The Quilter on Fire Podcast

My guest today is Author Barbara Emodi. She has spent decades teaching people to sew — she's written sewing books, edited for major sewing magazines, and built a career teaching people to sew garments. She's a Canadian author of the Gasper's Cove Cozy Mystery series, set in a small coastal town in Nova Scotia — not a real place, but close enough that you want to hop on a plane and go find it. And I wish you could meet the characters in real life too. She's still crafting a career of sewing and teaching, but now she's writing cozy mysteries on top of it.

Find Barbara Emodi right here: http://www.babsemodi.com and FIND ALL OF HER FREE FIRST CHAPTERS RIGHT HERE

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Matt Wilding has been taking the quilting scene by storm — by 3D storm, I should say. He's won back-to-back top prizes in the Quilt Creations category at Festival of Quilts, Birmingham - first for "Wear Your Wings With Pride" in 2025, then for his quilted sphere, "Pride Around The World," in 2026. Have you seen this giant quilted ball on Instagram? It’s an exemplary lesson in design just to witness. I was so pleased to be able to see this 3D giant quilted sphere in person this summer in Birmingham. Alongside all that success, Matt teaches quilters his innovative techniques on a smaller scale in his workshops, and he does lectures for guilds. I've had the pleasure of meeting Matt two years in a row now at Festival of Quilts in the UK, and he's been an absolute joy to get to know.

Find Matt Wilding right here: http://www.mattwilding.co.uk/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Eli McCann is a lawyer, writer, and podcaster based in Salt Lake City. He writes a monthly humor column for the Salt Lake Tribune, and has cohosted the Strangerville podcast and live show since 2016. His writing has run in the Washington Post, Newsweek, HuffPost, and the BBC. Now he's published his first novel, Stitched, and the story unfolds around a small Utah quilting guild. Eli grew up under a quilters frame but he’s never made a quilt. So his mom's real quilting group gave him the details he needed to write this book with the real drama of real quilters and WOW! has it made a splash!

Find Eli McCann right here: https://www.itjustgetsstranger.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Today I'm sitting down with a quilter whose journey has taken her from traditional patterns learned decades ago, to a bold, modern design practice worked out of a tiny studio outside London that's floor to ceiling in fabric. We're talking old meeting new — traditional patterns reimagined modern through her own lens, mostly in linen for that timeless texture, and a slow practice of hand quilting that is Sarah's favourite part of the entire process. Her quilts have been in major shows like QuiltCon and The Festival of Quilts in Birmingham and some have been acquired for museum collections and galleries around the world, and she's got exhibitions and teaching lined up for years to come.

Find Sarah Hibbert right here: https://www.sarahhibbertquilts.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Today's guest is Vendulka Battais — I had the joy of judging alongside her at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham this summer, and let me tell you, she taught me so much and made the whole experience an absolute blast. She's a textile artist, tutor, speaker, long arm quilter, and certified quilt judge whose creative roots go all the way back to sewing with her mother as a young girl in the Czech Republic. A beginners patchwork class many years ago lit a spark that's grown in every direction since. This quilter has a gift for exploration. She has won awards (alongside her husband Olivier) as well as on her own for a wonderful array of techniques and designs from painted quilts to modern quilts and few collaborations along the way. Her work is inspired by yoga, sacred geometry, and symbolism. I got to see a few of her quilts up close at Festival of Quilts this summer and looking at the variety, you’d never know they were all made by the same person. This gal has some real talent.

Find Vendulka Battais right here: https://www.oliven.co.uk/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Karen Bolan is a teacher, lecturer, pattern designer and traveller. She's an artist who loves sharing her joy and her process and bringing people along with her. Quilting started as a quiet counterbalance to her career as an Engineer, something she picked up on the side. But that side pursuit kept pulling at her until she finally took the leap into a fully creative life. Today, Karen is based in Santa Rosa, California, working as a quilt teacher, lecturer, and pattern designer. Her designs are out of the box, blending geometry, experimentation, and layered texture, and she brings an encouraging, engineering-influenced approach to her teaching. Her quilts have shown in national exhibits and major publications, and her creative voice keeps growing with every new piece.

Find Karen Bolan right here: https://karenbolan.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is Aline Bugarin, she is half of the Brazilian duo that also includes Natasha Bugarin and their quilty biz is called Orbital Quilting.

Natasha came to quilting from architecture, while Aline 's background is in character design for film. Together, they've built a creative business around helping quilters gain confidence with free-motion quilting and design.

