Cozy Quilts, Clover Leaves, and Sewing with the Seasons with Abby Luchsinger
Megan FowlerOriginally recorded as an episode of The Quilt Scouts Podcast
Some quilts feel like a deep breath.
That’s the best way I can describe Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home by Abby Luchsinger of Abby Maed. It’s a book that invites you to slow down, notice the season you’re in, and make something that feels steady, lived-in, and cozy without feeling dated.
This episode was originally recorded as part of The Quilt Scouts Podcast, before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound. You’ll hear the old name in the recording and transcript, but the heart of this conversation fits right into the Quiltbound world: creative seasons, thoughtful design, trying new things, and making quilts that actually belong in your home and your life.
I’m so excited to share this cozy chat with Abby as part of her virtual book tour. We talked about her new book, designing around the seasons, balancing creative business with family life, and why modern quilts can still feel warm, personal, and deeply snuggle-worthy.
Which is, obviously, the whole point.
Listen to the Episode
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Episode Overview
In this episode, I’m joined by Abby Luchsinger of Abby Maed, a quilt pattern designer, fabric designer for Art Gallery Fabrics, member of the Social Bee Collective, and author of Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home.
We talk about the long process of writing a book, how Abby organized the projects by season, what “cozy” means in a modern home, and how creativity shifts depending on life, weather, business, motherhood, and the occasional need to clean your entire sewing space before your brain will cooperate.
Relatable. Painfully.
Abby also shares more about the book’s seasonal structure, her favorite creative rhythms, and the quilt projects she hopes will help makers feel at home in their own spaces.
A Quilt Book Built Around the Seasons
Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home includes 16 projects organized into four seasonal chapters:
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
- Winter
Each chapter includes a mix of full quilts and smaller projects, all designed with approachability and longevity in mind.
This isn’t the kind of book you flip through once and forget about.
It feels like the kind of book you keep nearby, slowly working through as your energy, curiosity, and current season allow. There are quilts for snuggling, smaller projects for gifting, and designs that feel modern without losing that “please come sit on the couch and stay awhile” feeling.
Abby described the book as contemporary, but not cold.
That really captures it.
Modern, yes.
Austere? Absolutely not.
Why I Chose the Cloverly Quilt
For the book tour, I made the Cloverly Quilt block from the Spring chapter, and it instantly stole my heart.
With February here and March just around the corner, I’m already feeling that familiar seasonal shift. The days get a little longer. The light feels different. There’s that late-winter restlessness where you’re still wearing socks indoors, but part of your brain has already wandered off to seed packets, green grass, and iced coffee optimism.
My birthday is in March, so I’ve always felt connected to this in-between season. St. Patrick’s Day, the spring equinox, the first hints of green after months of gray, it all feels wrapped together for me.
Clover has always felt symbolic of that moment: hopeful, grounded, and quietly resilient.
Sewing the Cloverly block felt a lot like that transition. Not full-on spring yet, but clearly pointing toward it. A reminder that cozy doesn’t mean stuck, and that creative work can be restful while still nudging you forward.
This block feels like a little stitched nod to the season ahead, and that makes it even more special to me.
Sewing the Cloverly Block
The Cloverly block is bold and graphic without being fussy, playful in a way that still feels timeless.
Each block is made from four leaf units, and the construction is incredibly satisfying. It has that very Abby balance of clean shapes, sweet details, and a finished result that looks more involved than it feels while you’re making it.
A few things I loved:
- The construction felt clear and approachable
- The design gives you room to play with color
- The block works beautifully on its own or as part of a larger quilt
- The clover leaf shape feels soft, geometric, and very Abby
If you enjoy quilt projects that look special without making you question all of your life choices, this one is such a joy to sew.
A Little Extra Cozy: Turning Mine Into a Pillow
I made a single Cloverly block, and I already know it’s headed toward a quilted throw pillow for my couch.
This is one of the things I appreciate most about Abby’s work. It always feels practical in the best way.
Beautiful, yes.
But also meant to live with you.
On couches. On chairs. In kids’ rooms. Across mantels. In the places where quilts and quilted things get used, loved, shifted around, and folded into real life.
A Cloverly pillow feels like the perfect little spring refresh without committing to a full quilt right this second. A seasonal project with low drama and high charm. My favorite kind of side quest.
What Abby Shared About the Book
One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing how Abby thought about the book season by season.
She shared that organizing the book this way felt like a natural continuation of her design work because she has always been inspired by what’s happening outside her window. Living in Wisconsin, where the seasons are distinct, gives her a steady rhythm of visual inspiration: spring flowers, summer color, autumn warmth, winter stars and snowflakes.
The projects don’t have to be made only in their assigned seasons, of course.
A spring quilt can become a year-round quilt.
A summer tote can be made in fall fabrics.
A winter project can live on your couch all year if that’s what your house wants.
But the seasonal structure gives the book a sense of movement. It feels like walking through the year with your sewing machine nearby.
Small Projects Count Too
The book includes full quilts, but it also includes smaller projects like bags, pouches, and bunting.
I loved Abby’s explanation for why that mix mattered.
You can only make so many full quilts. Sometimes you need a quick finish. Sometimes you need a teacher gift, a birthday gift, or a tiny creative reset between bigger projects.
A smaller project can give you that “look, I made a whole thing!” feeling without requiring three months, a design wall, and a full emotional support beverage station.
The Signs of Spring Bunting came up in our conversation as a great project for someone who feels creatively stuck or overwhelmed. It’s small, flexible, and easy to imagine in different colors or fabrics.
Across a fireplace mantle? Adorable.
In a sewing room? Also adorable.
For a spring birthday party? Please invite me emotionally.
Sewing with Your Creative Season
One of the things I loved most about this episode was the way Abby talked about creative seasons, not just literal ones.
She shared that she sews differently depending on the time of year and what’s happening in her life. Summer tends to be a lower-sewing season because she’s outside with her kids, soaking up the weather while Wisconsin allows it. Once the temperature drops, she’s ready to be back in the sewing room making cozy things.
But creativity also ebbs and flows outside of the calendar.
Some days the ideas come faster than you can write them down.
