About Me

Hi, I am Kerry and this blog records my sewing life and a few other things as the mood takes me.  I live in Exeter, a small city in Devon, close to the coast in South West England.  I live a quiet life, social by day working with music and young children, quiet the rest of the time.  My creative side is where my imagination gets the chance to let its hair down.


I've been sewing since I was small and I was lucky enough to go to a creative and forward-thinking primary school in West Yorkshire where art and textiles were part of everyday self-expression. That education still impacts on my creative activities today and I am forever grateful.


I quilt, I make most of my clothes and I write about it.  I also design and sell foundation paper piecing patterns alongside Penny Layman as Sew-Ichigo, a design partnership and I write freelance for sewing magazines and websites.



I have co-authored a popular quilting book, 500 Quilt Blocks as well as contributing to other quilt books including Playful Little Paper-Pieced Projects and The Modern Quilt Medallion workbook and I am one of the designers involved in The Splendid Sampler quilt along (book coming out 2017).  I was also featured in Quiltessential alongside Penny Layman for our Sew-Ichigo foundation paper piecing patterns.






I am a regular contributor to UK quilting magazines writing projects for magazines including Love Patchwork and Quilting and Quilt Now and features, including interviews and articles about sewing.

I wrote a regular 'Stash Selector' column for popular UK magazine Love Sewing where I choose a selection of the latest fabrics and suggest a quilt block that works with the colours and print.  I also had a column, Final Thread for two years in Sewing World magazine (sadly now no longer published).

I have also written for The Sewing Directory including a ten-part beginner friendly series, Making a Quilt.

Block from 500 Quilt Blocks, sewn as free tutorial for the Liberty Craft blog

I now sew almost everything on a Bernina 830 Record dating from the early 1970s.   My back-up machines are a Janome Horizon Memory Craft 7700 and a vintage Elna Lotus for travel.


You can hear me being interviewed by Sarah of Sarah Ashford Studio on her Great British Quilter podcast:



I was also interviewed by Tsoniki of Me Being Crafty here:


If you are interested in commissioning a project or article or just want to get in touch, you can contact me at: verykerryberry(at)gmail(dot)com

16 comments:

  1. peacedgoods24 May 2012 at 12:37

    I am wondering if I can use your mini-house block in a quilt I plan to offer for sale in my etsy shop (PeacedGoods). tinygirl@suddenlink.net

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  2. verykerryberry31 May 2012 at 07:33

    I do so appreciate being asked but sorry-as this is a free pattern use is restricted to personal use only and not for any commercial purpose. All my free patterns and tutorials are personal use only.

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    1. Unknown3 February 2014 at 21:44

      What about for use in a quilt for raising funds? (Raffle or auction). I am looking for a house block to make a quilt for rebuilding Washington IL, USA - where our guild is at. Washington was hit by a Tornado Nov 17 2013 and 1000 homes were destroyed or damaged beyond repair. Its a relatively small town and we want to help in positive ways. We have already sent many quilts for individuals but they are need of $ for supporting what will be a long road to recovery.

      Delete
    2. verykerryberry4 February 2014 at 07:34

      You are welcome to use the block for this cause. I wish you well with your fund raising.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous24 June 2012 at 15:21

    I'm so chuffed to find someone in the UK blogging quilting (and I suspect you are very close to me in Cornwall). I'm just starting out, (unsuitable sewing machine, very tiny stash etc) but learning so much from the internet. I'll be happy to keep in touch and see what you are up to!

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    1. verykerryberry26 June 2012 at 08:12

      Thankyou! I think we all start in that way with very little and a basic machine, but mighty oak trees etc.!

      Delete
  4. SWicker23 October 2012 at 19:08

    I read the thread about the pincushion caddy and I love the embellisments you put on there. Is there a specific website that you purchase the quilting ones from?
    Thanks

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    1. verykerryberry23 October 2012 at 21:58

      I save selvedges and buy text fabrics whenever I can, you can find lots on Etsy, Sewmeasong is a good etsy shop for text fabrics

      Delete
  5. SWicker24 October 2012 at 12:35

    Thank you I will check it out. Have a great day.

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  6. LJ6 August 2013 at 15:17

    Here is something weird. Using Google Reader I was following you. I switched over to Feedly and do like it. I've been following the Patchwork Please hop and yesterday I couldn't find your post. Finally, I went to Lily's Quilts and clicked on the link to you and there you were. So...why wasn't the post coming up on Feedly. Did you know there was another blog called Very Berry Handmade which is situated in the UK? Anyway, the long and short is that blog got mixed up with yours in my "following list". It was probably MY human error but who knows. I AM so happy to have found you again and am following again. :)

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    1. verykerryberry28 October 2013 at 20:59

      I do know Ali from Very Berry Handmade and we both know that people get us muddled up from time to time- I get the odd request for Liberty fabric which she sells and she gets people looking for my tutorials.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous19 September 2014 at 22:22

    Just found your blog, and like you, I blog about a variety of subjects. I love to quilt and craft and sew, and lots of things. I am following you now on Bloglovin. Blogspot isn't friendly about posting from other platforms, so you can reach me at craftnut at rocket mail dot com.
    Carole @ From My Carolina Home

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    1. verykerryberry21 September 2014 at 15:09

      Thankyou Caroline, I wish you the best of luck with your blogging and crafting!

      Delete
  8. Unknown26 January 2016 at 14:29

    Love your blog! So much wonderful information here for us quilters and bloggers! I use your pdf file for the center of a spiral ALL the time, it's such a wonderful shape! Thanks for sharing so much wonderful stuff.

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  9. Unknown15 July 2017 at 11:02

    Just a suggestion for your fabric shops list, Funki fabrics has an amazing amount of designs of stretch fabrics with an easy to navigate online site, worth a look in my opinion.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time out to leave your thoughts, I do very much appreciate you stopping by! Blogger is not sending comments through by email at the moment so I'll reply in the comments.

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