual project before sewing one stitch!  Microsoft publisher and my trusted digital camera help me with writing up my patterns and pattern covers. 

Do you participate in other activities related to quilting? 

Yes I do,

·         I teach and lecture at guilds, trade shows.  

·         I am on the Editorial Advisory Committee for Quilters’ Connection magazine, Canada’s only quilting magazine.

·         Organizer of the Quilters’ Connection magazine retreat committee.   

·         A member of the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild

·         Knotty Needlers Quilt group. 

·         I also belong to a small satellite group called the “Quilt Batts”

·         Member of a quilt arts group!

·         I also work a couple of days at “A Great Notion” Quilt shop.

What are some of your interests outside the quilting world? 

Although time is short I like to take day trips when time allows looking for inspiration and gardening ideas.  Of course I always have my camera by my side!   

Anything else you would like people to know about you? 

I’ve been designing patterns for new fabric collections by Northcott for the last 4 years.  Designing patterns and teaching for the last 7 years.   

My patterns are on my website, www.quiltedescapes.net    You can also join me on facebook and read my blog

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Here is one of Sue's recent designs: Under the Tuscan Sun. For her bedrunner, she used the 'Heard it on the Grapevine' collection by Sue Beevers.