Meet Stephanie Turner founder of Patch and Dot! Patch and Dot is a print - and colour - obsessed creative enterprise devoted to designing the most fun patterns possible for modern quilters.  Patch and Dot also has the perfect alphabet quilt pattern for your next project, whether you're a patchwork beginner or a paper piecing pro.

Can you tell us a little about who or what started you on your sewing journey and how that eventually lead to starting Patch and Dot?

My sewing journey started the same way I imagine so many others have: friends and family started having babies, so I started quilting. The first ones I made were simple 9-patch quilts - I don't think I even knew to look for a pattern - and I never looked back.

The workroom was also a big part of it: it introduced me to a whole world of incredible fabric and fabric designers, which was huge because print and colour are such a big part of what motivate me.

You mentioned in an Instagram post that you are a technical writer by profession and that getting into pattern writing seemed like a fun way to combine your hobby with your skills. How does being a technical writer inform your pattern writing?

In technical writing and content design, the most important thing is to understand what the user's goal is and help them be successful at that. I like to think that this ethos comes through in my pattern writing. I'm always trying to find the simplest way to do something, and then make sure the path to get there is clear. There is nothing better than when someone writes me a note saying that they conquered a new technique or sewed their first ever quilt using a Patch and Dot pattern.

How has the process of making by hand influenced your life?

There is something about doing anything in a slow, analog way that I equate with a deep happiness. Making things by hand helps me clear my head and focus on what's right in front of me. My phone died a couple of years ago and I spent a blissful month without it. It was as good as finding a time machine! I'm always trying to find ways to enter that kind of mental space, and sewing is one of the things that does this for me.

In addition to modern quilt and sewing patterns Patch and Dot has three very fun alphabet patterns - Varsity, Blackletters and Ribbons. Where do you find inspiration for your patterns and is there something that draws you to lettering specifically?

My other love is books, so making alphabet patterns seemed like an inevitability. I love type design and hand lettering. Letters themselves are just amazing to me - they're beautiful on their own, carry centuries of design history, and can be arranged to express any feeling or tell any story you might want to tell.

For my alphabet patterns, I look for lettering styles that lend themselves to foundation paper piecing (FPP), just by nature of the particular shapes and angles involved. Blackletter is a good example of this, because of the way each letter is constructed of modular strokes, it translates really well to FPP.

What have you learned about your own personal style through making and designing quilt patterns?

Over time (and much editing of my fabric stash!) I've come to understand what 'my colours' are. The ones that not only speak to me, but which, when I use them in a quilt, really make me feel like I've accomplished what I set out to do. Essentially it's the combination of pastels with brights (in particular neons, when I can get my hands on them).

Are there any specific skills you would like to explore or expand on to grow your personal making practice (sewing, pattern writing or otherwise)?

A handmade wardrobe is a long term personal goal, so I'd love to build on my very limited set of garment sewing skills to make that possible.

What’s the last project you worked on (or are still working on!) and what did you like most about it? Is there anything about the project that is holding you up? How do you get over that hump?

My most recent project was a heart block called Imprint. It's inspired by screenprinting and the Old Maid's Puzzle quilt block. Its component parts are based on the classic block, recoloured and reconfigured to form a heart motif. While it's ultimately a pretty straightforward block consisting of half square triangles, flying geese, and basic squares, it took a few iterations to land on a construction I was happy with. This is the case with every single pattern I make, and I look at it as an essential part of the process (i.e. the first take is rarely the best take).

Is there a sewing term or technique you favour? Why does it speak to you as a maker?

Probably a tie between curve blocks and FPP. These techniques look kind of intimidating from a distance but both turned out to be a case of 'you don't know until you try' and are actually quite doable with a little practice.

As a pattern designer what do you look for when purchasing/deciding on a pattern to make?

My favourite quilt patterns to sew are ones that consist of a single block. I love the repetition, and I especially love it when the block is one that allows for multiple possibilities depending on colour placement.

What advice would you offer to your past self, or someone who is just starting their sewing journey?

My advice is to try things and don’t be afraid. Like with any practice, the really good discoveries often come after lots of little failures. Accept that false starts are part of the journey. But most of all, have fun. Use those treasured fabrics, tackle your dream projects. If you have a notion to design your own quilts, go for it. Follow your intuition and keep going. You might be surprised where it will lead!

Connect with Stephanie Turner and Patch and Dot on Instagram and at patchanddot.com.

Stephanie will be joining us in June for a quilt along using Patch and Dot's SugarCubes Quilt pattern as part of The Kona Colour Society, we hope you will join us!