Other days, the creative part of your brain is apparently out of office.
Abby’s approach is to work with those rhythms instead of fighting them. When the ideas are flowing, she captures as much as she can. When she’s not feeling creatively sparked, she shifts to the more mechanical parts of the work, like writing patterns or organizing what’s already in progress.
That felt like such a good reminder.
You don’t always have to force the spark.
Sometimes you just do the next useful thing.
Comfort Sewing and Trying Something New
Abby also shared how she balances comfort sewing with trying new things.
Sometimes the new thing is sparked by her kids, like making little animal dolls even though she had never sewn dolls before. A purple cow family, specifically. Icon behavior from her child, honestly.
Sometimes it’s making a skirt out of her own fabric collection, even though garment sewing was new territory.
That kind of creative curiosity fits so beautifully with Quiltbound. Not everything has to become a business. Not every new skill needs to turn into content, a product, or a life plan.
Sometimes you try something because it sounds fun.
Sometimes the purple cow family simply needs to exist.
Designing Fabric, Patterns, and a Creative Life
We also talked about how Abby’s work as a fabric designer influences the way she designs quilt patterns.
Because she’s a quilter first, she thinks carefully about how fabric will actually be used. Not just whether a print looks beautiful on the bolt, but whether it works in a quilt, how the scale behaves when cut up, what kinds of prints quilters reach for, and how low-volume fabrics often become the unsung heroes of a collection.
That kind of behind-the-scenes thoughtfulness is something most of us don’t always notice as consumers, but once she said it, I immediately started looking at fabric collections differently.
There’s a lot more strategy in those pretty stacks than we might realize.
The Creative Career Side
This episode also gets into the real-life side of building a creative career.
Abby talks about balancing pattern design, fabric design, book writing, and motherhood. She has four kids, a full family rhythm, and a business that keeps growing in new directions.
The balance is not always easy.
There are seasons when the business feels like a lot. There are seasons when home life needs more. There are seasons when both feel loud at the same time.
But Abby also shared that one of the most joyful surprises has been the friendships that came from the quilting community, especially through collaborations and creative groups.
That part made me so happy because I feel the same way.
The quilts are wonderful, but the people? That’s the good stuff.
Abby’s Quilting Adventure Right Now
When I asked Abby what a quilting adventure looks like for her right now, she gave two answers.
One kind of adventure is traveling to see quilting friends in real life, especially at events like QuiltCon. There’s something different about hugging people, sitting together, and having those face-to-face moments when so much of our creative community lives online.
The other kind of adventure happens at home: trying a new color palette, testing a new skill, sewing curves, adding zippers, making something just outside her comfort zone.
That answer feels so Quiltbound to me.
A quilting adventure can be a big trip.
It can also be trying something new at your kitchen table.
Both count.
Where to Find Abby and the Book
You can find Abby and purchase Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home through her website:
You can also find Abby on Instagram:
In the episode, Abby shares that U.S. customers can order signed copies directly from her website. The book is also available through major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and C&T Publishing.
If you’re outside the U.S., check Abby’s Instagram book highlight for current retailer links.
Resources Mentioned
Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home by Abby Luchsinger
Available through Abby’s website and major book retailers.
Summer Homestead by Social Bee Collective for Art Gallery Fabrics
Mentioned in the episode as an upcoming fabric collection at the time of recording.
Note: This episode was originally recorded before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound, so some older names, links, and references appear in the audio and transcript.
About The Quiltbound Podcast
The Quiltbound Podcast is a cozy, campfire-style quilting podcast for quilters who want more creativity, confidence, and connection in their quilting lives.
Episodes explore quilting skills, creative ruts, tools, design, community, and the small adventures that help us grow one stitch at a time.
You’ll find solo episodes, quilter interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and plenty of permission to sew with the season you’re actually in.
Episode Transcript
Below is the full transcript from this episode of The Quilt Scouts Podcast for accessibility and reference.
Note: This episode was recorded before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound, so the transcript uses the original Quilt Scouts language to match the audio.
Read the Full Episode Transcript
Abby Luchsinger (00:00)
I hope that when you are picking a project from Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home that you would just feel like this fits with your contemporary home but also has that really cozy feeling where you want to snuggle up and stay a while. So I don't want the clean, austere cold. That is not the vibe of this book. This book is like, yes, it's contemporary
and some of them are elegant or some of them are fun, but like it's gonna really feel like you and feel like you actually want to use it and you actually want to cuddle up with
Megan (00:32)
Welcome to the Quilt Scouts podcast. I'm Megan, your quilt scout leader and fellow adventurous quilter. This is a cozy campfire chat for quilters who crave creativity, community, and a gentle nudge to try something new. Each week we'll talk about quilting, and the small adventures that help us grow more confident one stitch at a time. I'm so glad you're here. Let's get into it.
Megan (00:58)
Today's guest is one of my favorite humans in the quilting world. Abby Luchsinger of Abby Maed Abby is a pattern designer, a fabric designer for art gallery fabrics.
a core member of the nine patch quilt collective, and she just added published author to her resume with the release of her brand new book, cozy quilts. So Abby, I am so excited to have you here. To start us off for anyone listening who might not be familiar with your work, how do you usually describe what you do and what's lighting up creatively right now?
Abby Luchsinger (01:28)
Sounds good. So I would probably say I'm a designer or creative entrepreneur because that kind of encompasses all the little tangents I've gotten on in my business. But I'm a, yes, I'm a pattern, a quilt pattern designer and a fabric designer and now just wrote a book. I don't, and like, I want to keep it open-ended for whatever comes next. So you never know.
Megan (01:40)
You
You wear a lot of different hats, for sure.
So I'm always fascinated by how people balance that too, because it's a lot going on all at the same time. I mean, you're releasing quilt patterns and fabric collections and now a book. So it's just, it's a lot. how do those roles feed into each
you?
Abby Luchsinger (02:12)
So I think it's really fun now that there's all these different things going because I can use my own fabric in my cover quilts and then also when I'm designing, I'm thinking about how different types of patterns and things are gonna fit into those quilts. so, I don't know, it's very symbiotic, I guess, where all of these things kinda play into each other. And then obviously all of my experience as a...
