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• creative peopleAppliquéin a digitalworldLike many a stitcher Lynette Andersondiscovered patchworking around thesame time she discovered nappychanging – after the birth of her firstson. These days, and three more sonslater, Lynette has her own patchworkand quilting shop behind her and nowruns a thriving Internet and wholesalebusiness. Her designs are in demandworldwide as are her teaching skills.She travels the world, needle in hand,but still calls Queensland home.Lynette was born in Dorset, England,but moved to Australia with her familyin 1990. She began designing andproducing books and patterns for thepatchwork and quilting industry in1995 and, with her Mother, Ruth, byher side, she went on to open a retailstore called The Patchwork Angel.“I’d attended an adult educationclass on patchworking when myeldest was born but I had alreadylearned from my Grandmother. I likepatchworking because there are no realrules. I prefer appliqué and ‘stitchery’.I’m not really suited to the precision ofpiecing,” says Lynette.After almost a decade running herstore Lynette decided to focus her timeon designing and now has a highlysuccessful online business, plus sheis a published author and a soughtafter tutor in Australia, the UK, the USA,Sweden, Norway and beyond. This yearshe will also teach in France and Spain.Lynette’s pattern range is constantlygrowing and, today, as well as patternsfor quilts, ‘stitcheries’ and quick projectslike bags and aprons, she also producespunch needle designs. She has alsoentered the world of fabric design.She is well known for her motifs ofcats and dogs, plus her real-life pooch,Hugo, and three feline housemateswho regularly appear on her blog andinspire her work. New projects andproducts are evolving from this creativedynamo every day, including handpainted wooden buttons in the shapeof Hugo himself!“I guess you could say the imagesare childish or naive but I like to put thatdown to the fact I had a good childhood,”says Lynette. “We were allowed to havecats, dogs and rabbits.”When she spoke to Get CreativeQuarterly Lynette had just returnedfrom The Festival of Quilts inBirmingham, England, the largestquilt show in Europe and was cookingup plans for her next trip to theInternational Quilt Festival in Houston,Texas, later in the year.Lynette shared a stand in Birminghamand also travelled to The Lakes District,86 spotlight.com.au