Say hello to Island Batik Ambassador Jane Hauprich at Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting! An award winning quilter and quilt instructor, Jane lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She specializes in free motion custom quilting and believes that each quilt is special and deserves quilting that accentuates it’s beauty and uniqueness.
We asked Jane a few questions about her creative process and here’s what she told us!
Island Batik: What sparked your interest in quilting, and how did your journey begin? Was there a particular quilt or moment that ignited your passion?
Jane: I first began learning to quilt in the late 1990’s with a group of ladies at a local church. As a young single mother to three kids, I had very little time to pursue quilting. It wasn’t until my children got older and I discovered free motion quilting, that my passion seemed to be ignited.
Where do you find inspiration for your quilt designs? Are there specific experiences, places, or memories that influence your work?
I have found my inspiration just about anywhere. Sometimes it is about experiences and places, and sometimes it’s because I see a tiled floor or wall design that sparks an idea. Sometimes just sitting and playing with EQ8, can lead to designs I never would have thought of on my own. I am constantly with a drawing pad, just in case an idea hits me!! Besides that, doodling really helps with your free motion quilting skills, so a pad of paper is always close by!!
Can you describe your creative process from concept to completion? How do you decide on colors, patterns, and fabrics?
Once I have a fabric collection, it is all about playing with those fabric swatches in EQ8 and coming up with designs for quilts that will enhance the fabric. I will typically play with different blocks until I have a quilt that I think will work. Then I start adding the fabric swatches in. Recoloring over and over until I have a quilt that I like and I think others will like. It is amazing to me how just changing up fabrics within the quilt design can totally change up the look of the quilt!! As far as the free motion quilting process goes, I like to print out a picture of the finalized quilt design and doodle on that picture to come up with a quilting plan that I like. This doesn’t mean that I can’t change that around once I get to the quilting part, but having a plan gives me permission to start the quilting, as I have a plan written down (or doodled out).
How do your quilts reflect your personal emotions or experiences? Do you find that quilting helps you process or express these emotions?
Piecing and quilting definitely help me express and process my emotions!!! I find that it allows me to shut everything else out and just create. It quiets the outside world and everyday problems to give me a sense of peace for the time that I am quilting. I also find that it helps me process my emotions as I am taking time away while working in my studio.
What is the most challenging quilt you’ve ever made, and how did you overcome those challenges? What did you learn from that experience?
As Island Batik Ambassadors, we are assigned projects to make each month. When I saw the New York Beauty quilt come up a couple of years ago, I was beside myself. I tend to shy away from curved piecing as it scares me. But in the end, I powered through and I did enjoy the process. Sometimes being made to “work outside your comfort zone” is a good thing and can definitely broaden your skills!!
How does your cultural background or heritage influence your quilting? Are there specific traditions or techniques you incorporate into your work?
I am not sure that my cultural background or heritage has influenced my quilting. As far as my piecing goes, I tend to like to stick to fairly simple quilt patterns, as that is what I enjoy piecing the most. I am a visual learner, so I do try to incorporate that into my pattern writing. When I am free-motion custom quilting for customers, I do try to create rules or ideas for each quilt to make the quilting be cohesive throughout.
How has your quilting style evolved over the years? Can you identify key moments or pieces that marked significant changes in your approach?
I tend to look at my key moments through my custom quilting career. From where I started to where I am today. I also tend to notice that when I first started piecing and quilting that I leaned more towards darker fabrics, and at one point along the way, my entire passion for bright fabric took over!! I also love a pastel type fabric too!!
If you could have any superpower to assist you in your quilting, what would it be and why?
I would love to have everyone be happy with where they are in their quilting journey. So many times I see people comparing themselves to others who have had so much more experience. We should all be proud of where we are and how we got there. As far as an item that I would love to magically appear…….a never ending bobbin!!!!
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, on a quilt project, who would it be and what kind of quilt would you create together?
Wow, there are just way too many to include in this!! I have followed so many quilters on social media, and am in awe of so many of them. I think I would do best with someone that designs more complicated quilts and to see their process, compared to my pattern writing. As far as free motion quilting, again, there are so many that I would love to or have already spent time with in classes , teaching at the same shows, or just on a personal level. When I first started my teaching career, there were two professional longarmers that were very gracious with their time, advice and knowledge. I can never thank them enough for helping me with their guidance. I will be forever grateful to Jamie Wallen and Lisa Calle. I’ve been teaching on the quilting circuit for about 10 years now, and the road would have not started out as smoothly as it did, without their input and advice.
What are your future goals or dreams for your quilting? Are there new techniques, themes, or projects you’re excited to explore?
When I became an Island Batik Ambassador, I was piecing from others patterns and really didn’t have much experience with batiks. But I have to say that I have fallen in love with batiks and have fallen in love with writing my own patterns. I keep on having ideas for new ones, and am very excited about that!! I will continue to do custom quilting, but am also focused on writing more patterns. I do also love to teach free motion quilting, and am looking forward to continuing to do that locally and also at a couple of shows each year. I also really enjoy speaking virtually to quilt guilds about free motion quilting, and hope to continue that also.
Be sure to follow Jane on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram and subscribe to her blog to see what she’s working on right now!
To see the whole 2024 Island Batik Ambassador team, please visit: https://islandbatik.com/2024-ambassadors/
Is there anything else you want to ask Jane? Leave us a comment below!