Megan (02:35)
Yeah.
Abby Luchsinger (02:40)
Pattern designer was what led to the book. so, yeah, I think they're all super related and feed off of each other and support each other, which is really fun.
Megan (02:51)
feel like is the perfect word to describe that.
Do you remember the moment like when quilting shifted from something that you love to do as a hobby into something that you knew you wanted to build your life around and
become a business for you?
Abby Luchsinger (03:04)
Yeah, so I don't know if there was like one like, aha moment, but I think when I was going through, I, so I did a lot of pattern testing before I ever became a designer. And I think through that process, like I was getting to the point where like every pattern that I was testing, not every pattern, but a lot of them, I was like, ⁓ I would do this differently. Or I, what if we shifted this or what if we did that? And of course, like that's not really helpful as a pattern tester because
Megan (03:32)
Hahaha
Abby Luchsinger (03:33)
Like you're
just supposed to be giving them feedback on the pattern as it exists, not like trying to change it all up. And so I think when I realized that like I was having more fun imagining what it could be or like how it could be different or how I would do it differently, I was like, okay, maybe I need to shift gears here a little bit. And then I also just had all these design ideas of my own, but I just like needed the know-how to figure out how to actually write a pattern. So yeah, it was gradual, but it was kind of like a process, you know, like realizing that.
Megan (03:57)
Yeah. that's funny.
Yeah,
yeah, wasn't one big aha moment, but like a gradual realization of like, okay, maybe I could start doing this. Yeah, writing patterns in a way that makes more sense for you, right?
Abby Luchsinger (04:06)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, that just appealed to my whatever, my style and my communication and whatever that it just, yeah.
Megan (04:19)
And I love it. mean, it's worked out so well for you because you have a very iconic style. Like when people see an Abby Maed quilt, we know it's an Abby Maed quilt. It's just, because it's iconic at this point. okay. So let's talk about the book. because this is a big deal. What did it feel like to finally hold your physical copy of Cozy Quilts?
Abby Luchsinger (04:27)
Hahaha
I mean, it felt really surreal, right? Because like, I've been working at this for almost two years now, and so I feel like when you finally hold it in your hand, it just almost feels like this can't actually be happening. But it's also really exciting and super rewarding, but there was definitely a moment of like, I don't even know what to do with this. This is so long.
Megan (05:00)
You know what it reminds me
of is like when we become a mom and you're holding your baby for the first time and you're like, this, this isn't real. Is it? Did I make this person?
Abby Luchsinger (05:04)
Yes. Right? Right. And like
you're gonna trust me to like go home and have this person now.
Megan (05:11)
Like I'm not allowed. Yeah, exactly.
I'm responsible for this little human now. Yeah, that's what reminds me. Just like the surrealness of like actually holding something you've been working on for two years, you said?
Abby Luchsinger (05:19)
Yes.
Almost, because I think we started the process like right after QuiltCon, you know, two years ago. So we're almost there again, which is crazy.
Megan (05:27)
my gosh. That's crazy.
I didn't know it had been that long of a process.
So now you can finally take a deep breath. It's out in the world.
Abby Luchsinger (05:32)
crazy.
Yes, exactly. And now it's the really
fun part because like all, you know, it's done and it's out there and now we could just like have fun making the projects and sharing it and, you know, doing all the fun marketing and events and stuff like that. So we're finally to the fun part.
Megan (05:50)
Yeah, I know like this. Yeah, exactly.
Exactly. Well, I haven't even it just came out. So I haven't even got my copy yet. So I'm so excited to like dig in and start making some projects. Because I've seen pictures of the projects that are available in the book. But I can't wait. I can't wait to start making some stuff in there. There's some cuties in there.
Abby Luchsinger (06:01)
Yeah
Megan (06:08)
So the book is organized by seasons. Four spring projects, four summer, four fall, four winter, which feels so intentional. I love that. What inspired that structure?
Abby Luchsinger (06:19)
So it was actually just the process of reflecting on what designs I had already put out in the world as patterns. And the more I looked at the work that I had already done, I just noticed that I definitely trend towards seasonal patterns, which I mean, a lot of seasonal patterns can be redone in other fabrics to be, you know, appropriate for other times of the year or for all year long. But like I love spring flower quilts and I have like, you know, butterflies and stuff in the summer. And I had
all kinds of different blocks with sweater weather, ⁓ you know, that are all very intentionally fall themed and then snowflakes and stars and stuff in the winter. So yeah, it just felt like a natural continuation of what I already did. And I think that I'm just, I've always been super inspired by like what's going on outside my window. And I live in Wisconsin and there's four very distinct seasons here. So I think that like, it's just a very, it felt very...
Megan (06:51)
yeah.
Yeah.
Abby Luchsinger (07:17)
appropriate and like a continuation of what I already am drawn towards.
Megan (07:22)
Yeah, no, that makes sense. And it's fun to see that. What I want to say that design style kind of develop over time, like that self discovery, right? You're like, okay, this is kind of you see that pattern happening and you kind of realize, okay, this is this could work for a book. I like that.
Abby Luchsinger (07:30)
Yeah.
Right.
Megan (07:36)
How did you decide which projects belonged in each season? Like, was it about the color or the mood or the scale or like something else?
Abby Luchsinger (07:44)
So I actually, once I had like figured out what I wanted, like how I wanted to structure it, I actually kind of just went through almost like month by month, like what would I want in a quilt that was for March or what would I want in a quilt that seems like April? And it's not like the quilts are all like they have to go with a certain month, but I think it just helped me kind of focus my energy. And so like I have, know, Cloverly has got all these cute little
four leaf clovers in it. And so that felt very like early spring, March kind of, you know,
and there's some projects that like you could do for any time of the year. Like there's a project called Sun Glow, which I chose to do in kind of like pinks and, reds that, you know, it has that like a golden hour feel to it, it's just a really pretty star that's got an ombre, to it. And
That could be for any time of the year, but it just felt like, you know, when I was thinking about what felt right for summer, was like, ooh, this feels like, you know, like that golden hour, late summer, everything is kind of drenched in color. So yeah, I think it was just more of a mood.
