QDS™ Challenge 1 Showcase – Bobbie Ashley

Please welcome another finalist in our Professional category, Bobbie Ashley! Bobbie’s impressive set of quilting credentials include: quilt designer for RJR Fabrics, national quilt teacher/lecturer, and teacher at the Elly Sienkiewicz Appliqué Academy®!

Bobbie entered “Bella Rose” to the entry-round of McCall’s Quilt Design Star™ 2012.

Bella Rose

Bobbie Says: “My family and friends have always been so very supportive and are a treasure.”

She tells us about her Challenge 1 experience so far: “I have not sewn the Storm at Sea Block before. It is a great challenge block, 65 pieces! Lot’s of possibilities and I am looking forward to creating something fabulous. This challenge is a bit out of my comfort zone so to speak – my first love is appliqué. It is new and exciting to try something different and I love creating a concept around an idea or in this case a specific quilt block design. Like many, I am trying to work in some stash busting. This block reminds me of the ocean and life in old New England.

My first step is always with some quiet time and a sketch pad or paper. Pulling together sketches into a quilt design concept, and then working these out with my design software. Once my design is drawn, then I choose color ways on paper first, moving onto fabric choices. A mock up onto the design wall and finally working the quilt into life from there.”

Bobbie's 4-legged helper

Check out Bobbie’s website to see more of her amazing work!

Don’t miss any of our QDS™ 2012 Designer Showcase posts – click here!

This QDS™ update has been brought to you by one of our sponsors, Robert Kaufman Fabrics!