blocks designed by Shae Merritt
click on the image for the pattern

For the next few weeks, I’ll be putting the spotlight on the sewhooked Guest Designers.  These wonderful women create and share their paper pieced quilting patterns and graciously allow me to post them, free of charge, on sewhooked.

Each of their work can be found on the Guest Designer Page.

I’ll be posting these in the order that I received them, just to save myself from playing favorites!  I am more grateful to each and every designer for sharing her wonderful patterns than I could ever express.   Thank you, thank you, thank you!

First up is Shae Merritt.  I’ve known Shae for a couple of years now.  We met in an online Harry Potter costuming group when I fell in love with her Umbridge costume and we starting chatting back and forth.

She tackles each new craft that grabs her interest with both hands and runs with it.  The same was true for paper piecing.

Shae and I have been lucky enough to meet in real life and the rest, as they say, is history!

Questions were asked by me, all answers are in Shae’s own words.

First name and where you’re from: Shae – Central Florida

Website/blog/online store or other place where your patterns or photos of your work can be found? – patterns/pictures on sewhooked

How long have you been paper piecing and/or quilting?  – I started paper piecing on April 10, 2008, so almost 7 months

What do you use own your blocks for? – I’ve made one quilted wallhanging and a few other misc. framed crafts, but other than that I’ve been saving them up until an idea comes to me.

When did you start designing? – I designed my first pattern mid-May, almost exactly a month after I started paper piecing.

Was there a particular inspiration to draw your first pattern? – my brother was patching up a pillow and I had told him about my idea to try to make a Triforce because it could be a really easy block to make, and he asked if I would make him the block to use for his pillow.

Do you remember what your first design was? – Triforce from the Legend of Zelda series

Do you have a favorite among your own designs? I really like the Majora’s Mask pattern, but a favorite design of mine that I haven’t had a chance to piece is the ‘WooHoo’ symbol from The Sims 2.

How has the online community changed the way you craft/quilt/design, etc.? – I wouldn’t exactly say the online community changed the way I craft, but rather it is the reason I do. I never crafted at all until 2 years ago when I started making crafty friends. If not for the community and seeing all of the awesome things people were making I would have never thought to try paper piecing. Being able to look at other people’s designs and ideas helps my own imagination work. I’m glad that there are such crafty people out there to inspire me.

What do you use to design your patterns?  Paper and pencil, a specific software, etc. – I use Paint Shop Pro 8 to design patterns

find more of Shae’s patterns on the sewhooked Guest Designer Page

Happy crafting!