Megan (08:46)
Yes, I can just as you're describing it. know exactly what
you're talking about. Like I can just picture but then like the feel of it like late summer. Yep.
Abby Luchsinger (08:52)
Yeah, so I think it's
just like the mood that you get from seeing the project. And then the colors are super intentional too. I mean, the colors that are in the spring chapter are all, you know, softer and like more pastels and more pinks and more light greens and that kind of thing. And then summer has more of the like oranges and deeper pinks and more saturated and same with fall. There's like those rich like reds and browns and things like that. And then winter sort of transitions back to like the like
greens and blues and soft creams and that kind of thing. So it really feels like you're walking through the year.
Megan (09:27)
I love that. Yeah, that it is really beautiful. Now that I'm picturing your book, yeah, with what you're saying, like that makes a lot of sense how you transition through the seasons. And I was also thinking too, like the function of each project. Like I'm picturing the quilted tote bag that has a strawberry on it. It's like one of those things I could picture you bringing to the farmer's market in the summertime, you know, ⁓ just super cute.
Abby Luchsinger (09:40)
Yes.
Right.
Megan (09:46)
The projects range from small projects like tote bags and zipper pouches and things up to full quilts. So why was that mix important to you when writing this book?
Abby Luchsinger (09:56)
Yeah, so I mean, first of all, like, you can only make so many quilts, right? Because, like, especially seasonal ones, like how many spring quilts do you need and how many summer quilts? But like, and I love quilts and I love making full quilts, but I also have really enjoyed kind of those like palette cleanser projects where it's smaller, it's quicker, it's like more of the not quite instant gratification, but quicker gratification. And they're really fun for gifts too, because like, I don't know about you, but I have to like...
Megan (10:02)
You
Abby Luchsinger (10:26)
really love somebody to like go through and make an entire quilt for them. But like, I just have to like you to make you like a little, you know, pouch or something. Or like for, you know, for teacher gifts or for, you know, like coworkers and things like that where I'm like, oh yeah, I can pull together a pouch or a tote or something like that. And it's, and it's just fun to like take your quiltiness out of your home sometimes. So.
Megan (10:28)
You
I get that. Oh yeah.
no,
I get that. just did a whole episode about that. Yeah. Like taking it outside your sewing room. I feel like you are the queen of teacher gifts. I feel like you always have like the cutest, sweetest little gifts for your kiddos teachers. I love it. know, know, they're cute.
Abby Luchsinger (10:57)
Yeah.
⁓ thank you.
But like, yeah, like the little
Wrangler pouch, that would be a super sweet teacher gift. It's not going to take you that long to put together and it's useful and cute and all that.
Megan (11:10)
yeah!
And
like you said, we love a quick win. Sometimes you just need that.
Abby Luchsinger (11:17)
Yes, I do. I think
sometimes it's just nice to like, look, I made this and it's done. It's amazing.
Megan (11:23)
It's done in a day. Look at that a whole day.
was there a project that surprised you as you were making it or one that felt just especially meaningful?
Abby Luchsinger (11:33)
Ooh, that's a good question. Okay, so there's a quilt called Watercolor Hearts. And I actually designed it way before I ever knew that a book was on the table. And so it's one that I would have put out in the world kind of regardless of whether I wrote a book or not. But it has a series of overlapping hearts. And then where the hearts overlap, there's like,
you know, the color
So it's got this really cool effect of seeing where the hearts overlap and seeing how the color changes when they do. And I just think it's such a cool metaphor for how, you know, like when you are in a relationship with somebody, whether it's a friendship or a romantic relationship or like a family relationship with your kids or your parents or whatever, like the way we overlap.
in a relationship and the way our hearts overlap, it changes things about us and we are hopefully changing for the better. it's just, I don't know, I really love that idea of how we're all interconnected and we're changed and colored, if you will, by our
so I just think that has been a really cool, the meaning behind it felt a lot deeper than just these are hearts and aren't they cute?
Megan (12:46)
Yeah,
I was just going to say the same thing. I love that. And yeah, that's much deeper than I would have expected for like a quilt pattern, but it makes perfect sense. I absolutely love that metaphor.
if someone is feeling creatively stuck or overwhelmed, is there a project in the book you would gently steer them toward to kind of like, you know, dip their toe in the water?
Abby Luchsinger (13:04)
Yeah, so I would say, especially because like right now we're coming up on spring, there's a signs of spring bunting, which is a bunch of little flowers. And I just think there's so much room for creative, you know, interpretation in this. Like you can do it how I did it and have the backgrounds all the same and the flowers, you know, be repeating, or you could do all the same flower and all different backgrounds, or you could go totally scrappy. And like, it's just so cute and it could hang in it.
a sewing room, could hang in a little girl's bedroom, like across your mantle and the, in the, know, so like it would just be so like, there's so many ways you could take it and you could kind of like make it however big or small you wanted to. And there's a lot of room for flexibility, I think. So I would, I would totally recommend that one.
Megan (13:49)
I that's one of my
favorite projects. I can totally see that like across the fireplace mantle in spring or Easter or even it just like a birthday party, like a quilted bunting. It's just so sweet. love it. And it's definitely one of those like quick, easy. I don't want to say quick and easy, but like a smaller scale project where it's like, it's a little bit more approachable. Yeah. A little bit more bite size.
Abby Luchsinger (13:57)
Yes! Right? It's super cute, yes.
It's a smaller scale, yeah. Totally.
Megan (14:13)
So one of the things I love about this book is how it honors creative seasons, not just like literal ones. do you notice that you sew differently depending on the season?
Abby Luchsinger (14:23)
I definitely do. I think during the summer is definitely my low time for sewing because it's gorgeous outside and I live in Wisconsin so we need to soak up every bit of outside time that we can while it's, right? And so in the summer, I do sew a little but I'm mostly not. I'm mostly at the pool with my kids and going to soccer games and just screwing around outside and having fun and hiking and
Megan (14:32)
You
Gotta get that vitamin D.
