I’m Designer, Author, Radio show host Pat Sloan.. Our December Designer bringing us the 12th gorgeous blocks is the super talented and witty Amanda Herring of The Quilted Fish.. get it.. Herring… Fish? See.. I told you she is witty!
Amanda Inspires me personally, when we meet it was like we’d known each other forever. She champions the amazing industry we work in and is a constant source of creativity. She puts out 1,000% for every project.
You can listen to Amanda chat with me on my Talk Show Nov 23, 2015 about her inspiration for her fabric lines.
Let’s get to know Amanda!!
Where do you live Amanda?
I live in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah and I love where I live! I especially love the mountains and find great peace when I spend time there. I have lived here my whole life, but have traveled the world. I am always happy to call this home! I live about 25 minutes from 5 or 6 canyons, so I be in nature any time I need to recharge.
For a complete change of scenery, I only need to drive 2-3 hours and I can be in the gorgeous red rock part of my state. One of my favorite destinations is Moab. I always feel inspired after a visit here.
What was your first quilt sighting? Did that start you quilting?
{My wedding quilt from my grandma!}
My first quilt sighting was at my grandma’s house. She was an avid hand quilter and I remember her working on quilts in a giant hoop. She made a quilt for each grandchild when they got married. My wedding quilt was one of the last she made before she passed away and it will be a treasure forever!
Seeing my grandma quilt didn’t inspire me to start, but what did was a dose of massive depression. I started quilting as a way of finding some relief and it was wonderful! I made 11 quilts in my first three months of quilting. I gave away almost all of my first quilts, which also gave me great joy. My first quilt was made from a pattern called Just Can’t Cut it by All Washed Up and I gave it as a gift to that same grandma.
What is your background prior to designing fabric?
{Selected fabrics from collections I have designed for Riley Blake Designs…all in my fave blue, turquoise!}
Before I started my life in the quilting industry I tried lots of things. I went to school in both interior design and fashion design. I worked in retail for 10 years and then was an interior designer for a short period before becoming a mother. Besides designing fabric and patterns, I also design custom rugs. Between design and family, my life is very full!
We all have ‘one thing’ that is kind of hits us.. what is yours?
My recent “light bulb” moment was when I used silk pins for the first time! I couldn’t believe how much more enjoyable my pinning experience was. I have always just used the cheapest pins I could find, and I won’t be doing that anymore! I also have started using my seam ripper as an awl, and I am loving that, too!
Where do you work? would you change anything?
I am so fortunate to have two fabulous places to sew.
One is my cottage, which is a little house that was built in 1938 and is the center of operations for all of my creative exploits.
We purchased it about 4 years ago and completely renovated it. It is full of joyful feelings and happy little bits and pieces that make me smile. It is big enough that my staff can join me here, and small enough that it is intimate and cozy.
At the cottage I sew on my turquoise featherweight (which I LOVE)! This was custom painted for me by Jeff McAllister (@OldOval) and it is a dream!
I also sew at home, but right now it is in my unfinished basement, and it isn’t pretty at all. So I try to save my sewing for the cottage.
Do you have a super storage tip?
I don’t consider myself to be very organized, but I do have one thing that keeps me pretty neat while I am sewing. It is a tiered stand I purchased from the kitchen/dining section at Pier One a couple of years ago. I love it for my pins, cutting tools, seam rippers, extra blades….anything I like to have close. I love that I can pick it up and move it to wherever I am. Plus, it’s big enough that I can sometimes toss things in.
The hard question.. favorite color of Aurifil thread!
My favorite Aurifil colors are white (2024) and then these beautiful turquoise colors (1148, 4093). Truly, turquoise is my favorite color! Close behind is pink, though, so I thought I would throw them in for fun.
What about blue inspired your block?
I love blue. I find myself gravitating towards it in design and decor. For me, nothing is complete without some touch of blue. My home is filled with blue, my cottage is filled with blue (you may have noticed the table, the cupboards, the walls…all turquoise) and every line I have ever designed has blue as a main part of one of the color ways. Blue makes me feel calm and happy and I try to surround myself with it.
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TIP – The seam allowance is included in the PP, so once units are ready to put together, cut ON the line and sew with a 1/4″ seam
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A few more things about me:
- Right or left handed? I am right handed, and can’t do anything with my left! I am the proud mom of a lefty, though!
- Favorite TV show? Favorite childhood TV show was “Today’s Special”. I recently found it on DVD and ordered the entire collection!
- Dog, cat? I am a dog person, although I love ALL animals. This is my dog, Nuit, when she was a puppy. She is a great dane, and my nearly constant companion.
- Favorite snacks? My fave snacks are nuts, especially if they are covered in chocolate!
- All time favorite color? The color I have always loved is blue…no pink! No BLUE!
Follow me:
instagram @amandaherringdesignsamanda-herring-paper-pieced-flower-block
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/QuiltedFish/
Website Thequiltedfish.com
You now have 12 gorgeous blocks in your library. ALL will make excellent repeat block.. our design team did an outstanding job this year!
I pulled all their blocks & my version to see them together.
I will create a setting for the 12 blocks sometime in January. You can always use a prior setting we did .. the previous 5 years of Designer blocks are HERE, where we have 2 settings for 12″ blocks
Are you on Facebook? I have a fantastic quilt group with the most incredible show and tell going on! You should see it! JOIN me HERE … I’d love to meet you!
******* JOIN our Aurifil Family *******
EACH MONTH we will pick one random winner that has made a block.. that person will receive a special Aurifil thread prize! Winners are all contacted email
Our RANDOM picker this month selected Ev! She has WON a BOX of Aurifil thread! Such gorgeous blocks entered .. see all the great versions HERE
REMEMBER – The Photo entry is moved to my website where more people can enter, right HERE
I’m Designer, Author, Talk Show host 
Rob Appell is the host of Man Sewing. He’s a guy with boundless energy and enthusiasm for life and creativity. He loves God, his wife, son and daughter. He enjoys waking up excited each day to see what lies ahead. He’s happiest when he’s outside or in my studio. He has been told that he inspires others and for that he feels very blessed.