Designer Spotlight: Interview with Christina McCourt

Antique Star Quilt Pattern

Christina McCourt’s quilt patterns are great for showcasing fabric collections. Her traditional designs have been widely published in magazines. A long time fan, I couldn’t wait to get to know more about her as a designer and a person.

Designer Spotlight: Interview with Christina McCourt

QW– How did you get started in quilt pattern designing?

Christina McCourt (CM) -I started designing for myself in 2007 when I fell in love with fabric and couldn’t find a pattern for it. I designed something for it. I did this for a couple of quilts. In May 2008, Pat from the Hickory Stick Quilt Shop in Hannibal, MO asked me to design a quilt. It was for the quilt that she has made for a raffle for the Tom and Becky program. After that things just took off. Initially I just sold my patterns to her store. I submitted quilt to magazine also.  To get my patterns out past Hickory Stick I submitted my work to QuiltWoman.com and was accepted.

QW- Tell us more about publishing your designs in magazines. How did you get started in that?

CM– I had help getting my quilt designs out there and published. My first submission was to Quilt magazine. Pat took the quilt to Quilt Market to show around and Quilt magazine liked it.  I also designed the quilt for Pat for the quilt shop spotlight in Quilt Sampler. I had a quilt in Quilting for Christmas and Fabric Trends that were submitted by the fabric company.  After that push I started submitting on my own. I have a quilt in Quilt Almanac 2011 that I submitted. I also was in Quiltmaker’s 100 blocks after designing a block for Volume 3 and 4. Currently I have been submitting to Fon’s and Porter magazine and have had great success with them.

Ribbon Pinwheel Quilt Pattern

QW- Do you have a favorite pattern design? Which one and why?

CM– My favorite patterns are Ribbon Pinwheel and Sweet Adelaide. I really can’t decide which I like the best. I like the fact that in both you make one block and when you put them together and you get a secondary design. Love the movement in both.

QW– How do you decide which fabrics to use when designing?

CM– I use fabrics that appeals or “talks” to me. I have been trying to use fabric that is not in my comfort zone. My favorite is Kansas Trouble and Civil War reproduction fabrics. Sometimes I have the fabric and I let it lead me in the design of a quilt. I have quite a few quilts designed but the right fabric hasn’t appeared.

QW– What are you working on right now? Where are you at in the process?

CM-Right now I am working on a quilt for Fon’s and Porter magazine. I am in the piecing stage. It is a scrappy quilt and I am using colors that I normally do not use. It has been fun!

Victorian Medley Quilt Pattern

QW– What is your favorite quote and why?

CM-“Put your big girl panties on and deal with it” and “Suck it up buttercup”. Hate whining.

QW– What would your perfect day be like? Who would you spend it with? What would you do? Where would you go?

CM– Right now the perfect day would be on a deserted island. I would be myself for some quality alone time with a book. Hey it’s just for a day. Then back to family time.

Birds Around the Town Quilt Pattern

QuiltWoman.com is offering 20% off all of Christina’s patterns as a special treat to you. See all of Christina’s beautiful quilt patterns here.