Abby Luchsinger (14:51)
I'm not thinking about sewing hardly at all, but as soon as the weather starts to change and the temperature drops a little bit, I'm like, now I'm ready. I'm totally ready. I want to be in my sewing room. I want to make all the cozy things. I'm looking ahead to the holidays and to sweater weather. like, yeah, I'm just like all in for as long as it's chilly outside. I'm super excited to be sewing inside.
Megan (15:14)
I'll get that to you get that internal shift of like wanting to just move indoors and do like more cozy projects no totally is there a season where your creativity feels most alive or one where it feels a little harder to like access
Abby Luchsinger (15:18)
Yeah.
Sure. I mean, I definitely think that my creativity sort of ebbs and flows, and I don't know that it's connected with season as much as it's just connected with my life rhythms. like, so I think there's just like certain times of month where like I'm just more focused or more creative. And so I kind of just try to lean into whatever mentally, wherever I'm at. And so there are times, I think there are, you know, certain times all year long where I'm like, my gosh, I have all these ideas and I like,
can't get them down fast enough. And then there are other times when I couldn't come up with an idea if something important depended on it. I'm just tired or I'm stressed and it's just like I'm not feeling creative. So I think that I've just really learned to lean in during those times when I have all of these ideas at once and just jot them all down or get some preliminary things put into.
Megan (16:10)
Yeah.
Abby Luchsinger (16:24)
into InDesign and or Illustrator I mean. And so like try to just like get as much done as I can during those times so that when I have those times where I'm not feeling creative, I can focus on the tasks like actually writing the pattern or whatever, but like I don't have to design it, it's already figured out.
Megan (16:40)
Yes, more of the mechanics of the business rather than the creativity of the business. Yeah. Isn't it? I feel like that's the curse of every entrepreneur is having too many ideas, not enough time, most of the time. Right. And then you get in these, these places when you have no creativity. And then I think, like you said, I think it's just important to honor that and maybe just focus on resting or doing something outside of your norm to kind of break that. Um, what is it? Writer's block or whatever,
Abby Luchsinger (16:42)
Yes!
Totally.
Totally.
Yeah,
Megan (17:04)
how do you personally balance comfort sewing, so things that you know that you love, with the urge to try something new?
Abby Luchsinger (17:12)
think it all depends on what catches my eye. I think that, so like for example, my little girls have these little, like, mice dolls that they absolutely love. And so at some point they decided that they wanted some other friends to go along with the mice. And so I've never, like I had never sewn a doll before in my life, but like they were all excited and like my littlest one, she is obsessed with purple cows, which is so random.
But since she was like two, she has been talking about purple cows. And so she was begging me to make a purple cow family. And I was like, my gosh, I don't know. I don't know the first thing about making dolls. But I think that when you're already an entrepreneur and you're already pushing yourself all the time to try new things, I was like, how hard can it be? We'll just, sure, that sounds hard, but we'll figure it out. I know how to sew, so we'll figure it
enough, we have a purple cow family. It is not perfect, but it is done. And it unlocked a new thing for me, because then I was like, OK, this is actually really fun. so I ended up making a doll for my niece and some pigs for my other daughter.
Megan (18:21)
gonna say you've
you've made several now at this point right there's like there's a whole animal family
Abby Luchsinger (18:24)
I have at this point,
yes. And like I have zero intention of like going into that, you know, in a business sense, but it's really fun to try it when I have, you know, just personal sewing time to be like, you know what, let's just go for it and try something new. Or like I made a skirt last year and I had never made clothing before, but I was launching my first fabric collection and I'm like, how fun would it be to have a skirt in my own fabric? And I don't know how to make a skirt, but I can figure it out.
Megan (18:37)
Yeah.
We'll figure it out as we go. Is that the one you wore at, was it QuiltCon last year?
And I mean, yeah, how exciting to see it your own fabric and get to wear your own collection.
Abby Luchsinger (18:54)
Yeah, the little daisies.
I know, it's crazy.
Absolutely. When you finally touch the fabric for the first time and it's like, wow, it's really here and I drew that and it's super cool.
Megan (19:06)
You
Okay, so I would love to zoom out a bit and talk about how you design. When you're starting a new design, what usually comes first for you? The idea, the fabric, the function of it?
Abby Luchsinger (19:21)
I would say generally the idea comes first. So either I have like a specific like motif that I'm wanting to do or or a certain season that I know I want to design for. So like, like I love Christmas and winter quilts. so I need like late summer, early fall, like my brain is just moving in that direction. And so then I'm just thinking about all the things that I associate with winter and Christmas and kind of playing with different
pictures or motifs and designs and then I just keep playing and I mean it's really rare that like whatever I think of first is what I end up with. It's so much like play and tweaking and messing with it and changing it around to get to something that I actually love way more than what I thought I wanted when I started. So.
Megan (20:09)
Yeah, so it really
changes a lot during the process from your conception to like the actual design, either a fabric design or pattern design, I'm assuming kind of both.
Abby Luchsinger (20:12)
Yeah.
It usually does.
Yeah, both of them. I would say both. It's like same thing with fabric. Like I'll have a thought of what I think would look good on fabric, but then the more I play with the elements and the more I change the colors and the scale and I'm like, ⁓ actually this is what I want. And it's completely different and it's better than it would have been.
Megan (20:33)
Do you feel like you play around with it until it's like, you don't know what you want, but you know when you see it? Is it kind of that type of process?
Abby Luchsinger (20:40)
Yes,
I think so. Or like, I have an idea, like kind of a nebulous idea of what I want. Like, I want a quilt with spring flowers and I want them to kind of be like, like with my Meadowly quilt last year that I released, it was like, I know I wanted little flowers. I kind of had an idea about the scale, but I didn't know exactly, exactly what I wanted. And so like the more I played and the more I messed around with the scale and the design and whatever, then I was like, okay, this is where we're really going.
Megan (20:45)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah,
then it hits, yeah.
Abby Luchsinger (21:11)
Yeah.
Megan (21:11)
How does designing fabric influence the way that you design quilts?
