Meet the Maker: Sarah Schneider

Quilting became a part of her life through several international moves as a military wife. “Two years after joining that quilt guild, our family moved to Denmark. There I had my first request for a custom made and designed quilt, Building Blocks. There were several more moves, and more designs, and requests to teach beginner quilting classes. I am now living in Japan with over 25quilt patterns, quilts published in three different magazines, teaching at my local art centre, and having my patterns featured in Northcott Fabrics look books,” Sarah says of her transition from hobby to business. “I didn’t realise I wanted it to be an actual business until my mother-in-law started telling me just how great I could be, pushing me forward with her support in every aspect. And a pivotal point was when a family friend messaged me to make a custom quilt for her first grandbaby. What an honour – to make a quilt for someone’s grandchild, just the way Grandma would have wanted.”

Quilt pictured is Ditzy Quilt by Sarah from Make Modern Issue 62

“The quilt I’m most proud of is Windy Day, which was published in Issue 44 of Make Modern. It was named bymy mother-in-law, and one of the first quilts she helped me tech edit. It was my first quilt in a magazine and I remember how excited she was for me,” she enthuses.

With a husband in the Air Force, which has led to many cross-country and international moves, as well as arenting two young children, Sarah’s original career in Mechanical Engineering proved challenging, so she is currently a WAHM, focusing on raising her children whilst running her quilt business. “My business changes depending on where we live. As of right now, here in Japan my business has taken on some new aspects. I create custom t-shirt quilts, custom quilts made from military uniforms, teach quilting lessons, design patterns, and sell items at the local farmer’s market. My patterns are available in several magazines (mostly Make Modern), in shops, through a distributor, and on my website.”

Quilt pictured is Windy Day by Sarah from Make Modern Issue 44

Sarah’s quilting style has changed since she first began quilting, as her tastes have evolved. “Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, my quilting was very simple and traditional patterns. Nowadays, itis more modern quilting mixed with some traditional piecing techniques. I am not one for many colours or patterned fabrics in my quilts, I prefer monochromatic quilts with fabrics that read as solids. Most of my quilts use the same colours, blues and greens. I have started letting my daughter help me pick out fabrics for my designs so I can mix it up a bit more!”

One of her family’s greatest joys is travel, and it’s a constant source of inspiration. “I find inspiration everywhere while we’re traveling. The floor of Saigon’s Post Office inspired the table runner, Saigon’s Tiles(MM56), and Edinburgh(MM60) was inspired by some tilework I found outside of the back door of a downtown church in Scotland’s capital,” Sarah enthuses. “Whenever I need a bit of inspiration, I look through old photos from our trips, I find a ton of inspiration when on holiday. The tiles at Herculaneum, Pompeii, or in Saigon never fail to get the wheels spinning. ”Sarah is a do-it-all quilter, from that first seed of inspiration to the last stitch of binding. “I do everything, well almost, myself. I create the pattern, write the pattern, test it, baste, quilt and finish the quilt on my domestic machine. I do have my mother- in-law, Susan, who is my biggest supporter, the best tech editor I could ever need, and pattern tester. Then, I have a small group of quilters that also test my patterns after she and I have had a go at them,” Sarah explains. For Sarah, her favourite part of the quilting process is dependent on what she’s working on. “My favourite part of quilting depends on the quilt, actually. Some are the design process, it is always the picking out fabric, others are when I start seeing the quilt coming together when piecing. And I can never say no to when I am cuddled up in an almost complete quilt on the couch working on the hand binding,” she explains.

Growing up in a creative family, Sarah used to think the artistic genes skipped her over. “I used to always say I wasn’t an artistic person. My sister can draw, sculpt, paint. My father can paint a scene from his imagination, create a beautiful container for my scissors on my sewing table. But, I couldn’t draw a stick figure to save my life, anything sculpted is literal trash. It wasn’t until I started sewing and quilting that I realised I had actual artistic talent. Who knew?!” she says, adding, “I love how quilting makes me feel like I am making something that will last for a lifetime, something I created with my own two hands. A thought that came from the depths of my crazy brain that is now in 3D form.”

Edinburgh Quilt by Sarah Schneider from Make Modern Issue 60

As well as a business, and creative outlet, quilting has also given Sarah a community. “It was the quilting guilds that I have been part of that have given me encouragement, knowledge, and friendship. I honestly do not know where I would be in my quilting journey or my business. Quilting with others gives you time to get to know each other, learn from each other. We spend more time talking about our lives and our futures than we discuss quilting patterns and fabric – although we do that a lot as well,” Sarah says.

As far as her quilty future is concerned, Sarah plans to continue making her mark in the quilting world, creating personal fulfilment and also sharing her skills with others. “I really enjoy the process of quilting, each quilt I create teaches me more about myself, how I have grown over the years. I am more confident now in my abilities, and those of my students, than ever before. I have had students from five years ago still reach out and show me how proud they are of what they have done, and boy, have they done so well! Each and every one of them who continues to quilt has gone onto their own journeys with their own techniques. It is a joy to see and I hope to continue seeing my students accomplish amazing things. And I hope to continue to see my quilts in magazines, and in people’s homes!”