Meet Sarah

Sarah is my very patient quilting teacher.

What is your craft?

The traditional craft of patchwork and quilting.

How did you get started and when?

I come from a crafting family – and I have crafted for as long as I can remember. My mother, aunt and grandmother would encourage embroidery, sewing, knitting, papercraft – any craft you can think of. In 1991 I went to see Gillian Clarke talk about a quilt she had made depicting women’s work in the Middle Ages. I went because I was interested in women’s history. And I came away excited about the wonderful quilts I had seen. I started my first quilt soon afterwards, and I’ve been making quilts ever since.

Do you have a business name? What is it and how did you choose it?

My business name is Edward and the White Bear. I thought about several names for my business wrote a big long list and asked people I knew what they thought. This was the favourite.

What is your favourite part of your craft?

So much!! Choosing fabrics and threads. Working with gorgeous colours. Finishing quilts and using them – or passing them on to others who will appreciate them. And the sociability of quilting –whether I’m teaching or just sewing with others I enjoy spending time with other people who love the same things I love.

What is your least favourite part?

There’s not enough time in the world to make all the quilts I want to make.

Do you have a favourite thing that you make? Do you have a picture of it?

My favourite is ‘Frank’ – a wall hanging I made last year depicting Frankenstein’s monster. He hangs in my house like a family portrait!!

Do you have a website or Facebook page? If so what is the URL?

www.edwardandthewhitebear.co.uk

Do you sell your makes? If so, how and where?

No – but if you want to learn how to quilt then I’m your woman!!

What is your favourite craft product?

I have a pair of Fiskars scissors which I am very attached to. They have a non-stick coating which makes them easy to keep clean. I use them on anything and they seem to stay sharp – and they are just the right size for me.

What is your favourite craft supplier?

I love interesting threads for quilting. I use Superiorthreads as they produce a great range of different colours and weights. I use their bobbin fill ‘Bottom Line’ almost all of the time in my sewing machine. And I adore the vivid shades of their ‘Nature Colors’ polyester thread – I use a lot of this for free machine quilting. I source all of these threads through Barnyarns – a fabulous supplier who really know their stuff.

Personal Details

Sarah Eliza Humphreys

Age 36

Location Leeds