July | 2016 | The Plaid Portico

Today we are spotlighting Pati Fried, a California-based “Modern Traditionalist” quilter, quilt pattern designer, teacher and speaker. The Guest Artist at this year’s Vallejo Piecemakers show Sew Amazing, it was great to see so many of her quilts in one place.

Founder of the “Indie Modern Quilters” group that meets 1st Thursdays at Wooden Gate Quilts, she is also a member of the East Bay Modern Quilters. She and Laura Nownes produce the popular sewing blog Sew How We Sew and she sells her patterns in her Etsy shop, though you may be seeing her at a guild near you with her busy speaking schedule this coming year.

Let’s take a look!

Give me Liberty by Pati Fried, quilting by Kerry Reed

Give Me Liberty by Pati fried, quilted by Kerry Reed

Give me Liberty by Pati Fried, quilting by Kerry Reed

Tribute by Pati Fried, quilting by Kerry Reed

Let It Rain by Pati Fried

Shortcuts by Pati Fried

The Headlands by Pati Fried

The Big Wasabi by Pati Fried

Making Waves, piecing and pattern by Pati Fried, quilting by Kerry Reed, using Tidal Lace fabrics by Kim Andersson

Pop Rox hashtag quilt by Pati Fried, quilted by Terri Carpenter, thequiltedfox.com

Colorplay by Pati Fried, quilting by Kerry Reed

I love this Yardstick Sewing Tote!

Yardstick Sewing Tote by Pati Fried

Panel with Braid by Pati Fried

Known for her continuos braids, she designed a “Braid Trimmer” ruler that comes with simple instructions on how to make a braid.

Pati Fried’s “Braid Trimmer”

Pati Fried

Pam Rocco, whose work I have been admiring in numerous California quilt shows, came to Stitch Modern to teach a workshop “Quilting by the Seat of your Pants”. Enjoyed by all.

From Santa Cruz, she is the vice president of the South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild. Besides being a sought after teacher, she has had a monthly column, Words to Quilt By in the Quilter’s Newsletter magazine. Her improv style is easily recognizable with her use of bright, bold and ethnic fabrics.

Pam has been quilting for more than 40 years and received her formative training when she was in Appalachia with the Teacher Corps in 1969 and met women who inspired her to learn how to quilt.

Pam’s quilts have been heavily influenced by other cultures and she feels that her best work is often ad libbed – made up on the spur of the moment using whatever is at hand. She sees quilting as a salvage art, incorporating both new and used materials to play with form and color. In her world, almost anything can be incorporated into a quilt once you learn how to see design possibilities everywhere you look.

Take a look at her work!

Pam Rocco with Darci Read at her workshop “Quilting by the Seat of Your Pants” at the 2016 Stitch Modern Exhibition at The Piedmont Center for the Arts