Tell us about yourself.

Hi! My name is Judy Gauthier. I am the owner of Bungalow Quilting. I have owned my shop for over 11 years. I am also a critical care nurse, mother to 4 grown children and a wife of 36 years. I have been sewing since age 9. I think what makes my experience unique is the toughness of the programs that I took when learning to sew.

I began my sewing journey with garment sewing and some stiff competition, so I learned to sew things the right way! I am also a designer for Studio E Fabrics and have written 6 books for C&T Publishing. I have been paying close attention to fabric design for many years. I have a lot of experience in color coordination and what is pleasing to the eye. Pattern and design are the reasons that I sew.

What inspires you?

What inspired me to start writing books for publication is that I noticed the majority of books about scrap quilting in the industry lacked one very important thing - how to combine scraps that were true scraps and very difficult to combine.

What inspired me to start designing fabric was my love for pattern and color and the need for fabrics to be relatable. I truly believe that color and pattern increase the positive brain chemicals. I have heard shrieks of delight in my shop when people see fabrics, colors and patterns that make them happy.

It’s so simple: show people happy color and fabric they can relate to, and it’s an instant mood booster, no medications needed. If you can design a fabric that makes people feel viscerally happy, you’ve done a great deal of good.

Tell us about your fabric.

Most of the fabrics that I have designed have been ones that people can relate to. I designed Silent Sports for all of the many people that love to be in nature. This fabric is about doing the kinds of outdoor activities that everyone can do. You don’t have to be extra strong or coordinated to ride a bike, to walk outside or paddle a kayak. Everyone can do it, and it’s life-affirming.

My first line of fabric, All Lined Up has brightly-colored stripes. Stripes are classic, and never, ever go out of style. The colors are bright and bold. I found that this line of fabric could be combined with hundreds of different prints in my shop, from a huge range of designers and manufacturers.

My most recent line, Data Point, is particularly special. I have made things with these prints that range from pillows to men’s neck ties. It’s important for fabric to be relatable, but also extremely functional. Data Point is about computers, computer hardware and languages, and circuitry. Everyone uses technology in their lives. I can see home décor made with this as well as garments and curtains. There are some very fun quilting projects that are free projects on the Studio E website: studioefabrics.net/

My future designs will be focused on things that make people happy and feel comfortable. That is what sewing and quilting is all about.

What advice do you have for the new maker?

If I could give advice to a new maker, I would say make sure to pick fabrics and colors that make your heart sing. Don’t worry about the opinion of others. Grab up your favorite color and go. Always surround yourself with things that make you happy. However, equally important is to learn new techniques. Try and find the individual or individuals that have a great deal of experience and learn from them.