Meet our Featured Designer Jessica Rose

Jessica Rose always appreciated the beauty around her, from the pine-covered Cascade Mountains where she grew up to the modern art installations at the Seattle Art Museum. Sewing quilts was a family tradition passed down from grandmother to mother and finally to Jess. Even at a young age, Jessica remembers piecing simple quilts with family and friends.

Jess began designing her own quilts after she struggled for months to find the perfect pattern for her husband. After completing her first quilt pattern (Siracusa Gingham), she began designing quilts specifically designed to fit into the aesthetic of a modern home.

Jessica founded Quiltd Studios to house her collections and educate quilters through blogs and classes. Each pattern is specifically designed to be approachable, fun to make, and seamlessly fit into your home’s aesthetic. You can find Freebies, tutorials, patterns and more at www.quiltdstudios.com or find Jess on Instagram, Pinterest and Quiltd Studios’ private FB page, The Society of Quilters.

What is the first thing you sewed?

You know I was really lucky in that my parents were super supportive of me at a young age so I think I started with sewing scrunchies of various colors when I was 5 or 6 (with parental help of course!). It's hard to remember that far back!

Tell us about your sewing machine.

I recently started using a Bernina B570 QE and I am in love. I had been using a machine that was gifted to me while I was in high school, so getting an upgrade to 570QE has been a total game changer. I love everything about it: it has a wide throat space, every foot you could ever hope for, sews like a dream and has A TON of cool features (embroidery capabilities, various fonts and sewing designs etc.). It’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. And I sew so much faster haha

What's the process - Does a fabric inspire you or do you start with a design first?

I'm inspired by the designs that I see in old buildings, vintage rugs, tiles, art, really anywhere I find beauty. This leads to sketching on paper or my Ipad. I’m really drawn to bold modern graphic patterns that allow colors to shine through. The hard part is finding the exact shade of fabric that I envision in the design. The journey of seeing designs from your mind come to life as a quilt is magical.

A favorite pattern you've made.

All of them! Haha It is so hard to choose, I love them all for different reasons. The Siracusa Gingham is a classic (and is my firstborn), but Isola has my heart because it challenged me to learn how to do curves in quilting. I love the MCM design of Roma, Capri has so much movement and honestly you feel like a magician in assembling it and I have an Oristano Quilt hanging in my house most of the time.

Is there anything fun or special in your sewing room?

I studied history and Italian in college and have a love of all old things but especially antiques. I use a vintage soda crate to store all of my threads, a butter churn to hold my scissors, and sitting on my desk is a vintage brass whale.

I also had an incredible opportunity to design a felt wall with Feltright, I love having this beautiful, functional piece of art in my sewing space that I use to hang blocks, etc. You can get my same design just DM me on Instagram for a discount code.

Favorite local quilt shop?

Vegas has some amazing shops! It's really a quilty oasis in the desert, but Sew Yeah Quilting has been so supportive to me, they are my local bernina dealer and have helped me so much in learning how to get the most out of it. It doesn’t hurt that they also have a great fabric selection as well.

Favorite place to shop online for fabric or quilty materials?

I’ve always loved supporting smaller quilt shops and I have a few that I love, Pasadena Quilt co and my friend Liza (Lizahandmade) has an amazing fabric store. I find so many great sellers on Etsy too.