We're bringing more and more brand new suppliers to your screens each week! We really love to get to know the people behind the brands and we'd love for you to get to know them too!
This week, we welcome Pat and Mark from Totally Patched to Hochanda. An inspirational, family run business that aims to educate crafters from their premises based in Shropshire. We caught up with them to get a real insight in to their day-to-day lives, check it out and don't forget to tune in this Friday to see their very first shows!
Q. Introduce
yourself.
A. Hi
we are Mark and Pat Palmer the owners of Totally Patched
Q. Tell us how Totally Patched came about; was it something that you had always wanted to do?
A. Totally
Patched started out life quite a long time ago with a friend Diane, time has
passed and situations changed Diane moved away and I (Pat) started building
Totally Patched from a small hobby type business into a large web based, retail
shop and class based business. When Mark and I got together we found Mark was a
natural with colour and became the person that all of our customers got to know
for help with choosing fabrics, and Pat concentrated on classes and designing.
Mark also now runs and does all of the sewing in the Long Arm Quilting branch
of our business.
Q. When you are not creating, what else do you like doing for fun?
A.
Creating and the business take most of our time but we do like to get away in
our motor home whenever we can. I love to read and relax while Mark likes a game
of Golf.
Q. What does your studio look like? Give us a tour.
A. Our
studio!!! Takes on various forms we have a long arm quilting room, cutting room
and a stitching and designing room, all very busy most of the time.
Q. What
does a typical week look like for you?
A. We
teach classes two days each week, pre-cut bespoke designed kits for mail order,
Long Arm quilt for customers, trade at many quilt shows around the country, and
then try to get a little down time.
Q. What’s been your favourite piece you have created to date?
A. I designed
and made a quilt made from Chambray fabric which I love and in contrast a quilt
called “There’s No Place Like Home”, they are both current quilts so favourites
at the moment.
Q. What do you love about patchwork?
A. The
relaxation – the challenge – the way one design can look so different just by
changing fabrics.
Q. How do you get inspired? Is there anybody that you follow for inspiration?
A. I
usually get inspired by a fabric collection and then work with it to create a
certain design. I love Country Style designs and working with traditional
patchwork blocks.
Q. Could you give us five top tips for beginners?
1.
Take a good basic beginners class, with a qualified teacher, it is always
better than picking up bad habits from a well-meaning friend, especially at the
beginning. Once you have the basic skills you can then use and develop them in
the future.
2. Go
with what you like, you will always get the best result.
3. Ask
advice in a quilt shop about colour if you are not sure but don’t get talked
into what the shop assistant thinks you should have,
4.
Make things for people you love.
5.
Relax and enjoy this vast craft.
Q. What has been your biggest artistic achievement.
A. Designing
a block of the month quilt that people love and want to make as well.
And for the future? What’s next for you?
A. Hard
question. Hochanda has popped into our
plans and that was something we never imagined, but in general continue
designing and creating for people who love our products.
Tune in to see Pat and Mark's first Totally Patched launch shows on Hochanda on Friday 29th July 10am, 2pm and 5pm!
You can watch Hochanda live online, Sky channel 663, Freeview 39 (6am - 9pm) or Freesat 817.
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