Abby Luchsinger (21:16)
I would say that when I'm designing fabric, I'm just really thinking about how I'm going to use the fabric because like, I'm sure a lot of people have run into this where you see some really gorgeous fabric or like a super fun design on fabric or whatever and you buy it and then you get it home and then you're like, ⁓ what am I going to actually use this for? like, yeah, or like, you know, like the scale is too big and it would be great as a backing, but I only have a quarter yard of it.
Megan (21:35)
100%.
Abby Luchsinger (21:42)
and it won't work in a quilt where you're cutting it up into tiny little pieces. I think that being a quilter first really makes me intentional with my fabric design of how would somebody use this? How would I use this primarily? even just what I focus on, as much fun as it is to design a really cool hero print, the thing that I use the most is a low volume background.
So, you know, so like, yes, it's fun to design the hero print and yes, I want to do that. But I also want to have like these kind of more simple or like more negative space patterns that like are actually the things I use all the time.
Megan (22:21)
I love hearing that, what's the word I'm thinking of? Like that foresight that has to go into these designs because I don't feel like I would have ever thought of one. I've never designed a fabric collection, but being a consumer, I don't think I've ever looked at a collection that way. But now that you're saying that, like, that makes sense how those collections are built with like the small scale prints and like the hero print. And yeah, that's like a lot of foresight that has to go into designing a whole collection.
Abby Luchsinger (22:45)
Yeah, it has to be super intentional and you really have to think about like, what are people looking for and what are they gonna, like how are they gonna use this and what are they gonna want it for? Or like, are they gonna use it for apparel and also with substrates, like if it's gonna be a flannel, like, or if it's gonna be a rayon or something like that, like what are they using those fabrics for and then how do you need to change the scale or the type of print that it is? Like.
Megan (22:54)
Yeah. Yeah.
Abby Luchsinger (23:09)
There's so much that I didn't realize before doing this.
Megan (23:10)
I was gonna say,
How long does it generally take you to design an entire fabric collection?
Abby Luchsinger (23:17)
So right now, because I'm doing it with a collective and there's five of us, I mean, we have like five or six prints each in a collection. So it's not like, you know, each individually, we're not designing a full collection. So it takes me, I don't know. It kind of depends on how creative I'm feeling. But.
Megan (23:35)
Again, are
the creative juices flowing, right?
Abby Luchsinger (23:38)
Yeah,
and I think just like other times, there are days when I can knock out three different prints in a day, let's say, and be really excited about all of them. And there are other days where I will struggle with one print all day and still not feel satisfied with it. And so I think at least a couple of weeks, but ideally it would be longer so that I have more time to let it percolate.
Megan (23:54)
Okay.
Yeah. So
let's, it's less time than to write a book. Let's say that. I still can't get over the two year timeline. Like that's so, like such a commitment. I I know how much work went into that book and like, I'm just so proud of you to just see out in the world and just in real life. That's so cool. Sorry. I know I
Abby Luchsinger (24:03)
For sure. For sure for sure.
It's so long.
Aw, thank you.
Megan (24:18)
Do you have a design rule that you secretly like to break?
Abby Luchsinger (24:22)
Ooh, that's a good question. I don't know if there's a design rule, but I would say the biggest rule I break with pattern writing is that I have heard it recommended multiple times by people who are very knowledgeable that you should really narrow down and just offer one or two sizes in a pattern and one colorway. Make it as streamlined as possible, which is great advice, and I don't follow it at all.
All of my patterns, not in the book, I will say in the book, you'll get like each one has its size and that's its size. But when I release patterns independently, like almost all of them have multiple sizes and often more than one colorway. And you can make a pillow and you can make a table runner or you can make a baby quilt or a throw quilt or a bed quilt or you know, and like
you could have a mix and match and you could like all these different options, which makes pattern writing incredibly way harder than it has to be. But, but I also feel like it's so much more like valuable to the customer to have all these choices and really be able to use that pattern for more than one thing. And so I love it when people are like, ⁓ I used this pattern and I made a baby quilt and I also made a throw pillow or
you know, I made a table runner and I also made a bed quilt. Like it's just cool to see them be able to use it in different ways and for different purposes. And some things are for gifts and some are for themselves. And so yeah, I break that rule a lot.
Megan (25:47)
But I
feel adds a lot more versatility to your patterns. It allows them to see how in other ways your pattern can be used. it's not, I guess it's not up to them to have to deconstruct your pattern and create something new, right? Like you already do all that work for them in the pattern and they're such well written patterns.
Abby Luchsinger (26:02)
Right.
Well, thank you. Yes, and I think early on I was trying to follow advice and I had fewer sizes and no other colorways and stuff, but then I got so many people that would email me and be like, well, how can I make this into a twin size? how can I, like, what is the individual block size and do you have instructions for just what you need for one block? And I was like, I don't. But now I do. So, yeah.
Megan (26:25)
You
Yeah, you get
those questions often enough and you start to rework some of your patterns. I've had a couple patterns like that too. I'm like, okay, I probably need to rewrite this one because I'm getting this question a lot.
Abby Luchsinger (26:33)
Definitely.
A lot, yeah. I know. Anytime I get the question, like, more than three times in a short period of time, I'm like, okay. We're probably on to something here. ⁓
Megan (26:44)
Exactly.
Something I really value about you is how grounded and honest you are about your creative process. So what part of this creative career path has been harder than you expected?
Abby Luchsinger (26:59)
think the hardest thing is just, I mean, so I'm a mom, I have four kiddos and they're, they're not teeny tiny, but they're still pretty young. Like my youngest is seven and my oldest is 12. So it's 12, 11, nine and seven. So like they are at these stages where like I am very involved with everything that they're up to and you know, making, you know, meals and lunches and
you know, tons of laundry and taking them to activities. All of my little girls are in dance and you know, my son's got jazz band and they've, we've got church stuff. And, and so like, like I think that could be my full-time job just right there. And so I think the hardest part is just trying to find a way to balance my business obligations with my home obligations and not feel like I'm letting either one go too far. And so.
Megan (27:29)
Hahaha
Abby Luchsinger (27:56)
And that's a continuing thing that I think is just always maybe gonna be a tension and that's okay. there are seasons when I felt like, holy cow, I don't have time to run a business. But then it brings me so much joy and I really, really love it. So I keep wanting to come back and find ways to make it work.
