Hi there! I’m Katie of Modern Textiles, a second-generation quilter (or maybe more?). Sadly, my grandma passed before I was wise enough to ask about her own quilting journey and whether she was self-taught or if it was a craft passed down from her mother. Ok, back to fun times!
My grandma was an absolute boss at upcycling anything (literally anything). Think 70s leisure suits, jeans cut the full length of the pant, and sewn into a quilt. Nothing went to waste when it came to fabric, and I can say I am the same way with my fabrics and clothes—I find a second purpose for them (usually filling floor poufs, rather than quilts, these days). I mainly started off doing improv at the age of 4, as I swam through my grandma’s scraps to make mini quilts for my cats and stuffed animals. This is where my daughter has started her quilting journey as well, and these are quick projects to get kids hooked into the sewing world.
Climbing Vines Pantograph coming soon!
I started longarm quilting a little over 5 years ago when I began renting time on a machine at a shop in town, and I was hooked. (Fun fact: I’ve never sent a quilt off to a longarmer. I’ve either tied quilts, quilted on my domestic machine, or quilted on a longarm.) In 2020, I had already been in the quilting industry for a couple of years as Modern Textiles, selling fabrics and writing sewing patterns—so adding longarm quilting was a natural progression and a service I was excited to offer my clients. I have a very bold vision for quilts and love pairing pantographs with quilts based on the overall vibe I get from a quilt, the fabrics used, and what the intended use of the quilt is (Is it a wall hanging? A gift? A treasure to snuggle on the couch with?). All of these factors are crucial to consider when working on the final quilt.
Baptist Sunrise Pantograph on Patchwork Plus Quilt Pattern by QuiltyLove.
After a few years of quilting, I started doodling ideas of designs I’d like to see. My day job is in the construction industry, so I see a lot of structural features that repeat on job sites, making intricate designs. Any of my geometric designs are an interpretation of the harsh angles of infrastructure.
Shooting Stars Pantograph on Cosmic Minis Sampler
Travel is another source of inspiration for me. We’re a big road-tripping family, making lots of stops off the well-traveled path in the northern plains. I take a lot of snapshots of murals, structures, nature, and all sorts of things that often get overlooked. I stash those photos into a photo album I have titled "Panto Inspo." There are loads in there that I haven’t quite figured out how to turn into a pantograph yet, but I’m always up for solving a puzzle.
For a long time, my life has been fast-paced, so I’ve learned to slow down and take note of the beauty around us. I’ve noticed my eye tends to catch things that others overlook. I love the weird beauty of our brains and how we all take in the world with a different perspective.
Hibiscus Peel Longarm Pantograph Pattern
Sometimes, when I don’t have my phone on me, I’ll have to recall inspiration from memory. This is probably my favorite way to design. It’s the method that forces my creativity to expand beyond what I could even anticipate because the original inspiration is only a vague jumping-off point. From there, I get to play around in design software. It’s the most fun for me, and I typically end up with a completely different design from where the original inspiration even stemmed.
Hibiscus Peel Longarm Pantograph on Beads Quilt Pattern by Modern Handcraft
If you are a longarm quilter or designer of any kind interested in getting into pantograph design, I have a course that will help you learn Pro-Stitcher Designer, called Pantograph Design School. There is another software available for design, Art and Stitch, but I prefer Pro-Stitcher because of the price point and the fact that it allows you to create files for a larger variety of longarm quilting machines. My course walks you through every button and feature of the software, my creative process, and how to sell your designs on both Etsy and Shopify (including the free apps I use to generate listings).
If you aren’t already, I’d love for you to follow me over at @ModernTextiles on Instagram!
You Might Also Enjoy Reading:
Quilt Pattern Design Inspiration
Five Easy Quilting Designs to Try at Home
Part 2: Easy Quilting Designs to Try at Home