They're the brains behind Orbital Quilting Architecture, their own approach to custom quilting, as well as a growing collection of tools, books, classes, and quilting methods. Their work is all about movement, creativity, and making the whole process feel a little less intimidating.

Find Orbital Quilting right here: https://orbitalquilting.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is Eva Saunders, the designer, teacher, and creative mind behind Gingerly Quilt Co.

With a background in visual arts, design, teaching, and filmmaking, Eva brings a fresh perspective to quilting. She's known for creating modern, approachable skill-building quilt patterns that help quilters build confidence. And she has a unique “quilt painting” workshop where you make the iconic Starry Night by Van Gogh. Eva has a wonderful way of bringing out the quilt artist in you. But today, we are about to feature her latest adventure which has gripped my attention like a good magical mystery novel – we are going to dive into every detail that we are allowed to share so far about the DARK MAGIC SAMPLER.

Eva believes there's an artist inside every one of us—we just need the confidence to let it out. And she has assembled a collection of designers with skill that is pushing boundaries and she’s rolling this sampler out in a way that makes it achievable for everyone.

Grimoire DARK MAGIC SAMPLER
Americans: go to https://gingerlyquiltco.com/ONFIRE5
Canadians (and all non-US): go to https://gingerlyquiltco.etsy.com/listing/4564385437 and use the code ONFIRE5 for 5% off

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Today I’m chatting with Brigitte Heitland, a quilt and fabric designer from Germany known for her modern quilting style through Zen Chic Studio. She has one of the most recognizable brands in the quilting world and when you scroll her Instagram feed you’ll know why.

She’s built an incredible career designing fabric collections, writing quilting books, teaching internationally, and creating modern quilts known for their clean lines, balanced colour, and approachable style.

Her work has inspired quilters around the world who love modern design with a sense of calm and simplicity. And today we’ll talk about creativity, colour, quilting, and how her design background continues to shape everything she makes.

Brigitte Heitland's website - https://www.brigitteheitland.de/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is is Gail Heller, the owner of Erie Quilt Art Inc. based in Calgary, Alberta. Gail spent years working as an intensive care nurse and then a manager in the medical industry before shifting her focus to the quilting world. She started out representing fabric lines and eventually established a wholesale company that distributes top tier quilting and sewing products to businesses across Canada. In addition to managing the business, Gail is a quilting teacher and certified Aurifilosopher and she supports and mentors quilting businesses and shops across Canada.

Find Gail's website here: https://eriequiltart.com/ anf follow Erie Quilt Art on Instagram.

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is David Taylor. He's known around the world for his stunning pictorial appliqué quilts featuring birds, animals, and nature. The closer you look, the more incredible they become. Every feather, every shadow, every detail is created with fabric and thread. And behind all that award-winning work is a funny, down-to-earth teacher who believes quilting should tell a story and make people feel something. GO LOOK AT THE QUILTS IN THE GALLERY ON HIS WEBSITE (I don't often use all caps.)

David Taylor Quilts website: https://www.davidtaylorartquilts.com/

New England Quilt Seminars: https://newenglandquiltseminars.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is Marilyn Armand, founder and creative force behind Le point visible, a modern quilting studio based in Quebec's Eastern Townships.

Raised by her grandmother and aunts, all talented seamstresses, Marilyn grew up surrounded by fabric, creativity, and the traditions of making by hand. Today she's one of the few quilters recognized as a Professional Artisan by the Quebec Crafts Council and she has built a thriving business creating contemporary quilts, wearable art, and custom textile pieces from reclaimed and sustainable materials. Her work has been featured in publications including House Beautiful, The Globe and Mail, Elle Canada, and more.

Marilyn’s Instagram caught my eye because she's taking an art form that has deep roots in women's history and bringing it into modern homes in a beautiful and meaningful way.

Le point visible modern quilts website: https://lepointvisible.com/en

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Today I’m chatting with quilt artist, teacher, and author Cindy Grisdela. I recently met her at QuiltCon interviewing her about her quilt that was accepted into Quilt National 2025.

Cindy is known for her bright, modern improv quilts and her relaxed approach to creativity. She creates freehand curved quilts without patterns or templates, and her work has been shown in galleries and quilt exhibits across the U.S.

She’s also the author of Artful Improv, Adventures in Improv Quilts, and Freehand Curve Quilts, where she encourages quilters to let go of perfection and have more fun with colour and design.

Her work just feels happy. Her quilts are bold and artistic, and full of personality.

Cindy's website: https://cindygrisdela.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is award-winning quilter, teacher, author, and machine quilting expert Catherine Redford.

Originally from England and now based in Illinois, Catherine is known for her beautiful machine quilting, innovative techniques, and her ability to teach complex ideas in a really approachable way.