Megan (28:14)
Yeah, I love that. that's, I mean, talk about being honest about that. Yeah, that is a, that's tough for us moms trying to balance those things. And then you got to deal with the mom guilt, right?
Abby Luchsinger (28:23)
Right,
absolutely, because you don't want to miss out on these sweet times with, or even the not sweet times, but like, you know, like you only have this one shot with your kids and you're trying to really make the most of it, but it's hard.
Megan (28:27)
Mm-hmm. Yep. ⁓
Yeah. Well, you have definitely,
I admire how much you're able to get done and how you show up for your family and how you love on your people and your family. And then to see your business grow and blossom on top of that has just been fun to watch.
Abby Luchsinger (28:49)
Thank
Megan (28:50)
So on the flip side, what's been more joyful than you've imagined?
Abby Luchsinger (28:54)
I think I never imagined how many friendships would come out of being in the quilting community and being part of collaborations and being part of all these different like, you know, fabric and quilt pattern design and book writing. Like I've gotten to meet so many really great people and like build these friendships that even though we don't spend that much time like in the same room as each other, we're in each other's lives.
in a very tangible way. And I just think that's so much fun to like have all of these really great friends that I never would have had otherwise. And, and like, yes, we talk about quilting, but we also talk about everything else that is just life. And I mean, especially like with our sweater weather crew. I love you guys. Like, you know, like, yes, I have friends here in my city, and I love them too. And but like, I love you guys. And I love that.
Like, even though we're all over the country, we still have this really special friendship that we are maintaining and nurturing and just loving. So, yeah, definitely. I know, me too.
Megan (30:01)
I love our group. love us.
I know. feel like we talk pretty much all day, every day. ⁓ even when we're not planning sweater weather stuff, it's just kind of like a continual chat happening all the time.
Abby Luchsinger (30:09)
Yes.
Totally. And
yeah, and it's a lot of like us learning from each other because we all started businesses around the same time and like there's a lot of, you know, growing pains and learning and stuff that happens. And we've all like supported each other through that, but it's also just like life stuff. And that's, I love that. So.
Megan (30:32)
Isn't it crazy? It is kind of crazy to look back on how much has happened in a relatively short amount of time, a few years. ⁓ Crazy like all nine of us, just how much has changed in our businesses and in life. it's just fascinating to watch and just reflect back and just really appreciate how far each of our businesses has come. It's pretty cool.
Abby Luchsinger (30:39)
Yeah.
Totally.
It's really cool and it's really cool to like be witnesses for each other to like have seen all of that growth and been present for all of it and seen all of the struggles and the hard work and everything behind the scenes is just so special.
Megan (31:02)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, and yeah, like you said, don't, not everyone gets to, maybe most people don't get to see that. I mean, all of the, the blood, sweat and tears that go into building your business. Really, truly. So, I mean, yeah, honestly, let's just, exactly. But I think it does, it does give us a different appreciation for it too.
Abby Luchsinger (31:12)
Right. And you don't want to, honestly. It's better if you just see. Just take what you do see. It's all great.
Totally.
Megan (31:24)
When things feel busy or overwhelming, how do you protect your creativity?
Abby Luchsinger (31:29)
one of the things I do is clean out my space. And so I think that is a big, I don't know. It's a big thing for me to have like, when I'm in a busy season, my sewing space in particular gets really crazy, really fast. And if I can take an afternoon and just get it all put away and nice and neat, like I feel so much more able to like be creative and
Megan (31:35)
Yeah.
Abby Luchsinger (31:53)
I also think my house in general, like if my house is all like clean. So I think cleaning is apparently the way that I access creativity. But just having like a
Megan (31:59)
You
No, same here. get that.
Abby Luchsinger (32:03)
difference.
Megan (32:04)
having
a clear space kind of helps clear the clutter from your mind, I think. I do the same thing when I'm in the thick of a project or something. Yeah, my sewing space gets real messy real fast. And then when that project's over and I can finally like puts up a way and clean it just feels like a breath of fresh air. I'm like, okay, I can think about the next thing.
Abby Luchsinger (32:18)
Yes, totally. And then like once
the space is all clean and tidy then it's like my brain is like, okay now we can relax and think creatively again.
Megan (32:28)
This must be a universal mom thing. feel like it's just like all moms struggle with this.
Abby Luchsinger (32:31)
I think so. Absolutely.
yeah, I spent, we spent most of winter break. I mean, we did lots of fun things with our kids, but we also like deep cleaned so many rooms in our house because I was like, now's the moment we're all home. Let's do this. And it felt so nice. Yes. Absolutely. We're going to go through every game and toy and yes.
Megan (32:41)
You
Like the after Christmas itch? Yep. Yep. You're like, all of this is going away immediately. did the same
thing. We did a pretty big overhaul. feel like I talked to you about this, but yeah, we did a whole room rearrangement, reorganizing as a whole thing, but it was so nice afterwards.
Abby Luchsinger (33:00)
Yes, it's so nice. I know.
Megan (33:03)
what helps you come back to yourself when sewing starts to feel like work instead of, you know, instead of a refuge.
Abby Luchsinger (33:11)
think taking a break for sure and maybe working on something different for a while, whether it's like, I'm going to do some drawing or I'm going to do some cross stitch or embroidery or like just something that isn't sewing or isn't quilting. I think that helps. And then I also think maybe changing up my project helps. like if I'm just feeling like, my gosh, this project is never ending and I'm kind of over it.
Like I will try to switch it up and be like, know what? There's this really cute bag that I want to make or this little doll that I want to make or whatever. And like doing something that isn't, doesn't have a deadline, doesn't have, you know, I can just do whatever I want with it and whenever I want with it. And then that'll kind of like, I feel like give me the energy to come back and be like, okay, let's knock this out now and let's get it done. Yeah, totally.
Megan (33:54)
Like a palette cleanser, right? Mm-hmm.
Yeah. So this is a question that I've been asking, a new question I've been asking my guests on the podcast. and I love how different all of the answers have been, but what does a quilting adventure look like for you right now?
Abby Luchsinger (34:10)
Quilting adventure. Ooh. I mean, okay, so there's different kinds of quilting adventures. I would say one of the adventures I've enjoyed is traveling and getting to see people in real life. so QuiltCon is a super fun quilting adventure for me because I get to see all these people that I have relationships with and hug them and just sit and talk with them, which is different than texting with them, and I love that. But otherwise, think quilting adventures, when I'm just at home,
is like trying out a new color palette or trying a different like skill set or pattern, you know, like learning how to do curves or how to do zippers or how to do whatever that just seems like something I want to know, but haven't like taken the time to learn yet. So yeah, trying something that's a little outside of my comfort zone.
Megan (34:58)
Will you be at QuiltCon this year? Okay. Are you going to be at the Art Gallery Fabrics booth again?
Abby Luchsinger (35:00)
I will. Yes.
So I won't be there like all of the time, but on Saturday we're going to have a little meet and greet and book signing. So I think it's at 2 p.m. Don't like hold me to that, hopefully it's at 2 p.m. on Saturday at QuiltCon You guys should definitely all come and say hi to me. If it is not that time, I will share that. Yes.
Megan (35:13)
Okay.
We'll keep you in the loop. Yeah, so if you're going to be at QuiltCon
and you want to meet Abby and get a copy of her book and get a signed copy of the book, extra special, then yeah, definitely stop by and say hi, right?
Abby Luchsinger (35:38)
Yes, and if you already have a book, even better, like bring it with and I'll sign it and we can hang out and chat and all of that. So, yes.
Megan (35:46)
photo op.
so this is a new segment we're going to do. So if you're up for it, I think this would be fun, but we're going to do a lightning round. And the goal is I'm going to ask you a question, don't overthink it and just whatever comes to your mind first is your answer. You ready? Okay. Hand stitching or machine sewing.
Abby Luchsinger (35:56)
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
machine sewing.
Megan (36:10)
solids or prints.
Abby Luchsinger (36:12)
Okay, so I knew this one was coming and the answer is actually like low volumes, which is such a, an out, but it's a print, but it is almost a solid if you look at it from a distance. Low volumes, final answer.
Megan (36:25)
That's fair, Cozy couch sewing or studio
time?
Abby Luchsinger (36:32)
Studio time, I think, because I just get a lot more done in the studio. If I'm on the couch, I want to read.
Megan (36:36)
Yeah. Are you a morning maker?
Same. Are you a morning maker or a night owl?
Abby Luchsinger (36:42)
Now I'm much more of a morning maker. I like it to be light out and see what my fabric actually looks like in the light of day.
Megan (36:49)
in the light of day.
And then what is one word to describe your current creative season?
Abby Luchsinger (36:57)
I would say playful.
Megan (37:00)
I like that. What do you hope that quilters will feel when they sew from cozy quilts?
Abby Luchsinger (37:06)
I hope that when you are picking a project from Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home that you would just feel like this fits with your contemporary home but also has that really cozy feeling where you want to snuggle up and stay a while. So I don't want the clean, austere cold. That is not the vibe of this book. This book is like, yes, it's contemporary
and some of them are elegant or some of them are fun, but like it's gonna really feel like you and feel like you actually want to use it and you actually want to cuddle up with
and
and snuggle it, yes. The whole point.
Megan (37:38)
and snuggle it, right? Yeah, it's the co, it's the cozy. Yeah, exactly. That's the whole point. I mean, what else?
It's, it's the whole purpose of a quilt is to have it cozy and snuggly.
Abby Luchsinger (37:48)
Exactly.
Megan (37:49)
so what is next for you? Anything that you're excited about that you can if it's still a little fuzzy.
Abby Luchsinger (37:55)
next big thing I think is we
Social Bee Collective, which is my little design group with Art Gallery. Our next collection is called Summer Homestead and it will be coming out in March, which is really fun and it's got lots of flowers and fruit and bees and it's super cute. ⁓ And then...
Megan (38:12)
I've seen that one
in the art gallery lookbook and it's so cute and fun. can't wait for that one. ⁓
Abby Luchsinger (38:16)
It's super fun. Yeah, so like if you
like strawberries or blueberries or bumblebees or like this is totally up your alley.
Megan (38:22)
It's very homestead vibes.
So that collection is coming out in March,
Okay, so if people want to buy a copy of Cozy Quilts for the Modern Home, where can they get that?
Abby Luchsinger (38:33)
So if you are in the US, I would love it if you would just get it from me. You can go to my website, is www.abbymaed spelled A-B-B-Y-M-A-E-D dot com. And you'll get a signed copy and all of my gratitude. But you can absolutely also order it on Amazon. You can get it on Barnes and Noble. You can get it from C+T publishing. And if you go on my Instagram, which is like @abbymaed,
There is a highlight, a book highlight on there, and it has links to all of the major retailers that I am currently aware of that have it available. So you can find it on there. And if you are overseas or just, you know, in Canada or any place that is not the U S there are a number of other retailers that have them. And I'm working to figure out who those are so that I can offer a better list to people.
Megan (39:23)
to get in contact with you, what is the best way to do that? Email?
Abby Luchsinger (39:27)
So the best way to do that is either email or you can send me a DM depending on, if it's a quick question, then just DM me on Instagram and that is where I spend a lot of my energy and I will definitely get back to you right away. Otherwise, if you email me, I will also get back to you and you know, if you have a more detailed question or whatever, I'm more than happy to answer you via email too.
Megan (39:48)
Okay, well I will make sure to link your website and your Instagram in the show notes so if anyone wants to find you, you can find all of the links there as well as your email address Well Abby, thank you so much for being here. That was a really
cozy conversation. So I appreciate you coming on the podcast to chat.
Abby Luchsinger (40:04)
Thank you so much, Megan. This is fun.
Megan (40:07)
If you enjoyed this episode, I would love for you to follow or subscribe to the Quilt Scouts podcast so you don't miss future episodes. And if you have a minute, leaving a review is one of the best ways to help this podcast find other quilters who could use a little creativity and community too. You can find show notes and more from Quilt Scouts at quiltscouts.com. Until next time, happy trails scout.