You may know her from her book Modern Machine Quilting, her appearances on Quilting Arts TV and TheQuiltShow.com, or from the many workshops and lectures she’s taught across the quilting world.

Whether you love piecing, quilting, embroidery, or handwork, Catherine believes there’s room for all of it—and that quilting should bring joy, not pressure.

Find her website here: https://catherineredford.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is Cecilia Koppmann! She is an internationally recognized textile artist, teacher, and colour expert based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cecilia has been creating and teaching textile art since 1998.

What she's especially known for is her incredible understanding of colour. Through hand-dyed fabrics, art quilts, workshops, and lectures around the world, Cecilia helps makers see colour in a completely new way. She has taught throughout North and South America and Europe, served as a juror for major textile festivals, and she spent 14 years bringing patchwork and quilting into homes across Latin America through television.

Her work has been exhibited around the world, including Houston, Birmingham, France, Brasil, and the Excellence in Fibers Show San José Museum of Quilts & Textiles in California just to name a few. She has presented major solo exhibitions and retrospectives of her work. You know if you. Hear the word retrospective they’ve been at the top of their game for a while.

Find her website here: https://ceciliakoppmann.com/en

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Stephanie Organes is a graphic and surface designer with a background in advertising, which lends itself so well to being a quilter and pattern lover. She’s known for her soft colour palette, very pretty details, and joyful storytelling in her fabric designs. From sewing quilted accessories for her children and starting her brand called Pretty Please to designing multiple collections for Andover Fabrics, she’s built a creative business inspired by her family culture in Mexico City and her love of nature.

Find her website here: https://www.stephanieorganes.com/

Follow her on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/prettyplease.mx/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is Tara Evans of Tara Lee Quiltery. She is an artist who didn’t just find quilting—she claimed it as her medium after years of creating in all kinds of ways. From painting to photography to raising four kids, her creative path has been anything but straight—and I love that. Now she’s known for bold, graphic, modern quilt designs that really stop you in your tracks. With over 30 quilt patterns designed and in her shop, and a passion for originality and inclusivity, she’s bringing something fresh to the quilting world with her bold designs, and meaningful storytelling.

Check out my interview of Tara at QuiltCon in front of her quilts at QuiltCon: https://youtu.be/5uR_s3fHXXY?si=lv3zeTE50GGDvr8B

Find Tara's website here: https://www.taraleequiltery.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Today I’m sitting down with Abigail Vargas, a contemporary textile artist based in Winters, California, whose work is vibrant, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in storytelling.

Abigail creates quilts inspired by nature, science, and family to name a few—often combining contemporary fabrics with vintage and repurposed materials to add layers of meaning and texture to her work. Her quilts have been exhibited at shows like QuiltCon and Quilt National, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles as well as international exhibits in Taiwan.

Abigail brings together so many influences—modern art, folk art, collaboration, even science—and turns them into quilts that feel emotional and alive. I first saw her work at QuiltCon when I interviewed her for Quilt National and I was instantly drawn into her quilt Bumblebee Jasper to look at every detail. She’s also the creator of the collaborative Exquisite Quilt Project, inspired by the Surrealist “Exquisite Corpse” game, where multiple artists contribute without seeing the full design ahead of time.

Abigail Vargas Designs - https://www.avargasdesigns.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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My guest today is Karla Overland from Cherrywood Hand-Dyed Fabrics, a company with a beautiful history that started over 35 years ago. From humble beginnings, Cherrywood has grown into a globally recognized name, known for its rich, luminous colours and that signature soft, almost suede-like texture. Karla Overland is the colourist who creates and maintains 200 formulas for gorgeous colours. She is also a quilt designer, pattern designer and graphic designer. Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabrics is known worldwide in the quilting industry, and employs ten women in Brainerd/Baxter, Minnesota.

Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabrics - https://cherrywoodfabrics.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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Today I’m chatting with quilter, teacher, shop owner, author, and community builder Jean Wells of the Stitchin’ Post in Sisters, Oregon. From opening her quilt shop over 50 years ago to helping build Sisters, Oregon into a quilting destination known around the world, Jean has spent decades bringing quilters together through creativity, education, and community. Jean opened Stitchin’ Post back in 1975, making it one of the very first quilt shops in the United States. Over the years, she’s become one of the most respected voices in quilting through her 30 books, her classes, fabric collections, and her huge influence on the quilting world.

Find the Stitchin" Post Quit shop right here: https://stitchinpost.com/

Quilter on Fire Website - https://quilteronfire.com/

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